Mark Wilson/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The Trump family seems to be feeling the festive spirit of the Christmas season down in Florida. First lady Melania Trump posted a cheeky selfie on Twitter Christmas morning, sharing a picture of herself using a Santa hat filter and shimmering reindeer with the caption "#MerryChristmas." The first family is spending the holiday at their Florida retreat in Mar-a-Lago, referred to as the "Winter White House." Last night, the president and his wife attended a Christmas Eve service at the Palm Beach church where they were married and were greeted by applause. Guests at Mar-a-Lago had a wide array of food options for their Christmas Eve dinner, including turkey, beef tenderloin, cornbread, creamy kale, popovers, mashed potatoes and turkey gravy, various local vegetable dishes, a seafood display including local fish and shellfish as well as a variety of desserts. On Christmas Eve, the first lady wrote that she was "looking forward to helping kids track Santa today with @NoradSanta! Wishing everyone a very Merry #Christmas Eve!" She also shared a picture that showed her making Christmas calls with the president, writing that they "had fun" participating in the annual tradition. As did her husband, who shared three photos from the same call session in the library of the so-called Winter White House. The first lady wasn't the only member of the Trump family sharing photos from their Christmas celebrations. Donald Trump Jr. posted a picture on his public Instagram account showing two of his children, daughter Kai and son Spencer, "having a great Christmas Eve dinner with grandpa" at Mar-a-Lago. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Ucoms mobile customers will benefit from the best internet roaming rate of 8 AMD/MB when travelling to Georgia, Egypt or the UAE Ameriabank Launches Google Pay and Google Wallet Support for Card Users in Armenia Karen Vardanyan donated 112 million drams for the medical equipment for National Center for Infectious Diseases. UCOM HAS INTRODUCED FUTURE NETWORK WI-FI 6E ROUTERS Google Ad Statement by the Spokesperson on the conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts Foreign Minister of Armenia to participate in the Fifth Paris Peace Forum Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Google Ad Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces US President Donald Trump's recent decision to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital has taken joy out of Christmas for the people in the holy land who witnessed a low key celebration today with thousands of tourists choosing to stay away from festivities. The Manger Square, where tourists and locals generally jostle for space before the midnight mass, looked forlorn with signs of despair visible on the faces of sellers and street vendors. Michael Kumsiyeh, a souvenir shop owner in the Manger Square, squarely blamed President Trump for the doom and gloom. "He makes a problem. He doesn't make any solution," Kumsiyeh said. "Its a bad situation. No celebrations, no tourists and everybody is unhappy," lamented Kader, a coffee seller. Trump declared Jerusalem as Israel's capital on December 6 which sparked violence in the region and worldwide protests. Coming, as it did, just weeks before Christmas, the announcement forced thousands of expected pilgrims to pull out of the celebrations in the holy land. The sparsely crowded Manger Square, the centre of celebrations, had two big signs declaring "Jerusalem will always be the eternal capital of Palestine", a message which spoke of the prevailing mood. Besides protests by the Palestinian Authority (PA), which controls the West Bank city, cold and rainy weather also dampened spirits, forcing people to leave the gloomy surrounding as the day progressed. Jerusalem is at 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. it is also home to Al-Aqsa mosque, 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 US would support a two-state solution if it is agreed to by Israel and the Palestinians. However, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmound Abbas has said that he no longer wants the US involved in peace efforts following its decision which has eroded its credibility "as an honest mediator". "Trump with his announcement became part of the conflict and not an honest mediator in the Palestinian and Israeli peace process," Bethlehem's Mayor Anton Salman said. Salman, a Roman Catholic who was elected six months ago, ironically leads a city which has a strong Muslim majority of at least 70 per cent, with only 30 per cent Christians. It was once a Christian dominated city but emigration arising out of a wave of violence and economic hardships has seen its Christian residents move to several countries across the world. "There is no way we can accept Trump's declaration because it compromises our national principles, our national rights, our national future and everybody in Bethlehem and Palestine refuses and rejects this statement," Salman said, adding that the "Palestinians are one people, and Jerusalem is sacred to Palestinian Christians and Muslims alike". Salman, however, played down the scope of the unrest in Bethlehem and other parts of the West Bank, insisting that "Bethlehem is not dangerous". Security was tight in the city as paramilitary Palestinian police armed with assault rifles patrolled the cobblestone streets. Israel also eased security restrictions and made all possible efforts to make tourists feel safe. Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Roman Catholic cleric in the holy land, crossed through an Israeli military checkpoint to enter Bethlehem from Jerusalem. The religious leader had last week tried to steer clear of politics rejecting US' decision. "Now it's time to enjoy," Pizzaballa said, adding "We as Christians will enjoy, despite all the difficulties we have. Merry Christmas". During the midnight mass the clergy prayed for the peace of Jerusalem and appealed to politicians "to have courage" to make bold decisions that respect all peoples. "There is no peace if someone is excluded. Jerusalem should include, not exclude," Pizzaballa said stressing "The Jerusalem is our mother, loves all her children. If one is missing, the mother cannot be in peace". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ukrainian authorities and separatist rebels have agreed on a major prisoner exchange. Separatist leaders and a Ukrainian government representative said in televised comments today that they would exchange prisoners on Wednesday. They spoke after a meeting in Moscow mediated by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. Kiev representative Viktor Medvedchuk says Ukraine is ready to release 306 people and is hoping for the separatists to release 74 people. It is not immediately clear if this covers all prisoners of war. A simmering conflict in eastern Ukraine between Russia- backed separatists and government troops has killed more than 10,000 since 2014. A truce signed in 2015 stipulated an exchange of all prisoners but both sides are believed to keep dozens, if not hundreds, captive and use them as bargaining tools. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two persons, including a Ukrainian woman, were killed and two others injured today when their car ploughed into a road divider and overturned, police said. Ukrainian nationals BK Dana (22) and Maria (24) were travelling with Ankit and Vaibhav (30) from Kanpur to Delhi. The accident occured in the Mahaban police station area. All four people were rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared Dana and Vaibhav dead, SP (Rural) Aditya Kumar Shukla said. Dana and Maria had come to India on a tourist visa. The Ukrainian Embassy in New Delhi has been informed about the accident, the SP said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh police today kept strict vigil across the state to ensure Christmas festivities passed off peacefully in the wake of the Hindu Jagran Manch warning against celebrating the festival, officials said. All SPs were put on maximum alert in the districts after the Manch, an RSS-affiliate, recently issued a circular threatening all Aligarh schools against celebrating Christmas saying, they would be doing it "at their own risk". No untoward incident was reported from any school or church till late evening and that traditional festivities passed off peacefully in Aligarh, Senior Superintendent of Police (Aligarh) Rajesh Pandey said. In Lucknow, the day was celebrated with usual pomp and fanfare at the St Joseph's Cathedral with nearby markets decorated with balloons and Christmas trees. There were grand celebrations at the All Saints Cathedral in Allahabad, the Basilica of Our Lady of Graces in Meerut, the Christ church in Bareilly and the St Mary's church in Varanasi, which were decorated tastefully for the occasion. Additional Director General (Law and Order) Anand Kumar had directed all district police chiefs to ensure that the freedom of practising one's religion is protected and appropriate action taken to that end. The Manch was in the last month when it announced its decision to launch a "reverse Love Jihad" by setting a target of 2,100 Muslim brides for Hindu boys in the next six months under a campaign called "beti bachao, bahu lao". Last year, the right-wing group launched its "anti-love jihad" and "save Hindu girl" campaign in Uttar Pradesh, where they planned to hold classes in all schools run by its parent organisation to "educate" youngsters about the "ill-effects" of marrying a Muslim. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Venezuela's government today released another eight political opponents from jail, bringing to 44 the number freed since Saturday in a goodwill gesture timed to happen over Christmas. But they are only a fraction of the number of political prisoners being held, the head of the rights group Foro Penal, Alfredo Romero, told AFP. "The government is interested in reducing the number of political prisoners to reduce the cost they represent. There are still 227 political prisoners -- the highest number for any Christmas," Romero said. The Venezuelan regime had promised to release 80 inmates for Christmas. Delcy Rodriguez, head of a Truth Commission investigating protests against President Nicolas Maduro's regime, had called the move a sign of "reconciliation." Those jailed had been arrested during demonstrations demanding that Maduro step down. Mass street protests began in 2014, when 43 people were killed in clashes, and have continued sporadically ever since with 125 dead earlier this year. The government rejects the label "political prisoners" for the opposition inmates, preferring to characterize them as common criminals. Venezuela's opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable coalition welcomed the release of the inmates. But it said on Twitter that "they should never have been deprived of their freedom" as "striving to reconstruct a country ruined by the regime is not a crime." Among those freed in the first wave was Alfredo Ramos, mayor of the northwestern municipality of Irribarren, who was arrested in late July and handed a 15-month sentence. The jailed political opponents were among the issues discussed in talks, held in the Dominican Republic, between the government and the opposition. The dialogue is aimed at trying to find a political solution to the dire crisis engulfing Venezuela, a once-rich oil-producing nation that is now partially in default on its debts, with scarcities of food and medicine. A third round of talks is due to take place January 11- 12. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP leaders in West Bengal are struggling to meet a mass outreach target set by party chief Amit Shah ahead of the panchayat elections even as the party grapples with infighting and lack of coordination among the state BJP members. A section of the BJP's central leadership believes that the party is making steady inroads into the Trinamool Congress-ruled Bengal, once a bastion of the Left Front, but owing to several reasons its state unit has not been able to capitalise on the wave fully. The results of various elections that followed the 2016 assembly polls have shown a steep rise in party's vote share and paved way for its emergence as the prime challenger to the ruling TMC in Bengal. Although the state BJP leadership received a pat on its back from none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday for a significant rise in ballot share with 18 per cent votes, a senior leader admitted that the party still has a long way to go to woo its voters. "We are yet to reach out to all 77,000 booths in the state. Our party president Amit Shah, during his visit to Bengal earlier this year, had set a target for creation of booth committees by the end of 2017. But we have been able to meet just 65 to 70 per cent of the target," a senior central BJP leader told PTI on the condition of anonymity. Kailash Vijayvargiya, BJP national general secretary and the Bengal in-charge, however, said the work to constitute committees would most likely be over by next month. "We hope that the work will be completed (forming booth- level committees) by January 2018," he said. The party's central leadership has also stressed on the need to rope in intellectuals who act as catalysts in creating public opinion. "Due to infighting among a section of leaders the overall growth of the party is getting hampered. A section of leaders is not happy with the present leadership's high-handedness and has become inactive," a senior state BJP leader said. West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh too agreed that the party is yet to reach out to all the booths of the state. "It is true that we have not been able to reach out to all booths. There are reasons behind it. In minority-dominated districts of Malda, Murshidabad and Nadia, we have a support base, but no one is ready to man the booth committees fearing backlash by the TMC and a section of minorities," Ghosh said. Ghosh, however, rubbished allegations of high-handedness and said had it been so, the party would not have been able to increase its vote share in various elections. According to state BJP leaders, the party is facing resistance in 30 per cent minority booths. BJP national joint general secretary (organisation) Shivprakash, who is also the co-incharge of the Bengal unit, said the performance of the party in the state is only getting better. "The performance is not bad, we are growing steadily. I will not call it satisfactory but it is encouraging," he told PTI. The party's minority morcha, however, has tasted some success with its mandal committees covering over 85 per cent of their job. On an average, a mandal committee has 70-80 booths under it, depending upon the size of the area. "We will complete the rest of our work by this month. And we are also organising a state conference of Minority Morcha on January 11 next year," the president of West Bengal BJP Minority Morcha, Ali Hossain, told PTI. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) SHAREit, a Chinese social app, which allows users to exchange files without an internet connection, is looking to execute the second phase of its global growth strategy in India. Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court on charges of 'espionage' and 'subversive activities', was finally allowed to meet his mother and wife after a long and arduous 22-month wait. The incarcerated former Indian Navy officer can be seen meeting with his kin in photos released by the Pakistani government. The images show Jadhav sitting behind a glass wall with his mother and wife sitting on the other side. We had allowed the visa access to Jadhav's wife andhis mother three days back, and they might head back to India by today evening,says Faisal. 5pm: Jadhav travelled out of the country 17 times on a fake passport, says Mohd. Faisal. 4.59pm: The glass barrier was put up between the accused and hisfamily during the meeting for the sake of security and the Indian officialswere already informed about that in advance, says Faisal. 4.54pm: Pakistan had asked Indian officials to allow Jadhav's mother and wife to interact with media but they denied, says Faisal. 4.42pm: We extended the meeting by 10 minutes on request of Jadhav and his wife, says Mohd. Faisal. 4.40pm: The meeting was not a consular access, but we had categorically said that Indian officials would be present and could hear everything but not more than that. 4.35pm: Faisal alleges Jadhav, at the behest of Indian intelligence agency RAW, was involved in several espionage activities to "destabalise" Pakistan. 4.30pm: The meeting between 'commander' Kulbhushan Yadav and his family was a gesture of good faith, says Mohammed Faisal, spokesperson, Foreign Ministery, Pakistan. 4.28pm: A new video of Kulbhushan Jadhav released by the Pakistan foreign ministry shows him saying he "requested a meeting with my wife and mother and I am thankful to Govt of Pakistan for this grand gesture". JP Singh, India's Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan, can also be seen standing around the meeting spot. Jadhav has been imprisoned in a Pakistani jail ever since his arrest last year. The meeting took place at the Pakistan Foreign Office in Islamabad, where Jadhav's emotional mother and wife were seen getting out of a car after arriving at the meet location from the Indian embassy. Kulbhushan Jadhav's kin is likely to head back to India soon after the meeting. They will be heading to Oman in the evening and then catch a flight to India. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav has been granted 'consular access' by allowing the presence of an Indian diplomat during the meeting with his family. Indian officials, however, downplayed the comments by the Pakistani minister, maintaining that the Indian diplomat was only accompanying Jadhav's family and it cannot be construed as "consular access". Asif, however, said Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh accompanying Jadhav's wife and mother could be considered "consular access". While the masterminds of horrific Mumbai attack are yet to face any kind of justice in Pakistan, Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested and sentenced in less than a year in a closed-door trial by a military court. ICJ, in May this year, not only stayed Kulbhushan Jadhav's death sentence till the final verdict but also said that Pakistan should grant India the consular access so that India could offer all possible help to Kulbhushan Jadhav. The International Court of Justice instructed Pakistan to take all "necessary measures at its disposal" to ensure that Jadhav was not executed pending a final decision by it, the ICJ had said. Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said more than once that the decision to allow Jadhav to meet his family was taken on "humanitarian grounds". He made no reference to "consular access". 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 and Iran maintain that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy. Ucoms mobile customers will benefit from the best internet roaming rate of 8 AMD/MB when travelling to Georgia, Egypt or the UAE Ameriabank Launches Google Pay and Google Wallet Support for Card Users in Armenia Karen Vardanyan donated 112 million drams for the medical equipment for National Center for Infectious Diseases. UCOM HAS INTRODUCED FUTURE NETWORK WI-FI 6E ROUTERS Statement by the Spokesperson on the conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts Foreign Minister of Armenia to participate in the Fifth Paris Peace Forum Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Google Ad Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces CAMEROUN :: The Politics of Outrage and the State of Fiction in Cameroon Cameroon is well known to have a monarchial presidency with reinforced executive power that allow the president to keep expending his power as he sees fit and there are no red lines form for him to know he has gone too far. When that happens, more and more ordinary Cameroonians find themselves deprived of their basic rights as the long contingent of political prisoners in Biyas prison that the CL2P is fighting for. More, the CL2P is stunned and horrified each time the president uses the notion of outrage and all the emotions that go with witnessing the boldfaced corruption, impunity and sheer audacity of a Cameroonian president always holding himself above the law and the legion of pervert masochist who always support lawlessness. Reversing the trend of imperial executive power in Cameroon will not be easy. In the typical pattern, the president who is the head of a monarchist institution with reinforced executive power cannot be constitutionally stopped from expanding his power. Indeed, there is nothing that stand in his way to object to any form of expansions of executive authority leaving the president to act as he sees fit. Thus, when facing with crisis, such as the Anglophone Civil War, which dare not say its name, the farthest expansions of executive power is taking place to quell all form of dissent even if it means extra-judicial killing. This non-stop expansion of power serves a zero-sum game where the president can have his cake and eats it. He does this to the politics of outrage that allows him to criminalize any forms of dissent he does not like. The thing is we can have a democracy or an imperial presidency but we cannot have both. The idea that we can have a painless and benevolent monarchial presidency is an insult to all of Biyas political prisoners. Plus, this attitude about constantly quashing dissent give a pride to the president that he is winning. But those wins and the politics of outrage that drive these wins are just vanity, vanity cultivated behind so-called leadership. More a vanity based on fiction, where the president, and the sycophants around him, are the real supplier of fiction, creating opponents and any outcome he needs to make a point. The Biyas regime authoritarian and conspiratorial views are abundantly clear. They seem to be incapable to distinguish facts from fiction. Likewise the regime propaganda machine makes it truly unable to distinguish between what is credible and what isnt, or is he well-informed about, say, what really constitute a notion of outrage in a democracy if not deliberately bandying lies for the sake of absolute power? In this case outrage seems to be anything that the president doesnt like, doesnt really understand, or is in conflict with one of his carefully considered policy positions. It has nothing to do with whether or not he was really being the subject of outrage. As with Dr. Nganang, the CL2P militates and demands accountability. We are to survive as an entity that might be seen as having viable leadership with values that can be recognized as worthy of embracing for the good of humanity. Mr Wagle said they were very excited to have their baby daughter named Canberra's first Christmas baby for 2017 and appreciated all the support they had at the hospital. "We had been to a couple of churches around, but we felt very at home here and we felt that we are part of this family." Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. It seems the me too gang will stop at nothing. But thats often what happens when a frenzy sweeps through a society and no scientific evidence is offered or no legal or democratic process is employed to force objective scrutiny. Now, its being claimed that Santa's reindeer are all females. This claim has surfaced every Xmas for several decades; so again we have to reply. Someone from Nova Scotia got this myth going this year. But, he doesnt seem to know his stuff. Lets look at the facts known to wildlife science and some attentive scientists. If you wanted 9 critters to pull your sleigh, youd want heft and strength and speed and endurance, specially given the distances you face. So, of course, youd go with males. Fact is, the reindeer racers of Finland all use and train males, they get the job done and I figure Santas smart enough to know that after all, hes been around a while. The antlers that have historically been depicted on Santas reindeer are large, and based on my years of observing caribou (the relatives of reindeer) they are too large to be those of females, which are typically single slender beams. Expect some historical revisionism to be at play now a days, but it will be for political reasons, and absent biological reality. An unsavory reality to any male I suspect, is that castration can and does extend antler retention in males. Its complicated and nuanced, but reindeer males can and do keep antlers into winter. Further, if Santa kept his reindeer in controlled light circumstances and let them out only at night (have you ever seen them at noon?), that too influences antler hold. Why would you mix male and female reindeer? If you want behavioral harmony, your best bet is to have your team of animals all one gender, or at least mostly one (Vixen seems like an exception?). Neutered males, incidentally, are more tolerant and less competitive theres no time or energy to spend on squabbling, this might be one of Santas best kept secrets! Finally, it appears they missed this one too; reindeer rarely, if ever, use their antlers to clear snow in order to feed; that is almost exclusively done through pawing. Id say they didnt do their homework. So guys, onward and upwards it is, Rudolph, Dasher, and crew.. Brian L. Horejsi Photo: The Canadian Press A pact with the Green party that allowed the NDP to form a minority government in British Columbia is a working example of electoral reform ahead of a referendum on the issue next year, Premier John Horgan says. There have been a few bumps in the agreement between the New Democrats and Greens since last May's tumultuous provincial election, but Horgan said in a year-end interview the disagreements are just further proof that such an electoral model can work. The government passed legislation setting the stage for a provincial referendum by Nov. 30, 2018, that will ask residents if they support changing the voting system to a form of proportional representation in time for the next election in 2021. The mail-in vote would require a 50 per cent plus one margin of support to be successful. "If a minority government can continue to demonstrate results for people, they'll (voters) look at proportional representation with a different view," Horgan said. "They'll say, 'Maybe this is a good thing. Horgan has to get up everyday and work with people.' " While the Greens were angry about the NDP decisions to move ahead on Site C and its slow approach to ride sharing by ordering a review, they voted with the government to pass legislation to ban corporate and union donations to political parties, reform the registration of lobbyists and close a loophole in the Residential Tenacy Act to protect renters. "We passed a whole host of legislation," said Horgan. "In a minority situation or a situation where there's proportional representation, all points of view are on the table and all points of view have to be heard." Political scientists say proportional representation leads to more political parties and more choice for voters, but also increases the likelihood of coalition governments. Horgan said B.C.'s electoral system is not fair, with only one party in the past five elections forming government after receiving more than 50 per cent of the vote. The Opposition Liberals formed government briefly after the election and proposed an electoral reform referendum in its throne speech last June, only to vote against the referendum legislation proposed by the NDP. The Liberals said the New Democrats, with the support of the Greens, are formulating a referendum that ensures the results are slanted towards proportional representation. "This is a deliberate and cynical attempt by the NDP and the Green party to manipulate a specific result that will allow them to cling to power," Liberal Andrew Wilkinson said in a statement. Green Leader Andrew Weaver said it's the Liberal members who want to preserve the first-past-the-post system despite surveys that indicate 70 per cent of B.C. voters favour change. "It's in their vested interest to try to maintain the status quo because the status quo is what they want in order to have a Liberal majority government," he said. "It's not clear to me British Columbians want majority after majority after majority." B.C. voters turned down two previous referendums on electoral reform in 2005 and 2009. Horgan said the referendum will likely be B.C.'s last if it's rejected. "I think we will have exhausted the public's interest in this issue," Horgan said. Photo: The Canadian Press Premier John Horgan says addressing British Columbia's housing crisis is his government's top priority in 2018, but it's not the only pressing concern on his minority New Democrat government's to-do list. Here's a list of the consultations, audits and reviews the government is expected to complete or undertake in 2018: Ride Sharing: Legislation to introduce ride sharing in B.C. is scheduled for next fall after the release of a government-commissioned review of the taxi industry. Poverty Reduction: Poverty reduction legislation with targets and timelines is expected in the spring to outline the government's anti-poverty strategy, including a basic-income pilot project to test whether giving people a basic income is an effective way to fight poverty. Child Care: More details are expected in February's budget on a promised 10-year affordable child care program. Earlier this month, the government announced it will spend $33 million to create 3,800 new licensed child-care spaces. Massey Tunnel: An independent technical review is due in 2018 to determine the best option for replacing the aging Massey Tunnel south of Vancouver. The previous Liberal government had plans to replace it with a 10-lane bridge but Transportation Minister Claire Trevena said the plan lacked support from mayors and residents. Foreign Buyers Tax: The government is reviewing a 15 per cent tax on foreign real estate buyers in Metro Vancouver and an interest-free loan program for first-time home buyers. Horgan says February's budget will include measures to dampen speculation in the real estate market. ICBC: The government ordered a full audit of the Crown auto insurer's operations, with results due in 2018. Attorney General David Eby said ICBC is in crisis, with financial losses totalling more than $500 million last year. Aquaculture Policy and Licensing: A committee continues to examine the aquaculture industry, and a report is expected early in 2018. The government announced this month a review of fish processing plants to ensure wild salmon are not impacted by waste products from plants. Money Laundering at Casinos: An independent review of B.C.'s policies to prevent money laundering, conducted by a retired RCMP gaming crime expert, is due in 2018. The review was commissioned after a report concluded a Metro Vancouver casino had taken in $13.5 million that police said could be proceeds of crime. Marijuana Regulation: The government set 19 as the minimum age to buy and consume legal marijuana when cannabis becomes legal in Canada in July 2018. B.C. must still introduce legislation that regulates the sale and distribution of cannabis and update impaired driving laws. Human Rights Commission: Legislation to re-establish the Human Rights Commission is due in 2018 after the former Liberal government dismantled it in favour of the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal. Minimum Wage: A fair wages commission was established in October to advise the government how to move towards a $15 minimum wage with regular, measured and predictable increases. The commission's first report to Labour Minister Harry Bains is expected early in 2018. Photo: Getty Images Have you seen this man? Police in Surrey are stumped after receiving several reports of multiple break ins within the community on Christmas Eve. They are asking for public assistance in identifying the unknown suspect. Surrey RCMP issued the public plea Christmas morning after receiving "hundreds of reports from residents" about a man entering their home overnight. The man's modus operandi seemed to be the same for each home. "Victims are saying that the male is simply entering the home leaving packages and eating several cookies and drinking milk. Several homes have video surveillance which was able to capture a blurry red image," police said in a statement. "A review of some video shows the person primarily enter the homes through chimneys, however, he used other methods for homes without a chimney. The male was reported to leave a complete mess due to wearing dirty boots in the homes and apparently eating in a hurry." A large number of homes sustained some damage to their roofs from some sort of a apparatus which did not seem to have wheels. Police are uncertain at this time as to how the apparatus ended up on the roof of the homes. Police have seized evidence which supports that a small number of animals were gathering at each of the homes that were victimized. RCMP forensic video unit has been able to enhance some of the video, which provided police with a basic description of the male. He is approximately 5ft 8in tall, white hair and beard, dressed in all red. There was no other forensic evidence left behind as the male was wearing gloves. Surrey RCMP are asking that anyone with information about this string of break ins to call them with information. Additionally, if anyone has experienced muddy floors, a number of missing cookies and unaccounted for parcels left behind please contact police to report this incident. Photo: The Canadian Press FILE - In this March 26, 2015, file photo, Heather Menzies-Urich, from left, Kym Karath and Debbie Turner, cast members in the classic film "The Sound of Music." (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) Actress Heather Menzies-Urich, who played one of the singing von Trapp children in the 1965 hit film, "The Sound of Music," has died. She was 68. Her son, actor Ryan Urich, told Variety that his mother died late Sunday in Frankford, Ont. She had been diagnosed with brain cancer. Menzies-Urich played Louisa von Trapp, the third-oldest of the seven von Trapp children in the film adaptation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical that starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. "The Sound of Music" captured five Academy Awards, including best picture. Variety reports that Menzies-Urich is survived by two other children, several grandchildren and a great grandchild. Her husband, actor Robert Urich, died in 2002. 404 Try searching for the content you're looking for, or take a look at our recently published stories 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. You are here: Arts 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. You are here: Business 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. 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. China's top legislature urged law enforcement agencies on Sunday to set rules on the collection and protection of personal information to prevent abuse of real-name registration systems. "Each law enforcement agency should conduct more studies of what type of online services would need users' real names and how to obtain users' identities while preventing the information from being excessively collected or abused," said Wang Shengjun, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. Wang made the remark while delivering a report on the new Cybersecurity Law, which was submitted to the bimonthly session of the committee on Sunday. "Real-name registration systems need improvement, and the number of identities collected should be reduced," he said. "What we want is to further protect personal information." In September and October, the legislature's six vice-chairs, including Wang and NPC deputies and committee members went to six areas, such as Heilongjiang province and Chongqing, to inspect enforcement of the law. They visited cybersecurity monitoring agencies and selected 20 vital information systems in each area to undergo security testing by the China Information Technology Security Evaluation Center. They authorized China Youth Daily to conduct a survey on cybersecurity. The poll with 10,370 respondents found that 61.2 percent had refused online service or products because they did not agree to provide personal information. Almost half the respondents said they felt the collection of personal information was excessive. "I don't understand why some smartphone apps forced me to give my phone number before listening to music. Does it mean only real-name users can enjoy the music?" said Kong Yiying, 29, from Guangdong province. "I think rules about that should be made clear, and real-identity collection should be done in keeping with the rules." Liu Deliang, a law professor at Beijing Normal University, suggested the legislature and government make stricter regulations to prevent the abuse of real-name registration systems. "Our personal information can be collected, but how to prevent data collectors from excessively or improperly using the information urgently needs to be taken into consideration," he said. Wang Sixin, a law professor at Communication University of China, said clauses of personal information protection are scattered over different laws or rules, suggesting the legislature unify and integrate them into one legal document. The legislature also advised in the report strengthening online privacy protection through legislation. In a freezing chamber in the Nanjing Women and Children Health Hospital lay several sealed jars of eggs enveloped in liquid-nitrogen in a temperature of minus 196 degrees Celsius. Despite the egg cell's succulent nature, fragile and sensitive to the external conditions, like, temperature and light, the mastery of the freezing technology has facilitated their preservation and form an essential element in enabling infertile families to deliver babies. However, with China's loosening family-planning policy allowing a second child, the demand of the frozen preserved eggs has, so far, exceeded the supply. According to Ling Xiufeng, doctor and director of the reproductive department of the hospital, two years ago, more than 100 people visited her to seek frozen eggs, meaning a possible wait of four to five years; now, it could be eight or nine years. The country's current stringent rules on such eggs, have actually prevented the establishment of massive egg banks, which consequently drives people desiring reproduction to search for solutions in overseas markets. Zhang Jie, a woman of 30 years old, became infertile after an illness. Still eager to have a baby, she asked for an egg donation from hospitals, only to be told she would have to wait about 10 years. She had no option but to hunt for operations of test-tube babies in the overseas market. In China, women who may lose their fertility because of undertaking high-risk work or suffering deadly illnesses, can get their eggs frozen beforehand, but the service is confined only to those who are married. Typical is Qi Min, 29, who was diagnosed with breast cancer, though in the early stage, at the time when she had married and was preparing to have a baby. However, the necessary chemotherapy following surgery threatened to make that impossible, so she chose to freeze her eggs before the treatment. Besides, there are some women aged around 50, who lost their only child for some reason, who are also seeking egg donations, in hope that their children's short-lived lives can reincarnate in new birth. China has banned commercialized egg supply in any form or through any organizations, and egg donations are restricted to the extra eggs only collected after the operation of test-tube babies. However, after the implementation of the second child policy, the number of donors willing to share their eggs is declining sharply. With little choice, some women opt for eggs obtained on the black market. However, a doctor wishing to remain anonymous said the business in the illegal markets was highly hazardous. An over 50-year-old woman conceived twins after she had lost her single child and sought eggs in black market. The seemingly successful deal claimed both her and her twins' lives during her pregnancy, the doctor warned. Eighty years after its fall to the Japanese, east China's Hangzhou city paid tribute to an American missionary who helped save the lives of tens of thousands of people during one of the darkest periods of the city's history. In an event held on Sunday, teachers, students and historians of Hangzhou recounted the heroic deeds of Edward H. Clayton, who after the city's fall in 1937 established a refugee camp at the city's Wayland Academy, a school he founded, to provide shelter to more than 10,000 women and 2,000 orphans over the next four years. "As Japan hadn't declared war against the United States and Britain at the time Japanese troops captured Hangzhou, sites run by Americans and the British became temporary safe havens for refugees and injured soldiers," said Zhou Donghua, a historian at Hangzhou Normal University. In 1944, Clayton published a memoir titled "Heaven Below," recollecting his 30 years in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, including life after the city's fall. Shen Hong, a professor at Zhejiang University, came upon the book in 2007 and Clayton's stories became better known to Hangzhou residents. They hailed him as the "Oskar Schindler of Hangzhou," after the German industrialist who helped save the lives of more than a thousand Jews during the Holocaust. Teachers at Hangzhou No. 2 High School, a successor to Wayland, have started translating "Heaven Below" into Chinese in hopes of keeping the memories alive. In a visit to Vanderbilt University, Clayton's alma mater, Shen found among the archives two long letters Clayton sent home during WWII. They detailed the atrocities the Japanese had committed as well as the difficulties the missionary endured to keep the refugees safe. "From Clayton's letters, we know that he and his wife could have left China after the war broke out, but they chose to stay and offer humanitarian aid to women and children at the risk of their own lives," said Shen. "This heroic deed should be remembered by generations to come." Slavery comes in many disguised forms in the modern world, such as the act of human trafficking. [File photo] Recent reports of refugees being bought and sold into slavery in Libya shocked the world and rightly so. But it also proved that too many people the world over still don't know that slavery still exists today. Slavery in the modern world indeed comes in many disguised forms, such as the act of human trafficking -- and not all the victims come from Africa. Indeed, the international organizations combating this global problem point out that there are at least 30 million slaves in the world today. These people leave the worlds poorest countries to head for the richest, chasing dreams of better lives in promised lands of green pastures filled with milk and honey. However, they eventually find out -- too late in their perilous journeys -- that they were misled by human traffickers taking advantage of their dire conditions to earn big profits quickly. Not all those who leave home seeking better lives abroad are sold into a modern form of slavery. Many are refugees fleeing wars and economic difficulties, voluntarily undertaking the perilous trips by land and sea with similar hopes of landing better lives. The main reason millions of refugees from across the world seek to enter Europe has been the open EU invitation to all who wish to flee and come. But as the numbers became overwhelming, Europe started closing its gates, like a fortress pulling up drawbridges and erecting "No Entry" signs at its borders. Same with the U.S. -- a land built by immigrants, but now, just as quickly, becoming increasingly anti-immigrant in the name of fighting terrorism. Millions of refugees head to Europe, the U.S. and Canada from every corner of the globe, but not all are bought and sold into a modern form of slavery. Tens of thousands of men, women, children -- entire families also pay their way across skies and seas, borders and boundaries, ending up working like slaves to repay the high costs of their perilous voyages to the unknown. Refugees are victims of the worldwide system of cheap labor thats always in demand in the destination countries, ultimately ending-up doing jobs locals will not do, at wages they would not accept. In many cases, on arrival in the destination countries, young women are forced to line street corners working as prostitutes, able-bodied men become cheap agricultural laborers, and children end up in homeless centers. Many refugees, when caught, are simply sent back home. The International Labor Organization (ILO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) all continue to fight this scourge of modern slavery. But their questionable efficacy and insufficiency in achieving measurable success continues to attract increasing criticism. Indeed, while governments and international agencies always loudly pledge funds to fight human trafficking and improve conditions in the countries home to fleeing refugees, they never deliver on these pledges quickly or fully enough to make concrete and lasting changes to the situation. During the long pauses between promise and delivery, the perpetrators human traffickers driven by the perpetual profit motive -- always devise new schemes to keep their ghastly trade going. Eventually, the blame game naturally sets in: Destination countries place the blame of the refugee and human trafficking problems on the countries of origin and transition states, instead of joining hands across seas, skies and borders to fight this ever-growing international scourge. As with the arms and drugs trades, the links between human trafficking and organized crime are hardly pursued in Western nations where criminal gangs invariably escape prosecution, as judicial authorities cite the fear of reprisals or insufficiency of indictable evidence. The Western mainstream media also always revel in highlighting the plight of refugees, but very few do anything substantial enough to help end the happily reported inhuman ordeals. Global awareness and cooperation between international, state and private sectors can go a long way to address the roots of human trafficking. But promoting awareness and capacity-building for real solutions are always treated as less saucy news than exposure of grave and deadly problems. As a result, a growing global human problem continues to be treated with less seriousness, the North blaming the South, leaders and institutions opting instead to look right and left, east and west, instead of connecting visible dots with straight lines of communication and cooperation. The widely reported Libya slavery story was a mere reminder of a global reality that remains in the clear sight of those with eyes to see, but who have long opted to keep looking the other way. Now, with the "slave sales" story no longer a hot news item, the Western media has effectively dumped it as "old news," in favor of new and more saucy headlines with potential for higher ratings. 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. The Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders [Xinhua] China has observed the 80th anniversary of Nanjing massacre in the memory of those killed by the Japanese invading army about eight decades ago. The day is observed with reverence since the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in 2014 designated December 13 as the National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims. President Xi Jinping attended the state memorial ceremonyin the eastern city.The participants apart from the high officials also included ordinary citizen as well as relatives of the victims. They stood in silence for one minute to pay tribute to the departed souls. According to Chinese account, the Japanese Imperial Army started campaign for occupation of northeast China in 1931. The imperial army captured Nanjing,China's capital at that time, on December 13, 1937, and then embarked on a ruthless campaign of slaughter. China says that the orgy of death went on for more than 40 days and about 300,000 civilians and unarmed soldiers were put to death. Gross human rights violations were committed,as more than 20,000 women were raped. The crimes committed by the invaders were against all tenets of international law, local customs and universal standards of morality. For example, thousands of soldiers who had surrendered were killed in cold blood. It all happened when Japan had already signed the 1929 Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war, although not ratified it. A number of people in plainclothes were captured on suspicion of being former soldiers and put to death. They deserved better treatment even if they were former soldiers once they had abandoned military service and settled into civilian life. Another part of highhandedness was the arbitrary arrest and designation of people as soldiers. Those arrested were thoroughly examined for marks on forehead caused by the wearing ofmilitary headgear and shoulders for carrying rifles, and cropped hairstyle to determine their military status. The victimization of civilians, especially systematic rape, was even more abominable. Women aged 15-40 years were more vulnerable, but even females of tender and advance age groups were violated. Similarly, young men considered as potential future soldiers were also targeted. There is historical evidence to support the gross excesses committed by the imperial army. The findings of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East and the Nanjing War Crimes Tribunal both confirm the claims. It is pity that efforts were made to cover up the massacre after Japan surrendered in 1945, and, ever since, it has been trying to play down the crimes. It should have accepted the brutal treatment it inflicted on other nations during war and expressed apology. It could have helped to improve ties with neighbors. The massacre of people at Nanjing highlights the brutal and ugly face of war. By remembering the victims of this senseless genocide, we not only condemn those who perpetrated the crime against humanity but also express commitment with the international covenantsoutlawing such inhuman practices. The Nanjing mass killings also remind us about the dangers linked with the institution of war. Despite movement towards a better understanding of human rights, war-mongers are still powerful and pose a grave threat. The number of people killed in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria prove this point. We should not only condemn massacres of the past but also show commitment to uphold human values. Modern advances in weaponry have put the world on a slippery slope. In the past, massacres were limited in terms of numbers of area. But latest armament and allied warfare technologies could easily lead to apocalypse and demise of human species. It is with this spirit that the Nanjing massacre and all other such killingsshould be remembered as they help to renew commitment for peace and love of humanity. Conflicts should be avoided because they create a situation for mass hatred towards vulnerable people, like the genocide of the Jews by Nazi Germany. The point is that conflicts and war crimes are abominable and unless we learn to undo the war machine and try to live in peace, humanity will never be entirely free of death and destruction. The idea of win-win cooperation is a good alternative for competition that leads to armed confrontations. Sajjad Malik is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SajjadMalik.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Flash 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 US$500 million to US$10 billion. 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. Flash At least 37 people may have died in the massive fire that ravaged a shopping mall in the Philippine city of Davao on Saturday, authorities said on Sunday as firefighters continued battling pockets of flames 16 hours after the blaze broke. Fire rages at a shopping mall in Davao City, the Philippines, Dec. 24, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] 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. China's Consulate General in Cebu said they haven't received report about any death or injury of Chinese citizens in the fire. Flash Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski on Sunday pardoned former leader Alberto Fujimori who had been serving a 25-year jail term, citing his health condition, the presidential office said in a statement. "The president ... has decided to grant a humanitarian pardon to Mr. Alberto Fujimori ... as he suffers a progressive, degenerative and incurable disease," the statement said. Fujimori, 79, was transferred from his cell to a hospital on Saturday after his blood pressure dropped. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2009 for the massacres in Barrios Altos (1991) and Cantuta (1992) in the neighborhood of capital Lima when he was president. Soldiers killed 25 people on his orders. His daughter Keiko Fujimori, who narrowly lost Peru's last presidential election to Kuczynski, leads the opposition Popular Force party. The party last week pushed to impeach Kuczynski but failed to pass the motion in the Congress, the Peruvian parliament. The motion to impeach Kuczynski followed revelations that companies linked to him had accepted bribes from disgraced Brazilian conglomerate giant Odebrecht, although Kuczynski denied any wrongdoing. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 MOSCOW - Russia's Foreign Ministry has reacted to the decision by the United States to sell lethal weapons to Ukraine, saying on Saturday that it will lead to "new bloodshed". "The US 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 US politicians. The response came after the US State Department said on Friday that Washington will sell advanced weapons to Ukraine to help update its defense capabilities. The lethal weapons will include Javelin anti-tank missiles, which Kiev has long desired. Washington has argued in the past that such weapons would help stabilize the situation and cannot effectively be used to take territory. Previously, the US has provided Ukraine with support equipment and training, and has let private companies sell some small arms like rifles. The move is likely to become another sore point between Washington and Moscow, as US President Donald Trump contends with ongoing questions about whether he's too hesitant to confront the Kremlin. The White House's National Security Council declined to comment. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Saturday the weapons would be used to protect Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. Ukraine launched a military operation in its southeast Donbas region in April 2014, after the local pro-Russia residents refused to recognize the new pro-West Ukrainian authorities and sought independence. 10,000 killed Armed conflicts have plagued Donbas since then and 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, Belarus, in 2014. A more detailed renewal of the agreement was signed in February 2015. The pact spells out a ceasefire, 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. The Russian Foreign Ministry said the US decision once again undermines the Minsk agreements, TASS state news agency reported on Saturday. Xinhua - Reuters - AP (China Daily 12/25/2017 page11) home US Catholic charity shuts down operations in US due to Trump's cutbacks to refugees President Donald Trump's decision to reduce the refugee quota has prompted a Catholic charity to shut down its refugee resettlement ministry in Iowa. The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, which has resettled refugees for 77 years, has stated that it is ending its work to resettle refugees in Eastern Iowa due to the federal government's decision to reduce the number of refugees that can come to the U.S. "Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Dubuque has been resettling refugees from all over the world in Eastern Iowa since 1940, primarily in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. It's a loss for our entire community," said Tracy Morrison, executive director for the charity, this week. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of State announced that the quota for people who can legally seek refugee status in the country has been cut by more than half, from 110,00 down to 45,000 annually. Trump contended that the reduction is needed for national security reasons, as well as the improvement of the vetting process for refugees. Apart from the reduction in the refugee quota, the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration has also required resettlement sites across America to resettle at least 100 refugees a year in order to stay open, which is a threshold the Dubuque Archdiocese admitted it cannot meet. "Our faith guides us to believe in the dignity of all persons and the need to protect the most vulnerable, especially refugees and migrants. It is with a heavy heart that we announce the ending of this ministry," Archbishop Michael Jackels said, as reported by KCRG. Morrison said that the staff enjoyed meeting and getting to know the customs and traditions of the people that had obtained the help of the charity. She stated that "the one tradition I would say that crosses all nationalities is love and kindness. It doesn't matter where you're from, everybody shares that." The Catholic group reaffirmed its commitment to support refugees and immigrants through its Immigration Legal Services ministry available in Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Hampton, Marshalltown, New Hampton, Postville and Waterloo. Other organizations have also been forced to limit their operations following the reduction of the refugee quota. In February, World Relief announced that it had to shut down five offices and lay off more than 140 staff members as a "direct result" of Trump's order to reduce the number of refugees by more than half. The Episcopal Church's Migration Ministries also announced in April that it is closing down six offices and will be reducing the number of its affiliates from 31 to 25 due to the reduction. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 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 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 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. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate John Gay drew his last breath just 10 days before Christmas 20 years ago, leaving an aching, empty hole in his wife, Carol's, heart where festive holiday cheer once lived. Carol and their son, Nathan, knew the day was coming: John had been battling a form of blood cancer for seven long years. Still, they couldn't help but feel that their 54-year-old husband and father had been taken way too soon. They wallowed in their sadness that first Christmas, unable to get over the fact that John wasn't sitting in his usual chair at the table or that his presents sat unopened under the tree. But a few Christmases later, in 1999, Carol and Nathan decided to channel their grief into something good: They decided to volunteer at the Salvation Army's annual Christmas Day meal. "We realized we could either sit around and mope or we could come here and bring cheer," said Carol, now 73. Volunteering "really was a bridge for us to move on from this sad event. It helped us heal." They've been volunteering at this event ever since. The Salvation Army of Greater Houston has been serving Christmas meals to families in need for about three decades, said Shirah Villegas, acting director of the organization's Family Residence in Midtown. Anywhere from 500 to 600 people will be served over the course of three hours at her location, Villegas said, where they also will receive free blankets and plastic bags filled with hygienic items including deodorant, floss, toothbrushes and toothpaste. "We're so blessed to have extra things, we figured we'd give them away," she said. People started lining up Monday outside the Midtown location hours before the doors opened at noon, bundled against the biting cold and sipping coffee provided by organization volunteers. For some, like Mbargou Tall, the day's meal was less about need and more about bringing Christmas cheer to others. Tall, 49, moved to Houston from Senegal almost a decade ago. He has a steady job with a temp agency, he said, and doesn't have trouble putting food on his table. But the people who do, who often show up at these meals, are his family. He wants them to feel happy on this of all days. "I want to be here to share Christmas with my new country," said Tall, referring to the U.S. "These are my sisters, my dad, my brothers" getting a hot meal today. For others, though, Hurricane Harvey made the organization's free, hot meal a necessity. Van Brooks, 40, lost his Houston apartment to Harvey's floods, forcing him to find shelter in a motel while parsing through his destroyed belongings. Brooks thought such a move would be temporary. Until it wasn't. Four months later, Brooks still is living in a motel. The Federal Emergency Management Agency isn't helping cover the cost, Brooks said, so finding enough money to eat is all but impossible. He hopes to get into a new apartment soon, he added, but for now he needs the Salvation Army's help. "The food was very good, and I got to share it with others," Brooks said as he left the event, a to-go bag of food in one hand and a blanket and hygiene kit in the other. "That made me happy." That happiness is exactly why the Gays come every year to help out. And it's why they'll continue to do so. "This is about honoring the dignity of people no matter where they are in life," Carol said. "And this is about honoring John. He would have loved doing this." Alex Stuckey covers science and environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey. A Harris County Sheriff's Office deputy opened fire at a car whose driver led police on a chase Sunday night, the sheriff's office said. The sheriff's office said officers responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle around 9:30 p.m. The deputy spotted the vehicle around the area of North Sam Houston Parkway, after which the driver attempted to flee, the sheriff's office said. The driver then lost control and skidded off the road into a grassy embankment near the Hardy Toll Road, the sheriff's office said. Now Playing: Latest Local And State News Video: Houston Chronicle The deputy gave verbal commands to the driver and a passenger, the sheriff's office said. They did not comply with the deputy's commands that they get out of the car with their hands up, the sheriff's office said. The passenger then reached downward, the sheriff's office said, after which the deputy shot one time, striking the vehicle's windshield. The two men were then detained. No one was injured. DALLAS - The Dallas County Jail reached a historic milestone this week: With 4,893 inmates, its population dipped to its lowest level "to date," officials said, though they disagreed as to why. The 8,300-bed jail used to routinely cram 10,000 prisoners onto floors in the 1980s, said Commissioner John Wiley Price. In recent years, the typical population hovered above 6,000 inmates. And in the past year, the number fell to 5,500. The reduction has meant big savings for the county, Price said. The jail cost $11 million to run per month over the past year. Last month, it cost less than $9 million. "I must be getting ready to have a heart attack," Price joked. There are many factors at play, officials said, from people bailing out family members for Christmas, to judges working harder during election season, to Dallas police being understaffed. In mass emails, though, Dallas County officials took a victory lap claiming credit for the reduction. Since 2012, the county has made lowering the jail population a top priority to cut costs, for both the county and for people arrested on minor charges. They say they have added diversion programs, streamlined booking and court processes, updated software and increased the use of electronic ankle monitors. Several factors cited The jail accounts for the largest line item of the county's budget. Each inmate costs $70 per day. "Parting gift, under 5000!," Sheriff Lupe Valdez, who resigned this month to run for governor, wrote in an email Thursday to a group of judges and law enforcement leaders. But critics said the low number could be due to a host of other factors that have nothing to do with the county's efforts. The Dallas Police Department - which is responsible for more than half the arrestees at the county jail - has shrunk to its lowest staffing levels in decades, at just more than 3,000 officers. That's down from 3,788 officers in 2010, records show. Police groups say the high attrition of officers is due to poor pay, low morale and a looming pension crisis. Frederick Frazier, first vice president of the Dallas Police Association, said the low jail population is not something to celebrate, but a cause for concern. He said the police department's understaffing is making the city less safe. He cited rises this year in crimes such as sexual assaults, aggravated assaults, business robberies and business burglaries. "It just shows the fact that there are not enough officers on the ground putting people in jail," Frazier said. "There was a reason we have those jail beds. Trust me, there are enough folks out there that need to be in there." Arrests are down Arrests by Dallas police are down. In 2017, Dallas police made roughly 4,200 arrests per month on average, city records indicate. In 2010, when staffing levels peaked, the department made 6,343 arrests per month. Commissioner Mike Cantrell, the sole Republican on the commissioners court, said the county's efforts have made a difference, but a major factor driving the reduction was Christmas. "We go down every Christmas," Cantrell said. "People are getting their loved ones out of jail, or people are not wanting to get in jail, so they stay out." Cantrell said he hasn't seen any evidence of the lower jail population making people less safe, but if he did, "We'd have to make some changes." Price, who chairs the jail population committee, said he was proud of the county's efforts. But he also said there was another factor that emerged recently, with a new election cycle: judges working harder. Price said he checked the court parking garage records and found that many judges running for re-election are now working longer hours. He said that could mean the judges are setting more bonds, paving the way for inmates to be released sooner. "Oh, believe me, it's election time - everybody's showing up for work," Price said. "Some of them just started coming to work." GUATEMALA CITY - Guatemala's president announced on Christmas Eve that the Central American country will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, becoming the first nation to follow the lead of President Donald Trump in ordering the change. Guatemala was one of nine nations that voted with the United States and Israel on Thursday when the U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a nonbinding resolution denouncing Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Trump didn't set any timetable for moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and neither did Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales. In a post on his official Facebook account Sunday, Morales said that after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he decided to instruct Guatemala's foreign ministry to move the embassy. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki criticized the decision Monday, saying in a statement Morales was "dragging his country to the wrong side of history by committing a flagrant violation of international law." Al-Malki called it a "shameless act of lawlessness" and "a brazen act of disrespect and disregard" to international alliances of which Guatemala is part. Guatemala and Israel have long had close ties, especially in security matters and Israeli arms sales to Guatemala. In a statement, Netanyahu praised Morales' decision and said that he was waiting in Jerusalem. "God bless you, my friend, President Morales," he said. "I told you recently that there will be other countries that would recognize Jerusalem and announce the transfer of their embassies to it. Well here is the second country and I reiterate: It is only the beginning and it is important." Trump upended decades of U.S. policy with his Dec. 6 announcement that he was recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Though Trump said he was merely recognizing reality and not prejudging negotiations on the future borders of the city, Palestinians saw the move as siding with Israel on the most sensitive issue in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians claim the city's eastern sector, which was captured by Israel in 1967 and is home to sensitive religious Jewish, Muslim and Christian sites. Many governments have long said that the fate of Jerusalem must be resolved through negotiations. Trump's announcement has set off weeks of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli security forces that have left 12 Palestinians dead. Netanyahu has made great efforts to reach out to Latin America in recent years as part of a campaign to counter longstanding support for the Palestinians at the U.N. For months, efforts to discredit special counsel Robert Mueller III's 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 Donald 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 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 Mueller's former top investigators, Peter Strzok, called Trump an "idiot" last year and predicted Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton would win the election in a landslide. 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 Trump's election, said in an interview that many of his Republican colleagues now share his view that there has been an orchestrated effort against Trump. "I've 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. 'Allies do the dirty work' 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 Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said in an interview. "They are also trying to attack Mueller's 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 year's presidential campaign. One leading critic is David Bossie, a former Trump deputy campaign manager. He was a congressional investigator who examined President Bill Clinton's 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. "I'm not against Mueller; I'm against the concept of an investigation as a red herring," he said. Fitton's 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. Mueller can 'do what he's doing' 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 roughly 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 Yates' decision to defy Trump's 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 all together, he said. 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 Grassley of Iowa. 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 DOJ 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 DOJ 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 on Mueller, who was FBI director at the time. Grassley said that his staff is in touch with Nunes' staff, though he would not specify exactly what elements of their committees' parallel inquiries they were communicating about. "I wouldn't want to say there's coordination," Grassley said. "There's communication." He insisted that he was not aiming to discredit Mueller, adding that he has "got confidence (Mueller)'s going to be able to do what he's doing." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BETHLEHEM, West Bank - It was a subdued Christmas Eve in the historic birthplace of Jesus on Sunday, with spirits dampened by cold, rainy weather and recent violence sparked by President Donald Trump's recognition of nearby Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Crowds were thinner than previous years as visitors, particularly Arab Christians living in Israel and the West Bank, appeared to be deterred by clashes that have broken out in recent weeks between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces. Although there was no violence Sunday, Palestinian officials scaled back the celebrations in protest. Claire Degout, a tourist from France, said she would not allow Trump's pronouncement, which has infuriated the Palestinians and drawn widespread international opposition, affect her decision to celebrate Christmas in the Holy Land. "The decision of one man cannot affect all the Holy Land," she said. "Jerusalem belongs to everybody, you know, and it will be always like that, whatever Trump says." Trump abandoned decades of U.S. policy on Dec. 6 by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and saying he would move the American Embassy to the holy city. Trump said the move merely recognizes the fact that Jerusalem already serves as Israel's capital and that he was not prejudging negotiations on the city's final borders. But Palestinians, who seek Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as their capital, saw the declaration as unfairly siding with Israel. Last week, the U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to reject Trump's decision. The announcement triggered weeks of unrest in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including near-daily clashes in Bethlehem, which lies just south of Jerusalem. By mid afternoon, hundreds of people had gathered in Manger Square for celebrations, greeted by young Palestinian marching bands and scout troops. Accompanying the decorations was a large banner protesting Trump's Jerusalem declaration. After nightfall the crowds thinned as rain fell and temperatures dipped to the 40s. Just a few dozen people milled about Manger Square, while others took shelter in the church and other buildings. 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. Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh city Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan talks with delegates during a workshop on orientations for the development of the citys export processing and industrial zone until 2025, with a vision to 2030. Chairman of the city Peoples Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong presents a gift to Canadian Consul General to Ho Chi Minh city, Kyle Nunas. Secretary Nhan and Chairman Phong talk with delegates at the city War Veterans Congress. Secretary Nhan visits the Saigon Silicon City project. The 11th meeting of the city Party Executive Committee term X. Standing Deputy Secretary of the city Party Committee Tat Thanh Cang and delegates attend the exhibition highlighting Cu Chi districts revolutionary process. Chairwoman of the city Peoples Council Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam receives a citizen. Secretary Nhan at the Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia Forum. Government works with the city Party Committee to review five years of the implementation of the Politburo resolution on the development of the city until 2020. Secretary Nhan awards 70-year Party membership insignias to Party members. Arkansas Duck Hunting at Stan Jones Mallard Lodge By Randy Wakeman Left to right: Ronnie Evans, Michelle Cerino, Vince Norton, Rose Bier, Hugo. Stan Jones has been guiding duck hunters for over thirty years in Arkansas, treating them to some of the best duck hunting in the world. About five years ago, Stan opened up his new "Stan Jones Mallard Lodge" that has met with international acclaim. The Stan Jones Mallard Lodge is a little over two hours from Little Rock, located right past "resume speed" in the Alicia, Arkansas area. Stan's Lodge is manicured, a beautiful spot that is popular with hunters, for corporate events and weddings. It has all the amenities that anyone could ask for, with an outstanding staff. Chef Jay Taggart gives everyone exceptional fine dining to go along with the fine hunting. Our little group consisted of Rose Bier from the NRA's American Hunter magazine, Michelle Cerino from Women's Outdoor News, Remington engineer Vince Norton, Remington ammunition specialist Ronnie Evans and myself. Michelle Cerino tends to scream when she shoots, so if you hear Michelle screaming it is usually in your best interest to take cover . . . quickly. The women are no doubt still walking on a cloud after hunting with Ronnie Evans; he has that effect on people. With clients flying in from across the country and around the world, Stan Jones has an ample array of everything needed or wanted for the hunts. As Stan's guns take a beating, it was important for him to go with shotguns that don't break and need very little maintenance. Stan has standardized on the Remington Versa Max and the Remington V3 and, as he told me several times, he is glad he did. Stan has also standardized on ammunition. Remington HyperSonic steel loads are all we used on ducks and everyone else, for that matter. This is not the type of shell you want to use in a flyweight pump, or even an inertia autoloader for that matter. However, out of the Remington V3 and Versa Max shotguns, the recoil of these powerful loads is not an issue. My favorite general purpose duck load is the Remington 1-1/4 ounce, 1700 fps, #3 shot HyperSonic shell. Compared to a more conventional 1400-1450 fps #2 steel 1-1/4 ounce load that contains about 155 pellets, with the HyperSonic #3 shell your pellet count jumps to about 191 pellets. That is 23% more pellets, 23% more pattern with which to work. Extended choke tubes make a difference with this shell. I brought along a Trulock Precision Hunter Modified extended choke tube and that is all I used for everything. Ronnie Evans from Remington brought his own personal V3 shotgun and he also used a Trulock Precision Hunter modified choke tube in his gun. This is not a coincidence. The first morning, we went out for pheasants with the aid of Junior, the Jedi Master pointer. Junior was assisted by Bonnie, apparently the Jedi apprentice. It was windy, to say the least. I filmed a video of the pheasant trek that you can view here: https://youtu.be/V1HDO1GXhwg. It is extremely dry in this part of Arkansas and the duck hunting that we did was from ground pits in the middle of flooded (irrigated) rice fields. With the help of head guide Jason Price and Tosh Manning (and talented black Labradors Hugo and Rio), the hunting was spectacular. We limited out in just a couple of hours. My video of our afternoon duck hunt is here: https://youtu.be/NyiNUJEbSMk. Everyone at the lodge will miss Rose Bier kissing animals that she really shouldn't be kissing and Michelle Cerino dancing and screaming, whether for work or for play. Ronnie Evans and Vince Norton are both outstanding in their field. The last time I saw them, that is what they were doing, standing in a field. You could not ask for a nicer group of people to hunt with, a nicer lodge, better guides, or better food. It was a terrific hunt all the way around. Everything was impressively well done, a world class effort by Stan Jones and his team. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Northeast Ohio is blessed with terrific visual arts institutions whose collective heft is greater than one would expect for an urban region of its size. The question is whether the world knows or cares. Next year may provide the answer. Cleveland is getting ready to command attention in a big way with the FRONT International Cleveland Triennial. Conceived by cultural entrepreneur and retired advertising executive Fred Bidwell, FRONT will be a sweeping, summer-long, multi-venue exhibit designed to show off the region's riches and to lure global art scribes, tourists and collectors. In many ways, 2017 has been a prelude to FRONT and the excitement it could unleash. Here's a brief look at the shows and events that gave the past year the feel of a build-up: Cleveland Museum of Art Ohio's biggest art museum settled any doubts about long-term leadership by re-upping the contract of its ebullient, energetic Director, William Griswold, through 2024. After mounting outstanding exhibits including a show on Alex Katz's paintings in the 1950s, and "Jazz Age: American Style in the 1920s," the museum followed up in the fall with a new strategic plan stating that the institution aims to increase attendance to 1 million annually, and to increase its endowment to $1.25 billion within a decade. The museum also demonstrated adroit diplomacy in the politically fraught area of collecting antiquities. It announced in April that it returned to Italy a Roman marble head of Drusus Minor after learning that the work, bought by the museum in 2012 when David Franklin was director, apparently had been stolen in 1944 from a provincial museum near Naples. Losing the Drusus was "disappointing, even devastating," Griswold said, although he made it clear it was the right thing to do. But in 2017 the museum also received tremendous benefits from its decision in 2015, made under Griswold, to return to Cambodia a revered statue of the Hindu monkey god Hanuman that it learned had also been looted before its purchase in the 1980s. The museum's proactive approach to the Hanuman issue resulted in Cambodia's decision to lend it a spectacular relief sculpture of carved stone blocks that once formed part of the temple wall at the Banteay Chhmar temple. The museum also embarked on the reconstruction of its famed Cambodian statue of the Hindu god Krishna with additional fragments sent to Cleveland by Cambodia in gratitude for the return of the Hanuman. Cuban Fusion The Cleveland Foundation set an upbeat global tone 2017 with its Creative Fusion cultural exchange, which focused on Cuba. The foundation organized a five-day trip for Clevelanders involved in art, dance, photography and architecture to interact with peers in Havana and Matanzas. Ensuing residencies supported by the foundation included a student project involving Kent State University's Urban Design Collaborative to redesign a former daycare center in Glenville as part of the new Glenville Arts Campus. The Glenville campus will also play a big role in FRONT. It includes the remodeled 1962 medical office building at 1464 E. 105th Street, renamed in honor of its designer, Robert P. Madison, Ohio's first black architect. The building will host artists' residencies in the months leading up to and during FRONT this year and next. The Cleveland Foundation's Cuba initiative also resulted in an outstanding exhibition on contemporary Cuban art at the Cleveland Institute of Art this fall. More on FRONT During 2017, Bidwell and FRONT announced the names of 57 national and international artists who will participate in the exhibit, scheduled from July 14 through Sept. 30. The show also announced local participating artists. CAN, the Collective Arts Network, announced it would organize a companion local exhibition to coincide with FRONT that will take over a good deal of space in the West 78th Street Studios. Bidwell and FRONT also announced late November that Jens Hoffmann, the artistic co-director of the exhibition with Chicago artist Michelle Grabner, left the project. His exit came just a week before the Jewish Museum in New York, where Hoffmann served as director of special exhibitions and public programs, said he had been suspended after museum staff raised allegations against the curator. (Hoffmann was terminated by the Jewish Museum on Monday, Dec. 18, ARTnews reported). It was unclear whether Hoffmann jumped or was pushed from FRONT, but stories surrounding his departure provided the show with its first sustained burst of national media attention. Collaboration rising FRONT collaborating institutions will include the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College, the Akron Art Museum, Transformer Station, Spaces, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland. All turned in solid performances in 2017. The Allen marked its 100th anniversary with twin exhibitions by contemporary artist Fred Wilson that ran through the first half of the year, followed by its current salute to the contributions of collector and Oberlin College professor Ellen Johnson. The Akron Art Museum pulled in the biggest donation in its history, an $8 million grant from the Knight Foundation. It also staged impressive shows including one on the hyper-real and surreal illustrations from the Bay Area magazine, Hi Fructose. MOCA Cleveland held an excellent early career retrospective on the art of Adam Pendleton, announced two years' worth of upcoming exhibitions organized primarily by Senior Curator Andria Hickey including the current "Poethical Wager." Transformer Station gallery in Ohio City, a brainchild of Fred Bidwell and his wife, photographer Laura Bidwell, captured attention with excellent shows including an outstanding exhibition organized by the Cleveland Museum of Art on abstractions by Scott Olson and Jerry Birchfield that closed Saturday. Spaces settled into its new home at 2900 Detroit Ave. in the renovated Van Rooy Building, purchased by the Bidwells in 2015. Strong exhibitions there included the powerful "On Exile" video essay by Jose Carlos Teixeira, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, on Cleveland refugees from Syria, Sudan, Somalia and Iraq. Transitions In addition to exhibitions and news relating to the liftoff for FRONT, 2017 was a year of transitions. Albert Albano, director of ICA Art Conservation in Cleveland since 1996, retired after 21 years at the helm of the leading Midwest art conservation lab, and after helping it win a prestigious, $500,000 Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant. His successor, Julie Reilly, a veteran conservator and executive director of Omaha by Design, a nonprofit that promotes excellence in urban design and policy, was named in August. 2017 was also marked by the deaths of Cleveland Op Art abstractionists Julian Stanczak and Ed Mieczkowski, of artist, critic and Cleveland Institute of Art lecturer Dan Tranberg, and of Frances "Franny" Taft, a longtime and revered art history professor at the art institute. All four had a huge impact in developing a visual arts scene in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio that continues to grow, and which should have a very big year in 2018. CLEVELAND, Ohio - A man was shot dead Sunday night on the city's East Side, Cleveland police said. Little information about the fatal shooting was immediately available. It happened on the 2800 block of East 117th Street, just south of Buckeye Road in the city's Buckeye-Shaker neighborhood, Cleveland police spokesman Det. Reginald Lanton said. The victim, a 40-year-old man, was found dead. Paramedics attended to the man at the shooting scene, Lanton said. Cleveland police homicide detectives and members of the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office are reporting to the scene, Lanton said. The circumstances surrounding the shooting were not immediately provided by police Sunday night. No arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified. This post will be updated if more details are given Sunday night. The Buckeye-Shaker homicide was the second reported killing on Christmas Eve 2017. Early Sunday, a man in his 20s was fatally shot in the back in a drive-by in Cleveland's Glenville neighborhood. If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Homicide detectives are investigating a fatal shooting that happened early Christmas Day in Cleveland's Clark-Fulton neighborhood. No arrests have been made in the shooting that left a 29-year-old man dead about 1 a.m. on West 44th Street near Carlyle Avenue, police said. He died after paramedics took him to MetroHealth, police said. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office will release the man's name once his family has been notified. Witnesses said the man was involved in an argument. The man may have pointed a gun at someone before he was shot and killed, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call Cleveland homicide detectives at 216-623-5464. If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Monday's crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Surveillance video obtained by cleveland.com shows the moments when a daytime shootout at a Cleveland gas station injured three people, including a young bystander. The shooting happened about 5 p.m. Tuesday at a gas station at the intersection of Waterloo Road and East 156th Street, just west of the popular Waterloo arts & dining district. More than 50 gunshots fired by at least four people rang out. You can see the chaos that ensued in the video above. Most of the action is seen at the top of the screen. Four men have been arrested in connection with the shooting, including two men who were shot. Cleveland police believe the incident began as an armed robbery attempt. The incident begins as the driver of a black SUV parked at a pump, as seen in the surveillance footage, walks back to his vehicle. A 30-year-old man grabbed the driver and held him at gunpoint, while two other men - ages 18 and 27 - ran up to the SUV. The 27-year-old shooter, carrying an AK-47 assault rifle, yanked the SUV's door open and fired at a passenger. The passenger was hit in the back and the mouth. The passenger, while seriously injured, returned fire and struck the 27-year-old man in the stomach. The only other person injured in the shooting was a 7-year-old girl seated inside of her father's burgundy car. She was grazed by a bullet to her finger. You can see her get out of the car and run into the store during a pause in the shootout. Cleveland Councilman Mike Polensek, who represents the ward where the shooting took place, told cleveland.com on Wednesday that he was shocked that the girl only suffered a minor injury. "It was a miracle she wasn't killed," he said. "I told her that her guardian angle must have been watching over her." To comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. (Updated 11 p.m.): Evelyn Landrum was located safely, according to an updated alert from the Ohio Attorney General's Office. WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, Ohio - Law enforcement officials are asking for the public's help to find an 82-year-old woman with dementia. Evelyn Landrum left her home on Caroline Drive in Warrensville Heights about 1 p.m. Sunday and has not returned, according to an alert from the Ohio Attorney General's Office. She is in the early stages of dementia, and she needs medication that she does not have with her. Landrum drove away from her home in a 2015 black Chevy Sonic with an Ohio license plate number of GTZ3057, the alert states. Landrum is 4-feet 11-inches tall and weighs about 120 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes, the alert says. Anyone who spots the Chevy Sonic or Landrum should call 911, the alert states. You can also call 1-866-693-9171. This post will be updated if Landrum is located Sunday night. If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. Ambassador Nguyen Kim Doanh (middle) and Mr. Le Van Dai (left), Director General of Halotel (Photo: Vietnamese Embassy in Tanzania) At Viettel Tanzania Limited Company (Halotel), Ambassador Nguyen Kim Doanh appreciated the efforts to overcome challenges and praised the achievements Halotel has made over the past year in becoming the third largest telecommunications provider in East Africa. He believed the officials and staff of Halotel will continue to promote the good tradition of the Vietnam People's Army, constantly striving to make Halotel a leading telecommunications brand in Tanzania. The Ambassador stressed that the embassy and the Vietnamese community in Tanzania are very proud of Halotel. Halotel's success has contributed positively to promoting the image of the country and people of Vietnam to the local people and foreigner community living and working in Tanzania. Mr. Le Van Dai, Director General of Halotel, hoped that the Vietnamese Embassy in Tanzania would continue to support it gains more achievements in the coming time. At Viettel Tanzania Construction Company, Ambassador Doanh praised the efforts of the company to accomplish tasks outstandingly, contributing significantly to the success of Halotel. He said the demand for infrastructure construction in Tanzania is huge, especially in the new capital of Dodoma. The Ambassador suggested, with its effective working experience in Tanzania, learning about the possibility of contracting some works to help Tanzania build high-quality infrastructure and expand the scope of the company in the country. Mr. Ta Ba Huan, Director of the company, expressed his pleasure at receiving the Ambassador and hoped that the company will continue to receive support from the Embassy in the coming time./. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thin, Head of the Overseas Vietnamese Association in Mukdahan province, presented one ton of rice and utensils to a Thai army officer to support the poor (Photo: quehuongonline.vn) With the raised funds, the OV bought necessary food and utensils such as quilted blankets, clothes and rice to support local people facing difficulties, especially as a cold front appears in northeastern Thailand. The gifts were donated to the poor through the Thai army. This charitable activity will increase the mutual affection between the Vietnamese - Thai community and local people, as well as the prestige of OV within the local administration./. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT From its exposed brick and framed art to a life-size suit of armor that stands guard in the hallway, the charm of Classical Studies Magnet Academy is undeniable. But its students are not shy about exposing the down side to learning in a 123-year-old structure the oldest school still in use by the district. Jenecia Oliver-Helly, 13, points up to the windows in her third-floor classroom, propped open in the waning days of December. If not for that, the temperature in teacher Chelsea Crowleys seventh-grade social studies class would soar into the high 80s, she and her students say. Classical is a school serving pre-K through eighth grade at which cracked blacktop serves as a playground and the basement cafeteria ceiling shakes when students one floor above bound across a hardwood gymnasium floor. All of that might be tolerable, said Dasha Spell, the schools Parent Advisory Committee member-at-large, if the babies of the school pre-K through second grade werent a half-mile away in space rented by the Diocese of Bridgeport. We are a family and we are split, Spell said. It shouldnt be that way. The annex, a shuttered Catholic School on Beechmont Avenue, was rented by the district in 2013 when the school pushed to add a seventh and eighth grade. Hernan Illingworth, a Board of Education member whose daughter attended Classical when it went up to only sixth grade, said parents then viewed the annex as an interim step, and expected a facility big enough to accommodate the entire student body to follow. This year, however, the dis trict was forced to renew its three-year lease on the annex when an effort to move the school was blocked on a 14-6 vote of the City Council. The district wanted to move the school, which draws 407 students from all over the city, to the Catholic Center, a large, former school building on Jewett Avenue in the citys North End. Michelle Lyons, a City Council member who lives by the Catholic Center, opposed the plan to buy and renovate the building, and she convinced a majority of council members to reject the idea. Now that there has been some turnover of council members, the school community is renewing its push, saying the Catholic Center is the ideal, and perhaps only spot for a school that draws students from all parts of the city. Most academy students go on to populate the citys magnet high schools. Classical parents have been speaking out at council meetings. On Dec. 22, the day before Christmas break, Spell took Illingworth, fellow school board member Joe Sokolovic, City Council Member Peter Spain and Joanne Kennedy, a community activist, on a tour through both buildings. Sokolovic said the tour convinced him the school needs a new space. A school where instruction is project-based, involving frequent assemblies and presentations, Classical cannot have schoolwide gatherings in its present, fragmented self, Spell said. Hands shot up in Anthony Cusellos seventh-grade class when students were asked how many had a younger sibling in the annex. I worried if she was safe, said Sara Matumbura, 12, a seventh-grader whose sister was in the other building last year. Kindergarten teacher Amanda Finch feels it, too. When the school was together, older siblings could come down and calm teary-eyed kindergarten students in the first few days of school. Now they are blocks away. Finch misses seeing her former students grow into middle-schoolers. Having two buildings, Spell pointed out, requires more security, more custodial help, and teachers and equipment that is shared on a regular basis. In the annex, the ceiling leaks, smart boards do not work, and storage is hard to come by. When Spells daughter was there, parents chipped in to buy fans for the classrooms. The main building has its quirks as well, like an elevator few in the building trust, and a water cooler that fails to live up to its name. The water is not cool, said Camilla Cerrato, 13, said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When duck hunters take to Connecticuts rivers and coastlines next year, they will carry hunting stamps printed with a painting of two surf scoter ducks flying across blue-green waves near a lighthouse. Artist Chet Reneson, of Lyme, was the first Connecticut resident to win the state competition from which stamp designs are chosen, and the triumph was a long time coming his painting took 54 years to finish. Reneson, 83, said he painted the surf scoters in 1962 for a federal duck stamp competition. He knew the competition as the million-dollar duck, for its potential to balloon an artists sales. Reneson had just graduated from the University of Hartford Art School. He was broke, jobless and good with a brush. So I sent it to Washington, he said. Far short of a million dollars, he got the 5-inch-by-7-inch painting returned to him by mail with a rejection note. Since the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934, duck stamps have raised hundreds of millions of dollars for federal wildlife conservation. The success of the federal program inspired Connecticut to start its own duck stamp program and art contest in 1993 hunters have to buy both stamps. Reneson, meanwhile, put his ducks in a drawer and went after real ones. More Information How to enter the 2018 Connecticut Duck Stamp Contest Each year the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection holds the Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp contest to decide which image will adorn the following year's duck hunting stamps. Lyme artist Chet Reneson won the 2017 competition and was the first Connecticut resident to do so-it's open to everyone in the country. He encourages youth to submit their art. "I started painting when I was 9 years old. And I was serious," said the career watercolorist and illustrator. Full rules for the competition can bee found on the DEEP website at http://bit.ly/2kF6LbI, but here are the basics: Species: The ducks, or to be more precise-waterfowl-must be birds that are hunted in Connecticut. Each year the state releases a list of around 30 birds from the American black duck to the Canada goose-minus the three most recent winners-the canvasback, surf scoter, and Atlantic Brant. Deadline: April 15, 2018 Background: Images score better with a Connecticut scene or landmark in the background (lighthouses are popular). Art with out-of-state elements like palm trees or volcanoes get tossed. Medium: Acrylic, oil, colored pencil and watercolor are allowed. No photographic process, digital process, or metallic or fluorescent paints can be used. See More Collapse I was a duck-hunting fanatic, he said. He carved and painted his own duck decoys, pieces of functional art that helped him find his first full-time job. One day another hunter asked him to make one. This guys father was the head of the art department at UTC, United Technologies Corporations Pratt and Whitney illustration office. And he said theyre hiring. Over the decades, Reneson worked as an illustrator, published books and sold some 1,400 hand-painted duck decoys. He is best known for his wildlife watercolors, which he sells from his gallery in Lyme. At 77, he finally gave up duck hunting. He followed what became a craze over the federal duck stamp competition that rejected his piece. The 1996 film Fargo imagined it as a postage stamp contest, and portrayed a painter agonizing over the outcome of his painting. Last year, The Million Dollar Duck documentary toured the film festival circuit. On the wildlife art circuit, Reneson became critical of the state competitions, which he said diluted the market, and of art dealers who flipped winning pieces for what he considered exorbitant profits. Then one day a friend was visiting his studio. Whats this? he remembered the friend asking while pulling out the 5-inch-by-7-inch painting from a desk drawer. Thats the 1962 duck stamp that didnt make it, he responded. His friend urged him to enter it in the statewide competition, and he agreed. The surf scoter ducks met the competitions species criteria. To score points for the background, Reneson painted a 1-inch Saybrook Jetty lighthouse into the top-left corner. DEEP selected Renesons painting over 21 other entries, including a record 12 from Connecticut residents. The state hopes raise about $50,000 for wildlife conservation with duck stamps sales. Reneson is not sure how much his winning painting is worth. Like a prized shotgun or a perfect duck call, it might serve better as an heirloom. I think I might give it to my son, he said. 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 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Amanda Knox is branching out. In the decade since she was thrust into the international spotlight as a suspect in roommate Meredith Kercher's murder in 2007, Knox has been a prisoner, an exoneree, an author and columnist, an advocate for those wrongly convicted and the subject of a documentary. Now, she'll be adding a new title to her resume: host. Earlier this week Vice Media announced that the 30-year-old Knox would host a five-episode run of "The Scarlet Letter Reports," highlighting women publicly shamed by the media. According to Variety, the show is one of three Vice shows that will air on the Facebook Watch video platform, joining renovation show "Breaking & Entertaining" and "The Hangover Show," which is about actual hangovers, and not the movie franchise by the same name. Knox's show will include interviews with people like model and "SlutWalk" founder Amber Rose and rape survivor and victim advocate Daisy Coleman. "While on trial for a murder I didn't commit, my prosecutor painted me as a sex-crazed femme fatale with magical powers to control men," Knox said in a statement. "I lost years of my life to prison because of two-dimensional and misogynist stereotypes. In 'The Scarlet Letter Reports,' I'm hoping to re-humanize others who have been similarly shamed and vilified, and elevate the standard for how we think and talk about public women." Now Playing: Why Amanda Knox Is Returning to Italy for the First Time since Her Exoneration for Murder Video: People In 2009, Knox and boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were convicted of murdering Kercher two years earlier, while Knox -- a University of Washington student -- spent a year studying abroad. Knox and Sollecito were then acquitted in a second trial in 2011, and she was able to return to her native West Seattle. The pair was again convicted in 2013, but an Italian high court threw out the convictions after finding "stunning flaws" in the prosecution's case. Rudy Guede was eventually convicted of the murder, while Knox has gone on to become an advocate for those wrongly convicted of crimes. She wrote "Waiting to be Heard," a memoir, in 2013, and she was the subject of a 2016 Netflix documentary titled "Amanda Knox." Seattlepi.com reporter Stephen Cohen can be reached at 206-448-8313 or stephencohen@seattlepi.com. Follow Stephen on Twitter at @scohenPI. A young couple were certainly feeling the heat when they tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in front of hundreds of beachgoers on Christmas Eve. French backpackers David and Audrey Le Sergent - who have been travelling around Australia for 18 months - got married at Burleigh Beach on the Gold Coast on Sunday. As temperatures soared to a sweltering 32 degrees, the bride wore white as she walked down the sandy candy cane aisle to meet her husband-to-be. Scroll down for video Backpackers David and Audrey Le Sergent got married at Burleigh Beach on the Gold Coast A young couple were certainly feeling the heat when they tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in front of hundreds of beachgoers on Christmas Eve As temperatures soared to a sweltering 32 degrees, the bride wore white down the sandy lane 'It's perfect. 24th. Beautiful weather, 30 degrees, perfect,' Mr Le Sergent told 7News. The pair, who have been together for seven years, said 'I do' as onlookers caught a glimpse of the festive wedding. The French couple shared a tender kiss at the alter in front of their family and friends The pair, who have been together for seven years, said 'I do' as onlookers caught a glimpse of the festive wedding Danielle Barker who was the couple's celebrant said: 'Sweaty is probably an understatement in 32-degree heat.' Friend Michelle Moore-Carter said the couple wanted a 'traditional Christmas-style wedding' for their special day. Sharing the intimate moment next to a Christmas tree, the couple shared a tender kiss at the alter in front of their family and friends as beachgoers cheered on. Forget endless rounds of turkey sandwiches why not do something a little more exotic with your Christmas leftovers this year? Cold roast potatoes, uneaten sprouts and offcuts of ham might sound uninspiring after a sumptuous festive feast, but chefs say theyre perfect ingredients for weird and wonderful dishes from around the world. From making stuffing into Chinese wontons to whizzing up veg in a spicy Indian curry and turning Christmas pud into creme brulee, leftovers can be transformed into a host of international cuisines. Here, with exclusive recipes from celebrity chefs, Sarah Rainey reveals how to turn the remains of your Christmas dinner into a delicious multicultural banquet. Spanish ham paella This delicacy from Cesar Garcia, head chef at restaurant chain Iberica, is an ingenious way to use up leftover ham. The only unusual ingredient is sofrito, a paste made from slow-cooked vegetables, which you can buy online for 3. If you cant get it, a vegetable stock pot will do. This delicacy from Cesar Garcia, head chef at restaurant chain Iberica, is an ingenious way to use up leftover ham The colours are vibrant and, though it may not be a taste sensation, itll bring a splash of Spanish sunshine to a cold winters day Heat some oil in a casserole dish and add 250g diced ham. Stir in 90g sugar snap peas, 100g jarred artichoke and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Fry before adding 90g sofrito, 3 minced garlic cloves, 50g chickpeas, 150g paella rice and 650ml chicken stock. Cook for 8 mins, then turn down for 6-7 mins the rice should turn yellow and fluff up. Finish under the grill. TASTE TEST: The colours are vibrant and, though it may not be a taste sensation, itll bring a splash of Spanish sunshine to a cold winters day. VERDICT: 7/10 Pigs in blankets pasta Its tempting to bulk-buy these tasty little morsels cocktail sausages wrapped in bacon before Christmas, so theyre bound to be taking up space in your fridge. Celebrity chef Aldo Zilli has a brilliant recipe for pigs in blankets carbonara, which involves swapping them for bacon in the traditional Italian pasta dish. He cooks 400g tagliatelle in salted boiling water for 8-10 mins until its just done. Its tempting to bulk-buy these tasty little morsels but they can be swapped for bacon in a traditional Italian pasta dish The cocktail sausages wrapped in bacon may be taking up space in your fridge but celebrity chef Aldo Zilli has a recipe to put them in a carbonara While this is steaming away, heat 75g butter in a deep frying pan and add a diced shallot and 20 chopped pigs in blankets (or 4 larger sausages). Cook for 10 mins over a medium heat until both are golden brown. In a separate bowl, whisk 8 egg yolks with 50g grated parmesan, tsp of grated nutmeg, 1 tbsp of black pepper and 2 tsp of chopped parsley. Drain the pasta, reserving a ladleful of cooking water, which you can add to the pigs in blankets in the pan. Mix everything together (the heat from the pasta will cook the eggs) and serve topped with more cheese. There should be enough pasta to make a mid-week meal for four. TASTE TEST: This super-simple recipe is creamy and moreish. The sausages add an unexpected sweetness to the salty bacon, and go really well with the herby egg sauce. VERDICT: 9/10 Mexican turkey tinga Dry, bland and often over-cooked . . . it may be the centrepiece of Christmas dinner, but turkey has a reputation for being the least exciting thing on the plate. Chucking the leftover meat in a pan with some ready-made sauce is about as creative as most of us get but Thomasina Miers, former MasterChef winner and founder of the Mexican restaurant chain Wahaca, has a better idea. She suggests a smoky turkey tinga wrapped in toasted tortilla wraps. The recipe, adapted from her book Home Cook: Over 300 Delicious Fuss-Free Recipes (Guardian Faber, 25), takes 20 mins and makes a tasty lunch for six. It may be the centrepiece of Christmas dinner, but turkey has a reputation for being the least exciting thing on the plate Chucking the leftover meat in a pan with some ready-made sauce is about as creative as most of us get but Thomasina Miers has a better idea Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan with a knob of butter and saute one finely sliced onion with tsp of ground allspice, tsp of ground cinnamon and 2 tsp of Demerara sugar. Season well, add 2 crushed garlic cloves and, once the onions are soft, add 2 cans of plum tomatoes and 2 tbsp of smoky chipotle paste (you can buy this from most supermarkets, 1.50 for a jar). Cook for 10 mins, then add 700g shredded turkey use both white and brown meat to the sauce. Serve it rolled in hot tortilla wraps (warmed in the microwave or an unoiled frying pan) with sliced avocado and sour cream. TASTE TEST: This is incredibly quick and easy, and disguises the dry white meat in a flavoursome sauce with a fiery kick. Its messy to eat, but kids will love it. VERDICT: 7/10 Chinese stuffing wontons Jeremy Pang, a Chinese chef and founder of the School of Wok cookery school, uses leftover stuffing as a filling for wontons, oriental-style fried dumplings. The only specialist ingredients are wonton pastry wrappers, which cost around 1.30 for 12 from Ocado or Chinese supermarkets. This recipe makes 20. Jeremy Pang, a Chinese chef and founder of the School of Wok cookery school, uses leftover stuffing as a filling for wontons, oriental-style fried dumplings Finely chop 3 Brussels sprouts, 2 spring onions, a handful of carrots, chives and water chestnuts, 1 clove of garlic and 1 small piece of ginger. Mix with whatever stuffing you have and season with 2 tbsp of light soy sauce, a pinch of sugar and a few glugs of sesame oil.Place 1 tsp of filling in the centre of a pastry wrapper. Wet the sides and fold two corners together to make a triangle. Press down, then take two corners of the triangle and pull them together behind the filling. Fry in a small saucepan filled with 2-3in of hot (180c) oil. Theyll float when done. Jeremy suggests serving with sweet chilli sauce. TASTE TEST: Fiddly but worth the effort. The pastry is crunchy and the filling deliciously smooth. VERDICT: 6/10 Indian roast veg curry Whatever trimmings you have with your turkey, dont let them go to waste. Instead, use up leftover roast potatoes, carrots and parsnips in this warming curry. Twice Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar, patron of Benares restaurant in Mayfair, makes his own curry paste by grinding 4 whole chillies, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, 200g peanuts, 100g desiccated coconut and 30g fresh ginger with a cup of warm water. Or you can use one from a jar. Whatever trimmings you have with your turkey, dont let them go to waste. Instead, use up leftover roast potatoes, carrots and parsnips in this warming curry Having already been roasted, the vegetables can be a little squidgy, but its a healthy veggie alternative to the average curry He then dices the veg (roughly 2 potatoes, 4 parsnips and 2 carrots) and adds it to a hot saucepan with tsp of nigella seeds, tsp of garam masala and a bay leaf. Cover the pan and, when the vegetables are hot, add the paste along with half a cup of water and cook for three minutes before adding 100g spinach and the juice of 1 lemon. There should be enough curry for four. TASTE TEST: Having already been roasted, the vegetables are a little squidgy for my taste, but its a healthy veggie alternative to the average curry. Make sure you have a glass of water its red hot. VERDICT: 6/10 Festive fried rice Say what you like about the benefits of Brussels sprouts, but theres no doubt theyre the worst part of Christmas dinner, despite efforts to camouflage them with chestnuts and pep them up with pancetta. School of Wok chef Jeremy Pang suggests flash-frying leftover sprouts with rice, making an easy Oriental dish that tastes great. They still have a crunch to them, but the grassiness or rawness has been cooked out, he explains. Say what you like about the benefits of Brussels sprouts, but theres no doubt theyre the worst part of Christmas dinner despite attempts to camouflage them School of Wok chef Jeremy Pang suggests flash-frying leftover sprouts with rice, making an easy Oriental dish that tastes great Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok over a medium heat. Add a few handfuls of sliced Brussels sprouts and whatever you served with them on Christmas day: pancetta, bacon, chestnuts, pine nuts, etc. Stir in a tablespoon of chopped chives, crack an egg into the middle of the pan and, once half-cooked, break into the yolk with your spoon. Add a cup of cooked rice, a cup petits pois, a glug of soy sauce and sesame oil, and serve, scattered with chopped spring onion. TASTE TEST: The easiest dish of the lot, this takes five minutes and makes an ample lunch for two. Youll never look at sprouts the same way again. VERDICT: 8/10 Christmas pud creme brulee French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, whose second cookery school, The Corran Academy, is now open in Laugharne, West Wales, uses Christmas pudding crumbs to jazz up creme brulee. Mix 225g pudding with 80ml brandy and soak for 15 mins. Then beat 4 egg yolks with 65g caster sugar until smooth. French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli uses Christmas pudding crumbs to jazz up creme brulee Crunchy on top and silky smooth inside, the rich, spiced pudding at the bottom is a lovely surprise Combine 50ml buttermilk, 300ml double cream and 125ml milk in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer until it will coat the back of a spoon, then whisk in egg and sugar and allow to rest. Roll the pudding between two pieces of parchment. Cut six discs, put them into the bottom of ramekins and top with the egg. Bake in a tray half-filled with hot water for 20 mins at 150c. Allow to cool and sprinkle over 200g sugar. Place under the grill or use a blow torch to melt sugar until it turns golden. TASTE TEST: These will have you drooling. Crunchy on top and silky smooth inside, the rich, spiced pudding at the bottom is a lovely surprise. VERDICT: 10/10 Advertisement Children suffering from life-threatening illnesses and disabilities were transformed into their inner superheroes thanks to a photographer who volunteered his talents. Josh Rossi, 32, captured incredible photographs of six brave kids aged two to nine transforming them into the Justice League characters with the help of costumes and special effects. Wonder Woman, The Flash and Superman are among the characters portrayed by the children suffering from different forms of cancer, half a heart, a double amputation and severe autism. The Utah-based photographer told Daily Mail Online: 'When they first showed up to the shoot some were feeling sick and down but as soon as they put on the costume they started smiling and got into the role and had fun.' Utah-based photographer Josh Rossi, 32, transformed children with life-threatening illnesses and disabilities into superheroes from the Justice League using special effects and professional costumes Sophie, three, has a rare form of eye cancer called embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. She came to the photo shoot in August after having completed radiation and was bleeding from her nose. Rossi said she is the real Wonder Woman The commercial photographer said he got the idea for the superhero shoot after dressing up his four-year-old daughter Nellee and photographing her as Wonder Woman for her birthday last year. The photos went viral and Josh began receiving requests from all around the US for photo shoots. He and his wife decided to use his skills for children suffering from medical conditions. 'I wanted to photograph the real superheroes - those kids who have cancer and real issues,' he said. Because it was difficult going through a hospital, he contacted friends on Facebook who spread the word to find children with conditions who wanted to play dress up for the day. Costume-maker Julie Whitley donated the professional costumes and the photo shoot was done in just one day in August at a studio. Rossi said that Sophie, three, who suffers from a rare form of eye cancer came to the shoot after radiation therapy and was bleeding from her nose. As soon as she put on the costume she was in character and became the real Wonder Woman. 'We put them with the superhero that they had something in common with,' Rossi said. 'We made sure they loved the character. For example, Kayden, five, has been a double amputee since he was one year old due to him being born with omphalocele, which caused his internal organs to grow outside of his body. In order to save his life, Kayden's mother chose to have his legs amputated. He played Cyborg because 'Cyborg was a healthy boy until he had a horrible accident. His father kept him alive by giving him robotic parts,' Rossi said. Kayden, five, is a double amputee due to a condition which caused his internal organs to grow outside of his body. In order to save his life, Kayden's mother chose to have his legs amputated, much like the character Cyborg Teegan, nine, was born with half a heart due to a condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. He has had three open heart surgeries and a heart transplant which has now turned him into the real Superman Two-year-old Mataese has a rare form of cancer called acute megakaryoblastic. He was transformed into Aquaman and had just finished a round of chemotherapy before the photo shoot Teegan, nine, was born with half a heart due to a condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. He has had three open heart surgeries and a heart transplant which has now turned him into Superman. Seven-year-old Zaiden suffers from severe ADHD. 'He loves to run and can't stand still so I thought he'd be perfect for The Flash,' said Rossi. Editing the photos took the photographer about two weeks using Photoshop. He said the best reaction came after he hand delivered the custom print to they kids. 'They opened it up and were super excited and screaming. Kayden put it up in his room and was staring at it because he had never seen himself so tall,' Rossi added. Two-year-old Mataese has a rare form of cancer called acute megakaryoblastic and was transformed into Aquaman. Rossi called him 'a powerhouse' for being so strong after having just finished a round of chemo. Batman is portrayed by Simon, five, who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nerves, who Rossi said battles it like a superhero. All six of the superheroes had the chance to fly to New York for Comic Con where they had a special meet and greet with the characters who they look up to and portrayed. Batman is portrayed by Simon, five, who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nerves. Rossi said he battles cancer like a superhero Advertisement Conservationists waging war on the multi-million pound poaching trade have employed a new breed of operatives to help them catch criminals. Equipped with goggles, harnesses, muzzles and earmuffs, dogs are being trained to skydive from 7,500ft into danger zones and snare poachers. Giant, Killer, Venom, Arrow and Alpha are highly-skilled and fearless members of the Paramount Group Anti-Poaching and Canine Training Academy in South Africa. Described by their trainers as 'the Bear Grylls of the K9 world', Arrow the German Shepherd became the first dog to skydive - earning him a place in the Guinness World Records - while Belgian Malinois Killer has snared 115 groups of poachers and received a Gold medal from Prince Harry for his contribution to conservation. Scroll down for video Alpha the German Shepherd dons his protective eye and footwear ahead of missions which see him leap out of helicopters Dog handler Henry and Arrow the dog - wearing his protective goggles and muzzle - landing safely after another successful sky dive A dog handler and their K9 in their Ghillie suits which the handler has to make themselves as part of the training, for camouflage and ambush purposes Henry and Arrow on their very first sky dive: Each dog is individually assessed as a puppy to find the role best suited to them A spokesman for the academy told MailOnline: 'The most critical element for a successful dog and handler is the bond between the two. 'The bond is critical and you cannot break it. 'Only highly driven dogs with an exceptional attitude, mindset and passion to please (their handlers) can be used for activities like rappelling and sky diving.' Poaching is a lucrative and ever-growing industry run by highly-organised criminal networks. The last seven years have seen the elephant population fall by almost a third - with 100 killed every single day for their ivory. Rhino poaching has reached epidemic proportions with around 1200 rhinos being killed in 2014 and 2015 in South Africa alone. So conservationists are fighting back and taking increasingly drastic measures to counteract illegal poaching. Poaching hotspots are often in remote locations or dense bush and the dogs' skydiving skills enable them to reach areas quickly and track skilled poachers using advanced counter-tracking techniques. The dogs are capable of searching large areas for snares, bush meat and firearms and are able to hunt at night when human trackers are unable to track due to limited visibility. Arrow, a German Shepherd dog specially trained to combat Africa's poaching crisis, has been recognized as the world's first sky-diving anti-poaching dog by Guinness World Records Two-year-old Arrow made his maiden jump with handler Henry Holsthyzen of Paramount Group's Anti-Poaching and K9 Academy based in Rustenburg, South Africa The dogs are taught to parachute out of helicopters and into danger zones in a bid to stamp out illegal poaching Alpha is part of the team of hero hounds leaping from helicopters along with their trainers in a bid to tackle illegal poachers Skydiving has become an important addition to the arsenal of anti-poaching methods, especially useful as a rapid response in remote and inaccessible areas Arrow and Henry with their Guinness World Record: The trainers said, 'You need an expert eye, someone with 'dog whisperer' capabilities and decades of working and training dogs to ensure you get it right' Arrow and Giant 'go mad with excitement' when they are shown their jump harnesses and cannot wait to get into the helicopter A simulation of a poacher apprehension show how the dogs and their handlers - both wearing Ghillie camouflage suits hand made by each park ranger/dog handler - hide in the bush as the poachers walk straight into their ambush The Ichikowitz Family Foundation will work with Gabons National Parks to establish an anti-poaching rapid response task force which includes the donation of a Gazelle helicopter and K9 units Poachers, look out: Several dogs from the unit and their handlers practice doing bite work training The two most commonly used breeds in conservation are Bloodhounds and Belgium Malinois. While Bloodhounds are used to track scents older than 24 hours, the Malinois is used as a rapid reaction and a 'multi-purpose' K9, capable of tracking and searching for ammunition, rhino horns and ivory, and for arresting suspects. The academy breeds the dogs before gauging their personality and matching them to suitable roles - from tracking to skydiving. The academy spokesman added: 'You need an expert eye, someone with 'dog whisperer' capabilities and decades of working and training dogs to ensure you get it right. 'Not all dogs are good at tracking, not all dogs are excited by the sight of a helicopter. 'In Arrow and Giant's case they go mad with excitement if you only show them their jump harnesses. They cannot wait to get into the helicopter. 'You can tell by their reaction that they are keen and willing, and when you see them in action you can tell that they excel at it.' Dogs are bred by the academy and their personality gauged at an early age - to find out whether they would be suited to tracking, or jumping from helicopters 'The Bear Grylls' of the K9 world': Working alongside their trainers, the dogs are waging war on elephant and rhino poachers A poacher is apprehended by a K9 with its handler while other members of the K9 units in hot pursuit Reaching new heights: Venom and his handler can be seen rappeling from a Gazelle helicopter A handler and a dog prepare to disembark a helicopter in a dam - and thanks to the dogs incredible senses, poachers in remote areas will be quickly apprehended The rapid response anti-poaching unit using a helicopter to drop dog units into a dam and follow a poacher Skydiving has become an important addition to the arsenal of anti-poaching methods, especially useful as a rapid response in remote and inaccessible areas. Initially met with some resistance from those who failed to see dogs useful in the war against poachers, the first K9 was introduced to Kruger National Park in South Africa in December 2010 to help fight poaching. Now almost all big reserves have a K9 unit assisting their anti-poaching units (APU) and since the launch of Paramount Group's Anti-Poaching and K9 Academy there has been a rise in national parks and private reserves establishing K9 units in parks across Africa. And in another shot to the arm of the group, Arrow the German Shepherd dog has been recognised as the world's first sky-diving anti-poaching dog by Guinness World Records. Two-year-old Arrow made his maiden jump with handler Henry Holsthyzen at the Waterkloof Airforce Base on the outskirts of Pretoria. Arrow was specially selected as a puppy for his temperament and trained to descend from a helicopter by rope, strapped to Holsthyzen, and finally, to skydive. The poaching trade is decimating the elephant and rhino population, with some 695 rhinos lost to poachers in 2014, and 100 elephants killed everyday for their ivory As soon as Arrow touches down from the skydive his handler releases him from his jump harness and Arrow is immediately on the spoor of the poacher The team of German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois dogs are highly trained in tracking - and taking down - poachers hiding in the bush The Paramount group showcases an integrated anti-poaching operation involving helicopters, ground vehicles and K9 units Arrow's entry to the Guinness World Records came after months of intense preparation. Since Arrow was a puppy he and Holsthyzen have eaten, slept, and worked together in order to develop the inseparable bond needed to carry out high-pressure anti-poaching tasks together. Holsthyzen said: 'With my knowledge of Arrow - knowing him, and knowing his personality - it gave me a very good idea of what to expect and he acted accordingly. He's a natural born skydiver and an adrenaline junkie - I was more scared than he was! 'I jumped out of the helicopter and it was just natural for him to follow me. I rely on him and in turn he relies on me. I'm willing to go into battle with him because I trust him. Trust forms the basis of our relationship and that enables the handler and the K9 relationship to excel'. Eric Ichikowitz, Director of the Ichikowitz Family Foundation added: 'In some cases we have to insert the canine into a difficult situation with the poachers or a challenging environment, such as a forest or mountainous regions. The parachute helps engage them quietly. 'At any one stage we have a large number of K9's at various stages of development enabling us to develop on each K9's unique capabilities as identified and tracked from infancy through adolescence. The large pool enables us to select optimal pairings between handlers and dogs, and to experiment with combinations. 'The training protocols have been developed through experience gained in operational environments, working in close conjunction with a number of National Parks special operations units. The training school is a custom developed anti-poaching facility developed to train anti-poaching rangers into specialised K9 handlers and to engage the handlers in the protocols of working with dogs in a wildlife environment'. Advertisement It is the naval disaster that dwarfs the Titanic but is rarely mentioned despite being the largest maritime catastrophe in history. In 1945 almost 10,000 men, women and children were killed on board cruise liner the MV Wilhelm Gustloff as they fled the advancing Russian Army. The ship set sail from Gdynia, then Gotenhafen, in occupied Poland and was bound for Kiel in northern Germany, but was attacked by a Russian submarine in the Baltic Sea in January 1945. It sank in less than 40 minutes, causing the deaths of 9,343 people including about 5,000 children. The fate of the vessel was a far cry from its intended use as a luxury liner for the 'master' German race and had no class division system so 'ordinary' people could enjoy holidays just like the rich. The MV Wilhelm Gustloff, pictured, was sunk by a Russian submarine in 1945 while evacuating 10,000 people from Nazi-occupied Poland, leaving more than 9,000 dead in the worst maritime disaster in maritime history. Its death toll was six times higher than the Titanic The ship, pictured sinking in a reconstruction, went down just 40 minutes after the first torpedo struck. It was sailing in deep water in the Baltic, against military advice, and had just one escort torpedo boat after an another suffered mechanical problems. The Gustloff was armed with anti-aircraft guns but they froze in temperatures of around -10C The Gustloff, left, was launched in 1937 as part of the Nazi's efforts to pioneer the cruise holiday industry, giving 'ordinary' Germans as much chance to enjoy trips as the rich and powerful. Thousands (right) enjoyed trips on board before it was requisitioned by the military in early 1939 and became a hospital ship, before changing use again to become a floating barracks for submarine recruits by 1942 The ship was supposed to be a public relations tool to show the world a 'more acceptable face of Nazi Germany' in the late 1930s. Pictured here are a group of women giving the Nazi salute on board the ship in April 1938 when it was still part of the civilian fleet. The liner was used as a floating polling station in the Austrian referendum vote to unify with Germany Despite the death toll being six times greater than the loss of life on the Titanic, the sinking of the former German cruise liner is hardly known of. By January 1945 the area of Prussia was threatened by the rapid Russian advance from the east, leading to Operation Hannibal - a massive naval evacuation of German troops and civilians there. Although the 685ft long ship was carrying about 1,000 army soldiers and members of the Gestapo, there were also around 9,000 civilians. As it headed west it was spotted by a Russian submarine. The German ship was armed with anti-aircraft guns but they had frozen and were useless. The Russian submarine fired three torpedoes at the 25,000 tonne ship which all hit and delivered massive damage. Some of the 9,343 victims died in the explosions and others were crushed to death in a stampede by panicked passengers but the majority either drowned or succumbed to exposure in the freezing conditions. The ship was never designed for military use, having been built as a cruise liner for the Nazi Strength Through Joy tourism programme that aimed to bring middle class leisure activities to the masses through a ballot system. Scenes of dancing on board the ship in 1939, pictured here, are a far cry from where it ended up. The boat was carrying almost 10,000 people, far more than the 6,500 recorded passengers, including more than 5,000 children as well as 1,000 military personnel and Gestapo staff The Gustloff is pictured here being used to host a plebiscite for Austrian voters in 1938 over whether they should reunite with Germany The Gustloff was the flagship of the civilian fleet for two years and participated in many trips until spring 1939, when she was requisitioned by the German Navy to bring back troops aiding Franco in the Spanish Civil War. After the outbreak of World War Two she served as a hospital ship but by 1941 she was moved to Gdynia to serve as a floating barracks for U-boat recruits. She remained in port for four years until the launching of Operation Hannibal. Although the official manifest states there was only 6,500 passengers on board, it does not include civilians who boarded without being recorded. Just as the Titanic is infamous for a lack of lifeboats, the Gustloff shares a similar cautionary tale around its lifejackets. Despite being ordered to keep their jackets on at all times, the sheer number of people on board led to cramped conditions and many took them off to be more comfortable, contributing to the massive loss of life when it sank. The German Navy had also repainted her since her days as a hospital ship and did not record her as such, so she was not subject to international protections given to medical vessels. She left port accompanied by another passenger liner, the Hansa, and two torpedo boats for protection, only for the Hansa and one of the escorts to suffer mechanical problems, greatly affecting her safety as she moved on. One of the reasons for the huge loss of life was problems with the liner's lifeboats, many of which became frozen to their hoardings due to the extremely cold weather. Only nine lifeboats were able to be lowered into the sea, while several were destroyed when the ship began listing to one side, sending the others crashing into the waters The Gustloff was carrying four captains when she sank and the lack of clear direction was another reason for the disaster, with the officers disagreeing on the direction to take the ship in. The Gustloff's actual captain Freidrich Petersen made the decision to take her into deep waters against the advice of the senior military officer Another factor in the disaster was a lack of direction from the four captains she was carrying one who governed the Gustloff, two from the merchant navy and another from the U-boat division. They all disagreed on how best to guard against submarine attacks and eventually the Gustloffs captain Friedrich Petersen, ignored military advice and sailed into deep water that was known to be clear of mines. Petersen then activated the ships red and green navigation lights after receiving a radio message claiming a minesweeper convoy was approaching as a means to avoid collision, although it also made the ship an easy target to spot at night. The sheer cold also played its part, freezing the submarine sensor aboard the escort boat meaning the Russian vessel could attack without warning. It followed the Gustloff for two hours before surfacing to fire - with the third torpedo doing the most damage when it hit the engine room, leaving the ship powerless and without communications. Freezing temperatures also meant only nine lifeboats could be lowered into the waters as the others had to be broken free from their restraints. Twenty minutes after impact the ship started tilting to its port side, sending lifeboats on the starboard side crashing into the sea, destroying many. Petersen then activated the ships red and green navigation lights after receiving a radio message claiming a minesweeper convoy was approaching as a means to avoid collision, although it also made the ship an easy target to spot at night An inquiry was subsequently launched into the conduct of survivor Wilhelm Zahn, the senior military officer on board who had advised Petersen not to go into deep water, but nothing ever came of it after the fall of the Nazi government at the end of the war. Pictured are guests on board in 1939 The Gustloff is now classified as a war grave and the Polish Maritime Office in Gdynia has made it illegal to go within 500 yards of the wreckage to stop treasure hunters and looters disturbing the site. Pictired are more voters from when the ship hosted the Austrian plebiscite German forces rushed to the scene of the attack and were able to rescue more than 900 people, including a baby. An inquiry was subsequently launched into the conduct of survivor Wilhelm Zahn, the senior military officer on board who had advised Petersen not to go into deep water, but nothing ever came of it after the fall of the Nazi government at the end of the war. The Gustloff remains a wreck on the Baltic Sea floor and is classified as a war grave. Due to interest from treasure hunters, the Polish Maritime Office in Gdynia has made it illegal to go within 500 yards of the wreck. A South American 'zombie' chemical branded the most dangerous date rape drug in the world has reportedly reached the UK and can be bought online for as little as 11. Scopolamine, also known as hyoscine or 'Devil's Breath', is made from Borrachero trees in Colombia, and used throughout the country to aid sexual predators and robbers. The odourless powder is blown into people's faces, which once inhaled can cause victims to lose their memory, free will, and in high enough doses, can even kill. In the past two years cases have been reported in Spain, France and the US. But last month, UK actor Robert Lindsay told Met Police a young woman he knew was attacked with a substance bearing a chilling resemblance to 'Devil's Breath' outside a London night club. Scopolamine is not a controlled substance under the UK Misuse of Drugs Act, which means it's legal to buy online. Scopolamine is not a controlled substance under the UK Misuse of Drugs Act, which means it's legal to buy online. It is freely available on Chinese e-marketplace Alibaba.com (pictured), which ships to the UK While there are restrictions on minimum orders and courier shipping may take a while, one European seller is offering 1g of the drug for just $15 (11.19). Shipping from China prices range from $20 (14.91) for 100g to $1,500 (1,118.55) for a 1kg It is widely available on the Chinese website Alibaba.com, which ships it anywhere in the world from mainland China and Ukraine. While there are restrictions on minimum orders, you have to be a registered business, and courier shipping may take a while, one European seller is offering 1g of the drug for just $15 (11.19). Shipping from China prices range from $20 (14.91) for 100g to $1,500 (1,118.55) for a 1kg. MailOnline has contacted Alibaba for comment. According to the National Institute for Health and Clinic Excellence (NICE), small doses of the drug are used to treat nausea and more serious conditions like Cerebral palsy and Alzheimer's. As of 2017 it does not have a licence allowing it to be mass-marketed in the UK, but doctors can prescribe it in accordance with General Medical Council guidelines. Scopolamine, also known as hyoscine or 'Devil's Breath', is made from Borrachero trees (pictured) in Colombia, and used throughout the country to aid sexual predators and robbers My Family actor Robert Linsday tweeted last month to report a friend's daughter had been attacked with a substance with a chilling resemblance to Scopolamine The drug, also referred to as Burundanga in its native Colombia, is almost impossible to detect, as it disappears from the blood stream in two to six hours and can only be found in urine samples within 12. This makes it extremely difficult for victims to prove they have been given it as they don't remember anything and it's untraceable in their system. Referring to an incident in late November, My Family star Lindsay, 67 wrote on Twitter: 'WARNING! A friend's daughter was recently approached by 3 men outside a London club and a substance blown into her face, in her shock she inhaled. 'Friends came to her aid but within seconds she lost all her sense and couldn't remember a thing. It was a date rape drug. She was saved but girls beware.' Commenting on his report the Met Police told MailOnline: 'Met Police has not made any seizures of the drug Devil's Breath or scopolamine in the past year. 'We encourage anyone who suspects they have been drugged to contact police.' The odourless powder is blown into people's faces, which once inhaled can cause victims to lose their memory, free will, and in high enough doses, can even kill The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) warns UK tourists in Colombia and Ecuador of 'criminals who use scopolamine to subdue their victims'. The travel advice for Colombia reads: 'Scopolamine temporarily incapacitates unsuspecting victims. IS DEVIL'S BREATH REALLY LEGAL? Scopolamine, otherwise known as hyoscine or 'Devil's Breath' is not a controlled substance under the UK Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. This means it does not have 'illegal status', and although dangerous, can be shipped to the UK. It can be bought online on Chinese eBay-style website Alibaba.com. As long as you have a registered business, UK customers can contact sellers in China and Europe and get quotes for the drug in powder or flower form. It can then be shipped and successfully passed through the UK border. Advertisement 'Victims become disoriented quickly and are vulnerable to robbery, sexual assault, rape and other crimes.' Visitors to Quito, Ecuador are warned: 'Criminals often use drugs to subdue victims. 'Home-made versions of the drug 'scopolamine' leave victims in a subdued, compliant state and cause amnesia.' A male victim from Jackson Heights, New York, believes he fell prey to the drug after going to a bar for a drink and waking up the next morning later in his bed with no memory and hundreds of dollars withdrawn from his bank account. The last suspected cases of the drug being used in Europe were in Marbella, Spain a year ago. A 19-year-old girl was allegedly raped after inhaling the substance near the resort of Puerto Banus in the early hours of New Year's Day 2017. A 20-year-old girl then reported being raped on waste ground near Estepona after arranging to meet a French man she found on Facebook. In late 2015 French police investigated two Chinese women, 42 and 59, and a man, 56, for using scopolamine to rob dozens of victims in Paris. A Colombian drug dealer called Demencia Black spoke to Vice about how the drug is used to aid criminal activity. He said: 'You can guide them wherever you want...It's like they're a child.' One was forced to hand over 100,000 euros (87,815) after being hoodwinked by the drug, reported French newspaper Le Parisien. A Colombian drug dealer called Demencia Black spoke to Vice about how the drug is used to aid criminal activity. He said: 'You can guide them wherever you want...It's like they're a child.' He compared 1g of scopolamine to 1g of cocaine, but warned 'in high doses, it is lethal'. In ancient times it was given to the mistresses of dead Colombian leaders they were told to enter their master's grave, where they were buried alive. During the Cold War the CIA and KGB are said to have use duty as a truth serum while Nazi 'Angel of Death' The Soviets and the CIA reportedly used it as a truth serum during the Cold War, while Auschwitz 'Angel of Death' Joseph Mengeles is said to have had it imported from South America for personal use and the Gestapo. Advertisement The 1950s and 60s saw the Cold War in deep freeze and Britain's armed forces in a state of constant readiness - none more so than the Royal Air Force, which carried the vital nuclear deterrent. With fears of a Soviet airstrike widespread, the airmen of the RAF maintained an eclectic collection of aircraft prepared at any moment to intercept hostile targets or strike targets deep within the eastern bloc. These highly evocative colour images from a single remarkable Air Ministry collection give a unique insight into the service life of British flyers between 1950 and 1970, a time of great peril for the whole western world. The names of the extraordinary aircraft they flew, which included the British-designed Hunter, Lightning, Vulcan and Canberra, became synonymous with the Cold War between the West and the Soviet Union. Right at the heart of the force were the elite crews of the iconic V-Force of nuclear bombers, who were trained to perform the ultimate mission of dropping the deadly nuclear payload. These pictures have been gathered together in The Royal Air Force in the Cold War, 1950-1970, by Ian Proctor, which also includes scenes of the RAF in action during colonial conflicts over the period. These highly evocative colour images from a single remarkable Air Ministry collection give a unique insight into the Cold War service of British flyers between 1950 and 1970, a time of great peril for the whole western world. Pictured: Flight Lieutenant Ian Thomson of 111 Squadron stands by a Lightning F.1 at RAF Wattisham, in October 1962. Echoing wartime photography, this image of Thomson is typical of the way RAF pilots are portrayed as the successors to The Few The crew of a Victor are seen silhouetted against the setting sun at RAF Marham in 1969, with the unique shape of the aircraft is instantly recognizable despite the low light. The V-Force formed the RAFs strategic nuclear deterrent from 1956 to 1969, perhaps not coincidentally reflecting the date range in which the majority of these photographs were taken. These images were gathered together in The Royal Air Force in the Cold War, 1950-1970, by Ian Proctor A pilot climbs into a Lightning F.3 at RAF Wattisham, as a member of the ground crew passes to him his Taylor pressure helmet, c. 1965. Reflecting the RAFs pride in the Lightning shortly after its introduction to service in 1960, the Air Ministry made a recruitment film, Streaked Lightning appealing to men who may wish to fly the aircraft Canberra B.6s, of 12 Squadron based at RAF Binbrook, are seen in flight in September 1958, with the squadrons fox head emblem visible on the aircrafts tails. Formed at Binbrook in June 1952, 12 Squadron was the third Bomber Command squadron to be equipped with the Canberra B.2. In May 1955, the squadron reequipped with the more powerful longer-ranged B.6 A Vulcan based at RAF Cottesmore releases a full bomb load of twenty one 1000lb bombs, during an exercise in 1965. As well as operating in the nuclear role each of the V-bombers had the capability to deliver conventional ordnance. The Valiant and theVulcan were both able to carry twenty-one 1,000lb bombs, while the Victor carried thirty. Approximately twice a year each V-Force crew would undertake live bombing exercises RAF At Home days enabled RAF stations to showcase their work to visiting members of the public. Examples of fighters from the Spitfire to the most recent in service were displayed and flown. At RAF Coltishalls At Home day in September 1960, five aircraft were assembled to mark the 20th anniversary of the Battle of Britain As the youngest of the armed services, the RAF was keen to promote its short yet distinguished heritage. At the parade to mark the disbanding of Fighter Command held at RAF Bentley Priory on 30 April 1968, Air Marshal Sir Frederick Rosier KCB CBE DSO ADC, the last Air Officer Commander-in-Chief (AOCinC) of the command stands with several of the most famous Second World War aces, from left to right: Air Vice Marshal Johnny Johnson, Group Captain P. W. Townsend, Wing Commander R. R. S. Tuck (US), Air Commodore A. C. Deere (US) and Group Captain Douglas Bader Taken by an unknown photographer, Vulcan B.2 of 50 Squadron, RAF Cottesmore, leads in Vic formation four Lightning F.6s of 5 Squadron, RAF Binbrook, during a flight of April 1968, to mark the disbanding of Fighter and Bomber Commands and the formation of Strike Command. Little is known about the photographers who created most of these images. One, however, Malcolm (Mike) Chase was a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and an experienced photographer of aircraft in flight A Vampire of 5 Squadron, seen with its Goblin engine characteristically torching on starting up, at RAF West Malling, 2 February 1952. Despite being a popular aircraft, the Vampire was not comfortable to fly. Within the cramped cockpit the pilot and navigator and radar operator sat side by side, the discomfort relieved by the pilot being positioned just slightly forward A Lightning F.1A of 111 Squadron, armed with Firestreak missiles, is seen under floodlight preparing for a night sortie at RAF Wattisham in the summer of 1965. Wattisham was an important Cold War air defence station having, between 1950 and 1970, been at times home to squadrons of Meteors, Hunters, Javelins and Lightnings. By 1965, Wattisham was one of two stations maintaining QRA (South), alternating with RAF Binbrook, intercepting unidentified aircraft approaching from the east Crew of a Javelin at RAF Geilenkirchen, Germany, in April 1963. Maintaining a heightened alert state was a major undertaking. John Farley, a Hunter pilot of 4 Squadron at RAF Jever during the late-1950s recalled: it was 2122 days a month that you were on some sort of formal standby duty on your squadron. It wasnt always you on the Battle Flight aeroplanes, but there were duty people in the hangar, duty people in the Ops Room, we were at a very high and continuous state of readiness' A Lightning based at RAF Leaconfield is seen demonstrating its impressive climb ability over the East Yorkshire countryside in September 1965. Later that month, 19 Squadron became the first Lightning squadron to be deployed to RAF Germany, replacing 5 Squadron, which had reformed in the UK, also with Lightnings at RAF Binbrook The three V-bombers in flight together, 13 January 1958, soon after the introduction to service of the final aircraft, the Victor. The different design responses to the Air Staff s 1946 specification are clearly seen. The first Victor, is seen on the left led by a Vulcan, with a Valiant of 214 Squadron on the right The navigator-plotter of a Victor at RAF Cottesmore, seen in position through the window of the visual bomb aiming position, June 1959. Each of the three V-bombers had a visual bombing position that gave the bomb aimer an optically flat view of the ground below. This allowed, in clear weather, more accurate visual targeting, even at altitudes of over 50,000ft Three Vulcans, carrying Blue Steel training rounds, demonstrate a dispersal scramble at RAF Scampton on 9 August 1963. From the late 1950s, to protect the V-Force from a pre-emptive strike, aircraft could be dispersed to twenty-six airfields across the UK. In addition to twice monthly exercises to test QRA readiness, Exercise Mickey Finn was held at least once a year, when all aircraft at a station, and occasionally the entire V-Force, were dispersed simultaneously A Vulan from 101 Squadron based at RAF Finningley, flies over Mount Kenya during a Lone Ranger flight to Nairobi in July 1960. An established part of the training for V-Force aircrew and crew chiefs, Lone Rangers were unsupported single aircraft detachments to destinations around the world, including Cyprus, Malta, Singapore and Australia. These were exercises in self-sufficiency as servicing facilities were usually not available and all maintenance was undertaken by the crew A Canberra being bombed up at RAF Tengah while on detachment from the Near East Air Force Strike Wing at Akrotiri, between May and August 1965. In May 1955 during the Malayan Emergency, Canberra B.6s of 101 Squadron deployed to RAF Changi, the RAFs first jet bombers to go into combat. Later, Canberra squadrons from Germany and Cyprus were regularly deployed to reinforce local units during times of tension against Malaysia Flight Lieutenant Roger Pyrah, commanding officer of 1417 Flight, climbs into his Hunter at RAF Khormaksar before undertaking a tactical photographic reconnaissance flight over Radfan, July 1964. No. 1417 Flight was established with four Hunter FR.10s in May 1963, to provide tactical reconnaissance on behalf of the pilots of ground attack Hunter FGA.9s from 8, 208 and 43 Squadrons A Victor seen in flight over the Malaysian jungle in 1965 on an Operation Chamfrom deployment to RAF Tengah during the Indonesian Confrontation. Following the success of Profiteer detachments by Valiants and Vulcans during the Malayan Emergency, under Chamfrom four V-bombers were sent to Singapore to provide a show of potential retaliatory force, should the Indonesian Air Force decide to strike targets on mainland Malaysia A Twin Pioneer based at RAF Eastleigh, Nairobi, overflies an RAF Regiment command post in the Kenyan bush, 1961. The Twin Pioneer was used for colonial policing and humanitarian operations, including in Aden, Kenya, Malaya and Borneo. It was able to carry cargo or sixteen passengers internally, or an externally slung cargo load. For policing duties, it could also be armed with Browning guns and door-mounted Bren guns and carry a small number of light bombs Three Jet Provost T.4s of the RAF College Cranwells The Poachers, led by Squadron Leader Iain Panton, are seen climbing into an inverted loop for a publicity photograph in the summer of 1964. The photographer is probably flying in the teams fourth aircraft. After assembling several informal Provost teams since 1961, in 1963, a four-ship team called The Poachers, led by Squadron Leader Panton was founded as the RAF Colleges display team, in place of the previous Vampire team Five Folland Gnat T.1s from 4 FTS, RAF Valley, practise an inverted loop in T formation, over Holyhead in 1964. Introduced to the RAF in 1962, against expectations the Gnat was found to be an excellent aerobatics aircraft. Flight Lieutenant Lee Jones: The Gnat was delightful but sensitive, and much more difficult for formation aerobatics than the Hunter on the other hand by using 10 degrees flap and dropping the slipper tanks we had a perfect display aircraft Newly established nine aircraft Red Arrows team of 1969 is seen flying in line abreast formation. The aircraft are wearing the new paint scheme that evolved between the 1966 and 1969 seasons, including a full red, white and blue tail fin added after the 1967 season and a white lightning flash forward of the engine air intake, suggested by Hanna and added at the end of the 1968 season. Establishing The Red Arrows as an independent unit allowed the pilots time to practise and perform, without the distraction of training duties The Royal Air Force in the Cold War, 1950-1970, by Ian Proctor, is published by Pen and Sword, and on sale here. More than 320 prisoners have been wrongly released from jail over the past six years according to new figures released by the Ministry of Justice. Among those released, are suspects awaiting trial for murder, armed robbers and those guilty of grievous bodily harm. On average, more than one person is incorrectly released from custody due to a range of excuses - from prisoners getting mixed up with people sharing the same surname to others who saw court officials misfiling the sentence in custody records. The number of prisoners wrongly released from prison over the past year is up by ten per cent Martynas Kupstys, pictured here with his wife, was wrongly released from jail during his trial for the murder of Ivans Zdanovics who died in a house fire in Lincoln in January 2014. Kupstys stood at a bus stop for three hours deciding against trying to run away Kupstys later told Lincoln Crown Court: 'I thought about running away. I thought about many things. I could go home, I could return to my friends, but I understood it cannot be that I was released. I should go to the court' Kupstys, pictured here with a model of Adolf Hitler was later jailed for life for murder Kupstys spent three hours waiting to be brought back to jail at this bus stop in Lincoln Over the past 12 months, 71 people who should still be in custody have been wrongly granted their freedom - including two convicted of violence against the person and 17 for theft. Three robbers have also been released. The number of those released in error has increased by almost ten per cent over the past 12 months In previous years, seven sex offenders have been wrongly released along with 11 jailed for possessions of weapons. In November 2016 Ralston Dodd, 26, from north London was jailed for nine years for grievous bodily harm after he stabbed Jerell Holland three times in back. However, staff at Blackfriars Crown Court misheard the judge and wrote down nine months on the paperwork. In June, Dodd's victim spotted his attacker wandering the streets prompting an investigation. Dodd served seven months in HMP Thameside before his early release. Kupstys, left, admitted in court he did not wish to run away as he was due in court, while Ralston Dodd, right, was wrongly released from jail serving seven months from a 9 year term He was recaptured in Birmingham in July and returned to prison. In September, Ben Rowland, 27, had been wrongly released from HMP Leicester after prison officials made an error calculating his sentence. He had spent a year behind bars having been convicted of two counts of assault. He also had time added for biting a prison officer. He was told he must return to jail to serve an extra 35 days because of the original mistake. The Ministry of Justice announced it had launched an investigation into how the error was made. According to the MoJ, prisoners who are released in error are not considered to be unlawfully at large, unlike those who have escaped from custody. Prisoners are said to be wrongly discharged if they have been released when they still have time to serve. Number of prisoners incorrectly released between 2011 and 2017 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 ALL OFFENCES 42 44 50 49 64 71 Violence against the person 3 2 4 9 6 2 Sexual offences 2 1 0 2 2 0 Robbery 4 6 1 4 7 3 Theft offences 8 9 15 15 14 17 Criminal damage and arson 0 1 2 2 2 0 Drug offences 7 10 2 4 2 5 Possession of weapons 2 2 0 1 4 2 Public order offences 1 1 0 2 2 3 Miscellaneous crimes against society 5 1 6 5 7 4 Fraud offences 2 1 1 0 2 0 Summary non-motoring 6 6 5 4 6 8 Summary motoring 1 0 0 0 2 0 Offence not recorded 1 4 14 1 8 27 Source: Ministry for Justice A spokesperson for the department said: 'They are not culpable and may be unaware that they have not completed their sentence or have outstanding warrants. Depending on the circumstances of the case, they may not be actively pursued for return to custody.' Examples of mistakes behind erroneous releases include misplaced warrants for imprisonment or remand, recall notices not being acted on, sentence miscalculations or discharging the wrong person on escort. Yet, in one case, Martynas Kupstys, who was on remand facing a murder charge in August 2014 was told he was free to leave HMP Lincoln. He stood for three hours at a nearby bus stop before he was recaptured. He was later jailed for the murder of Ivans Zdanovics, 24, who died in a house fire in January 2014 during a retrial. He told Lincoln Crown Court: 'I thought about running away. I thought about many things. I could go home, I could return to my friends, but I understood it cannot be that I was released. I should go to the court. 'I was released by mistake. I told them I was supposed to be at court. I was told everything was fine. I was told everything was in order and I was being released.' When asked about his brief period of freedom, he replied: 'I enjoyed the sunshine for a few hours. I sat on the bench 20 or 30 metres from the prison gate. I thought that they had released me by mistake and they should come and get me and take me back in. 'I was out of the prison for about three hours. There came a time when the prison officers came and fetched me. Many prison officers.' A prisoner from HMP Hewell in Worcestershire was released from jail on July 2014 after he was mixed up with another inmate who shared his surname. He was recaptured a day later. Liberal Democrat chief whip Alistair Carmichael said: 'It is beyond belief that 71 potentially dangerous prisoners have been released by mistake.' Rachel Almeida, of the charity Victim Support, said: 'Many victims will be shocked by these figures, especially if it involves perpetrators of serious crimes.' The department claimed releases are rare but they work closely with police to recapture the offender. A Miami penthouse with sweeping views of the city skyline and Biscayne Bay can be yours for just $33, the only catch is that you have to pay for it in Bitcoins. The listing on Redfin says the seller is only accepting payment in the cryptocurrency. That makes it the equivalent of around $547,000 according to Wednesday's rate of the crypto-currency. The 828 sq ft apartment is centrally located close to Downtown, Brickell, Design District and Wynwood. The one-bedroom penthouse unit with high ceilings is being sold in the block. The asking price is $33 but people can only pay for it in Bitcoins which is the equivalent of $563,000 Fancy a dip: The apartment comes in a building with a swimming pool, as seen above Get cooking: The kitchen area in the apartment is pictured above. The home covers 828 sq ft Room with a view: The home has sweeping views of Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline Sit back and relax: The living area in the property is seen above The one bedroom, 1.5 bathroom home features a euro-style kitchen and wood floors and comes with a parking space. The owner will have access to the amenities in the building such as a fitness center, infinity pool, Jacuzzi, spa, party room and conference room. There is also a front desk manned by staff. Bitcoin is what is referred to as a 'crypto-currency' which was initially introduced as a peer-to-peer digital cash exchange system. Bitcoins are generated by using an open-source computer program to solve complex math problems. This process is known as mining. Freshen up: The home features 1.5 baths. The main bathroom is seen above The apartment has one bedroom with doors onto a balcony offering views of the Miami skyline The home comes with parking space for one vehicle. Above, the view from a balcony at the property The home is centrally located close to major roads, highways, Downtown, Brickell, Design District and Wynwood The condo's owner will have access to amenities such as a fitness suite, infinity pool, Jacuzzi, spa, party room and conference room. The front desk in the building is seen above Chief economist at Redfin Nela Richardson told Business Insider that converting home equity to Bitcoins is not advisable. She said: 'You're taking money out of an asset class that is highly regulated and putting it into something whose value is based on no regulations. 'We think this home for sale is more of a rare event than the start of a larger trend.' A schoolgirl with an incurable brain tumour whose family moved to Mexico to spend 350,000 on alternative treatment they found online has become one of the longest-surviving UK cases ever known. Kaleigh Lau, seven, was given nine months to live in April 2016 when doctors diagnosed her with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Giloma (DIPG) - a rare inoperable brain tumour that almost exclusively affects children. Her family from Woodford Green, Essex, was left devastated in January when NHS and private doctors in London told them her tumour had spread and there was nothing more they could do. Desperate to save their 'bundle of joy', her parents Scott and Yang scoured the Internet for alternatives - and eventually decided to risk it all on one pioneering treatment centre in Monterrey, Mexico. Scroll down for video Kaleigh Lau, (pictured) seven, was given nine months to live in April 2016 when doctors diagnosed her with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Giloma (DIPG) - a rare inoperable brain tumour that almost exclusively affects children After UK doctors said there was no more they could do, her parents Scott and Yang scoured the internet for alternatives, deciding to risk it all on one they found in Monterrey, Mexico . Kaleigh is pictured during one of her rounds of treatment at the Hospitales Angeles Despite knowing 'very little about it' they dropped everything and jetted off, with Kaleigh's mobility and vision already deteriorating fast. But almost a year later she is still fighting and her father still crowdfunding for the 350,000 the experimental drugs will eventually cost. Mr Lau, 41, told MailOnline: 'When we first went I was very skeptical. But as a father I had to take that risk and keep that hope. What is Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma? DIPG is a highly aggressive, incurable brain tumour, almost exclusively found in children between four to 12-years-old. It affects between 20 and 30 children every year in the UK, who survive less than a year on average after diagnosis. The tumour tends to grow quickly and is more likely to spread to other parts of the brain or spinal cord. DIPGs originate in an area of the brain, and more specifically the brainstem, called the pons. The pons is an area deep within the lower part of the brain which is responsible for a number of critical bodily functions, such as breathing, sleeping and blood pressure. Standard treatment involves palliative radiotherapy, but surgery is rarely an option because of its position in the brain. Usual chemotherapy treatments have so far proved ineffective. From thebraintumourcharity.org Advertisement 'If it was a scam it was a scam, but we had to do something. If we didn't like what we heard when we got there we could just turn around and come home again. 'But the doctors there are fantastic - the NHS would have given up on her ages ago, but they won't turn away, they're not afraid to keep trying. 'Put bluntly, the assumption is 'this child is going to die' so their attitude is, as long as its ethical, why not think outside the box if there's a hope of saving them.' Just a week after flying out to the Hospitales Angeles in Monterrey for the first round of intra-arterial and immunotherapy, Kaleigh started to show signs of improvement. Mr Lau added: 'It was about seven days after the first treatment when the power in her left hand was returning and her walking was getting better. 'Then it was the hopping and the monkey bars - truly a miracle.' Following a three-month stay in April, the Laus have made five further trips to Mexico, with Kaleigh currently on her 11th round of treatment. Travelling back and forth every four to six weeks, which they plan to continue doing throughout 2018, will eventually have cost them 350,000, and is taking a financial and emotional toll. Tireless fundraising and celebrity endorsements, including ones from J K Rowling, Simon Cowell, Olly Murs and Jeremy Corbyn, have seen them raise 221,000 so far. Despite knowing 'very little about it' Scott (left), Kaleigh (second left, pictured before her illness, Carson, five, and Yang (right) dropped everything and jetted off, with Kaleigh's mobility and vision already deteriorating fast Travelling back and forth every four to six weeks, which they plan to continue doing throughout 2018, will eventually have cost the family (pictured) 350,000, and is taking a financial and emotional toll Little Kaleigh is pictured with her father Scott, 41, who has been tirelessly fundraising for her alternative treatment But her father, a construction manager, has been forced to stay in the UK while the rest of the family go back to Mexico so he can work and promote more crowdfunding. Also, although the tumour in the pons area of the youngster's brain has reduced with the experimental drugs, swelling in the cerebellum is now causing problems - which could prove just as deadly. Mr Lau said: 'Until September things were going really well, the tumour had reduced and she'd pretty much returned to being a normal child. 'But because Kaleigh is on the front line, this is unknown territory for the doctors. 'Now DIPG patients like her are living longer, there are more issues cropping up along the way. 'The problem we've got now is just as life-threatening. The swelling is putting pressure on her nerves, which has put her in a wheelchair 'You keep thinking ahead and asking yourself, 'will she still be here?' Kaleigh had to have had her head shaved after she had an operation at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London earlier this year. The procedure is intended to relieve pressure of excess fluid on her brain Physical and emotional scars: The Woodford Green youngster has had to undergo all sorts of procedures as part of her treatment both in Mexico and back home in the UK The father-of-two feared he could have lost his daughter on one terrifying return flight from Mexico in September. Despite doctors giving them the green light, the altitude during the eight-hour flight from the US to London proved too much for little Kaleigh, who started complaining of a headache. Experts had warned this could mean the worst, leaving Mr Lau no option but to give her some medication and hope for the best. He said: 'I was in bits, I thought I might lose her. 'I gave her steroids to stop any more swelling, but at that point all I could do was just pray and watch the seconds go by. 'You don't realise until you're in the situation we're in how serious this is.' Thankfully they touched down safely, but faced more problems when Great Ormond Street Hospital delayed an operation to reduce excess fluid in Kaleigh's brain because they had no beds. Kaleigh (right) is pictured with her little brother Carson (left), five, who has accompanied her on several of the family's trips to Mexico. They are pictured enjoying the hotel pool Just a few days after her first round of intra-arterial and immunotherapy in Mexico, Kaleigh went from slurred speech and limited mobility to splashing around in the pool (pictured) Scott Lau feared he could have lost his daughter for good on one terrifying return flight from Mexico in September after pressure built up in another part of her brain After an agonising wait, they had just enough time after the procedure to prepare for her October stint in Mexico. And it's not just Kaleigh her parents have to worry about they are terrified she might loose one of her DIPG friends at the clinic too. Mr Lau said: 'All the parents keep in touch and it's very tough when you hear someone else's child has passed away. 'Kaleigh hasn't lost any of her close friends - I don't know how we'd deal with that. 'She knows she has a lump in her head but that's it. 'She still talks about her next birthday and what she's going to do when she's older and has her own kids. 'I don't know what we'd tell her if one of her friends died.' And it's not just Kaleigh her parents have to worry about they are terrified she might loose one of her DIPG friends at the clinic too. She is pictured with another DIPG patient, Luke The Laus post regularly on their 'Kaleigh's Trust' Facebook page, updating their supporters on her progress. After one of the children at the clinic died this month, they wrote: 'After the very recent loss of the beautiful Hadley whom we were fortunate enough to meet on several occasions on days out and hospital trips, it made me even more emotional to see the Lau girls return to UK soil safely. 'This is a rollercoaster ride, but for Hadley there is no more pain. RIP baby girl, fly high and protect your family from above. You will never be forgotten. 'I'm still lost for words and shocked of your loss.' Speaking of the Lau's emotional battle against their daughter's rare condition, Sarah Lindsell, chief executive of The Brain Tumour Charity, said: 'It is impossible for most of us to imagine what you go through when you are told there is no hope for your child. Tireless fundraising and celebrity endorsements, including ones from J K Rowling, Simon Cowell, Olly Murs and Jeremy Corbyn, have seen the Laus raise 221,000 towards Kaleigh's treatment so far. Labour leader Mr Corbyn is pictured with a 'Kaleigh bear' to promote the campaign Harry Potter author J K Rowling also joined the fight to save Kaleigh and other DIPG patients 'The Laus' decision to take Kaleigh to Mexico for experimental therapy is a powerful reminder of the lack of clinically proven, effective treatment options for young patients diagnosed with DIPG and the need for more research into the disease. 'Children with DIPG survive for less than a year, on average, and only around one in ten survives for longer than two years. 'We are delighted that Kaleigh appears to be responding positively to her treatment in Mexico and we would welcome the opportunity to learn more from the clinic's medical team about the therapy regimes and progress of all of the children who are being treated there for DIPG.' She added that the charity is funding DIPG research at Great Ormond Street Hospital, Oxford University and the Institute of Cancer Research. Kaleigh is back at home with her parents and brother Carson for the festive period, where even the smallest injury or ailment can leave her extremely vulnerable. But with the support of the Bradley Lowery Foundation, set up in memory of the six-year-old Sunderland fan who died of childhood cancer neuroblastoma, countless celebrity followers and local MP Wes Streeting, the Laus are determined to keep fighting. Mr Lau is also still pushing a Parliemantary petition, which he hopes will see more funding pumped into brain tumour research. Streeting, Labour MP for Ilford North said: 'Kaleigh and her family have been incredibly brave in their fight against DIPG. It's been a privilege to help them in some small way. 'The campaign they have been running to raise funds for Kaleigh's treatment is impressive, but also shows a real community spirit with friends and relatives but also strangers rallying round to support the cause. 'I continue to raise this issue in Parliament and with Ministers to get better funding for research but also to make sure families like Kaleigh's can get the support they need here in the UK. 'If MailOnline readers could give what they can, it would mean the world to this family.' Mr Lau added: 'She's been to hell and back more than once and she's still going. 'If she wants to fight I'm going to be there to fight with her and we're going to stay positive until we can't.' To donate, see Kaleigh's fundraising page. A young girl who was locked up inside of a room by her abusive mother and never saw the sun or ate solid food for the first seven years of her life has miraculously survived the horrific abuse and recently turned 19 years old. The girl named Danielle Crockett, or Dani for short, was found by Plant City police detective Mark Holste who responded to a report of child abuse on July 13, 2005 after someone spotted her young face in a broken window, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Holste along with other officers found an unthinkable scene when they arrived to the rundown home - rooms filled with urine, feces, cockroaches. Danielle, who was then aged six, was found inside of a dark room the size of a closet wearing a swollen diaper and had feces dribbling down her legs. The skeletal child was curled up on a moldy mattress and had maggots, lice, and flies covering her. Holste told the Tampa Bay Times that it was 'the worst neglect situation I've ever seen.' She was immediately removed from the home and taken to Tampa General Hospital where it was determined that she was in very bad shape. Danielle Crockett, a young girl who was locked up inside of a room by her abusive mother and never saw the sun or ate solid food for the first seven years of her life, has miraculously survived the horrific abuse and recently turned 19 years old. Pictured above in 2008 Dani was found by Plant City police detective Mark Holste who responded to a report of child abuse on July 13, 2005 after someone spotted her young face in a broken window. Authorities took photos of her while in the hospital in 2005 (above) to illustrate how small she was Even though she was nearly seven years old, she could not walk, talk or even eat food and weighed in at 46 pounds, doctors said at the time. She was developmentally likened to an infant by doctors. The director of pediatric psychology at the University of South Florida medical school, Dr. Kathleen Armstrong, told the Tampa Bay Times that 85 per cent of a child's brain develops during her first five years of life. Armstrong described the young girl to be environmentally autistic, given the major lack of human interaction she had endured. Her birth mother, Michelle Crockett, was arrested. She had told authorities that she was a single mother who was trying to do the best she could after being left widowed. Dani, who was born a healthy baby weighing seven pounds and six ounces, stayed in the hospital for roughly six weeks. Prior to her being discovered by police in 2005, people had called to report seeing a little girl naked and starving twice in 2002. Social workers at the time had offered Michelle help, but she declined and they left Dani in her custody. Michelle waived her parental rights as part of a plea deal in 2005 and was sentenced to two years of house arrest and probation. She never served any time behind bars. Holste along with other officers found an unthinkable scene when they arrived to the rundown home (above)- rooms filled with urine, feces, cockroaches. The skeletal child was curled up on a moldy mattress and had maggots, lice, and flies covering her In October 2007, Dani was adopted by Bernie and Diane Lierow. The couple told the Tampa Bay Times that they had always wanted a daughter and believed that God had placed her in their lives for a reason. She is pictured above with Bernie in 2008 'She should have gotten at least 20 years,' Holste said. 'She should burn in hell,' said Dani's guardian ad litem, Tracy Sheehan. Foster care employees had called the young girl a feral child due to the fact that she had never gone to school, eaten solid foods, felt the sun on her skin after essentially living in solitary confinement. In October 2007, Dani was adopted by Bernie and Diane Lierow. The couple told the Tampa Bay Times that they had always wanted a daughter and believed that God had placed her in their lives for a reason. 'She just looked like she needed us,' Bernie said. The couple moved her into their home in Fort Myers, where they were already raising their youngest son, Willie, who was only a few months older than Dani. After spending years taking her to doctor appointments and therapy visits, Bernie and his wife eventually divorced. Dani now lives in a group home in Tennessee where Bernie often visits her (above in 2017) For her 19th birthday in September, Bernie brought her to a nearby state park in Murfreesboro where they celebrated her special day (above) The couple had success and were able to potty-train Danielle. The family took her to the beach, horseback riding therapy, occupational therapy, church, several doctors and taught her to swim. They also enrolled her in public school, in special education classes, as she also attended private speech therapy sessions five days a week. In a 2011 interview with DailyMail.com, they said 'she can go to the cupboard, get a glass and get herself a drink of water. And she's much more open; she will look at people now, and sometimes she will go to people she doesn't know that well.' The Lierows moved to Tennessee shortly after where they started living on a farm where Bernie rehabbed horses and raised goats. In the next five years, the couple took in more foster children - 15 to be exact including Dani. 'She'd eat her toothbrush. Eat her hairbrush. They wanted me to teach her sign language, but I gave up on that,' Bernie said. 'She'd never sign back.' Bernie worked hard to keep Dani from harming herself or from destroying the house. Bernie later remarked that Dani, who still cannot speak or write, is more compliant now. But he still wonders how much she understands and how to reach her exactly 'I told myself, this is the way it is. We adopted her. I'll never give up on my baby,' Bernie said. 'But after about three years, Diane was done. She figured Dani had gone about as far as she was going to get.' In 2015, Bernie and Diane go divorced after being married for 18 years. He didn't blame it on Dani, but said there was always a lot of stress and never any time for them to be alone as a couple. 'When I got Dani with just me, she really relaxed,' Bernie said. 'But I couldn't work at all during summers. And then there were those times with the cops. ...' He noted two incidents where police were called by strangers for how Dani was behaving publicly. 'It got more difficult just to take her out,' he said. 'I finally had to admit: God, this is a little too much for me.' When she turned 18 last year, Dani became eligible for Social Security and Medicaid. Bernie got a call about a year ago from a state employee who said that a bed had opened for a girl in a small group home located just 40 minutes from Nashville. Just after Christmas, he moved her in with bags full of clothes and toys. He added that if he had to do it all over again, he would still take Dani in and raise her. He said: 'The biggest things I gave her were love and respect.' 'Daddy can't take care of you anymore,' he told her while becoming emotional. 'You'll have to stay here. But I'll come visit.' Since dropping her off, Bernie has visited her a number of times, including when she turned 19 years old in September. For the special occasion, Bernie took her out of the group home to nearby Stones River National Battlefield. While there he gave her a cupcake before taking her for a walk through the visitor center and across a battlefield. Bernie later remarked that Dani, who still cannot speak or write, is more compliant now. But he still wonders how much she understands and how to reach her. After leaving the park, Bernie took her to a nearby Goodwill store where he let her pick out a gift for her birthday. He added that if he had to do it all over again, he would still take Dani in and raise her. 'I'd still do it,' he said. 'It makes me so glad we could give her a home and a family to grow up in. 'The biggest things I gave her were love and respect.' An inspirational pair of designer siblings are sharing profits from their clothing range to help survivors of breast cancer and sexual assault. Johanna and Brittany Cosgrove, trailblazers behind normalising the scars of breast cancer treatment, started Nopesisters Clothing in October last year. Every t-shirt they sell profits a charity or social organisation which does esteemed work in an area aligned to the message on their tees. Brittany Cosgrove (pictured left) and Johanna (right) started Nopesisters Clothing in October last year started Nopesisters Clothing in October last year Each cause is especially important to the New Zealand-born siblings, after seeking charities they thought fit within their values that also recognise and highlight important services. The idea kicked off after an image of a tee, stitched with the outline of one breast and a scar hand sewn by Brittany replicating the scars of their own mother's breast cancer treatment, went viral. 'The image swept the internet and online requests flooded in from social media friends wanting to wear one,' the pair told Daily Mail Australia. Their authentic ambitions were reflected in their original purpose from the first tee which set out to fundraise and raise awareness for their Mum's group CanSurvive - a group of breast cancer survivors. The 'Mastectotees' gives money to the initiative, who are also part of a worldwide network of breast cancer dragon boat paddlers. The idea kicked off after an image of a tee, stitched with the outline of one breast and a scar hand sewn by Brittany replicating the scars of their own mother's breast cancer treatment The inspirational pair of designer siblings are sharing their profits for the good (pictured: the 'Mastectotee') Every t-shirt they sell directly shares profits a charity or social organisation 'They compete in this sport as a way to support each other, but also regain fitness and health following recovery from cancer treatment,' the girls say. 'In 2018, as part of a four yearly event, they will compete in the International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission regatta, alongside over 5000 other world wide survivors, in Florence, Italy.' The 'NOPE tees' donate to Sexual Abuse HELP Foundation which provides enormous support and counselling services to all survivors of sexual assault, harassment or violence. The organisation never has enough government funding to provide the amazing help they offer. 'We know its only a tee shirt, and it can't solve the world's problems, but the conversations and awareness generated from our customers in their wider community are an invaluable start,' they say. 'Over 1100 tees have been purchased in a year, and well over $5000 has been shared to our charities.' Their t-shirts highlight important messages which the girls are passionate about A Christmas pic of the team's Australian family - based on the Gold Coast, wearing the tops Their 'Period. tees' are part of a collaboration with social enterprise Wa Collective - who sell heavily subsidised menstrual cups to tertiary students across NZ university campuses. Both sisters agree they are working toward an ideal much bigger than just wearing a pretty picture. 'We're on a mission to smash the stigma around periods and combat period poverty, which has been proven to prevent some students from attending classes. 'A Wa Cup lasts 10 years, saving money and the environment by preventing thousands of tampons from reaching landfill.' Not only do their t-shirts highlight important messages which they really care about but they donate much needed funds to the charities Their authentic ambitions were reflected in their original purpose which set out to fundraise and raise awareness for their Mum's group Their NOPE for HOPE long sleeve tees send donations to YouthLine which provides phone and online chat services to any young person in a crisis. 'They offer amazing support dealing with mental health issues, and stresses that can often lead to youth suicide. Their much needed prevention services rely heavily on non-government funding and philanthropy to survive.' In early 2017 their label was unable to meet demand, so they found a local embroidery company, A1 Apparel, who could replicate the stitching and custom make for every order, launching NopeSisters as a social enterprise. The business they say...'grew from there'. They wanted to show on the outside the genuine effect of breast cancer experienced by the women in her team. 'New designs were created to match social issues we felt passionate about advocating due to personal experience, social issues needed to be addressed - sexual consent, period poverty and youth suicide. 'We want to stand up and speak out about these through our tee shirts - wear them, normalise them, and promote conversation through others wearing them.' The VUW Students Association members 2017 wear the NopeSisters collection They say their brand was inspired by the scars of their Mum's battle with breast cancer. 'She is one of our greatest supporters and helpers and her tenacity and courage drives both of us on a daily basis.' They also peg 'incredible people' from their charity partners who work on the front line to make change in our communities as inspirations. 'It is a privilege to work alongside them in this capacity. 'NopeSisters would also not exist without our beautiful friends, unwavering support - especially in the first few weeks and months, and the wonderful purchasers. 'We have been lucky enough to connect with through social media. Hearing their stories and starting a dialogue with so many amazing people has been an honour.' The pair are just proud they can produce a line of clothing which enables women to feel empowered. 'When you put something on your body, as bold as a boob and a scar, or a huge word in black and white, you are saying you are not ashamed to start a conversation about what you're wearing and why you wear it . 'We hope to eliminate their shame - about things like sexual assault, or periods, or breast cancer and allow them to feel strong.' 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. We've all been there. Arriving at our parents' house on Christmas eve, fatigued after an exhausting journey, almost euphoric at the thought of family comfort and roast turkey. But then the thought comes: where am I going to sleep tonight? Twitter users have shared their unusual sleeping arrangement with writer Rhodri Marsden in a tradition entering its seventh year. Twitter users have shared their unusual sleeping arrangement with writer Rhodri Marsden in a tradition entering its seventh year. This Twitter user was treated to their niece's bedroom - with a penguin stuffed toy to keep an eye over them and make sure they drop crumbs in the bed Another user had the double whammy of spiderman bedsheets combined with a car bed, he claimed he was 'happy' with the bed despite channelling his inner Kirk van Houten from the Simpsons 'At least I can choose outfits without getting out of bed,' said this user. Inadvertently, his humorous post sparked a Twitter storm with people using the hashtag #duvetknowitschristmas to share similar photos Marsden - who plays with Leeds-based post-punk band Scritti Politti - tweeted an image of the duvet that greeted him when he returned to his childhood home for Christmas in 2011. The tweet read: 'I think it's time for a photo meme of grown adults in single beds in their parents' house'. Londoner Marsden's original photo showed a single bed covered with a white patterned duvet and a selection of old stuffed toys that had belonged to his sister. Inadvertently, his humorous post sparked a Twitter storm with people using the hashtag #duvetknowitschristmas to share similar photos. Fans from across the UK sent Marsden pictures detailing their rubbish yuletide sleeping arrangements. Now, like clockwork, a barrage of photos arrive each year showing the creative ways parents make do with additional bodies over the festive period. And without fail Marsden is inundated with a plethora of depressing Christmas beds. He kicked off this year's proceedings early after announcing his family had 'already run out of conversation'. He suggested to his followers it was therefore time 'crack on' with sending him photos. The tweet that started it all: Rhodri Marsden kicked off the tradition with this charming photo Now, like clockwork, a barrage of photos arrive each year showcasing the creative ways parents make do with additional bodies over the festive period. Some end up on the sofa (left), or with a creepy clown waiting for them (right) One individual was having a grand old time, literally, as he laid under a piano One Twitter user's old bedroom was turned into a very blue gym space Another was greeted with a Star Wars and The Avengers themed bedroom. This bunk bed is holding one user's sister-in-law and their partner - but it's not clear who's nabbed the top bunk This Twitter user spent the night in his father's spare room, complete with 'undersea-effect' extreme green lamps bathing the space in an eerie green light One user sent a snap to the writer explaining he would be sharing this cramped space with both his brother and sister - with a single bed and a blow-up bed all in one room Other Twitter users shared their experiences of thin mattresses and dingy attics. A tape over the light means 'DON'T TOUCH THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS' (left), another was left in a dingy attic Slide me This 'magic' bed popped out from inside a desk and featured a musty childhood duvet cover Relegated from the house, this user's brother along with his wife and daughter spent Christmas Eve in a caravan on the front lawn, whereas they had the relative luxury of an inflatable mattress in the living room In another post one user rediscovered cringe-worthy rock and roll stickers on her childhood bedroom's ceiling One user switched out Christmas themed bedding for an educational one instead - except thanks to how old it was, it is slightly wrong, including both East and West Germany and Czechoslovakia One user went back home for Christmas and back in time with their X Files poster from the late 1990s This was the splendid vista from one individual's futon in his mother's craft room complete with spinning wheel (along with two others which are out of shot). Their brother was offered a roll-out mattress under their father's desk - despite being 23 and over 6ft tall While this individual said their bed was 'pretty luxurious' despite staying in an upstairs bedroom that has had the same wallpaper for more than 20 years A New York Fire Department employee was held on $1 million bail Sunday after authorities said he ran over a college honors student on Long Island after a minor accident. Daniel Coppolo, 31, of Deer Park, pleaded not guilty in the Nov. 9 accident that resulted in the death of 18-year-old Taranjit Parmar of Levittown. Judge Eileen Goggin set bail at $1 million, well above the $600,000 bail requested by prosecutors in First District Court in Hempstead. In court papers, police authorities said Coppolo was driving a car in Levittown when it was involved in a minor accident with a Jeep driven by Parmar. Taranjit Parmar, 18, was killed in November after police say she was involved in a minor accident that turned deadly Cops say FDNY employee Daniel Coppolo, 31, dragged Parmar's body 25 to 50 feet before she was run over by his vehicle Police say Coppolo tried to clean up his car to remove any evidence of wrong doing They said Coppolo initially got out of the vehicle to assess the damage but refused to call police to report the accident or exchange information with Parmar. He then got in his vehicle and tried to leave the scene as Parmar held onto the handle of his driver's side door and asked him to stay, court papers said. Instead, police said, he fled through a parking lot 'operating his vehicle in an extremely reckless manor while the victim was holding onto the car.' After the victim was dragged between 25 and 50 feet, her body was run over by the rear driver's side tire, police said of the encounter that was captured on video. Parmar was declared dead at a hospital. Parmar was a dental student at Adelphi University and her father told PIX11 she 'bore all the responsibility to carry the family and carry her education.' He thanks officers that stayed on his daughter's case: 'It wouldn't be where it is if it weren't for the hard work by all the detectives that worked on this investigation.' Defense attorney Lawrence Carra said he hasn't seen credible evidence that his client, a fire department dispatcher who was on medical leave from the job for the last several months, was the driver of the vehicle that ran over Parmar. Coppolo was arrested Saturday and is being held on $1million bond Carra called the death a 'true tragedy' and offered condolences to Parmar's family. But he said he'll wait until he sees all the evidence to decide how to proceed with the defense of a man with a history of mental problems. 'We're keeping an open mind,' he said. He said Coppolo was arrested Saturday as he was being released on $2,500 bail on a robbery charge in an unrelated case. Carra said he was interrogated by two homicide detectives. Coppolo was charged with manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident, tampering with physical evidence and reckless endangerment. The tampering charge resulted because authorities claimed that Coppolo applied a fresh coat of wax or other substance to his fender to hide that an accident had occurred, the lawyer said. Advertisement The driver accused of mowing down pedestrians in Melbourne's CBD could be heard arguing loudly on the phone for three straight days, his neighbour has claimed. An anonymous man who lived near Afghan refugee Saeed Noori has told the Herald Sun the 32-year-old used to play music loudly '100 times a week' at his public housing unit and was overheard having heated discussions on the phone in another language a couple of weeks before he allegedly drove a white Suzuki Vitara through the pedestrian intersection of Flinders Street and Elizabeth Street on Thursday. 'This was an argument. You could tell it was a heated discussion,' he said. 'Sometimes it was loud music 100 times a week Another time we heard [a woman] crying and I knew he wasn't home because we saw him walking back from the shops not long after.' 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 neighbour claimed Noori took over the unit from his 72-year-old father, who lived on the property for roughly six weeks when it was first built. The 32-year-old has been charged with 18 counts of attempted murder and one count of endangering life. Over the weekend, a former colleague of Mr Noori's said there was always talk of his religious beliefs in the office. 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. Spain's King Felipe VI used a Christmas speech on Sunday to urge Catalan lawmakers to respect their region's diversity and avoid another confrontation over independence. Felipe's remarks came three days after separatist parties, led by ousted president Carles Puigdemont, won an absolute majority of seats in a parliamentary vote. The wealthy northeastern region's newly elected parliament must 'face the problems that affect all Catalans, with respect to plurality and bearing in mind their responsibility to the common good,' the monarch said. Spain's King Felipe VI used a Christmas speech on Sunday to urge Catalan lawmakers to respect their region's diversity and avoid another confrontation over independence '2017 for Spain has been, without a doubt, a difficult year for our commonwealth, a year marked, above all, by the situation in Catalonia,' Felipe said at his Madrid residence, flanked by Spanish and EU flags. 'The road cannot lead again to confrontation and exclusion, which as we already know generate nothing but discord, uncertainty and discouragement.' Spain's central government called the election after sacking Puigdemont's cabinet, dissolving the Catalan parliament and stripping the region of its treasured autonomy following an independence declaration on October 27. The declaration rattled a Europe already shaken by Brexit, and inflamed passions across Spain. It followed a banned independence referendum on October 1, which saw a brutal police crackdown that focused the world's attention on the Catalan crisis. Felipe's remarks came three days after separatist parties, led by ousted president Carles Puigdemont, won an absolute majority of seats in a parliamentary vote The monarch's tone was more conciliatory than when he spoke two days after the referendum and condemned the separatists' 'unacceptable disloyalty' Two days after the referendum, Felipe made a rare televised speech, condemning the separatists' 'unacceptable disloyalty'. On Christmas Eve, he reiterated his call for unity, though his tone was more conciliatory. He called on the region's leaders to help 'Catalonia's society - diverse and plural as it is - to recover its serenity, stability and mutual respect, in such a way as to ensure that ideas... do not separate families and friends from each other'. Spain is now 'a mature democracy, where any citizen can ... defend, freely and democratically, his opinions and ideas; but not impose his ideas in a standoff with the rights of others', the king said in his fourth Christmas speech since his accession to the throne. Supporters of Catalan unity with Spain accuse their separatist rivals of creating a gulf pitting the pro- and anti-independence camps. Throughout the crisis over independence, Spain's worst since democracy was reinstated following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975, the government in Madrid has repeatedly warned of the economic risks posed by a bid for secession. More than 3,100 firms have moved their legal headquarters out of Catalonia since the referendum. Tourism, a key industry for the Mediterranean region, has also been hit by the crisis. Matt Lauer and his wife did little to dispel rumors of a possible divorce on Saturday as they spent time together in the Hamptons. The pair was photographed at Bright Side Farm on Saturday, the horse training and riding facility that the two opened back in 2013. They were there to watch their daughter ride on the unseasonably warm December day, with temperatures reaching 57 degrees at one point. Annette, who was not wearing her wedding ring, arrived first with Matt seen entering the barn later in the day, hanging his head as he solemnly walked through the misting rain. He then left ahead of his wife and daughter, and headed back into town. Scroll down for video All the single ladies: Annette Lauer (above) was out on Saturday in the Hamptons without her wedding ring Holiday outing: She spent the afternoon watching her daughter ride at her horse training facility, Bright Side Farm Can't stand the rain: Matt Lauer later joined his wife for a while to watch his daughter It was reported earlier this week by Page Six that Annette had been seen entering the law firm Latham & Watkins in Manhattan. She is reportedly looking to end her marriage with Matt after 20 years in the wake of recent sexual misconduct allegations. It has now been almost four weeks since those allegations of misconduct cost Lauer his $25 million-a-year job at NBC as host of Today. In his absence however the show is doing better than it has all year in the ratings, and has begun steadily defeating rival Good Morning America in total viewers. It sis expected that Annette will be looking to get more money if she files for divorce from Lauer, something she previously did in 2006 before withdrawing her complaint. 'The post-nup will likely specify how much Annette would get if they divorce, but she is expected to challenge it given Matts earnings since 2006, and given how he has humiliated her,' said a source. 'There are also issues over all the property and land they own, both in the Hamptons and abroad.' Last week, a young woman who began her career as an intern at Today before being promoted to a PA on the NBC morning show revealed she had a sexual relationship with Matt when she was just out of college. Addie Zinone (nee Collins) wrote in an essay for Variety that it all began when she went to lunch with Lauer in July 2000 after asking him for advice before she went off to start a new job in West Virginia, and instead found the host aggressively hitting on her. When they returned to work, he sent her a message that read: 'meet me'. Text exchanges show that Lauer then told Zinone to head to an empty dressing room above Studio 1A so the two could have sex before he left at 3pm. Lauer sent that text at 2.42pm, just two years into his marriage with second wife Annette. 'The situation really took its toll on me. I changed physically. I changed emotionally. Fear crept into my life. I became unsure of myself. Any confidence I had was gone. For him, it was a conquest,' wrote Zinone, who also detailed one encounter that occurred in Lauer's office. 'I sat across from him, and he pushes a button from his desk and the door shuts. It was embarrassing, because his secretary was sitting outside. He wanted to do stuff. I was like, "No. Im so in over my head. Im not a performance artist."' Mist: A young woman who began her career as an intern at Today before being promoted to a PA on the NBC morning show revealed she had a sexual relationship with Matt when she was just out of college Done: Annette is reportedly looking to end her marriage with Matt after 20 years in the wake of recent sexual misconduct allegations Filing away: 'The post-nup will likely specify how much Annette would get if they divorce, but she is expected to challenge it given Matts earnings since 2006, and given how he has humiliated her,' said a source Zinone said that the relationship came to an end at the Democratic National Convention in California that summer, when Lauer told her to meet him a bathroom for one final round of sex. 'What happened with Matt held me hostage. I was under his spell. It was all-consuming. I couldnt focus. I couldnt concentrate. Every time I turned on the TV, because I anchored the local news in the morning, there was his face,' she wrote in her essay. 'And he was acting all jolly and happy. And here am I, carrying the weight of what had happened and fending off the national press. I didnt want to start my career being known as one of Matt Lauers girls.' Soon after she left her media job and decided to enlist. 'I was in a depression. This man who Id held on a pedestal had made me feel like my looks and my body were my true assets,' explained Zinone. 'He made it clear that he wasnt interested in my skills or my talent. It just shattered everything.' Despite all this Zinone went on to have an impressive career, serving overseas and accepting a position at Access Hollywood. She said it was the 'power dynamic' between herself and Lauer that ultimately made her feel like a victim. 'He knew that I was leaving, and that there was no better prey than somebody who is going to be gone,' explained Zinone. 'He went after the most vulnerable and the least powerful and those were the production assistants and the interns.' The president of Guatemala says the Central American country will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Guatemala was one of nine nations that voted earlier this week with the United States when the UN General Assembly adopted a non-binding resolution denouncing President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales said on his official Facebook account Sunday that after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he decided to instruct his foreign ministry to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales aid on his official Facebook account Sunday that he decided to instruct his foreign ministry to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem Morales said that he made his decision about the embassy after speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured) No other country has their embassy for Israel in Jerusalem, though the Czech Republic has said it is considering such a move. The resolution passed as the UN declared the US action on Jerusalem 'null and void'. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley warned fellow nations that President Trump would be taken note of the countries who defied America in the count. The 128-9 vote was a victory for Palestinians, but fell short of the total they had predicted. Thirty-five nations abstained and 21 stayed away from the vote. 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 UN resolution. Trump upended decades of US policy with his December 6 announcement that he was recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Guatemala was one of nine nations that voted earlier this week with the United States when the UN General Assembly adopted a non-binding resolution denouncing President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital Israeli security forces use teargas to disperse protesters during a demonstration against Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, at Israeli border in Shuja'iyya neighborhood of Gaza City, Gaza, on December 20 US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley (above) warned fellow nations that President Trump would be taken note of the countries who defied America in the count Though Trump said he was merely recognizing reality and not prejudging negotiations on the future borders of the city, Palestinians saw the move as siding with Israel on the most sensitive issue in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians claim the city's eastern sector, which was captured by Israel in 1967 and is home to sensitive religious sites. Many governments have long said that the fate of Jerusalem must be resolved through negotiations. Trump's announcement has set off weeks of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces that have left 12 Palestinians dead. Netanyahu has predicted others would follow the US lead. He has made great efforts to reach out to Latin America in recent years as part of a campaign to counter longstanding support for the Palestinians at the United Nations. A sonar search for the Argentine submarine that disappeared on November 15 has made a new contact in the South Atlantic, according to the navy. ARA San Juan went missing with 44 crew members on board in the South Atlantic, with an explosion being detected near the time and location it vanished from. The latest sonar contact will be investigated by the remotely-operated Russian Panther Plus submarine, while the US oceanographic research vessel Atlantis continues searching the area. The ARA San Juan went missing on November 15 with all 44 crew members still aboard, a sonar search has now made a new contact in the South Atlantic, near where the vessel went missing Argentina has received help from 13 countries in its search for the San Juan submarine. It has abandoned hope of finding survivors and is concentrating only on finding the vessel. In the last message from the submarine, it reported that seawater had entered the ventilation system, causing a battery on the diesel-electric vessel to short-circuit and start a fire. The last known image of ARA San Juan, spotted by a Falklands Island account as it left port, a new sonar contact has been made in the South Atlantic The navy said that an unusual noise heard in the ocean near the last known position of the San Juan, three hours after its final contact, was 'consistent with an explosion'. Other reported contacts detected weeks ago amounted to nothing - with some arising from a fishing boat which sank years previously. The tragedy led to the firing of Admiral Marcelo Srur, head of Argentina's navy, earlier this month. Captain Enrique Babi, head of the search operation for the ARA San Juan, said that the navy will be ending its rescue mission more than two weeks after the sub vanished Experts said the crew only had up to 10 days of oxygen if the sub remained intact under the sea. This prompted the Argentine navy to end rescue efforts for the 44 missing crew of ARA San Juan more than two weeks after it vanished. Some family members of the lost crew have denounced the navy's response to the sub's disappearance, as well as the age and condition of the vessel. President Mauricio Macri has promised a full investigation. The crew's families demanded that Argentina's navy reverses the decision to stop looking for survivors, despite experts saying they would have only had enough air for ten days The crew's families demanded that Argentina's navy reverses the decision to stop looking for survivors. At the sub's home naval base in Mar del Plata shortly after the navy announced they wouldn't be looking for survivors any longer, relatives reacted with heartbreak. Some hugged and fell on their knees sobbing near a fence crowded with blue-and-white Argentine flags, rosary beads and messages of support. Others took to social media to pay homage to their loved ones. 'I stay with this image,' Jesica Gopar, said in a tweet that included a photo of her husband, submarine officer Fernando Santilli, smiling and holding their young son in his arms. 'He's the most beautiful being that God could have put on my path 13 years ago,' she wrote. 'He's a hero who must be recognized along with his 43 other crew members. I hope you didn't suffer my love.' Former American Navy intelligence officer Bruce Rule claimed that the 44 crew members would have died 'instantly' and 'without suffering' Former American Navy acoustic analyst Bruce Rule concluded that the 44 crew members would have died 'instantly' and 'without suffering'. The expert was quoted by leading Argentinian daily La Nacion, who reported: 'The entire pressure-hull was completely destroyed in about 40 milliseconds or 1/25th of a second.' Mr Rule, described as the former lead acoustic analyst at the US Office of Naval Intelligence which is the US's premier maritime intelligence service, claimed that the submarine wreckage had sunk vertically at a speed of 10 to 13 knots. High risk Victorians who pose a threat to the community will be tracked as part of the state's response to two vehicle attacks in Melbourne. The Fixated Threat Assessment Centre was announced in October, and Premier Daniel Andrews says it will help prevent car attacks on crowds like those in Bourke Street and Flinders Street. 'The same model has been deployed in other parts of the world, it's been very, very effective,' he told reporters on Sunday. High risk Victorians who pose a threat to the community will be tracked as part of the state's response to two vehicle attacks in Melbourne. Carnage at Flinders Street pictured On Thursday, driver Saeed Noori, who has a history of mental illness and drug use, allegedly tried to kill 18 pedestrians by running them down in Melbourne's CBD The new centre will track 300 people in its first year once it starts operating. His comments come after former Australian of The Year Patrick McGorry called for a radical overhaul of the state's mental health system, which he says has been in crisis for a decade and has led to preventable murders, violence and suicides. 'In the next 12 months we will see several murders which are preventable, committed by poorly treated psychiatric patients and we will see hundreds of suicides, which are mostly preventable,' Prof McGorry told AAP on Friday. On Thursday, driver Saeed Noori, who has a history of mental illness and drug use, allegedly tried to kill 18 pedestrians by running them down in Melbourne's CBD. Police allege Noori drove a white 4WD and ploughed through pedestrians at the intersection of Flinders and Elizabeth streets. The Afghan refugee and Australian citizen held his head in his hands as he sat in court on Saturday, while his emotional mother tried to approach him but was told to stay seated. Dimitrious "Jimmy" Gargasoulas is charged with six counts of murder following the Bourke Street incident 'Beautiful son, drug no good. Three years sick, very sick. All the time he's sick,' Shakiba Jalaly told the Herald Sun in broken English. 'Very, very beautiful son. Beautiful son, drug no good, all the time drug.' Prosecutor Senior Constable Amitoj Singh told the court Noori's actions had 'the intention of killing or causing serious injury'. The motive remained under investigation and more charges could be added, Senior Constable Singh said. Twenty people, including Noori and an off-duty police officer who arrested him, were taken to hospital on Thursday. Ten people remain there, and an 83-year-old Brunswick man and two South Korean men in their 60s are fighting for life. Noori, of Heidelberg West, was remanded in custody on Saturday and was ordered to reappear before the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday for a preliminary filing hearing. The madness of organising the perfect Christmas is leaving couples too stressed out for lovemaking. But some Australians seemed to be bucking the trend as sex shops reported a surge in customers leading up to Christmas. 'We've definitely received a spike. People in Darwin certainly aren't shy,' Sexyland sales and marketing manager Rebecca Grech told the NT News. The madness of organising the perfect Christmas is leaving couples too stressed out for lovemaking Festive holidays are traditionally the most popular time for conceiving, resulting in more babies being born in September and October than any other. But that has been pushed to March because, along with rising worries about the cost of living, would-be parents are too stressed out. Australian Medical Association president Michael Gannon said stress cut the chance of ovulation, making women less likely to conceive even if they were having sex. National Association of Specialist Obstetricians president and gynaecologist Stephen Lane said people could just be taking less risks. 'Christmas and New Year is often a time of bad behaviour so perhaps in some part the message about drinking and pregnancy is getting through,' he said. But Darwin seemed to be bucking the trend as local sex shops reported a surge in customers leading up to Christmas Mary Horomanski, 58, (left) was not expecting to owe $24billion on her electric bill from Penelec for her her Eire, Pennsylvania, residence When an Pennsylvanian woman went online to check her electricity bill this month, she was shocked to find that she 'owed' more than $284billion. Mary Horomanski, 58, was not expecting to have to pay such an amount for her Eire, Pennsylvania, residence when she went to check her electric bill from Penelec. 'My eyes just about popped out of my head,' she said to Go Erie. 'We had put up Christmas lights and I wondered if we had put them up wrong.' And while she wasn't expected to pay the colossal amount off fully until November 2018, she was expected to dish out a hefty minimum for December of $28,156. The woman quickly texted her son, who got in touch with the electric company and they assured the family that the issue was indeed an error. While she wasn't expected to pay the full amount until November 2018, she was expected to dish out a hefty minimum for December of $28,156 Horomanski's bill was adjusted to reflect the correct payment of $284.46. According to Mark Durbin, a spokesman for Penelec's parent company, First Energy, is unsure how such an occurrence, could have happened. 'I can't recall ever seeing a bill for billions of dollars,' Durbin added. Horomanski's bill was adjusted to reflect the correct payment of $284.46, after her son called the company to get everything sorted out 'We appreciate the customer's willingness to reach out to us about the mistake.' The woman was rather amused about the ordeal and cracked a joke to her son about what she now wanted for the holiday season. 'I told him I want a heart monitor,' she said. A Canadian government website has claimed Santa Claus is relocating his workshop, elves and reindeer to the South Pole to escape the effects of global warming. A statement on the Policy Horizons Canada website says thanks to rising global temperatures, rapidly melting Arctic ice and increasing destructive drilling activity Santa has had to permanently move his operations. Policy Horizons was created to advise Canadian government officials on emerging issues. Scroll down for video A statement on the website for government website Policy Horizons Canada says thanks to rising global temperatures, rapidly melting Arctic ice and increasing destructive drilling activity Santa has had to permanently move his operations The humorous blog post comes as part of a series of Christmas themed posts about emerging policy concerns, one of which is global warming. In other tongue-in-cheek messages Horizon mention Santa buying a self-flying sleigh and even investing in Bitcoin. However, the site's latest blog post focuses on climate refugees. 'Santa's relocation agreement marks the first time that the international community agrees on a common legal definition of climate change that includes refugees as corporations, as well as individuals,' reads the post. The humorous blog post comes as part of a series of Christmas themed posts about emerging policy concerns, one of which is global warming. In other tongue-in-cheek messages Horizon mention Santa buying a self-flying sleigh and even investing in Bitcoin It goes on: 'This deal is expected to lead to the deployment of a global climate change refugee visa system that in the near future could help to more easily relocate individuals and corporations facing the impacts of climate change.' In 2014 United Nations scientists warned climate change could cause refugees to flood into Europe as they flee weather and food shortages. The dire warning was one of the conclusions of a comprehensive report on the impacts of global warming published by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Federal prosecutors say the man who was convicted of setting off a bomb in Manhattan that injured 30 people last year has been attempting to radicalize fellow jail inmates. The government says Ahmad Khan Rahimi gave other inmates access to speeches by Osama bin Laden and Anwar al-Awlaki and materials including bomb-making instructions, The New York Times reports. Federal prosecutors allege that they found the materials on Rahimi's laptop. These materials were then used in Rahimi's trial. The allegations came in a letter Friday from the office of Acting US Attorney Joon Kim to Judge Richard Berman. Federal prosecutors say Ahmad Khan Rahimi (above), the man who was convicted of setting off a bomb in Manhattan that injured 30 people last year, has been attempting to radicalize fellow jail inmates Rahimi was convicted in October of setting off a pressure cooker bomb in the Chelsea section of New York City last year, leaving 30 people injured Berman is to sentence Rahimi on January 18 after a jury convicted him in October of all the charges against him. Jurors in Manhattan found Rahimi guilty of all charges, including counts of using a weapon of mass destruction and bombing a public place. He was convicted on all eight counts after a short but tense trial in which prosecutors accused his attorneys of using the 'Al Qaeda playbook.' The Afghanistan-born man living in Elizabeth, New Jersey, faces a maximum punishment of life in prison. Acting US Attorney Joon Kim (seen above) sent a letter to a judge alleging that Rahimi was radicalizing fellow inmates The government says Rahimi gave other inmates access to speeches by Osama bin Laden (left) and Anwar al-Awlaki (right) and materials including bomb-making instructions Prosecutors say the inmates Rahimi shared the materials with included Sajmir Alimehmeti, a Bronx man who has been charged with providing material support to the Islamic State. Rahimi shared the materials with inmates during Friday prayer sessions at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, the Manhattan jail where inmates are housed while they await trial or sentencing, the federal government alleged. Prosecutors say the inmates Rahimi shared the materials with included Sajmir Alimehmeti (above), a Bronx man who has been charged with providing material support to the Islamic State The letter from Kim's office to the judge alleged that after employees at the jail learned of Rahimi's 'radicalization efforts,' they searched his personal property and found an address book with names and inmate numbers of other suspected terrorists, including Muhanad Mahmoud Al Farekh and Maalik Alim Jones. Al Farekh, a native of Texas, was convicted in 2009 of helping to plot an attack on a US military base in Afghanistan. Jones, a native of Maryland, pleaded guilty to providing aid to the Shabab terrorist organization in Somalia. Meanwhile, it was learned on Friday that Rahimi wrote a letter to the judge saying that he began a hunger strike on December 8. According to the letter, Rahimi went on hunger strike to protest the decision by authorities not to allow his family to visit him in jail. Rahimi also alleges in the letter that the government has not allowed him to contact his lawyer. 'I am extremely frustrated and physically tired and mentally drained of the continuous run around they are giving me,' Rahimi wrote. Judge Berman has ordered the government and Rahimis lawyer to file responses. Sabrina Shroff, one of Rahimis public defenders, declined to comment to the Times - as did Kim's office and a spokesperson for the jail. As most people reach old age, they start to wine down. But for this hundred-year-old French barmaid, retirement is still on the rocks. Marie-Louise Wirth has worked at her bar in northern France since 1932. She says that she wouldn't dream of giving it up, even though many of the 100-year-old's regulars have long since passed away. Marie-Louise Wirth, 100, has worked in the same bar since she was 14 and says no milk, no fruit and booze in moderation is the secret to a long life The centenarian also revealed her secret to long life, saying that she doesn't drink milk, eat fruit and, despite running a bar, she drinks very little alcohol. She began working at the bar for her father when she was 14. She told the BBC: 'If I had been a big drinker, I wouldn't be here now. But it's what I sell.' To stay in shape, the 100-year-old avoids all fruits and dairy products, which, according to some experts, affect the body's hormonal system. Ms Wirth started working at the bar in 1932 when her parents opened it and says she has no plans to close it even though most of her regulars are now dead She said: 'Never eat fruit and never eat milk or drink yogurt. 'I have water with food. And a glass of something else in moderation. Ms Wirth's parents opened their bar in Calais in May 1932 and put their teen daughter to work right away. The tall, blue-eyed proprietor, known to locals as Marie-Lou, has seen little reason since to modernise the brick-fronted tavern with lace curtains.. Ms Wirth said: 'It's been like this for 50 years. They're all surprised there's no beer pump or coffee machine, but they don't remember the old days because there wasn't a beer pump or a coffee machine.' She can be seen wiping the same Art Deco countertop she did as a 14-year-old when she began working in the bar. The tiny bar - only around 20 square metres - has no name. She said: 'If you have good beer you don't need a name.' She also has no use for the internet, a mobile phone or credit card. Never married and childless, Ms Wirth took over the establishment when her father died in 1954 and she was 37. Those were the days when customers ordered sweet wines like Byrrh and Dubonnet, as well as absinthe or pastis, the anise-flavoured spirit that is still broadly popular in France. But the country has seen a sharp decline in bars since the 1960s when they numbered around 600,000, a figure that has shrunk to fewer than 35,000 today. Ms Wirth recalls when Isbergues, which now has a population of around 10,000, was home to a steelworks with 6,000 workers. She said: 'Back then, there were a hundred bars.' This is the dramatic moment an internet prankster plunged from a second story into a pool packed with swimmers. Footage shows Luke Erwin jumping into Bondi's Icebergs swimming pool, in Sydney, as bathers look on in shock. He and partner in crime Jackson O'Doherty filmed each other jumping off various objects into water - or in one case on to a pallet of bottles - while pretending to be salmon. Prankster Luke Erwin jumped off the Sydney's Bondi Icebergs balcony into the pool metres from other swimmers As part of the prank, one of the duo would, seemingly at random, dare the other to jump off whatever they were standing on. They would also have to tuck their arms into their sides and wiggle side to side, like a salmon jumping upstream. Erwin was hesitant given the distance from the balcony to the pool below, which was also only two metres deep, but eventually climbed over the balcony. After discarding his phone, he jumped from the balcony still wearing his shoes, t-shirt, and shorts and landing only a few metres from other swimmers After discarding his phone, he jumped from the balcony still wearing his shoes, t-shirt, and shorts and landing only a few metres from other swimmers. Families watching on from elsewhere in the popular venue appeared shocked to see Erwin suddenly plummet into the pool. He emerged from the pool safely and later posted the compilation video to Facebook alongside other questionable pranks. The case of the 'Putney Pusher', in which a jogger pushed a woman into the path of an oncoming bus, is unlikely ever to be solved, former detectives have said. Shocking CCTV footage of the woman narrowly avoiding being crushed by the double decker bus gripped the nation when it was released. The 33-year-old victim survived thanks to the lightening-fast reactions of the driver. But when she approached the 'Putney Pusher' as he ran back on the other direction 15 minutes later but he did not acknowledge her. The man was running across Putney Bridge in south west London when he shoved the woman London's Metropolitan Police then launched an appeal for information three months after the harrowing incident, which took place on May 5. Three men were subsequently arrested but quickly released without charge. Now, Colin Sutton, a former detective chief inspector who solved some of the Met's most infamous crimes, said that little could be done with limited money and resources. Colin Sutton, a former detective chief inspector (right) and Roy Ramm, a former Scotland Yard commander (left) say it is unlikely that the case will ever be solved He told The Telegraph: 'Something that high profile and potentially as dangerous as this, ten years ago, would have had a different level of attention. 'But they are struggling so much with resources, no matter what Theresa May says, that you just can't put the time and effort in. Essentially, this is one of those stalled investigations that is unlikely to be solved.' Roy Ramm, a former Scotland Yard commander, said the police needed the help of the media in circulating CCTV images and appeals as far and as often as possible. Shocking CCTV revealed the moment a jogger pushed a woman in front of a bus on Putney Bridge (pictured) The 33-year-old woman was lucky to escape serious injury after a bus driver swerved to avoid her on the bridge in south west London The Metropolitan police have not excluded the possibility that the jogger and his victim knew each other He also highlighted Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick's positive attitude towards the press. 'Previously, officers were discouraged from communicating too much with journalists but I do think that these kind of cases are solved with the help of the media.' Mr Ramm said that it was unlikely the case could progress without even more exposure, adding: 'Somebody will know who this jogger is.' Mr Sutton added that options become limited once all leads are exhausted but that potential lines of inquiry could have included testing the woman's clothing for DNA, mounting an operation on the bridge to monitor joggers or launching a wider social media campaign. A Texas woman and her three sons had their Christmas saved by Texas police after someone robbed her car of her presents. Brittney Curry used her Christmas bonus check to finish shopping for sons - Joshua, Christian and Michael - on Friday before going to her Forth Worth apartment. But the mother-of-three was shocked to find that someone broke into her car and stole the bikes, games, shoes and clothes she left for a few hours at the Saddlehorn Vista apartments. Brittney Curry used her Christmas bonus check to shopfor sons - Joshua, Christian and Michael - on Friday before going to her Forth Worth apartment 'There was no way we were going to be able to rebuy any of those gifts. I was devastated,' she said to Fox 4. 'Who steals that kind of stuff? What kind of heart do you have?' After breaking the news to her distraught children, Curry alerted the Forth Worth Police. But she was distraught to find that someone broke into her car at the Saddlehorn Vista apartments and stole the kids' bikes, games, clothes and shoes The next day the police from Forth Worth brought toys, donated for young crime victims, and let the boys choose their own presents They claim that a group of teens were near the car that afternoon and have records of all the license plates in the area during the time of the robbery. And when the mother called the police department to follow up on the next day, she was greeted by a pleasant surprise. 'He was like, "I have three bags of gifts I want to bring over to you guys."' Fort Worth Police arrived with toys that they had had donated to the department for young crime victims, and let the boys pick out their own toys. They even let the kids choose a present for their unborn baby brother 'They were so talkative and amazing with the boys,' Curry said to Fox 4. 'It turned a horrific Christmas into something I felt like is normal again' The children were even able to select gifts for their unborn baby brother. 'It's nice to be able to have something just good happen.' said Officer Bradley Klingberg. 'Any time you can go and make a real difference in someone's life, it feels really good.' Curry added: 'They were so talkative and amazing with the boys. It turned a horrific Christmas into something I felt like is normal again.' The family of missing toddler William Tyrrell have penned a heartbreaking letter marking the third Christmas since his disappearance. William's family posted the tribute to Facebook on Monday morning describing their heartbreak over yet another holiday without him. 'On Christmas morning when little ones around Australia and the world awaken bright-eyed with wonder at toys found in stockings and beneath lighted trees, William's loved ones will continue to shed tears for their precious little boy and the stolen years,' the post read. Scroll down for video The family of missing toddler William Tyrrell (pictured) have penned a heartbreaking letter marking the third Christmas since his disappearance William's family posted the tribute to Facebook on Monday morning describing their heartbreak over yet another holiday without him William was three-years-old when he disappeared from his foster grandmother's house in Kendall, on New South Wales' Mid North Coast, on September 12, 2014 'On Christmas morning when families hold loved ones near, it will mark 3 years, 3 months, 13 days and countless tears since William was held in the arms of those he loved and who loved him. 'Wherever you are William, we hold hope in our hearts that soon you will find your way home to us and we can smother you with love, hugs and kisses to make up for the heartbreak and tears, the lost Christmases and stolen years.' William was three years old when he disappeared from his foster grandmother's house in Kendall, on New South Wales' Mid North Coast, on September 12, 2014. In October, Campaigners for William submitted a petition demanding a coronial inquest be opened into his case. The petition called for Coroner Michael Barnes to investigate the disappearance of William 'as a matter of urgency'. Speaking outside the Coroner's Court on Tuesday, Walking for Warriors advocate Carol Walker said 'we want to have the case looked at with fresh eyes'. 'It needs to be looked at from day one, from the day William went missing. The police may have missed something, some important detail,' she told Nine News. 'Someone has to stand up. A missing child is everybody's business if we don't call for a coronial inquiry, who will? Nobody else seems to be wanting it.' In October, Campaigners for William submitted a petition demanding a coronial inquest be opened into his case Speaking outside the Coroner's Court on Tuesday, Walking for Warriors advocate Carol Walker (pictured) said 'we want to have the case looked at with fresh eyes' William (pictured) went missing from his foster grandmother's house in Kendall, NSW William's biological mother Karlie Tyrrell Walking for Warriors wrote to the Coroner demanding an inquest last year, but Coroner Barnes said it was too early to launch one. New South Wales Police also pushed back against the inquest saying it was too early because the initial investigation into William's disappearance was ongoing. Walking for Warriors fought against a Department of Family and Community Services injunction which made it illegal to reveal William was in foster care when he went missing. A Supreme Court of NSW judge ruled in favour of the advocacy group in August, noting William's status as a foster child could be revealed because of 'the tragic probability that (he) is no longer alive'. There is no suggestion William's foster or biological families were involved in his disappearance (William's birth mother Karlie is pictured here in a social media photograph) There is no suggestion that William's foster carers or his biological family were involved in his disappearance. A $1 million reward for information leading to the recovery of William's remains. The petition delivered to the court on Tuesday urged Coroner Barnes to consider the inquest into murdered Queensland boy Daniel Morcombe. An inquest into Daniel's disappearance was launched in 2010, five years after he was abducted on the Sunshine Coast. The inquest was pivotal in the arrest of Brett Peter Cowan, who was found guilty of the 13-year-old's murder. Police arrive on day two to search for evidence of missing boy William Tyrrell, near Bonny Hills on the NSW mid-north coast Advertisement The mercury barely climbed about 20C for a chilly Sydney Christmas, but that didn't stop hundreds of keen swimmers flocking to the beach. Though some rugged up in traditional ugly jumpers, others braved the elements and put on only their bikinis, board shorts and bathers as they frolicked in the sand and surf of Bondi Beach. Some, perhaps used to even colder festive seasons, made a 'snowman' out of sand, complete with a Santa hat and, in an Australian touch, a pair of sunglasses despite the overcast skies. The mercury barely climbed about 20C for a chilly Sydney Christmas, but that didn't stop hundreds of keen swimmers taking to Bondi Beach Some, perhaps used to even colder festive seasons, made a 'snowman' out of sand, complete with a Santa hat and, in an Australian touch, a pair of sunglasses despite the overcast skies Some opted for even more festive attire with entire Santa outfits as they braved the chilly day to celebrate Christmas Some opted for even more festive attire with entire Santa outfits, including one with pants made to look like he was being given a piggy back ride by Father Christmas. Lifesavers erected a decorated Christmas tree on the beach to create a festive atmosphere for those making the beach their home for the day. Some beachgoers even brought their whole Christmas dinner to the sand, laying out a picnic rug and dragging deck chairs from home for a more comfortable meal. A few morning showers were forecast to go with the gloomy skies but to the joy of all none eventuated and not a single drop of rain fell on the entire city. 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. Some rugged up in traditional ugly jumpers, a perhaps more sensible option than those wearing little clothing 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 Swimmers braved the elements and put on only their bikinis, board shorts and bathers as they frolicked in the sand and surf of Bondi Beach This woman pulled on a Santa hat for the day and brought her adorable dog along, the pooch looking festive too with a tree decoration attached to his ears Some beachgoers even brought their whole Christmas dinner to the sand, laying out a picnic rug and dragging deck chairs from home for a more comfortable meal This group didn't care that the temperature only made it to 20C as they swam about in the ocean 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. This group posed in their bikinis and bathers despite the cold, about which they seemed unconcerned An entire family headed to Bondi Beach on Christmas morning, keeping warm with jumpers in temperatures of less than 20C Lifeguards tried to make the beach festive for the early-comers by sticking a decorated tree in the sand 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 A couple donned festive Santa hats and rugged up as they sat on the beach waiting for the weather to warm up 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. 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. 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 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. 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. 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) 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. Lainie Kazan was arrested on Sunday for trying to steal food from a Gelson's grocery store in the San Fernando Valley, California Someone's big, fat plans for the holiday season just got ruined big time. My Big Fat Greek Wedding star Lainie Kazan was arrested on Sunday for trying to steal food from a Gelson's grocery store in the San Fernando Valley, California. According to a TMZ law enforcement source, the 77-year-old actress was said to have loaded her cart with $180 worth of groceries. Kazan - who played hilarious mother Maria Portokalos - then allegedly stuffed the food into several reusable bags and attempted to make a run for her car. But an employee from the grocery chain approached her and alerted police. The actress was said to have claimed that she didn't have any money on her which was why she didn't pay for the groceries. Kazan was detained for petty theft and was taken to a police station in handcuffs. According to a TMZ law enforcement source, the 77-year-old actress was said to have loaded her cart with $180 worth of groceries and stashed the food in reusable bags before walking to her car She was given a citation and released without bail. Having acted since the late 1960s, Kazan was nominated for an Emmy for her guest role in St. Elsewhere in 1988. The Brooklyn native was nominated for a Golden Globe for My Favorite Year, which she also received a Tony award nomination for in 1993. Festive travel plans have been ruined for some after a Qantas flight from Sydney was grounded in Dubai for 10 hours. A Qantas flight departing from Sydney Airport on December 23 was destined for London, with a short stopover in Dubai. But passengers were left stranded in Dubai for more than 10 hours. Scroll down for video Passengers were stranded at Al Ain International Airport in Dubai for 10 hours Qantas said the flight was diverted to Al Ain International Airport, 150km south of Dubai airport, because of 'heavy fog'. 'Qantas, like all airlines, has been impacted by the heavy fog surrounding Dubai,' a spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. 'We understand that delays are frustrating, particularly at this time of year and we are doing everything we can to ensure customers are able to continue on their way as soon as possible.' Passengers questioned the airline's reason for the long delays, with one saying: 'It's sounding like the delay was driven more by your errors than just fog'. 'Over 10 hours sitting on the plane in the middle of nowhere and now so many will miss Christmas! How does this happen?' Benjamin wrote. 'I'm in shock and really appalled.' Qantas told Daily Mail Australia the flight was further delayed due to a mechanical issue. 'While on the ground a mechanical issue was detected... an engineer and spare parts were brought in from Dubai,' the spokeswoman said. Qantas said the flight was diverted to Al Ain International Airport, 150km south of Dubai airport, because of 'heavy fog'. Passengers questioned the airline's reason for the long delays, with one saying: 'It's sounding like the delay was driven more by your errors than just fog' 'Stranded in a tiny airport in UAE with no info from Qantas about when we'll get out of here. No food provided for over six hours,' she said Another passenger, Kathleen Goffey claimed the airline wasn't provided food for six hours. 'Stranded in a tiny airport in UAE with no info from Qantas about when we'll get out of here. No food provided for over six hours,' she said. Qantas denied passengers were not offered food saying they 'were given all the food and drink available on board'. 'They were given the option to disembark where more refreshments were made available,' a Qantas spokeswoman said. The aircraft departed Al Ain for Dubai at 4pm local time, with customers travelling on to London provided several options including overnight accommodation. Qantas said it was monitoring weather conditions in Dubai. 'We will contact customers travelling through Dubai should their flight be impacted by rolling delays caused by the fog,' she said. The aircraft departed Al Ain for Dubai, with customers travelling on to London provided several options including overnight accommodation 'I'm really disappointed with your communication re: the cancelled QF10 flight from LHR this morning. Are we guaranteed a seat on another flight,' Danielle said Passengers flying from London also hit out at the Australian airline after they experienced long delays and flight cancellations. 'I'm really disappointed with your communication re: the cancelled QF10 flight from LHR this morning. Are we guaranteed a seat on another flight,' Danielle said. 'Shockingly inept customer service at LHR following the cancellation of QF10. Well over five hours queuing with zero information and no apology,' Steve said. 'How can you not have automated crisis management plans or systems in place in the 21st century?' Advertisement President Donald Trump and the First Lady got an enthusiastic welcome on Sunday night when the two attended the annual midnight mass service at their church in West Palm Beach. Video posted by one of the parishioners at Bethesda-by-the-Sea shows the entire congregation getting to their feet and cheering the pair as they enter the house of worship and walk to their pew. The Trumps were escorted from their motorcade vehicle by the Rev. James R. Harlan for the 10:30pm service, and President Trump can be seen shaking his hand after being brought to his seat. The man who posted the video revealed that President Trump shook hands with everyone and told his young daughter that she was 'beautiful.' Scroll down for videos President Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrived at Midnight Mass in Florida late Sunday to celebrate Christmas. The Trumps were escorted from their motorcade vehicle by the Rev. James R. Harlan as they arrived for Christmas Eve service at the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in West Palm Beach, Florida late Sunday Before arriving for the service, the president took to Twitter late Sunday and claimed credit for 'leading the charge' against the 'assault' on Christmas Dan Scavino, an aide to the president, tweeted that the president and first lady were 'greeted by stand[ing] ovation and cheers upon their arrival' in the church Before arriving for the service, the president took to Twitter late Sunday and claimed credit for 'leading the charge' against the 'assault' on Christmas. 'People are proud to be saying Merry Christmas again. I am proud to have led the charge against the assault of our cherished and beautiful phrase. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!' the president tweeted. Evangelical Christians have complained of a 'war on Christmas' allegedly waged by liberals who say they want to preserve the separation between church and state. Dan Scavino, an aide to the president, tweeted that the president and first lady were 'greeted by stand[ing] ovation and cheers upon their arrival' in the church. The president and the first lady were the only members of the first family to attend the service, according to the Palm Beach Post. Earlier on Sunday, the first couple surprised kids who had called in to NORAD to find out where Santa Claus is. The president and first lady were patched in to a handful of NORAD's expected 150,000 Christmas Eve calls from the living room at Mar-a-Lago where the Trumps are celebrating their first Christmas in office. 'What would you like more than anything?' Trump was overheard asking a child named Casper from Virginia as members of the media briefly listened in. President Trump grins at reporters as he's patched in to calls from children who were phoning NORAD, which tracks where Santa Claus flies on Christmas Eve In Mar-a-Lago's lavish living room, first lady Melania Trump (left) and President Trump (right) field calls from kids The president intently listens to a child, as he and first lady Melania Trump field calls directed to NORAD, which - for one night a year - tracks Santa Claus First lady Melania Trump (left) is seen alongside her husband President Donald Trump (right) talking to children on Christmas Eve First lady Melania Trump assured youngsters on the phone that Santa was on his way - though suggested he wouldn't arrive until the kids went to sleep First lady Melania Trump is photographed on the phone with a child on Christmas Eve, as the Trump family spends the holiday at Mar-a-Lago in Florida First lady Melania Trump talked to 10 kids, while President Trump spoke to 11 as they were patched in to calls meant for NORAD, which tracks Santa every Christmas eve Reporters were unable to hear Casper's response, but the president gave the request away in his answer. 'Building blocks. That's what I've always like too,' said the president, who was a successful real estate developer before jumping into politics. 'I always loved building blocks,' Trump continued. 'Well, I predict Santa will bring you building blocks. So many you won't be able to use them all,' said the president, using his trademark bombastic language. Speaking to another child, Trump was impressed by the boy's Santa request. 'So you want your grandma to get out of the hospital?' Trump said. 'That's what your wish is?' 'That's great,' the president continued. 'That's better than asking for some toy or something, that's better right?' One child told President Trump that he wanted his grandmother to get out of the hospital. The president was impressed 'That's great,' the president continued. 'That's better than asking for some toy or something, that's better right?' Trump said of one boy's Christmas request that his grandmother get better President Trump (right) and first lady Melania Trump (left) answered some of NORAD's calls - as children call into the Colorado-based command to find out where Santa Claus is 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 He then assured the young boy that grandma would be alright. 'So your grandma's gonna be good, OK? She's gonna be good,' the president said. At another moment he told a child, 'When you're in Washington, you'll come and see me.' In total, the president chatted with 11 kids, while the first lady talked to ten. Don. Jr. then took his three-year-old daughter Chloe for a slurpee at a local 7-Eleven Donald Trump Jr. took his six-year-old son Tristan to crossfit on Sunday in El Cid 'Kai not giving daddy the love': He then posed poolside with his oldest daughter Kai Kai, 10, was reluctant to give into her father's affections President Trump is seen above posing with his grandkids, Kai and Spencer, during Christmas Eve dinner 'How are you? Merry Christmas? Are you tracking Santa? Do you know where he is right now?' the first lady was overheard saying. She assured youngsters that Santa Claus was indeed en route. 'As soon as you go to sleep, Santa will be there,' she said. Christmas Eve for the president his first as such was a mix of business and pleasure. In the morning he spent time talking to service members over video conference. He also lashed out at the media and the FBI in a series of tweets. Then Trump went golfing. He was then joined by first lady Melania Trump in Mar-a-Lago's living room where the two took NORAD calls. While President Trump has tried to reverse his predecessor President Obama's record, Sunday afternoon's event was something first lady Michelle Obama happily participated in the years her husband was in office. The president upped the ante by joining Melania Trump for the calls too. The oldest daughter of Eric Garner, the Staten Island man who died after an NYPD officer placed him in a choke hold in 2014, is in critical condition on Sunday after suffering a heart attack, it was reported. Erica Garner, 27, went into cardiac arrest on Saturday night and was rushed to an intensive care unit at a Brooklyn hospital. Her official Twitter account posted a notice saying that she was in a coma. News of Erica Garner's heart attack was first reported by the New York Daily News. Her mother, Esaw Snipes-Garner, told the News that her daughter's condition was grave. '(She) is still with us. She's fighting. The doctor says she has a strong heart,' she said said. Erica Garner, 27, went into cardiac arrest on Saturday night and was rushed to an intensive care unit at a Brooklyn hospital Erica Garner (left) is the oldest daughter of Eric Garner (right), the Staten Island man who died after an NYPD officer placed him in a choke hold in 2014 Her official Twitter account posted a notice saying that she was in a coma Snipes-Garner said her daughter's heart attack was triggered by an asthma attack. Erica Garner has two children an eight-year-old daughter and a baby boy who was born this past August. Her mother said that Erica suffered her first heart attack not long after she gave birth. Doctors said that the pregnancy took a toll on her heart, which was later found to be enlarged. Erica Garner was not aware that she had an enlarged heart, her mother said. 'She's not doing well and we're praying,' Snipes-Garner told the News. 'My sister had another heart attack last night and she's in critical condition,' Emerald Snipes, Erica's sister, wrote on her Facebook page. 'I just left the hospital and it's not looking good. . . . I pray she makes it; she has two little ones to live for,' the sister said. Erica Garner's condition has put a damper on the family's holiday cheer. 'Don't even feel like Christmas but I gotta fake smile for my baby,' Emerald Snipes wrote. 'Erica better get better soon. She get on my last nerve but I'd rather fight with my sister then to lose her,' she wrote. Eric Garner was strangled to death after being stopped for selling loose cigarettes in Staten Island on July 17, 2014. Officer Daniel Pantaleo (circled, left) was seen on video putting him in a choke hold Since her father's death in 2014, Erica Garner has become an advocate for combating police brutality. Eric Garner was an unarmed black man whose 2014 death at the hands of New York City police sparked protests. Garner died in July 2014 after a white police officer put him in a chokehold. The Justice Department's probe into his death has been stalled by internal disagreements over whether federal investigators have enough evidence to proceed, according to news reports. Garner, a father of six, was accused of illegally selling cigarettes on a sidewalk when an officer put him in the chokehold from behind and brought him down with the help of other officers. Garner complained repeatedly that he could not breathe. The city medical examiner ruled Garner's death a homicide, with asthma and obesity as contributing factors. A police sergeant was allegedly punched in the head, kicked, and choked after he pulled over a van driver zipping down a country road. The motorcycle officer tried to defend himself with pepper spray and a taser but Kevin De Vroom allegedly would not stop his attack. The 45-year-old allegedly became violent when his van was stopped on Maleny-Montville Road in the NSW Central Coast about 4.30pm on December 22. Kevin De Vroom allegedly punched in the head, kicked, and choked a policeman, giving him facial injuries, after his van was pulled over on the Central Coast Police said he choked the 47-year-old officer before ripping off his helmet and bashing him and fleeing in the same van. The alleged assault was captured on the motorbike officer's helmet camera until it was pulled off in the scuffle. The officer was taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital with facial injuries, but later released to recover at home. Police are searching for De Vroom and asked anyone who might know where he is to come forward but not approach him. He was driving a white 2009 Toyota Hi-Ace van with Queensland registration 730WDZ. A Kentucky woman is dead and her husband is severely injured after they suffered a Christmas Eve pit bull attack. Lorraine Brock Saylor, 66, and her husband - Johnny Saylor - were attacked by two pit bulls on Sunday in Arjay, Kentucky. Around 10.20am, brother-in-law James Saylor called police to tell them that the two dogs had 'savagely' attacked the couple. Lorraine Brock Saylor, 66, and her husband - Johnny Saylor - were attacked by two pit bulls on Sunday in Arjay, Kentucky According to WYMT, James had been inside his own home next door when he heard the ruckus. When he went outside to see what the commotion was, he saw the two dogs attacking his brother. He then grabbed a doorstop off his front porch and threw it in hopes of distracting the animals. Johnny was able to get away and grab his gun and shot at the dogs, killing one. The two dogs did not belong to the couple, according to police (stock) Around 10.20am, brother-in-law James Saylor (pictured) called police to tell them that the two dogs had 'savagely' attacked the couple The other ran down Country Lane and has not been seen since. According to police, the dogs did not belong to the couple. Lorraine was confirmed dead at the scene, by the Bell County coroner, at 10.40am. A thorough autopsy is expected to take place on Tuesday in Frankfort, Kentucky, at 9am. Both animal control and the Bell County Sheriff's Department are looking for the brown Pitbull still out and about. This is the horrific moment a man is repeatedly bashed over the head with a metal chair at a popular Sydney bar. The footage shows a man grabbing a metal chair, lifting it above his head and repeatedly bringing it down on a fellow patron at the Bucket List at Bondi Beach, in Sydney's eastern suburbs. One shocked witness said the brawl, which happened about 6pm on Friday, was sparked by 'an argument over a tattoo'. The moment a man was bashed with a metal chair (pictured) was captured on camera Footage shows a man and repeatedly hitting fellow patron with the chair One woman who watched the incident unfold, posted to Facebook on Friday night in an attempt to find out if the victim was OK. 'I really hope the guy that got battered with a stool at Bucket List is OK. That looked brutal,' she said. Another onlooker said 'it was horrific'. 'It happened right next to me he was hit in the back of the head full force while he was knocked out,' he said. One shocked witness said the brawl was sparked by 'an argument over a tattoo' while another Facebook user sent her well-wishes for the fellow man 'His head actually had been dented in so I imagine he's cracked his skull. Not nice.' Taking to an online community group after the attack, one man said the brawl was 'such a shame'. 'It's sh*theads like that that ruin our beautiful beach and the surrounding venues. Such a shame being so close to the happiest time of the year,' he said. The man was reportedly taken by ambulance to hospital, where his head was stitched. Steven Seiler, 60 (pictured) was charged with concealing a death after he claimed to not have known that wife, 58-year-old Tamara Wilson, was dead in their Chicago, Illinois, apartment, for a month A Chicago man claimed that he was unaware that his wife had been dead for a month when police discovered her body in the apartment that they shared. Tamara Wilson, 58, was found in her Chicago, Illinois, apartment in the Uptown neighborhood on December 10 when police responded to a wellness check. Her 60-year-old husband, Steven Seiler, had shared with police that he had smelled something funny coming from her room for about a month but didn't bother to look. Seiler allegedly hadn't even known his wife had passed until he received a call from his daughter. He would be charged with concealing a death Police noticed 'bodily fluids' smeared all over the apartment - located on the 4400 block of North Clifton Avenue - along with a repugnant smell during their wellness check. The scene prompted authorities to force open the door, which was locked, and Wilson's 'badly decomposed' body was found, according to Assistant State's Attorney Julia Ramirez to the Chicago Sun Times. When Seiler returned to the apartment on Tuesday, he was detained by police and was found holding his wife's ID, Social Security Card, debit card, birth certificate and wedding ring. Tamara Wilson, 58, was found in her Chicago, Illinois, apartment in the Uptown neighborhood on December 10 when police responded to a wellness check He was released on electronic monitoring, as per orders from Judge David Navarro on Friday. According to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, Wilson was dead for at least four days when her body was found by police. A toxicology test result is pending which will be factored into the final ruling of her cause of death. On November 24, Seiler used Wilson's debit card to buy a gold coin off the internet and that was the same day he should have first noticed the odor. He sold the coin at a pawn shop, a week later. According to Ramirez, Seiler was seen - on surveillance cameras - checking the mail for five straight days at the apartment before police discovered Wilson's body. Seiler had pleaded guilty to domestic battery charges for assaulting Wilson back in October and was barred from going to the apartment under the influence of drugs and alcohol, according to Ramirez. In a 2009 civil lawsuit in relation to an additional domestic violence occurrence, Wilson won $120,000 from her husband. Just before her death, Wilson had taken his inheritance check and had given it to her lawyer. The couple have a daughter and have been married since 2014. Extremist Thomas Mair was jailed for life for killing MP Jo Cox (pictured) in the days before the Brexit referendum last June The widower of murdered MP Jo Cox has told of his surprise at an 'outpouring of kindness' on social media after he posted a heartfelt Christmas message. Brendan Cox is facing his second Christmas without Jo, mother to their two children Cuillin and Lejla. Extremist Thomas Mair, 52, was jailed for life for killing the Labour MP in the days before the Brexit referendum last June. On Christmas Eve, Mr Cox, 41, wrote a message on Twitter, urging people to tell their loved ones how much they mean to them. He wrote: 'Weird thing to do on Christmas Eve but I'd 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.' The tweet rapidly gained traction on the social media site, racking up more than 12,000 retweets and 31,000 likes. Brendan Cox is facing his second Christmas without Jo, mother to their two children Cuillin and Lejla Mr Cox later said he 'wasn't expecting' the reaction his tweet had sparked, as followers thanked him for his message and shared their own experiences of loss and heartbreak. He wrote: 'Wasn't at all expecting this outpouring of kindness to me or to each other in this thread. A lovely reminder at the end of the year that bad s*** happens but the world is still full of good people.' He also re-tweeted one follower, who had replied to his initial tweet saying: 'My wife has just been diagnosed with terminal breast cancer so after reading your post I told her how much I loved her, I had been doing that anyway but your post was a timely reminder not to take anything for granted.' Speaking about life after his wife's murder, Mr Cox said earlier this month: 'The thing I find the hardest, the thing I wrestle with the most, is what Jo is missing out on.' Speaking about life after his wife's murder, Mr Cox said earlier this month: 'The thing I find the hardest, the thing I wrestle with the most, is what Jo is missing out on' Extremist Thomas Mair, 52, was jailed for life for killing the Labour MP in the days before the Brexit referendum last June In an interview with The Sun on Sunday, the 41-year-old described taking his children Cuillin, six, and Lejla, four, to see Matilda The Musical. He said: 'That moment of the kids' wide-eyed awe and wonder was beautiful to see. 'But all of those amazing moments are tinged with sadness because I love who my kids are, what they're experiencing and their joy in life, but I also know that their mother is missing out on all of it.' Mr Cox said the shock of losing Jo insulated him and kept him bust in the first year after her death and that living without her is getting harder rather than easier. He misses her most when he thinks about all the plans they had together. 'I don't have anybody to make that plan with any more, and that's very stark,' he said. Asked if he had considered counselling, Mr Cox said he prefers to deal with his pain in his own head, in his own way. But he said he never felt alone because of his children. Jo Cox had been Labour MP for Batley and Spen, the Yorkshire constituency in which she was born, for just over a year when she was killed on June 16, 2016, in the middle of the EU referendum campaign. She was 41; energetic, smiley, compassionate; a wife, and mum to children then aged five and three. The horror of her death defies comprehension. Mair, a 52-year-old loner and Nazi sympathiser, riled by her support for refugees, shot her outside her constituency surgery then stabbed her repeatedly with a dagger, saying: 'Britain first. Britain will always come first.' Jo's last words, to her two assistants, were typically selfless: 'Get away, let him hurt me. Don't let him hurt you.' The parents of Madeleine McCann have pledged 'never to give up' on their missing daughter as they bravely spend their 11th Christmas without her. In a Christmas Day posting, Kate and Gerry admitted the festive season is 'a tricky time' and they only battle through with the 'friendship and solidarity' of all their supporters. The couple took time to write a message to thank well-wishers for their continued help after poignantly laying presents in Maddie's bedroom - hoping one day she'll be back home to open them. The parents of Madeleine McCann have pledged 'never to give up' on their missing daughter as they bravely spend their 11th Christmas without her Kate and Gerry McCann posted a heartbreaking message on Christmas day, admitting the festive season is 'a tricky time' Maddie last opened a Christmas present at home with her mother and father in 2006. Her parents took this home video In a posting on the Madeleine Facebook page they wrote: 'To all our supporters. We just wanted to pass on our love and thanks to everyone who has continued to support us throughout another year. 'Christmas is a tricky time - as it is for many people. 'Friendship, solidarity and warm wishes go a long way in giving us the strength to get through and make the very best of it. 'So from all our family a very big thank you. We will never give up on Madeleine. 'With very good wishes for a happy and peaceful 2018. Kate and Gerry.' Former GP Kate, now a medical worker, and heart doctor Gerry, both 49, posted their message of gratitude on a webpage which promotes the search for their daughter and which they endorse. Among supporters responding to the early morning Xmas post is Margaret Ryan who said: 'Please God she will be found and give her family some peace.' Karen Homewood added: 'Christmas is just another time of the year when this family are without a loved and cherished one. I can't begin to imagine the heartbreak they must go through every day. Never give up - she is still with us somewhere.' Kate told last week how she still buys Christmas gifts for Maddie and places then in her pretty pink room which has remained untouched since she vanished more than ten and a half years ago. This is an artist's impression of how Maddie would look at age nine. Today, she would be a teenager of 14 Kate and Gerry cling to the hope that one day they will be reunited with their eldest daughter. They are also parents to 12-year-old twins Sean and Amelie Maddie disappeared in Praia da Luz, Portugal (pictured). Scotland Yard detectives are hunting the mysterious 'woman in purple', who they believe may hold the key to Maddie's fate It has become a shrine to the little girl, with photos and drawings as well as festive offerings and birthday parcels. The couple, from Rothley, Leicestershire, cling onto a glimmer of hope that their eldest child - who would now be aged 14 - could one day return home. Three-year-old Maddie vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007, while her parents were dining in a nearby tapas restaurant with pals. Kate and Gerry try to keep the festive season as fun and normal as possible for the sake of their 12-year-old twins Sean and Amelie. But Kate said the occasion is always 'tinged with pain and longing' insisting: 'Madeleine should be here and we should be celebrating with her. 'We have not lost hope that we may get to celebrate another Christmas with her. ' The family will have a quiet low key Xmas at home. Prayers will be said for Maddie during the village church's Christmas Day service whilst a candle in memory of the youngster burns around the clock in the square beside the war memorial. Scotland Yard detectives hunting for Maddie have been granted funding until the end of March next year to continue their search. Officers have been scouring Europe for an elusive 'woman in purple' they believe may hold the key to the kidnapped girl's fate. The lawyer of a British tourist facing drug smuggling charges over painkillers she took to Egypt has claimed the price of her plane ticket could set her free. Laura Plummer, 33, could face the death sentence if she is found guilty of the charges leveled against her. The case revolves around 290 Tramadol she took with her to Egypt for her lover Omar Caboo, 33, who suffers from back pain. Her lawyer, Mohamed Othman, said that a plane ticket shows she did not intend to sell the 290 tramadol tablets found in her suitcase because she paid twice as much for her flight as the drugs are worth. Laura Plummer (pictured), 33, could face the death sentence if she is found guilty of the charges leveled against her Miss Plummer, left, could face 25 years in prison with no parole, life imprisonment or even the death penalty The case revolves around 290 Tramadol Miss Plummer (left) took with her to Egypt for her lover Omar Caboo (right), 33, who suffers from back pain Othman called the plane ticket a 'key piece of evidence'. He told The Sun: 'For someone to be found guilty of drug smuggling they have to be aware that they are possessing narcotics. Laura did not know that what she was carrying was a narcotic. 'It is illogical that she was dealing in Tramadol.She had only 320 pills - even the plane ticket is almost double the price of those pills.' Plummer wept in court as she appeared in front of a judge on Christmas Day. Christmas Day is a normal working day in the Islamic country, and the shop assistant from Hull appeared in the dock handcuffed. Miss Plummer's mother Roberta Sinclair and Mr Caboo arrived late to the courtroom and stood outside. Mr Caboo, speaking outside of court, was convinced Miss Plummer would be freed. Prison visit: The family of a British woman facing the death penalty in Egypt on drug smuggling charges today paid her an emotional visit in prison He told MailOnline: 'I am sure Laura is innocent. She did not bring the Tramadol for selling or trading. 'I am sure she will be freed. She did not intend to do smuggle or trade.' Miss Plummer was arrested at Hurghada Airport on October 9, and signed a 38-page document written in Arabic as she thought it would grant her freedom. It led to her being locked up and she has already spent ten weeks in prison sharing a 15ft square cell with 25 women inmates. Her family have insisted she has been treated fairly by the Egyptian justice system, which will today decide whether to postpone her hearing or accept a bail offer. The ordeal has been a hammer blow to the family, who claim Miss Plummer had no idea what she doing was illegal and was just 'daft'. Last month, her mother Roberta Sinclair said: 'She did not realise what she was doing'. She said Ms Plummer made no attempt to hide the medicine, which she had been given by a friend, and she thought it was a joke when she was first pulled over by officials when she flew into the country for a holiday with Mr Caboo. Laura Plummer, left, is being held by Egyptian authorities after taking Tramadol into the country Mrs Sinclair said her daughter was being held in terrible conditions in a communal cell with no beds, sharing with up to 25 other women. She said she looked 'unrecognisable'. Ms Plummer is being held in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, where she was arrested at the airport on October 9. Her family has been told that she could face up to 25 years in jail, with one lawyer even mentioning the death penalty. Miss Plummer's Christmas Day court appearance was thought to be the beginning of her trial but there is a possibility the case could be adjourned to another date. Despite Miss Plummer pleading her innocence, prosecutors persuaded a court in Hurghada to send her for trial and she will appear before a judge at the main criminal court in Safaga. While drug smuggling carries a death sentence in Egypt, it is more likely Miss Plummer could be jailed for seven years if convicted. Her lawyer Mohamed Osman has warned that family that even if she is cleared of drug smuggling she could still get two years in jail for being in possession of a banned substance. Her legal team are to put in a bail application that could see Laura freed from the detention centre where she has been since October 9. A heartbreaking photograph of a Syrian baby who lost an eye in an air strike has gone viral, with users sharing pictures of themselves covering one eye in solidarity. The picture shows one month old Karim Abdallah, with crescent-shaped scarring where his left eye should be and a dark red welt on his forehead. On October 29, a government air strike on a rebel bastion near Damascus severely wounded Karim and killed his mother, according to relatives and the doctor who treated him, sparking a worldwide support campaign. A heartbreaking photograph of a Syrian baby who lost an eye in an air strike has gone viral, with users sharing pictures of themselves covering one eye in solidarity Social media users are taking pictures of themselves covering one of their eyes and sharing them on Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #SolidarityWithKarim. The campaign even reached the United Nations, where British ambassador Matthew Rycroft tweeted a photograph of himself at the Security Council, his right hand over his eye. 'When we sit around the UNSC & warn that inaction will mean more people are going to die. More schools bombed. More children scarred. This is what we mean,' he wrote. On October 29, a government air strike on a rebel bastion near Damascus severely wounded Karim and killed his mother, according to relatives and the doctor who treated him - and sparked a worldwide support campaign More than 340,000 people have been killed and half the country's population displaced since Syria's conflict broke out in 2011 'We must see an end to the bombardment & siege of Eastern Ghouta.' Photographs in solidarity with Karim have been posted by other Syrian children, journalists, activists and members of the White Helmets rescue service, which operates in rebel-controlled areas. Government ministers in Turkey, a supporter of the rebels, also took up the cause. 'Even if the world remains silent, and nobody hears the screams from Syria, we will be the voice, eye and ear' of baby Karim, tweeted Culture and Tourism Minister Numan Kurtulmus. The campaign was launched by Amer Almohibany, a freelance photographer in Eastern Ghouta. Social media users are taking pictures of themselves covering one of their eyes and sharing them on Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #SolidarityWithKarim The campaign even reached the United Nations, where British ambassador Matthew Rycroft tweeted a photograph of himself at the Security Council, his right hand over his eye 'I visited the baby, and he made his mark on me even before taking his picture. It haunted me,' said Almohibany, 28. In mid-December, he published a photograph he took of Karim, before taking a picture of himself with his hand over his eye. 'The goal of the campaign is to... bring to the world the voice of this baby, who lost his eye and his mother,' he said. Almohibany was first inspired by Ghouta-based activist Qusay Noor, who posted an image in which he photoshopped his own eye out. But he also drew inspiration from a similar campaign in support of five-year-old Buthaina Mansur, a Yemeni girl whose parents and five siblings were killed in a Saudi-led strike on Sanaa in August. Photographs in solidarity with Karim have been posted by other Syrian children, journalists, activists and members of the White Helmets rescue service, which operates in rebel-controlled areas More than 340,000 people have been killed and half the country's population displaced since Syria's conflict broke out in 2011. The raid that wounded Karim and killed his mother hit a market in Hammuriya, a town in Eastern Ghouta, on October 29. The damage to his frontal lobe and left eye would likely leave him suffering long-term effects, said the brain surgeon who treated him and who identified himself as Abu Jamil. In mid-December, he published a photograph he took of Karim, before taking a picture of himself with his hand over his eye 'The frontal lobe plays an essential role in a human being's comprehension, intelligence, and memory,' said the 50-year-old doctor. 'It's treatable with behavioural and cognitive therapy... and cosmetic surgery, but not in Ghouta. If he could leave Syria, it would be different,' said Abu Jamil. Over the years, several Syrian children have become powerful symbols of the civilian suffering brought on by the war. Other iconic images have featured toddler Omran, who was photographed bloodied in an ambulance in second city Aleppo in 2016, and Aylan Kurdi, whose body washed up on a Turkish shore after his family tried to reach Europe by boat. Over the years, several Syrian children have become powerful symbols of the civilian suffering brought on by the war Karim's father, who preferred not to give his real name, said the boy's 'aunt was taking care of him and is following up with his treatment in a hospital in Hammuriya.' Eastern Ghouta activists have mobilised quickly to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis in the region. 'We wanted to draw the world's attention to the crimes committed by the Syrian regime against residents of besieged Eastern Ghouta,' said 24-year-old photographer Firas al-Abdallah. 'It's assassinating childhood.' An unauthorised and out-of-control beach party in Sydney's south-east had to be broken up by police on Christmas Day. Police were called to Little Bay, south of Maroubra, around 3pm on Monday following reports of a large crowd drinking in an alcohol-free zone. Three people were arrested after allegedly throwing bottles at police officers, striking two officers. Scroll down for video Police were called to Little Bay, south of Maroubra, around 3pm on Monday following reports of a large crowd drinking in an alcohol-free zone Hundreds of people were seen taking over the beach as revelers began drinking and dancing. The foreshore was packed with those celebrating Christmas Day as pictures and videos flooded social media. Residents believe there were 'thousands' of people on the beach as police began ushering crowds off the sand. Backpacker Stephen Minshaw told 7 News that police began using batons and 'tear gas' when the crowds gathered on the esplanade. 'We were walking down from the beach and the police just started hitting us,' Mr Minshaw said. 'We started moving on and they started hitting us - I don't get why they had to use force.' Hundreds of people were seen taking over the beach as revelers began drinking and dancing However, local resident Mark Rear said the party goers were getting a little too rowdy on the beach. 'People were throwing beer bottles and everything. The cops were getting into-it with the pepper spray,' Mr Rear said. 'It was just crazy. Weirdest thing that I've ever seen at Little Bay.' Randwick Council had introduced tighter alcohol restrictions for during the Christmas period. Anyone who was caught risked a maximum fine of $2200. A young couple suffered devastating injuries after a Christmas rope jump went disastrously wrong over a frozen Russian river. The pair fell 80ft from a bridge near the remote nuclear city of Seversk, but their cord was too long and they crashed into the thick ice. Both the man and woman - who have not been named - suffered 'grave injuries' and are now in intensive care. Scroll down for video A young couple suffered devastating injuries after a Christmas rope jump went disastrously wrong over a frozen Russian river. The pair fell 80ft from a bridge near the remote nuclear city of Seversk, but their cord was too long and they crashed into the thick ice The craze has been called bungee jumping without the bounce and gives a feeling of weightlessness as participants swing from side to side from a rope hung on the bridge's underside. The couple are seen on video hugging each other and joking as they prepared for their jump over the frozen River Tom. They screamed in excitement as they began to fall. There is a short, painful shriek as - a second later - disaster struck as they slammed onto the thick ice below. Both the man and woman - who have not been named - suffered 'grave injuries' and are now in intensive care. The craze has been called bungee jumping without the bounce and gives a feeling of weightlessness as participants swing from side to side from a rope hung on the bridge's underside A man on the bridge gantry filming their 4.50 jump immediately blamed another man, screaming: 'I'll kick you down there too!! 'You said you checked and measured the rope.? Didn't you, didn't you?' A second video shows the couple lying apparently unconscious on the ice. The rope is still attached to the man. A small blood stain is seen close to their motionless bodies. Rescuers waited for specialist paramedics to reach the scene before moving them. Emergencies worker Ivan Temerev, said: 'We received a call around 2pm asking for urgent rescue service. The organiser of the jump was named as Mikhail Kholbutaev (pictured). He was hit by a social media storm today. 'That's it mate, time to pack up for jail', read one comment 'When we arrived, we found two injured people next to New Bridge on the left bank of the River Tom. 'A young man and woman were rope jumping, but at some point their fall trajectory went out of control. 'Both jumpers were seriously injured. 'The ambulance service requested assistance from rescuers in order to move the couple from under the bridge.' The Russian Investigative Committee - which probes serious crime - started a criminal case into circumstances of the jump. The Russian Investigative Committee - which probes serious crime - started a criminal case into circumstances of the jump (Mikhail Kholbutaev) When successful, the jump has been described as swinging from a rope the height of a seven storey building. The organiser of the jump was named as Mikhail Kholbutaev. He was hit by a social media storm today. 'That's it mate, time to pack up for jail', read one comment. Another asked: 'How did you allow this to happen?' He could face up to two years in jail if convicted of carelessness over the incident. A policeman has captured the shocking moment he is attacked during a routine roadside stop after chasing the perpetrator through a field. A Queensland Police officer recorded the footage while pulling a man over in the Sunshine Coast on Saturday. The man, reportedly 39-year-old Ashley Dodd, is caught punching the patrolman in the face several times and even jumps on him. A policeman has captured the shocking moment he is attacked during a routine roadside stop after chasing the perpetrator through a field The man, reportedly 39-year-old Ashley Dodd, is caught punching the patrolman in the face several times and even jumps on him A Queensland Police officer recorded the footage while pulling a man over in the Sunshine Coast on Saturday Police believe the man was Mr Dodd and they are currently searching for him The footage was captured via the policeman's camera, which is required by all units 'prior to and during the exercising of a police power under legislation'. The officer initially asks the man he has pulled over if it he has any outstanding warrants. He was pulled over because police had been chasing his license plate. The man is believed to be under the influence of drugs during the roadside stop. He has his hands on the roof of his car, before quickly running off into a field of tall grass. The policeman immediately sprints after him, before the man starts attacking. 'Get down on the ground now mate,' the officer yells in pursuit. The man is believed to be under the influence of drugs during the roadside stop. He has his hands on the roof of his car, before quickly running off into a field of tall gras The man then throws the patrolman to the ground, before punching him several times in the face and jumping on him The man then throws the patrolman to the ground, before punching him several times in the face and jumping on him. 'Mate what are you doing? Think about what you're doing.' Police believe the man was Mr Dodd and they are currently searching for him. A Sunshine Coast policeman was assaulted in a similar roadside stop on Friday. The man, Kevin De Vroom viciously bashed the officer before stealing his police camera. A 58-year-old man tried to kill himself on Christmas Eve by ramming a car packed with explosive materials into a German political party headquarters. The man drove a car at the entrance of the Berlin headquarters of Germanys Social Democratic Party (SPD) late on Sunday evening, lightly injuring himself in what police said was an apparent suicide attempt. He had gas cartridges in the car and jerrycans containing petrol. The man had also laid out a bag with inflammable material in front of another building - the headquarters of the CDU party of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Police officers inspect damage in the lobby of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) headquarters after a car was used to ram the building on Christmas Eve The man drove a car at the entrance of the Berlin headquarters of Germanys Social Democratic Party (SPD) late on Sunday evening, lightly injuring himself in what police said was an apparent suicide attempt A 58-year-old man tried to kill himself on Christmas Eve by ramming a car packed with explosive materials into a German political party headquarters The man was injured in the failed attempt and taken to hospital. The police were alerted by the building's caretaker, who found the bag. Berlin police are investigating the incident and authorities did not identify the man, saying only that he was 58 years old. It was unclear why he had chosen the SPD, which is about to start negotiations on governing for another four years in coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkels conservatives, as his target. A body has been found in the search for a missing 25-year-old man in Sydney on Christmas Day. Police discovered a man's body in the water at Hunter's Hill, in the lower north shore, on Monday around 2.45pm. While the body has not been formally identified, police believe the body to be of Patrick Hahn, who went missing on Thursday night. A body found in Hunter's Hill on Christmas Day is believed to be of Patrick Hahn, who went missing on Thursday night Mr Hahn, 25, was last seen celebrating Christmas with friends on December 21 at the Marlborough Hotel in Newtown Mr Hahn 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 King Street, at 1.18am on Friday morning. He was then caught on 7/11 service station CCTV footage walking along Victoria Road towards the Gladesville Bridge. Family and friends of the young man have flooded social media with tributes on Christmas Day. The 25-year-old was caught on 7/11 service station CCTV footage walking along Victoria Road towards Gladesville Bridge Family and friends of the young man have flooded social media with tributes on Christmas Day (pictured: Mr Hahn, right, with a friend) Mr Hahn's brother, Rob, posted a touching message on Facebook, thanking everyone for their support. 'Over the past few days the love and support from everyone has been tremendous,' he said. 'We know PJ was loved by many and plan to share further details in the coming days. We will love you forever and always PJ.' A report will now be prepared for the Coroner as police reported the death as not suspicious. Mr Hahn's brother, Rob, posted a touching message on Facebook, thanking everyone for their support State Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Volodymyr Bondarenko has signed a joint action plan with the Canadian partners for implementing the best practices of strategic planning in the Ukrainian government based on results-based management principles. "Canada will provide experts to the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers, who will assist in the development of strategic planning instruments and analysis of state policies and will train Ukrainian specialists. This will allow the government to plan state policy more effectively and coordinate the implementation of strategic plans in a comprehensive manner using key performance indicators," the press service of the Ukrainian government said. In addition, the parties during a meeting of Cabinet Minister Oleksandr Sayenko and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland in Kyiv discussed the progress of reforms in Ukraine and cooperation next year. "One of the areas of active cooperation is public administration reform. The joint action plan, we've signed, foresees, in particular, cooperation to enhance the capability of the Ukrainian government and public institutions, the implementation of a methodology for analyzing public policies, gender impact, developing a reform monitoring system, and providing international expertise. It also provides for measures for training and exchange of experience for specialists on the reform issues," Sayenko said. Tinder love-rat Gable Tostee has sent out a Christmas greeting as only he can, posting a cheeky festive message on Facebook. Tostee, who now goes by Eric Thomas, was found not guilty of the death of New Zealand tourist Warrena Wright in 2014 after the woman he met through the dating app fell from his Gold Coast balcony. He took to social media on Monday to celebrate the holiday period and thank his online friends and followers. 'Merry Christmas to all ma ho ho ho's!' Thomas wrote. Scroll down for video Tinder love-rat Gable Tostee has sent out a Christmas greeting as only he can, posting a cheeky festive message on Facebook Tostee was found not guilty of the death of New Zealand tourist Warrena Wright in 2014 after the woman he met through the dating app fell from his Gold Coast balcony He took to social media on Monday to celebrate the holiday period and thank his online friends and followers Thomas is no stranger to social media controversy, after graphically responding to online trolls earlier this year. The 31-year-old responded to a woman who commented on an earlier post he made, saying 'the only thing I murder is p***y'.. Many jumped on Thomas' side, telling the woman to leave him alone, but some said Thomas was fishing for the attention. He activated another Tinder profile in April this year, which was spotted by a Gold Coast woman who uses the dating app and recognised the self-confessed playboy. Thomas activated another Tinder profile in April this year, which was spotted by a Gold Coast woman who uses the dating app and recognised the self-confessed playboy The 31-year-old's age and new name of Eric Thomas appear on the new profile. It also lists Griffith University as his educational background. One image shows Mr Tostee lying shirtless in bed and another is of the 31-year-old partaking in a food contest. 'Shhh don't tell Channel 9,' the profile reads, referring to the media attention surrounding the death of Ms Wright and his subsequent trial. Mr Tostee has previously accused Channel 9 of having 'ruined his life.' Mr Tostee drew criticism in March after he posted a derogatory post on Facebook to mark International Women's Day. 'Happy International Women's Day to all ma hoes!!', he wrote at the time. Four people have died after a bus came off the road and hurtled down a set of stairs leading to a metro station. Horrifying video footage from the scene posted on social media showed a bus veering off the road and plunging down the steps of a pedestrian underpass, crushing several people beneath its wheels. It happened on Kutuzovsky Avenue, near the Slavyansky Bulvar metro station in Moscow. At least four people are said to have died after a bus came off the road and hurtled down a set of stairs leading to a metro station Three body bags are lined up on the street as emergency services continue to work on the bus Bodies are covered in foil blankets by emergency services vehicles at the scene of the horror The windscreen is seen smashed having ploughed into the structure overhead at the metro station Driver Viktor Tikhonov claimed his vehicle was trapped in gear as he tried to move the bus - and he couldn't help it careering down into the underpass. 'I came to Slavyanskaya boulevard bus station, and there were 3 passengers inside,' he said. 'I was supposed to wait for 15 minutes before getting back en route. 'Another bus came to the station, I wanted to move a bit to give the other driver a bit of space. 'I took the hand break off, but couldn't do anything else as the bus drove off. 'I couldn't stop it. The bus has automatic gear, so there was nothing I could do.' Police confirmed one of the victims was a 17-year-old girl on her way to music school and also killed was a man named as Artem Karpov, 27. Another victim was named Yelena Mikhailova and the fourth was a woman aged around 50. A team of firefighters and emergency services are seen on the right hand side of the stairs next to the bus Authorities did not mention terrorism as a possible cause. 'Nine people are currently in the city's clinics... four people died on the spot,' the Moscow city hall said in a statement on the website. Police were also giving the figure of four killed, revised down from previous statements which said the accident caused five deaths. Snow falls on the bus which came to stop on the stairs at the entrance of the metro station. Blood can be seen running down the stairs A police cordon stops the public from entering the underground station where the bus ploughed into Footage broadcast on national television showed the bus driving onto the pavement and then down the stairs of the underpass, running over several pedestrians before coming to a stop. Moscow police said in a statement they were looking into two possible causes - the driver losing control of the vehicle and a technical problem with the bus. 'The driver of the bus began movement and then changed his trajectory, which resulted in the bus going down into the pedestrian underpass,' the statement said. 'The driver has been detained. Police employees are working with him,' the statement said. 'According to the driver, the bus was parked and suddenly began to move by itself,' said a statement by the Russian Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes. 'Despite his attempts to stop the bus, the breaking system did not work and the bus continued moving,' it said. Investigators said they were questioning witnesses and plan to examine vehicle documentation and order medical examination of the driver. Firefighters work to stabilise the bus as a huge crowd of people gather around to watch the operation The Interfax news agency said investigators were looking into whether the incident had occurred as a result of a technical fault with the bus The accident happened around 3pm near Moscow's Slavyansky Boulevard metro station, a prestigious residential area near one of the capital's main avenues. Sirens were blaring around the metro station, with authorities preparing to pull the bus out of the underpass, a correspondent at the scene said. The underpass and surrounding area were cordoned off and several black body bags could be seen on the pavement, partially covered with falling snow. The emergencies ministry said helicopters had been dispatched to the scene to help evacuate the victims. A second video from another angle shows the bus seemingly stationary on the side of a snowy road before it appears to pull away in the direction of the metro station. The incident occurred on one of the Russian capital's busiest roads near the Slavyansky Boulevard metro station. Monday was an ordinary working day in Russia where Orthodox Christmas will be celebrated on January 7. Ten ambulances, fire service personnel, and three medivac helicopters were on the scene, agencies reported. Mayor of the capital, Sergei Sobyanin, took to Twitter to express his condolences to the families and friends of the victim. Sobyanin also visited the scene, telling journalists he had ordered a full inspection of the entire Moscow bus fleet. A man out for an early morning kayak near Coffs Harbour on Christmas morning has had a surprising interaction with a huge Hammerhead shark. Stunning footage shows the shark cutting gracefully through crystal blue waters near Sawtell as the man paddled through the calm waves. Channel 9 reported that the man was hoping to catch some fish just after dawn when he filmed the amazing encounter with the slow-moving, four-metre monster. A man out for a morning kayak near Coffs Harbour saw a hammerhead shark under his boat Video shows the man remaining perfectly calm and turning down an offer of help as the shark swims away and circles back towards the camera. There are nine species of Hammerhead shark, with the largest growing up to 20 feet (six metres) long and weighing more than 1000 pounds (453kg). Three species of Hammerhead are found in north-western Australia but only one - the great Hammerhead - is considered to be dangerous to humans. Sarah L. Myer, 41, was sentenced on Friday after pleading guilty to two counts of criminal sexual assault for engaging in a sexual relationship with a student A mother-of-five teacher has been jailed for 10 years in Illinois for repeatedly having sex with a male student at the high school where she worked. Sarah L. Myer, 41, was sentenced on Friday after pleading guilty to two counts of criminal sexual assault. She admitted having sex with the boy on multiple occasions between November 2016 and April 2017. He was not one of her students but was a student at the school. Myer taught a special education maths class at the high school. It is not clear if she is married or single. Her relationship with the boy was revealed when he reported it. She was charged over two incidents in Boone County but more charges may be brought from a separate jurisdiction. Myer was given time served for the 261 days she has spent behind bars since she was arrested earlier this year. Illinois' sexual assault laws and sentences are strict - for criminal sexual assault, which Myer was convicted of twice, the mandatory minimum sentence is four years but can span up to 15 on the offender's first charge. On any additional counts, that sentence can be stretched to a minimum of 30-60 years (second charge) or life (third count) if the judge considers it a suitable sentence. It is a stark contrast to other states, like Utah, where teachers have recently walked free from court despite having sex with students. Four executives from the Miss America Organization have resigned after an email exchange in which they mocked former winners over their sex lives and weight emerged. Lynn Weidner, a board member, joined CEO Sam Haskell, President Josh Randle and fellow board-member Tammy Haddad by handing in her resignation this weekend. She claimed to have been 'unjustly vilified' but stepped down The four were all involved in a vulgar email chain which, once leaked last week, exposed cruel remarks that were made about former winners. Haskell, who was suspended over them at first, was the ringleader. His jokes included jibes about pageant winner Mallory Hagan's weight and sex life which the others laughed at or commented on. The emails prompted widespread backlash from the beauty queens, 49 of whom signed a petition demanding that all four resign. Out: CEO Sam Haskell, board members Lynn Weidner and Tammy Haddad (left and far right) and president Josh Randle have all resigned over the emails The Huffington Post reported on Thursday that Haskell regularly exchanged expletive-ridden emails in which he or others slut-shamed and name-called former title winners things such as 'c**ts', 'piles of malcontents' and 'blimps', to name a few. 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.' Haskell with Mallory Hagan, one of the winners he fat-shamed in the emails, in 2013. He wrote most of the offending emails Randle said his resignation was voluntary and had not been requested by the board of Miss America, which is based in Atlantic City. Hagan did not respond to a message seeking comment on the resignations of Randle, CEO Sam Haskell and Chairwoman Lynn Weidner, a former Miss New Jersey. Weidner told the AP Saturday night she has 'nothing but love for the Miss America Organization and the incredible women' who comprise it. '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.' Three former Miss Americas who were attacked and mocked in the leaked messages were joined by nearly four dozen other title holders earlier Friday in calling on Haskell and other organization leaders to resign in the wake of the scandal. Later Friday, the Miss America Organization Board of Directors revealed they voted in favor of the 62-year-old's suspension. 'The Miss America Organization Board of Directors today voted to suspend Executive Chairman and CEO Sam Haskell. 'Mr. Haskell, in support of the organization, has agreed to abide by the Board's decision,' a spokesperson confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter. In the emails, Haskell frequently used shocking and sexually-charged terms to refer to contestants, including 2013 winner Mallory Hagan (left) and Gretchen Carlson (right), the ex-Fox News anchor who won the pageant in 1989 'The Board will be conducting an in-depth investigation into alleged inappropriate communications and the nature in which they were obtained. In addition, the Board wishes to reaffirm our commitment to the education and empowerment of young women, supporting them in every way possible.' The petition organized by former Miss North Carolina Jennifer Vaden Barth garnered the signatures of 49 former Miss Americas by mid-afternoon. In it, Barth called the emails by Haskell and others 'despicable' and faulted officials who 'sat by without objection while such derisive comments were passed around.' In the messages, which the paper says it received from two sources, the CEO frequently used shocking and sexually-explicit terms to refer to contestants, including 2013 winner Mallory Hagan and Gretchen Carlson, the former Fox News host who won the pageant in 1989. Hagan's weight gain and allegedly promiscuous sex life were derided in the correspondence in harsh terms. 'My hope is that this story that broke will bring light to the type of behavior that's been in leadership of the Miss America Organization and really help us put in place some people who care and who embody the mission of Miss America,' Hagan said. 'Having somebody bully you, demean you, degrade you in any way is not OK.' A CALL TO RESIGN: The petition signed by 49 Miss Americas BeBe Shopp Waring, Miss America 1948 We, the undersigned Miss Americas, represent decades of the powerful history and legacy of the Miss America Organization in the near-century of its existence. We are deeply disturbed and saddened to learn of the sickening and egregious words used by Miss America leadership in reference both to our group and to specific members of our sisterhood. As dedicated members of communities, businesses and families, and ambassadors for the Miss America program across the country, we stand firmly against harassment, bullying and shaming especially of women through the use of derogatory terms mean to belittle and demean. As Miss Americas, we strongly reject the mischaracterization of us both collectively and individually. We also reject the ongoing efforts to divide our sisterhood and the attempts to pit us against one another. Savvy Shields, Miss America 2017 We believe in empowering and supporting young women as they work to achieve their professional and academic goals. Each of us participated in the Miss America program for these reasons, and we are proud that each woman in this program is well-educated, talented and strong. The behavior of the Miss America Organization leadership, specifically Sam Haskell, Josh Randle, Tammy Haddad and Lynn Weidner, is despicable, as well as the behavior of those who sat by without objection while such derisive comments were passed around. We collectively call for their immediate resignation. We also ask for those who revere the Miss America legacy to join us in preserving the integrity of the Miss America Organization and in supporting all women, rather than tearing them down. BeBe Shopp Waring, Miss America 1948 Lee Meriwether, 1955 Sharon Kay Ritchie, 1958 Nancy Fleming, 1961 Maria Beale Fletcher, 1962 Jacquelyn Mayer, 1963 Jane Jayroe Gamble, 1967 Judi Ford Nash, 1969 Laurel Schaefer Bozoukoff, 1972 Terry Meeuwsen, 1973 Rebecca King Dreman, 1974 Tawny Godin, 1976 Dorothy Benham, 1977 Susan Perkins Botsford, 1978 Kylene Barker, 1979 Susan Powell, 1981 Elizabeth Ward Gracen, 1982 Suzette DeGaetano-Charles, 1984 Sharlene Wells Hawkes, 1985 Kaye Lani Rafko-Wilson, 1988 Gretchen Carlson, 1989 Debbye Turner Bell, 1990 Marjorie Vincent-Tripp, 1991 Carolyn Sapp, 1992 Leanza Cornett, 1993 Kimberly Aiken Cockerham, 1994 Heather Whitestone McCallum, 1995 shawntel Smith Wuerch, 1996 Tara Dawn Christensen, 1997 Kate Shindle, 1998 Nicole Johnson, 1999 Heather French Henry, 2000 Angela Baraquio Grey, 2001 Katie Herman Ebner, 2002 Erika Harold, 2003 Ericka Dunlap, 2004 Deidre Downs Gunn, 2005 Jennifer Berry Gooden, 2006 Lauren Nelson Faram, 2007 Kirsen Haglund, 2008 Katie Stam Irk, 2009 Caressa Cameron Jackson, 2010 Teresa Scanlan, 2011 Laura Kaeppeler, 2012 Mallory Hagan, 2013 ninaDavuluri, 2014 kira Kazantsev, 2015 Betty Cantrell, 2016 Savvy Shields, 2017 Advertisement 'Resign now': Carlos tweeted that she was shocked by Haskell's statements and called for his immediate ouster from the organization In response to a follower's tweet suggesting that Hagan should take responsibility for her actions, the former pageant winner argued that Haskell had no right to discuss her sex life Speaking to Newsweek Friday, Hagan said she is considering taking legal action against Haskell. In some exchanges, a former writer for the pageant notes the death of one former Miss America, and muses that he wished it had been 1998 Miss America Kate Shindle that had died instead. Shindle wrote a book critical of the Miss America Organization. Haskell responded to the email, indicating it made him laugh. Hagan posted an emotional video on Twitter decrying the leaked emails in which she was slut-shamed and derided 'The entire board of directors must immediately resign, including and especially Sam Haskell,' Shindle wrote in a statement posted on Twitter, adding that 'it [the content of the emails] makes me physically ill.' And Haskell wrote of tactics that would drive 1989 Miss America Carlson 'insane.' The Huffington Post reported that the former Fox & Friends co-host had clashed with Haskell and pageant officials over her push to modernize the organization, and her refusal to attack other former Miss America winners. Carlson wrote on Twitter that any board member or official who tolerated such conduct should resign immediately. 'No woman should be demeaned with such vulgar slurs,' she wrote. Carlson, Hagan and Shindle have received the support of 46 fellow Miss America winners dating back to the 1940s, who on Friday signed an open letter demanding that Haskell and other pageant executives step down over their 'despicable'. Among the signatories were Miss America 1948 BeBe Shopp Waring and this year's winner, Savvy Shields. Every woman who was crowned Miss America from 1988 until 2017 joined the call for the leadership's ouster. Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell, who signed the petition, told The Associated Press she 'lived under this misogynistic leadership for a year of my life, and I'm definitely glad to see all of this evidence come into the light.' She also said pageant officials 'told me which former Miss Americas I wasn't allowed to associate with or pose for photos with.' In 2014, the 1998 winner Kate Shindle (pictured) wrote a book in which she questioned the Miss America board's decision to pay Haskell a $500,000 consulting fee. In an email to Haskell giving his condolences on a past winner's death, telewriter Lewis Friedman wrote as the email subject: 'It should have been Kate Shindle' Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell called the leadership of Miss America 'misogynistic' Shindle released a statement on Twitter demanding that Haskell and the entire Board of Directors immediately resign Both Hagan (left) and Carlson (right) want Haskell ousted from the Miss America Organization The Miss America Organization said Thursday night that Haskell apologized and the group is revising its policies regarding communications, adding it considers the matter closed. On Friday, Atlantic City's incoming Democratic mayor, Frank Gilliam Jr., and two state Assemblymen - Republican Chris Brown and Democrat Vince Mazzeo - called on the state Casino Reinvestment Development Authority to end its partial subsidy of the pageant, which has about $4million left on it. The emails have 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 Associated Press Thursday night that it cut ties with the Miss America Organization over the emails, calling them 'appalling.' Haskell's leaked email exchanges at times took on the entire pageant community. In an August 2014 email to a prominent Miss America telecast writer, Haskell said that he wanted to stop calling former contestants 'Forever Miss Americas' and instead refer to them as 'Former Miss Americas.' 'I'd already changed 'Forevers!' to 'c***s'. Does that work for you?' the writer, Lewis Friedman, responded. Haskell replied: 'Perfect bahahaha.' The comments are in stark contrast to the glowing, supportive statements Haskell repeatedly made in public about past title winners. In the summer of 2014, Haskell forwarded an email to other executives from someone he knew who had commented about Hagan's sex life and recent weight gain. 'Not a single day passes that I am not told some horrible story about Mallory,' Haskell wrote. Friedman replied: 'As she continue to destroy her own credibility, her voice will attract less and less notice while she continues her descent to an unhappy pathetic footnotePs. Are we four the only ones not to have f****d Mallory? 'It appears we are the only ones!' Haskell wrote, adding that he told the mother of a man Hagan had supposedly slept with that 'he needs to have a blood test because we lost count of the number of men she slept with at 25.' Later, Hagan was publicly fat-shamed for a bikini photo that surfaced showing that she had gained some weight after the pageant. Haskell said nothing publicly about the images at the time but fat-shamed her internally. In the summer of 2014, Haskell wrote in an email that he and another executive were the only ones who hadn't slept with Mallory Hagan (pictured, March 2013) Later, Hagan was publicly fat-shamed for a bikini photo that surfaced (not pictured). Haskell said nothing publicly about the images at the time but fat-shamed her internally Another incident involved the former Fox News host Carlson. In August 2014, Miss American board member Lynn Weidner sent an email to a group of former Miss Americas, including Carlson. The email concerned a book 1998 Miss American winner Kate Shindle wrote in which she questioned the Miss America board's decision to pay Haskell a $500,000 consulting fee. Weidner asked: 'Is it possible for each of you to speak out in defense of Sam and the organization?' Carlson replied: 'It's one thing to talk about your own personal experience as Miss America... but totally different to attack people individually.' Haskell forwarded Carlson's response to board member Tammy Haddad, who replied to Haskell: 'Snake but now u have not doubts as to her loyalty. Makes it easy not to respond. Right?' Just before Shindle's book came out, Haddad emailed Haskell and referenced an email former Miss America Susan Powell wrote that was supportive of Haskell. Haddad suggested: 'Why don't u read [former Miss America] susan POWELL's email on the board call and say it's a shame that only one miss america who has come forward to offer help in any way.' Haddad was referring to an email Powell had written that was supportive of Haskell. Haskell replied: 'Brilliant..f*****g Brilliant!!!! That will drive Gretchen INF*****GSANE.' In a further attack on Shinldle, Friedman emailed Haskell in December 2014 to offer his condolences on the death of former Miss America Mary Ann Mobley, writing: 'So sorry to hear about Mary Ann Mobley.' The subject line of Friedman's email read: 'It should have been Kate Shindle.' The Archbishop of Canterbury has used his Christmas Day sermon to reflect on the terrorist atrocities and deceitfulness of 'populist leaders' witnessed in 2017. The Most Rev Justin Welby told worshippers at Canterbury Cathedral that much could be learnt from the Nativity story, where Jesus is 'power seen in humility'. Preaching at the Sung Eucharist service, he made an apparent jibe at US President Donald Trump by contrasting the son of God with 'populist leaders that deceive' their people. And in an echo of Pope Francis's address at Christmas Eve Mass in the Vatican, the Archbishop drew a parallel between the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and the refugee crisis. The Archbishop of Canterbury appeared to take aim at Donald Trump in his annual Christmas sermon after criticising 'populist leaders who deceive their own people' He also spoke of the world continuing to see 'tyrannical leaders that enslave their peoples' and 'corrupt leaders that rob them' He told the congregation: 'The nature of those who have power is to seek to hold on to it. 'In 2017 we have seen around the world tyrannical leaders that enslave their peoples, populist leaders that deceive them, corrupt leaders that rob them, even simply democratic, well-intentioned leaders of many parties and countries who are normal, fallible human beings. 'We have experienced across our country terrorism that kills the innocent, claiming that it is the path to freedom in God. 'The nature of God who has all power, and from whom all power comes, is to lay it aside for love's sake and thus without fear, force or manipulation to offer true freedom for every human being.' The Archbishop this year publicly spoke out against Mr Trump when he shared videos from far-right group Britain First via Twitter. He said at the time: 'It is deeply disturbing that the president of the United States has chosen to amplify the voice of far-right extremists.' His sermon came after he published extracts on Twitter earlier on Christmas Day The Most Rev Justin Welby also compared the Nativity to modern day stories Star Wars and Harry Potter Earlier on Monday morning the Church of England's most senior cleric gave his Christmas message a modern twist by publishing extracts in a Twitter thread, complete with a hashtag. Across the globe, the Pope put the migrant crisis at the heart of his festive reflections, saying that the story of the holy birth had particular relevance as millions of people were 'driven from their land'. The Archbishop struck a similar note during his sermon, saying: 'We are drawn to stories of freedom and purpose. 'In Star Wars an abandoned orphan on a desert planet turns into a knight leading the struggle for freedom. 'Platform nine and three quarters takes Harry Potter into a world of magic and purpose. 'Not so in the gospel stories, even those of Christmas. Yes, the shepherds see angels. Yes, Mary and Joseph have dreams and are chosen as special people. The Most Rev Welby also drew parallels between the Nativity and the refugee crisis 'Yet after the moments of miracles life goes on almost as before - the shepherds return to their sheep, Joseph settles back as a carpenter, Mary raises children. 'They flee as refugees, like over 60 million people today. 'Yet their story is the beginning of ours, it is an invitation to lives of freedom, found through God's freely offered love.' He described the annual carol service at Lambeth Palace as the 'best part' of his year, bringing him into contact with those from all walks of life. He said: 'We hear from those who have recently begun to find the life Jesus offers. 'They come from all sorts of places, from people who have been trafficked into slavery to people who have known only power.' The Archbishop also made a public intervention concerning the treatment of refugees this year, condemning the Government's 'regrettable' decision to end a policy to take in vulnerable children from overseas in February. Advertisement A gloomy Pyongyang was tranformed into a festival of dance on Christmas Eve to recognise the 100-year anniversary of Kim Jong-un's grandmother's birth. The North Korean capital was dusted with snow as the temperature plummeted below freezing when thousands of people lined the streets to dance in front of the Monument to Party Founding yesterday. Kim Jung-suk, who was Kim Il-sung's first wife and the mother of Kim Jong-il, was a Korean independence activist and Communist politician in the 1930s and 40s. Controversy and mystery surrounds her death on September 22, 1949, with some reports suggesting she died at the age of 31 whilst giving birth to a stillborn baby and others stating she was shot and left to bleed out. She is known in North Korea as 'The Heroine of the Anti-Japanese Revolution' and her portrait is regularly churned out for the country's propaganda. Waving the country's red, blue and white flag and with women wearing colourful dresses under their thick coats, she was honoured in front of the the iconic worker's party sculpture which can be seen eerily towering above them in an eerie set of photographs. The 50m-high hammer, sickle and calligraphy brush was erected on the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Worker's Party of Korea, and reads: 'The organizers of the victory of the Korean people and the leader of the Workers Party of Korea.' Wreaths were then laid at the statue of Kim Jong-suk in the Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery on the occasion of her centenary birth anniversary on Mount Taesong. Celebratory dance festival takes place for the 100 years birth anniversary of Kim Jong-suk and former leader Kim Jong-il's 26 years of anniversary of inauguration as supreme commander of the Korean People's Army. Waving the country's red, blue and white flag and with women wearing colourful dresses under their thick coats, she was honoured in front of the the iconic worker's party sculpture which can be seen eerily towering above them in an eerie set of photographs A gloomy Pyongyang was tranformed into a festival of dance on Christmas Eve to recognise the 100-year anniversary of Kim Jong-un's grandmother's birth. The North Korean capital was dusted with snow as the temperature plummeted below freezing when thousands of people lined the streets to dance in front of the Monument to Party Founding yesterday North Koreans partner up and dance in the streets for one of their most revered figures. Kim Jung-suk, who was Kim Il-sung's first wife and the mother of Kim Jong-il, was a Korean independence activist and Communist politician in the 1930s and 40s Wreaths are placed at the statue of Kim Jong-suk in the Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery on the occasion of her centenary birth anniversary on Mount Taesong. Controversy and mystery surrounds her death on September 22, 1949, with some reports suggesting she died at the age of 31 whilst giving birth to a stillborn baby and others stating she was shot and left to bleed out Senior officials follow - all men - follow behind a giant wreath which is laid at the side of Kim Jong-suk's statue in Pyongyang North Korean founder Kim Il-sung, his first wife Kim Jong-suk and their saluting son Kim Jong-il in a black and white picture A retrospective portrait of Kim Jong-suk, which is regularly churned out as part of the hermit nation's propaganda programme Vietnam is bracing itself after the death toll from a storm that unleashed landslides and floods across the southern Philippines climbed to 240, with scores of others still missing, officials said on Monday. Weather forecasters were expecting Tropical Storm Tembin's path to bring heavy rain and strong winds starting Monday night that could cause serious damage in the vulnerable region, where facilities are not built to cope with such severe weather. National television station VTV reported that several hundred thousand people were evacuated from their houses, which are mostly made from tin sheets and wooden panels. The death toll from a storm that unleashed landslides and floods across the southern Philippines has climbed to 240 with scores of others still missing, officials said on Monday Tropical Storm Tembin on Friday struck the country's main southern island of Mindanao, which often escapes the 20 or so storms that batter the rest of the archipelago nation each year. Civil defence officials said the number of confirmed deaths from Tembin on Mindanao's Zamboanga peninsula had risen to 78, while the death toll in Lanao del Sur province on the island went up to 27. The storm killed 135 others in the northern section of the island, police said Monday, a figure that was unchanged from a day earlier. Rescuers are still looking for 107 people in these three areas. Many were feared killed by mudslides and flash floods that buried or swept away hundreds of houses last weekend. Civil defence officials said some 13,000 Mindanao families - at least 52,000 people - remained in evacuation camps on Christmas Day, many with few if any possessions left. Tembin swept out into the South China Sea early Sunday, with weather forecasters warning it would hit southern Vietnam later Monday. Tropical Storm Tembin on Friday struck the country's main southern island of Mindanao, which often escapes the 20 or so storms that batter the rest of the archipelago nation each year Civil defence officials said the number of confirmed deaths from Tembin on Mindanao's Zamboanga peninsula had risen to 78, while the death toll in Lanao del Sur province on the island went up to 27 Two other typhoons are known to have inflicted more deaths on Mindanao than Tembin, according to government records. Typhoon Bopha left 1,900 people dead or missing mainly on Mindanao's eastern provinces in December 2012, while Typhoon Washi killed 1,080 people on Mindanao's north coast in December 2011. The deadliest typhoon to hit the country is still Haiyan, which left more than 7,350 people dead or missing and destroyed entire towns in the central Philippines in November 2013. In Vung Tau city, thousands of fishing boats halted their monthslong fishing trips to return to shore. Typhoons and storms rarely hit the Mekong Delta. But in 1997, Tropical Storm Linda swept through the region, killing 770 people and leaving more than 2,000 others missing. Over the weekend, Tembin unleashed landslides and flash floods that killed at least 164 people and left 171 others missing in the Philippines, according to Romina Marasigan of the government's main disaster-response agency. The storm killed 135 others in the northern section of the island, police said Monday, a figure that was unchanged from a day earlier Rescuers are still looking for 107 people in these three areas. Many were feared killed by mudslides and flash floods that buried or swept away hundreds of houses last weekend Initial reports from officials in different provinces placed the overall death toll at more than 230, but Marasigan warned of double counting amid the confusion in the storm's aftermath and said the numbers needed to be verified. More than 97,000 people remained in 261 evacuation centers across the southern Philippines on Monday, while nearly 85,000 others were displaced and staying elsewhere, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. The hardest-hit areas were Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur provinces and the Zamboanga Peninsula. Tembin hit the Philippines as a tropical storm but strengthened into a typhoon before blowing out of the country Sunday into the South China Sea toward Vietnam. Philippine officials had warned villagers in accident-prone areas to evacuate early as Tembin approached and the government was trying to find out what caused the widespread storm deaths, Marasigan said. She added that it was difficult to move people from homes shortly before Christmas. "We don't want to be dragging people out of their homes days before Christmas, but it's best to convince them to quietly understand the importance of why they are being evacuated," Marasigan said at a news conference in Manila. Tembin was among a series of disasters to hit the predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines at the peak of Christmas preparations. Civil defence officials said some 13,000 Mindanao families -- at least 52,000 people - remained in evacuation camps on Christmas Day, many with few if any possessions left Workers carry the body of a victim of Tropical Storm Tembin in Lanao del Norte on Saturday 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. Meanwhile, a crocodile ate a man who was securing his boat as a tropical storm bore down on the Philippines, police said on Saturday. Abdulsalam Binang Amerhasan, 53, went to a river in driving rain on Thursday to tie up his boat on the western island of Palawan, with waters rising as Tropical Storm Tembin closed in, a police report said. The death toll from a tropical storm climbed swiftly to 133 on Saturday, as rescuers pulled dozens of bodies from a swollen river. When Amerhasan failed to return home after an hour, his worried wife sought help from neighbours who launched an overnight search, believing he had had an accident, it added. According to the police report, the community searched along the river 'until they found out that the lifeless body of the victim was still (being) tumultuously bitten by a crocodile'. Police did not say what happened to the crocodile. Gwyn is just one of Battersea Dogs and Cats home many residents looking for a new home this Christmas. The four-year-old greyhound came to Battersea after his racing career came to an end. Battersea helped rehome hundreds of greyhounds following the closure of dog tracks at Walthamstow and Wimbledon - and now works with several greyhound charities to stop dogs being dumped when their days on the track are over. Greyhounds have a life expectancy of 12 to 13 years, but are usually only racing until they are three or four. Gwyn the greyhound is just one of Battersea's many residents looking for a new home this Christmas Becky Fisher, rehoming and welfare manager at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in London, with Gwyn, a male four-year-old greyhound, who is looking for a new home this Christmas Rehoming manager Becky Fisher said: 'There's a lot of misconceptions around greyhounds, people think they need lots and lots of walks, but actually they only need 15 or 20 minutes a day to have a sprint around, then they just want to cuddle up on a sofa. 'What we do find is that it can be a real adjustment going into a home, but most of them do adapt to it really nicely.' Rehoming manager Becky Fisher said: 'There's a lot of misconceptions around greyhounds, people think they need lots and lots of walks, but actually they only need 15 or 20 minutes a day to have a sprint around' Greyhounds have a life expectancy of 12 to 13 years, but are usually only racing until they are three or four Another inseparable pair looking for love are four-year-old saluki Thelma and her best friend, eight-year-old Louise, a border terrier. The two dogs were found camping out on wasteland, but staff think they must have come from the same home because they refuse to be parted from one another - and even have an adapted kennel so they can share. Thelma is so pleased with life she has a bad case of 'happy tail', meaning she wags her tail so much she has fractured the tip. Inseparable pooch pals! Four-year-old Sluki Thema and eight-year-old border terrier Louise who are both looking for a new home this Christmas The two dogs were found camping out on wasteland, but staff think they must have come from the same home because they refuse to be parted from one another - and even have an adapted kennel so they can share The wave of terror attacks that rocked Britain this year has unexpectedly provided new opportunities for some of Battersea's dogs. The jump in demand for security and explosives detection dogs following tragedies like the Manchester Arena bombing and the London Bridge attacks coincided with Battersea's expansion of its working dogs programme. In 2015, 34 dogs were rehomed as working dogs, in 2016 the figure jumped to 58 and many more dogs could be rehomed in this way in the future. A plaque at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, London, to celebrate the rehoming to Downing Street of Larry the cat, pictured right outside Number 10 Dogs that find themselves at the home because they are just too energetic to be contented family pets are now assessed to see if they can be found a suitable canine career. As well as scent dogs, there is also a demand for patrol dogs, guide dogs, sheep dogs and medical detection dogs, which can be trained to sniff out bladder cancer from urine samples or a change in sugar levels in a diabetes sufferer. Direwolves abandoned by Game of Thrones fans Breeds that have become the latest craze often end up on Battersea's doorstep when their new owner realises the reality of what they have taken on. In recent years, the home has seen a number of huskies and malamutes arrive after Game Of Thrones superfans realised the issues around owning a real-life 'direwolf'. Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) pictured in Season One of Game of Thrones with her pet 'Direwolf' - the actress adopted the Mahlek Northern Inuit Dog after the series was filmed In 2010, a total of 53 huskies and malamutes came through the doors, but by 2013 as the show became more popular the number had doubled to 116. Both breeds need a huge amount of exercise and hate being left alone for long periods, making them unsuited for city living. So far this year, 74 huskies and malamutes have been brought in, and Battersea attributes the drop to an education campaign to get people to think twice before buying the dogs. Equally, the fashion for flat-faced breeds like French bulldogs and pugs, which often have extensive health problems, has seen a jump in these breeds arriving at Battersea. Alice Christie, a spokeswoman for the home, says: 'We tell people to imagine breathing through a drinking straw - that's what it's like for these breeds their airways are so narrow. 'Often the people who bring them in aren't irresponsible owners, they just can't afford the vet bills.' Despite years of campaigning to persuade Britons to think twice about giving dogs or cats as gifts - summed up in the Dogs Trust's slogan 'A dog is for life, not just for Christmas' - staff know that they will still see an influx of dogs in a few months' time when their novelty wears off. Rehoming and welfare manager Becky Fisher says: 'Around March we do have more dogs gifted in to us or come in as strays. 'Although we don't know, we do think that might be dogs and cats that people have got as Christmas presents, and especially when they're quite young and they would have been a puppy or a kitten around Christmas time. 'Maybe people have got them without really thinking about what they have taken on, or people have been given them as present when they actually didn't necessarily want to take on the responsibility of a dog or a cat around the rest of its life.' There has been a drop in the number of kittens being left at the home, however, and staff are hopeful that the fall is down to years of campaigning to get families to neuter their cats. But cattery manager Rachel Saunders says she 'can't be certain' as it may be down to people getting rid of unwanted kittens via avenues like GumTree. Advertisement Working dogs manager Jeff Moore and his team of two staff take a look at all the younger dogs who come in to see if they've got what it takes to become a working dog. He explained: 'We assess their ball drive - so whether the dog wants to play with toys and whether they are happy to work for that and do a little bit of searching. 'It depends because we cover areas like police and search dogs and with the prisons, but also medical dogs. So they have to have that willingness to work but they also have to be sociable.' He added: 'A dog that I put into a police work environment can be a little bit more 'full on' and they will need a lot more control type thing, whereas the medical detection dogs because they are living in a family environment they need to be a good all round dog.' Mr Moore started at Battersea in July this year having spent 25 years with the Met's dog section - 14 of those years as a trainer. Police forces across the UK are always on the lookout for talented German Shepherd puppies to train as patrol dogs and spaniels to work as drug and explosives detection dogs. It also makes economic sense for the police to take rescue dogs - a puppy from a breeder would cost around 2,000 with no training at all, whereas Battersea only ask for a 135 donation per dog to cover the cost of vets' bills. Unfortunately, as they are reluctant to take dogs older than two years, this avenue is blocked for many of Battersea's arrivals. But private security firms, the Border Force and large public venues and prisons are also on the lookout for these breeds and are willing to take slightly older animals. Becky Fisher, rehoming and welfare manager at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in London, with Queen, a female seven-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier The tragedies of 2017 have also opened up new opportunities for the Staffordshire bull terrier - by far and away the most common breed to arrive on Battersea's doorstep The tragedies of 2017 have also opened up new opportunities for the Staffordshire bull terrier - by far and away the most common breed to arrive on Battersea's doorstep. Often acquired as 'muscle dogs' since the pitbull was banned, the loyal and mostly gentle breed is often dumped when they fail to do the job of making their owner look tough, Battersea spokeswoman Alice Christie said. Last year 899 Staffies were left at Battersea - 53 per cent more than the next most left breed, mongrels, at 425. But now security firms and even the police are turning to Staffies to train up as sniffer dogs, as their noses are as sensitive as traditional breeds. Mr Moore said: 'It's hard because they've got a reputation - a lot of people don't want to work with the bull breeds unfortunately. 'We have just been given the go ahead with Avon and Somerset police force that is willing to use the Staffordshire, so we are going to source one and hopefully I'll be able to train it and it will be able to go into their programme. It's quite exciting because it will open up a whole new area for that type of dog,' he said. 'It could be really good. It will be one of those things where if we can get one dog up and running and successful it will open the door for a few more.' The owner of two pitbulls which mauled a woman to death in her front yard on Christmas Eve has been arrested for harboring a vicious animal. Johnny Dale Lankford, 42, was already in custody on domestic violence charges when police in Arjay, Kentucky, arrested him for the animal attack which left Lorraine Brock Saylor dead and her husband Johnny injured. Lorraine and her husband were mauled by the animals in front of their home. He shot both animals, killing one and injuring the other, to fight them off but it was too late to save his wife. Lorraine was pronounced dead not long after the morning attack. Johnny Dale Lankford, 42, was already in custody on domestic violence charges when police in Arjay, Kentucky, arrested him for the animal attack which left Lorraine Brock Saylor dead and her husband Johnny injured Lankford's two dogs which attacked the woman. Her husband shot both of them, killing one and injuring the other. The surviving dog is still on the loose Johnny Saylor suffered injuries to his head and arm while fending the animals off. Bell County Sheriff's Office announced Lankford's arrest late on Saturday night in a statement. 'The dogs belonged to 42 year old Johnny Dale Lankford who was already lodged in the Bell County Detention Center on charges he acquired Friday afternoon December 22nd for assault 2nd degree domestic violence, unlawful imprisonment 2nd degree, and a bench warrant. 'After an interview at the detention center, Venable charged Lankford with harboring a vicious animal,' they said. The details surrounding Lankford's first arrest are not clear. It is not known who, if anyone, was watching over the dogs when they attacked the Saylors. The attack happened at the home of Lorraine and Johnny Saylor on Saturday at 10.20am Around 10.20am, Lorraine's brother-in-law James Saylor called police to tell them that the two dogs had 'savagely' attacked the couple. James had been inside his own home next door when he heard the ruckus. When he went outside to see what the commotion was, he saw the two dogs attacking his brother. He then grabbed a doorstop off his front porch and threw it in hopes of distracting the animals. Both animal control and the Bell County Sheriff's Department are looking for the brown Pitbull still out and about. The staff of the Ukrainian army operation in Donbas said that Ukrainian army positions were shelled six times over the day, and one serviceman was injured. More than 20 shells of 82mm mortars were fired on Ukrainian army positions near Krymske in the Luhansk sector within slightly more than an hour, the staff said on Facebook. Small arms were fired on Ukrainian defense lines near Avdiyivka and Krasnohorivka, and grenade launchers and heavy machineguns were employed near Kamyanka in the Donetsk sector, the staff said. One royal family fan got an unexpected Christmas surprise when her boyfriend proposed to her live on Sky News as they queued to catch a glimpse of Meghan Markle. American couple Mike Metz and Ashley Millican, both 20, were waiting to see the Queen, Prince Harry and his fiancee at Sandringham when Mr Metz popped the question. Mr Metz got one one knee when Sky News correspondent Rhiannon Mills asked why it was so important for them to come and see the royals on Christmas morning. He pulled out a ring and said: 'I want to spend the rest of my Christmases with you Ashley, so I don't know if you want to marry me?' Putting her hand to her mouth and fighting back tears, she replied: 'Yes. Oh my God', saying 'Yes, yes, yes' as she took the ring from the little white box. The couple were waiting for the royals to attend a Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church, on the Queen's Sandringham Estate, while they visited the UK to see a relative from Wisconsin. 'I'm feeling great, excited,' Mr Metz told Mills, who had been tipped off about the proposal. American couple Mike Metz and Ashley Millican, both 20, were waiting to see the Queen, Prince Harry and his fiancee at Sandringham when Mike popped the question Miss Millican, from Texas, said the proposal came as a complete surprise. 'I had no idea,' she said, adding: 'I was definitely very surprised. I never thought he would ask me right before we were about to see the Royal Family for the first time. 'It was a big surprise. It's my grandmother's ring, it's very pretty.' Presenter Kay Burley, in the studio, said: 'Unbelievable, fantastic and thank goodness she said 'yes'.' Miss Millican said the proposal while they waited to see the Royal Family came as a complete surprise Mr Metz, of Wisconsin, said he started to plan the proposal in August, asked Miss Millican's parents in September and was nervous ahead of the day. He said the couple planned to tie the knot in around 18 months' time and would 'absolutely' watch the royal wedding. 'It was pretty tough to keep secret as I was so excited,' he said. 'It's memories to cherish forever.' Doctor Who fans have shared their delight after the Time Lord regenerated into a woman for the first time ever - with actress Jodie Whittaker keeping her Yorkshire accent for the role. Tonight's Christmas special Twice Upon A Time marked the exit of both leading star Peter Capaldi and showrunner Steven Moffat. But the hour-long episode also heralded a new beginning for the long-running BBC sci-fi series as it welcomed the first female Doctor ever. The Christmas Day episode saw the first appearance of Jodie Whittaker as the new Doctor Who sending fans wild Peter Capaldi, pictured during his regeneration, is exiting the show along with showrunner Steven Moffat Whittaker regenerated as the first female Time Lord in the final moments of the episode, uttering only the words 'oh brilliant' in her native Yorkshire accent. The brief glimpse was enough to send viewers wild - with fans praising her performance on Twitter. Fans had feared that she might adopt a more generic English dialect - like Scottish former Doctor David Tennant - and had called for her to keep her northern tones. George Aylett wrote: 'We'll miss you, Peter Capaldi. But looking really forward to seeing Jodie Whittaker take on the role - what an entrance!' Whittaker regenerated as the first female Time Lord in the final moments of the episode, uttering only the words 'oh brilliant' in her native Yorkshire accent The brief glimpse was enough to send viewers wild - with fans praising her performance on Twitter NicoleGlasses posted on the social network: 'Well. I cried a lot. That episode did not disappoint me at all. Excited to see what Jodie brings to the show but I'm very sad to see Peter go.' AuthorSJB tweeted: 'No specific spoilers here... but that was such a turbulent emotional battlefield. 'Superb swansong for Peter, and brilliant intro for Jodie. The First Doctor's lines showed how the world has changed, and how the show changes with it. Absolutely stunning.' MagicofVenice wrote: 'I just want to say: thank you Peter Capaldi for portraying an incredible, deep, emotional and kind Doctor who showed us it's ok to be scared of change and to never give up. 'And thank YOU for always being kind, warm and for always having a smile for everyone.' Benjamin-Huish posted: 'So bye bye Peter Capaldi and hello Jodie Whitaker! #DoctorWho 'And bye bye to Steven Moffat who is without question the best writer to have ever graced Doctor Who and is leaving it extremely ripe for the future.' Moffat and Capaldi's exit marks a significant change for the BBC show, with Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall taking on the role of showrunner George Aylett wrote: 'We'll miss you, Peter Capaldi. But looking really forward to seeing Jodie Whittaker take on the role - what an entrance' And DobroDan said: 'Fab DoctorWho Peter has been a marvellous incarnation but so pleased to see Jodi taking over- what a great ending.' Capaldi's last words as the Time Lord included the line: 'Never be cruel, never be cowardly ... Remember hate is always foolish, and love is always wise.' In another surprise for fans, Jenna Coleman made a surprise cameo as Clara, appearing as part of a vision in what Moffat revealed was the final shot he directed in his Doctor Who career. The emotional instalment also featured David Bradley as the first ever Doctor, the Christmas truce of the First World War, and even saw the Time Lord meet the grandfather of one of his greatest friends, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. Mark Gatiss said taking on the role of the character's ancestor was 'incredible', adding: 'Of the many gifts Doctor Who has given me, to actually end up being the brigadier's grandfather, I couldn't imagine anything more brilliant.' Moffat and Capaldi's exit marks a significant change for the BBC show, with Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall taking on the role of showrunner. Earlier this year, BBC director-general Lord Tony Hall hailed Moffat's reign. He said of the Sherlock writer: 'He's continued to surprise and delight us. He's a master craftsman, ingenious, adventurous and great fun and I can't wait to see what he does next.' Joining Whittaker as the first female Doctor in the new series next year, will be Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gill and Tosin Cole. Advertisement Members of the U.S. military were treated to a Christmas dinner at the Resolute Support Headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan on Monday. The soldiers stationed there, along with NATO forces, have provided training, advice and assistance for Afghan security forces and institutions in their conflict with extremist groups. The mission was first implemented on January 1, 2015 and designed to come after the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission, which was completed on December 28, 2014. The soldiers were treated to smorgasbord of delicious sides and entrees, including steak, crab and prime rib - a much deserved meal as they spend another holiday abroad away from their friends and families. President Donald Trump addressed the brave men and women in uniform during a speech delivered at his estate in Florida on Christmas eve, thanking them and their families for the incredible sacrifices they endure to protect the country. 'Today and every day, we're incredibly thankful for you and for your families,' Trump told the troops via video hook-up from Mar-a-Lago, where he is spending the holidays with his family. 'Your families have been tremendous. Always underappreciated, the military families. The greatest people on Earth.' Trump also addressed members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard stationed in Qatar, Kuwait and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and patrolling the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East. Last week, Vice President Mike Pence rallied U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan during a surprise visit. The reality star formerly known as Countess showed no signs of elegance or class while appearing in front of a judge on Sunday in Florida. Luann de Lesseps arrived at the Palm Beach Courthouse just after 9am that morning, almost eight hours after she was taken into custody and booked following an incident at a local hotel. The Real Housewives of New York star got no sleep it seemed as she stood in front of the judge with her limp and greasy hair covering her face, make-up smeared and wearing the same soiled dress she had on Saturday night when she first hit the town. At one point during the proceedings de Lesseps attempted to respond when Judge Ted Booras mentioned she might have a drinking problem, but was quickly told to remain silent. 'Dont say anything,' ordered Judge Booras, who seemed concerned that de Lesseps might incriminate herself with her response. News of her arrest was first reported by The Palm Beach Post, while WPVI captured the reality star during her court appearance early Sunday. Scroll down for video Worse for the wear: Luann de Lesseps, 52, appeaered in Palm Beach County Courthouse on Sunday (above) after her arrest earlier that day at a nearby hotel Multiple counts: She is charged with battery on law enforcement officer, disorderly intoxication, resisting an officer with violence and two counts of corruption by threat Silence: She was told to remain silent at one point during the proceedings when she tried to address the issue of a possible drinking problem Video courtesy of WPTV Judge Booras informed de Lesseps that she needed to hire a lawyer for the 'serious charges' she is facing, just before releasing her from custody. De Lesseps was told she could return to her home in New York because this was her first offense according to the judge, who also allowed her to forego posting any bail and instead released her on her own recognizance. 'I dont think it would be that hard to find you,' said Judge Booras of the Housewives star, who had been filming the upcoming season of her show just days before in new York City. De Lesseps, who appeared with a public defender for her court appearance, was arrested in the early morning hours of Sunday following an incident that resulted in her being charged with five counts. She will be back in court next month to address those charges: battery on a law enforcement officer, disorderly intoxication, resisting an officer with violence and two counts of corruption by threat. Mugging for the camera: News of her arrest was first reported by The Palm Beach Post Battery on a law enforcement officer is considered a third-degree felony which is punishable by a maximum of 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine. The disorderly intoxication charge is a second-degree misdemeanor which is punishable up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. Resisting an officer with violence is a third-degree felony which could land de Lesseps behind bars for 5 years and forced to pay a $5,000 fine. This means that de Lesseps could find herself behind bars for more than a decade in the wake of her arrest. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department has not released many details about the incident at this time, but an assistant states attorney said in court on Sunday that de Lesseps slammed a door and kicked a police officer prior to her arrest. People who witnessed the incident also told authorities that de Lesseps at one point screamed: 'Im going to kill you all.' Order from the court: 'Dont say anything,' ordered Judge Booras, who also told the reality star she would need a lawyer for the 'serious charges' she is facing Mick back: An assistant states attorney said that de Lesseps slammed a door and kicked a police officer prior to her arrest, then screamed: 'I am going to kill you all' Rage-away bride: 'This was my first time in Palm Beach since my wedding and being here brought up buried emotions,' said de Lesseps in her apology A few hours after her court appearance, de Lesseps addressed her arrest on Twitter. 'I want to offer my most sincere apologies to anyone that I might have offended with my behavior,' wrote de Lesseps. '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.' That 'transformative' 2018 will include at least one more trip to palm Beach for de Lesseps, who is due back in court on January 25, at which point the state with formally file charges in the case. It almost one year ago to the day that de Lesseps married Tom D'Agostino in Palm Beach, seven years after her divorce from Count Alexandre de Lesseps. She and the Count have two children, Victoria and Noel, who both appear to have been in France with their father at the time of de Lesseps' arrest. De Lesseps' marriage to D'Agostino, which her Bravo co-stars all said they thought was doomed from the start, was over by August and the two have since finalized their divorce. D'Agostino was also in Palm Beach over the weekend with his new girlfriend Anna Rothschild. It is not clear why de Lesseps was done, but she was seen getting ready to party earlier in the day on Saturday with her friend Husbands and wife: Luann with Count Alexandre in 2007 (left); with D'Agostino in July (right) Gang's all here: De Lesseps has been busy filming the upcoming season of Housewives (above with the cast last week) Kids incorporated: De Lesseps and the Count have two children from their first marriage, Noel and Victoria (above in November) One source claimed earlier this year that de Lesseps' New Year's Eve nuptials were less about true love and more about an aging divorcee desperate to secure her ever-loosening grip on reality stardom. A close friend of D'Agostino told DailyMail.com that it was Tom who filed for divorce after growing tired of being cuckolded by his new wife during their brief marriage. 'It has been really difficult for Tom because he did love her,' said his friend. 'But she only married him because she was becoming irrelevant on the show and needed a new story line.' And as D'Agostino's friend explained, that was still just one of the couple's many problems. 'She cheated, she was unfaithful, she was prone to violent outbursts,' revealed the friend, making their way through a laundry list of accusations. Those violent outbursts allegedly included de Lesseps biting D'Agostino days before their wedding and leaving him covered in blood when she scratched his cheek at a posh Upper East Side eatery in July. It doesnt take much for her to punch, bite, slap or scratch him,' noted the friend, who described de Lesseps' behavior as 'bats*** crazy' at times. Another friend who knows both members of the couple tells DailyMail.com that it was clear from the beginning this romance was made for television. 'Stevie Wonder can see what Luann did here,' jokes the friend of the estranged pair. 'She knew shed had a very boring season, except for drunkenly falling into the bushes in Mexico, so she needed something to ensure Bravo cast her for another year.' The friend then added that de Lesseps has been holding on to her position as one of the show's leading ladies with an iron grip ever since she was demoted back in season six. 'She was downgraded a few years back and it nearly killed her being a friend of the Housewives rather than a fully-fledged cast member,' revealed the friend of the couple. 'If shes filed for divorce before the reunion was filmed in mid-July, she wouldve had to discuss it. So shes filed now after the reunion, so shell have a full season to discuss it next year.' And while some may find the entire scenario to be a bit uncouth, the friend applauded Luann for her tenacity. 'Its a very smart move by the nurse from Connecticut. No one hustles better or is more cunning than Luann,' said the friend. It worked out too, as she is a featured cast member in the upcoming season. The family of a British embassy worker murdered in Beirut earlier this month have launched a charity foundation to support her humanitarian causes. Rebecca Dykes, 30, was working in Lebanon as a programme and policy manager for the Department for International Development before her body was found dumped by a motorway in the east of the country's capital on Saturday December 16. Her family and friends have now established a charitable fund to continue her work supporting refugees. Rebecca Dykes, 30, was found dead with her body dumped by a motorway in Beirut - her family are now starting a charitable foundation to support her humanitarian causes The fund will have a particular focus on empowering and preventing violence against women. In a statement, Ms Dykes' family said: 'In the time since Becky's death we have been overwhelmed by the messages of support we have received from those who encountered her during her life. 'Becky dedicated her career to humanitarian causes, and worked tirelessly to make the world a kinder, fairer, safer and more stable place. 'We want to ensure that this work continues in her name.' Ms Dykes' family are now launching a charitable foundation in their daughter's memory to further her humanitarian work with refugees and in preventing violence against women The JustGiving page is hoping to raise 100,000 in memory of Ms Dykes. The page said: 'Rebecca was compassionate, caring and committed to humanitarian causes. 'She worked tirelessly to make the world a kinder, fairer, safer and more stable place. 'As well as being a dedicated humanitarian worker, Rebecca was a colleague, a friend, a daughter, a sister and aunt. 'Your donations will help us build the better world that Rebecca believed in.' 29-year-old Uber driver Tarek Hawchieh was arrested by police for Ms Dykes' rape and murder and he reportedly told them she was 'pretty' and wearing a 'short skirt' More details can be found at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/rebeccadykes. It is believed Ms Dykes had been at a colleague's leaving party in the Gemmayzeh district of Beirut on the night before she was found dead. Uber's app allegedely linked Tarek Hawchieh to Ms Dykes' (pictured) rape and murder An Uber driver arrested over the killing has admitted attempting to rape Ms Dykes before strangling her with a rope, according to local media reports. Lebanese police traced Tarek Hawchieh after his car was picked up on traffic management CCTV cameras. Senior police sources claim Miss Dykes' fate appeared to have been sealed the moment she entered the cab. 'He said he found her pretty, wearing a short skirtand so he decided to rape her as it would be easy as she was a foreigner,' the source told MailOnline. Uber's app also allegedly linked the driver to her murder along with the footage. Initial media reports suggested she had been raped at least once. Speaking outside her home on Friday, the suspect's mother Um Hassen said if her son was guilty he belonged 'behind bars' as she broke down in tears. Ms Hassen, who lives in a rundown block of flats in an impoverished suburb of Beirut, said: 'I'm both frustrated and depressed about what happened. If this is really his fault then he should stay in jail and remain there.' Hawchieh reportedly confessed almost immediately to Lebanese police that he murdered the diplomat after being confronted with CCTV evidence. Just in time for Christmas, the late Playboy founder Hugh Hefners headstone was affixed to his grave marker alongside Marilyn Monroes final resting place at the exclusive Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery. The simple plaque bears Hefners first name, middle initial M and last name, followed by the years of his birth and death, 1926-2017. A photo of the grave site taken over the weekend shows the newly installed headstone adorned with a single white rose. Home for Christmas: A new headstone memorializing Hugh Hefner is pictured alongside Marilyn Monroe's grave marker at a Los Angeles cemetery on Sunday His muse: The first issue of Playboy, published in December 1953, featured Marilyn Monroe on the cover in a black silk dress with a plunging neckline It is no coincidence that the media mogul who revved up the sexual revolution in the 1950s will end up spending an eternity in the company of America's most celebrated sex symbol. Hefner reserved the plot at the celebrity-packed Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles next Monroe, who was Playboy's inaugural cover girl, in 1992 at the cost of $75,000, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Hefner, the pipe-smoking silk-pajama-wearing embodiment of the lifestyle he touted, passed away at the age on 91 on September 27. A statement released by Playboy Enterprises at the time said the magazine founder died at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills of natural causes. It was revealed shortly after his death that Hefner succumbed to cardiac arrest, respiratory failure and septicemia after contracting an aggressive strain of e-coli which was resistant to drugs. Besides Monroe, who passed away in 1962 at the age of 36, the LA burial ground is also home to the graves of musician Roy Orbison, writer Truman Capote, iconic entertainer Dean Martin and actress and socialite Zsa Zsa abor, who passed away lat year. Monroe starred in movies including Love Nest and Some Like It Hot. coveted spot: Hefner paid $75,000 in 1992 to reserve the plot at Westwood Village Memorial Park next to his first cover girl Bombshell: Monroe passed away from a drug overdose in 1962 at the age of 36 Hefner was born on April 9, 1926, in Chicago, Illinois, and went on to become a millionaire after founding the influential men's magazine in 1953. The magazine hit with a splash, selling 50,000 copies of its first 50-cent issue published in December 1953 - which featured Monroe on the cover in a black silk dress with a plunging neckline - and went on to have seven million subscribers by its second year. That first issue featured nude photos of the Gentlemen Prefer Blondes star and an editorial promise of 'humor, sophistication and spice.' Born Norma Jeane Mortenson in 1926, Monroe would become one of Hollywood's biggest stars and an American sex symbol for a generation. Monroe's films would gross over $200million in the decade leading up to her untimely death caused by a drug overdose. Hefner's recently released trust documents stipulate that his widow, Crystal, and his four grown children must stay away from drugs and alcohol, and spend responsibly if they want to inherit his fortune, estimated at $43million. A bus collided with a van carrying pilgrims to Christmas Mass in the Philippines on Monday, in a horrific crash that left at least 20 people dead - including a five-month-old baby. More than 24 people were also injured in the collision that took place in the northern Philippines' Agoo town in La Union province. Police Chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula said all those killed in the morning crash in were in the van - including its driver. The crash between a bus and a jeepney (pictured) took place in the northern Philippines as pilgrims were on their way to Christmas Mass, 20 died including a five-month-old baby The van involved is known as a jeepney and ais the most popular form of public transport in the country. Another 10 jeepney passengers were injured, along with the driver and 17 other occupants of the bus. However, no one from the bus was killed, reported Reuters. The jeepney's engine was ripped off due to the impact of the crash. The passengers were bound for Our Lady of Manaoag, a Roman Catholic church in northern Pangasinan province that is popular among pilgrims and Catholics praying for the sick and impoverished, police said. The jeepney allegedley drove into the opposite lane of the highway to overtake vehicles before it collided head-on with the bus on a northern Philippine highway, according to the authorities. The bus applied its brakes when it hit the jeepney, but it was not enough to avoid a collision. The bus was less damaged than the jeepney with no deaths, although the driver and 17 other passengers suffered injuries Shocking footage shows the smashed-up jeepney at the side of the road with broken glass strewn everywhere. Locals can also be seen looking at the aftermath of the crash in horror. Rickety passenger buses and jeepneys, lack of safety signs, poor law enforcement and reckless driving have been blamed for many road tragedies in the Philippines. Jeepneys are popular among citizens and the colourful vans are considered iconic. Under Philippine law, the bus driver may even face charges of reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide. These charges carry a sentence of up to six years. The U.S. government says it has negotiated a significant cut in the United Nations budget. The U.S. Mission to the United Nations said on Sunday that the U.N.'s 2018-2019 budget would be slashed by over $285 million. The mission said reductions would also be made to the U.N.'s management and support functions. The U.S. Mission to the United Nations said on Sunday that the U.N.'s 2018-2019 budget would be slashed by over $285 million (Pictured: US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley) U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley cited the 'inefficiency and overspending' of the UN as part of the Trump administration's decision for the move The announcement didn't make clear the entire amount of the budget or specify what effect the cut would have on the U.S. contribution. U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley said that the 'inefficiency and overspending' of the organization is well-known, and she would not let 'the generosity of the American people be taken advantage of.' She also said that while the mission was pleased with the results of budget negotiations, it would continue to 'look at ways to increase the U.N.'s efficiency... while protecting our interests.' The requested budget cuts come off the heels of the UN General Assembly voting to reject the Trump administration recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital earlier this month. After announcing his decision on December 6, Trump signed a six-month waiver that delays the relocation of the American embassy currently in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The requested budget cuts come off the heels of a recent decision in the UN General Assembly to reject Donald Trump's Jerusalem decision On December 21, just hours before the vote, Haley warned that America's financial commitment to UN would be significantly reduced if the international body contested the Trump administration's decision. 'The United States will remember this day in which it was singled out in this assembly for the very act of exercising our right as a sovereign nation,' Haley told member nations ahead of their vote. The President of Guatemala, Jimmy Morales, said his country would move their embassy to Jerusalem following talks with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu (Pictured) 'We will remember it when we are called upon to once again make the world's largest contribution to the UN and we will remember it when so many countries come calling on us, as they often do, to pay even more and to use our influence for their benefit,' Haley said. The General Assembly nevertheless voted 128 to 9 in favor of a non-binding resolution to declare Trump's move 'null and void.' The resolution, sponsored by Yemen and Turkey, reaffirmed what has been the United Nations' stand on the divided holy city since 1967 - that Jerusalem's final status must be decided in direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Meanwhile, Guatemala said that it would follow America's lead and announced plans to move its embassy in Israel, currently situated in Tel Aviv, to Jerusalem on Sunday. The President of Guatemala, Jimmy Morales, said he made the decision after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Guatemala was one of nine nations that voted against the UNs resolution on Jerusalem. Heather Mack, the American woman convicted of murdering her mother during a 2014 vacation to Bali then stuffing her corpse in a suitcase, received a Christmas Day visit from her own daughter in the Indonesian prison where she is locked up. Mack, 21, and her ex-boyfriend Tommy Schaefer, who is also behind bars at the same facility, are no longer together but they relished the opportunity for some quality time with their two-year-old Stella on Monday at Kerobokan Prison. It was not Stella's first time to the correctional facility. She lived there until March this year when, once she turned two, Heather was forced to turn her over to a foster family. Mack was pregnant when she and Schaefer plotted to kill Mack's mother, Sheila von Wiese-Mack, in 2014. Scroll down for video Heather Mack receives a visit from her two-year-old daughter Stella at Bali's Kerobokan Prison on Christmas Day. Heather's lesbian lover Rafael is pictured to the right of her in a brown shirt Happy family: Rafael watches on as Heather cradles two-year-old Stella who was brought in by her foster family She was born as her mother stood trial for her own mother's murder the following year and was handed over to an Indonesian foster family in March when she turned two. On Monday, she was dressed festively in a tutu and some fairy wings. Schaefer and Mack took turns holding Stella, who is being cared for locally. She sat on her mother's lap in a crowded room for part of the visit. Rafael, her lesbian lover, looked on closely. Stella then enjoyed her father's embrace elsewhere later. Mack, who gave birth in custody while awaiting trial, was pleased with the festive visit Daddy's girl: Stella was at home in her father Tommy Schaefer's arms, relaxing in to his embrace as he held her Stella's father Tommy Schaefer spent some time with her alone. He is serving 18 years Schaefer relished the chance to spend some quality time with the two-year-old The visit is one of many she will no doubt make in her childhood. Mack is serving a 10 year sentence for her mother's murder. Schaefer received a heavier, 18 year sentence. Despite her maternal display on Monday, insiders say Mack has been living it up behind bars since Stella was taken away. She spends her days taking drugs and lying in bed with her lesbian lover Rafael, according to insiders. Mack has access to social media and regularly shares photographs of their life on the inside. Schaefer is disheartened by her behavior. The pair were teenagers when they killed Sheila in their hotel room at the St. Regis in Nusa Dua. Mack and Schaefer stuffed her mother Sheila von Wiese's body in a suitcase after killing her in Nusa Dua in 2014 Heather later said she killed her mother as revenge for her father's 2006 death which she held her accountable for They then put her body in a suitcase and left it in the hotel for staff to find. Heather denied the killing but, in February, made a bombshell confession in a YouTube video. In it, she claimed to have killed her mother herself then ordered Schaefer to help her dispose of her body. Mack later retracted the videos and said she made them under duress from Tommy. Her maternal uncle previously told DailyMail.com how she was indifferent about Stella being taken away from her. Mack gave birth to baby Stella in 2015 while awaiting trial. She was forced to hand her over to an Indonesian foster family in March Mack and Schaefer were a couple when she they plotted the murder 'I've seen many pictures and videos that Heather posts on social media showing the partying, drinking and going out to restaurants. I do not understand how this happens in prison. 'It's just crazy, it's like she's dancing on Sheila's grave, she doesn't show any remorse at all. 'It's very sad and we've been very frustrated by her. We would like to see her receive justice someday as I do not believe she has received any meaningful justice in Indonesia. 'At least Tommy has shown some remorse for the brutal murder of Sheila, and accepted some responsibility,' he added. In her February video, Mack made the bizarre claim that she wanted her mother killed as revenge for her father's death in 2006 which she said her mother was responsible for. She later retracted the claim that Tommy was innocent. Lieutenant Jock Lewes, pictured, armed his men with bombs that he had made himself and taught them to parachute behind enemy lines in the dead of night As Britain was losing the war against Germany in the spring of 1941, one Oxford-educated officer was making his own plans for retaliation. Lieutenant Jock Lewes armed his men with bombs that he had made himself and taught them to parachute behind enemy lines in the dead of night. The 27-year-old guided them through a desert minefield laced with Nazi explosives. And as his soldiers trained in the soaring heat of the Middle East, the champagne-drinking officer made them shoot bullets towards each others' heads to prepare them for the sounds of war. Such was his innovation that after his death later in 1941, David Stirling the man known as the founder of the Special Air Service said that Lewes should in fact receive the credit. He wrote to Lewes's father Arthur: 'Jock Lewes could far more genuinely claim to be the founder of the SAS than I.' That letter, dated November 20, 1942, will go on display for the first time next year at an exhibition dedicated to the fighting force at the National Army Museum in London. Jock's nephew John Lewes reveals today his uncle's little-told story of the birth of the unit whose exploits became the stuff of legend. Mr Lewes, who has written A Spy After All, said: 'Prince William said to me, 'Jock Lewes is like the desert's version of [polar explorer] Shackleton'. And in a sense that sums him up well.' Jock Lewes is pictured (right) with Sir David Stirling, the official founder of the Special Air Service. Such was his innovation that after his death later in 1941, Sir David said that Lewes should in fact receive the credit Sir David Stirling wrote to Lewes's father Arthur: 'Jock Lewes could far more genuinely claim to be the founder of the SAS than I' He said the 'spring of 1941 is where the embryo of the SAS began', six months before its official inception on September 2. Jock Lewes, a dashing Welsh Guards officer, had deployed with No 8 Commando to Suez and eventually on to Cairo. In April, weeks after they arrived, Germany invaded Greece. And it was against this backdrop that Lewes decided to begin his own initiative. Before the war he had spent time in Germany and had met officials from the main services, including the SS. His nephew said: 'He knew how ambitious, how lethal, and how dangerous his opposite numbers were.' So Lewes, a leading weapons training officer, started taking a group of the men out for training in the desert. Jock, pictured left, even equipped his men with explosives he had made a skill learnt from the age of ten when his father gave him and his brother David, pictured right, a chemistry set In June 1941 Lieutenant David Stirling asked to join Jock in the desert. And in August he presented Lewes's SAS concept to their commanders. In his letter to Jock's father Arthur (pictured), Stirling wrote: 'This proposal was largely based on Jock's ideas and was merely an application of them on a unit basis' He learned to parachute by borrowing a postal plane and taught six commandos how to use the stars to navigate. Mr Lewes said: 'He got men to parachute having never been taught to parachute in his life. 'The post plane was difficult to parachute out of there's a danger your parachute will snag on the tail. He envisaged night raids, not daytime ones like the Nazis, and so navigation was going to have to be very good.' He even equipped his men with explosives he had made a skill learnt from the age of ten when his father gave him and his brother a chemistry set. 'He had been blowing things up since he was ten. His brother had blown up the neighbours' post box,' Mr Lewes added. Jock's nephew John Lewes, pictured, has revealed his uncle's little-told story of the birth of the unit whose exploits became the stuff of legend In June 1941 Lieutenant David Stirling, who had similar ideas to Lewes, asked to join him in the desert. And in August he presented Lewes's SAS concept to their commanders. In his letter to Arthur Lewes, Stirling wrote: 'This proposal was largely based on Jock's ideas and was merely an application of them on a unit basis. 'ME (Middle East HQ) instructed me to form a unit on the lines of Jock's ideas. In fact, I built the unit around him.' Stirling was granted a force of 60 men to train and on September 2, 1941, they were officially recognised as 'L' Detachment of the Special Air Service Brigade. A month later Lewes wrote to his girlfriend, Mirren Barford, saying he wanted to marry her. But on December 30 he was killed by a German aircraft while on an operation in Libya. 'My uncle managed to say one word, 'Mirren', and then he died,' Mr Lewes said. He never received the letter Mirren had written back, saying yes to his proposal. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has launched an internal inquiry into possible irregularities in the purchase and quality of TOR helmets made by UA.RPA. "During the preliminary testing of TOR helmets questions arose about the product's quality. For the purpose of a full and objective investigation, samples were sent to the Interior Ministry's forensic science center and helmet deliveries to the national armed forces have been suspended for the duration of inquiry," the ministry said on its website on Friday. The inquiry is objective and impartial, and the military law enforcement service uses official and verified information when submitting reports and conclusions, the ministry said. The inquiry will include an appraisal of the quality and price of the helmets provided. "At present the Interior Ministry's forensic science center in Kyiv is conducting a physical and chemical appraisal of the helmets. The results will be made available to all those concerned and a decision will be made in accordance with the Ukrainian law," the ministry said. Nick Clegg will be handed a knighthood in the New Years Honours. The former Liberal Democrat leader will become Sir Nick when the full list is published on Saturday, senior party sources revealed. The gong is in recognition of his five years as David Camerons deputy prime minister. But the knighthood is likely to be controversial given that Mr Clegg is an arch Remainer and that his party has been showered with honours in recent years. The Lib Dems have more than 100 representatives in the House of Lords despite their limited electoral success. Nick Clegg will become a Sir when the New Year's honours list is published on Saturday, senior party sources revealed Mr Clegg is pictured with his wife Miriam Gonzalez Durantez. It is not yet known if she will take a title Will Miriam use a title? Miriam Gonzalez Durantez is unlikely to take up the title Lady Clegg after her husband is knighted. The Spanish lawyer does not use her married name and has never become a British citizen, raising further doubts about the title. It is uncertain whether the rules allow a non-British citizen to call themselves Lady. Foreigners who are given a knighthood cannot call themselves Sir or Dame but it is unclear whether this restriction applies to spouses as well. At her international legal firm Dechert, she is known as Ms Gonzalez Durantez. Advertisement Their peers will have considerable power over the course of the UKs departure from the EU and Mr Clegg has called for a second referendum and written a book called How to Stop Brexit. Senior Lib Dem figures to have received knighthoods include party leader Vince Cable and home affairs spokesman Ed Davey. They were knighted after serving in the coalition governments Cabinet. Both lost their south-west London seats at the 2015 election but returned to Parliament after winning again at this summers poll. Another former Lib Dem Cabinet minister, Danny Alexander, was given a knighthood after losing his Scottish seat in 2015, although he has not returned as an MP. Former pensions minister Steve Webb was knighted a year ago. Mr Clegg, who lost his Sheffield Hallam seat in June, had to wait longer. It is likely that as with his former colleagues his honour was delayed until after he left the Commons. The knighthood is likely to be controversial given that Mr Clegg (pictured with his wife) is an arch Remainer and that his party has been showered with honours in recent years The Lib Dems have more than 100 representatives in the House of Lords despite their limited electoral success. Mr Clegg was the party's leader from 2007 to 2015 In his book on Brexit, Mr Clegg wrote: There is nothing remotely inevitable about Brexit except that it will be deeply damaging if it happens. The former Lib Dem leader sparked further fury among Eurosceptics when he travelled to Brussels to meet EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier. He and two other Remain supporters, veteran Tory Ken Clarke, and Labour peer Lord Adonis, were accused of trying to interfere in Brexit talks. Mr Clegg has called for Britain to hold a second referendum on the final Brexit deal agreed with Brussels. In September, he said there should be a second vote because the people who voted Leave were dying off. He said the high point of support had passed because the oldest voters voted for Brexit in the largest numbers. Senior Lib Dem figures to have received knighthoods include party leader Vince Cable, pictured left, and home affairs spokesman Ed Davey, pictured right Mr Clegg said MPs were duty bound to reject any Brexit deal if it was not good enough. He said he supported Britain joining an outer orbit of membership within a reformed European Union. Mr Clegg entered the Commons in 2005 after years working in Brussels. He took up a post with the European Commission in 1994 and five years later he was elected as a Liberal Democrat MEP in the European Parliament. After swapping Brussels for Westminster, he won the race to become party leader in 2007 by beating Chris Huhne after Menzies Campbell was persuaded to step down. Three years later he rode a wave of so-called Cleggmania that briefly saw his party top the polls during the 2010 election campaign. Although the results did not match this early success, he became a power broker during coalition talks, eventually siding with the Tories and allowing David Cameron to enter No 10. After the partys 2015 election disaster, Mr Clegg resigned as leader and returned to the backbenches In return, Mr Clegg was handed the position of deputy prime minister and brought the first Liberal MPs into government for decades. However, his partys poll ratings began to plummet after he was forced to renege on a major pledge not to increase tuition fees. And he suffered the humiliation of losing a referendum on changing the voting system to a form of proportional representation. After the partys 2015 election disaster, Mr Clegg resigned as leader and returned to the backbenches. A year later, following the EU referendum, he became the partys Brexit spokesman. The honours system has come under attack in recent years over claims it is used to give gongs to political cronies. The honours will be announced formally on the night of December 29. A Liberal Democrat spokesman said: We dont comment on any honours list speculation. The famed director of Hollywood legend John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands is accusing his estranged wife of kidnapping their daughter. Nick Cassavetes, who has mad e a name for himself behind the camera with films like 'The Notebook' and 'The Other Woman,' revealed that his 13-year-old daughter Barbarella was missing in a post on Instagram over the weekend. He has now filed a report with the Los Angeles Police Department accusing his wife Heather Wahlquist of violating their custody agreement by running off with the girl. 'Where is my baby? Why won't her phone turn on? Why has she been stolen from me?' wrote Cassavetes on Friday. 'Is she okay? Does she know I love her, that I miss her everyday? Does she know that I'm coming and will never stop coming?' He included a photo of himself with Barbie alongside that post. Scroll down for video Nick Cassavetes claims his estranged wife Heather Wahlquist (pair above in 2012) has taken their daughter in violation of their custody agreement It is not clear what custody agreement the two have and she said earlier this month shed is unlawfully under attack' Cassavetes said he has not spoken to 13-year-old Barbarella in over a month On Sunday, Cassavetes went a step further and accused Wahlquist of kidnapping their child. 'I miss my daughter on the day before Xmas Eve. I haven't spoken to her in over a month. Wherever she is, i want her to know that I love her more than anything and I will never stop looking for her,' he wrote in that Instagram post. 'Merry Christmas, my love, we all wait for your return, Love, your dad, Sasha, Gina, Chrissy, Loochie, Gena and Bob, your aunties, Chvonshvy, Yuki, Gus, and Theo...' Cassavetes has been married twice, to Wahlquist and Isabelle Rafalovich before her, with whom he has two daughters - Virginia (31) and Sasha (29). He met Wahlquist when he directed her in the 2002 film John Q, and the status of the relationship between the two has always been a bit of a mystery. The two were married though and have since split, with Cassavetes now dating model Christina Virzi. Charlie Sheen has tweeted out in support of Cassavettes, who is the son of John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands (above in 1968) Her posted a photo of his new paramour and daughter Barbie on Sunday as well, writing: 'What kind of person keeps a kid away from their father on Christmas? Thank you for all your notes of support, if anyone sees Barbie or knows of her whereabouts, please call the Norman Police Department 405 321 1600, the Cleveland County Sheriff's Department 405 701 8888, or the National Child Abduction Hot Line 800 843 5678. Thank you and Merry Christmas, everyone...' His good friend Charlie Sheen also joined in to lend a hand to the effort, tweeting: 'we have a 911. Barbie, the 13 yr old daughter of my dear pal has been kidnapped by his ex wife, in Oklahoma. its an Amber Alert situation. we need help getting the word out. If you have any info, please call the Normal Police Dept 405-321-1600.' Sheen tweeted a photo of father and daughter on Christmas writing: '#FathersRights xox.' The LAPD did not respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com and the details of Cassavetes custody agreement with his estranged wife have not been made public. Wahlquist meanwhile responded to a question about how she would describe her 2017 on Twitter buy writing: '#UnlawfullyUnderAttack.' United Airlines apologized to a woman who accused the company of taking the first class seat she paid for on a flight and giving it instead to a member of Congress. The airline also announced on Monday that it would reimburse Jean-Marie Simon with a $500 voucher, according to the New York Daily News. Earlier this week, Simon, a school teacher from Washington, DC, accused United Airlines of evicting her from her first-class seat and giving it to senior Democratic congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. 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 Weekly 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. The Queen hinted at plans to hand over to the next generation yesterday as she addressed the nation 60 years after her first televised Christmas message. In a reflective mood and surrounded by pictures of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, the 91-year-old monarch said that as a child she could never have dreamed of reaching her 70th wedding anniversary earlier this year. She said the idea of a platinum anniversary had not been invented then, adding: 'When I was born, you weren't expected to be around that long.' In a reflective mood and surrounded by pictures of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, the 91-year-old monarch said that as a child she could never have dreamed of reaching her 70th wedding anniversary earlier this year The Queen, who is now the longest reigning monarch in British history, made a point of saying that 'even' Prince Philip, 96, who announced his retirement from public life earlier this year, has decided to start taking it easy It was almost as if she were suggesting that she, too, might consider following in his footsteps in the not too distant future The Queen, who is now the longest reigning monarch in British history, made a point of saying that 'even' Prince Philip, 96, who announced his retirement from public life earlier this year, has decided to start taking it easy. It was almost as if she were suggesting that she, too, might consider following in his footsteps in the not too distant future. As if to emphasise this point, she chose to highlight the fact that the younger generation of the Royal Family will become even larger next year. Prince Harry is due to marry his fiancee, Meghan Markle, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their third child. Speaking in her pre-recorded Christmas address from Buckingham Palace, the Queen said: 'Even Prince Philip has decided it's time to slow down a little having, as he economically put it, "done his bit". Yesterday's broadcast came 65 years after the Queen made her inaugural address to the nation, which was originally broadcast on the radio. It began with a black-and-white clip of her first televised address in 1957 before flicking back to the present day Speaking in her pre-recorded Christmas address from Buckingham Palace, reflected on her own role in the monarch and emphasised the exciting things to come for the younger royals. Pictured above, the Queen - then a princess - and Prince Philip on their wedding day in 1947 Princess Elizabeth and The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh enjoying a walk during their honeymoon at Broadlands, Romsey, Hampshire The Queen, pictured in her younger years, joked about how 'the presenter has 'evolved' somewhat' along with the technology used to broadcast her words 'But I know his support and unique sense of humour will remain as strong as ever, as we enjoy spending time this Christmas with our family and look forward to welcoming new members into it next year.' The sense of out with the old and in with the new was emphasised by the choice of photographs displayed on the Queen's desk in Buckingham Palace, and elsewhere in the Christmas Day broadcast. They included a photograph of the Queen and Philip taken to mark their 70th wedding anniversary in November, and a black-and-white photograph of the couple on their wedding day in 1947. There was also a photograph of Prince George released in July to mark his fourth birthday, and a picture of Princess Charlotte taken by the Duchess of Cambridge on her second birthday. Viewers also saw a photograph of Harry and Meghan at the Kensington Palace photocall to announce their engagement last month, and a photograph of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall taken at Clarence House. The sense of out with the old and in with the new was emphasised by the choice of photographs displayed on the Queen's desk in Buckingham Palace, and elsewhere in the Christmas Day broadcast Prince Harry is due to marry his fiancee, Meghan Markle, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their third child Yesterday's broadcast came 65 years after the Queen made her inaugural address to the nation, which was originally broadcast on the radio. It began with a black-and-white clip of her first televised address in 1957 before flicking back to the present day. The Queen joked about how 'the presenter has 'evolved' somewhat' along with the technology used to broadcast her words. 'Back then, who could have imagined that people would one day be watching this on laptops and mobile phones,' she said. 'But I'm also struck by something that hasn't changed. That, whatever the technology, many of you will be watching this at home. 'We think of our homes as places of warmth, familiarity and love; of shared stories and memories, which is perhaps why at this time of year so many return to where they grew up. There is a timeless simplicity to the pull of home.' As she gave her address, the Queen was wearing a dress in ivory white boucle threaded throughout with silk ribbon, embroidered with gold, silver and ivory spots and embellished with Swarovski crystals, by Angela Kelly. She first wore the dress during the River Thames pageant for her Diamond Jubilee in 2012. After recalling the terror attacks in London and Manchester, as well as the Grenfell Tower tragedy, she concluded her address with the message: 'Whatever your own experiences this year, I wish you a peaceful and very happy Christmas.' The problem of getting to the tiny Indonesian island of Komodo was not one that anybody on Java, its larger neighbour, seemed in the habit of solving. 'The next boat from here,' I said to the clerk at the maritime office. 'When does it sail?' 'Next boat, two months,' he replied. It was not an encouraging start to our quest to be the first wildlife team ever to film a komodo dragon. The problem of getting to the tiny Indonesian island of Komodo was not one that anybody on Java, its larger neighbour, seemed in the habit of solving The airline officials were a little more helpful. They told us that by flying north to Macassar, on Sulawesi, we could then get from there to Maumere, a town on Flores, the island that lies next door to Komodo. The planes went every fortnight. Then all we would have to do was travel 200 miles to the other end of the island and find a way of crossing the five-mile stretch of water to Komodo. We found several people who had heard of Maumere, but none who had been there. Our most authoritative informant was a Chinese man who had a distant relative, That Sen, running a store in Maumere who would sort everything out for us. 'So that's settled,' I said to our cameraman, Charles, that evening. 'It's easy. We fly to Macassar, connect with a plane to Maumere, discover our Chinese friend's brother-in-law, hire a lorry, drive 200 miles to the other end of Flores, find a canoe and cross the five-mile strait to Komodo. 'Then all we have to do is catch our komodo dragon.' Smiling broadly, our new acquaintance, That Sen, held out both hands to us and burst into a flood of very rapid Indonesian. It took us a good while with the dictionary to understand the situation he was describing. There was only one vehicle in Maumere in working order, he was telling us: a lorry that belonged to him, and that was vital to the island's economy. It would be unthinkable for us to commandeer it. The only other route to Komodo was by sea. Was there perhaps a small motor vessel in Maumere harbour we could hire? A little fishing prau? 'Maybe,' said That Sen, leaping into his lorry and driving off. It was several hours before he reappeared. Smilingly, he explained all was well. The fishing fleet was at sea, but by a stroke of good fortune one prau [sailing boat] was still in harbour and he had brought its captain with him to discuss our plans. 'The next boat from here,' I said to the clerk at the maritime office. 'When does it sail?' A shifty-looking man wearing a black sarong and a black pitji cap, the captain allowed That Sen to do the talking, and kept his eyes fixed mostly on the floor. The captain's price was extremely high, as we knew it would be. There was no other way of getting to Komodo, and he knew we were desperate to get there. He left looking highly delighted, saying he would be back the next day. The prau was tiny. Just 25ft long, it was single-masted with a triangular mainsail swinging on a bamboo boom. The minuscule cabin could be entered only by crawling into it on our hands and knees. The ship's crew were two boys of around 14, Hassan and Hamid. As we waved goodbye to That Sen on the jetty, the pair hoisted the sails and with the captain at the tiller, we were off. It was a fine evening. The wind was fresh and the little boat thrust forward eagerly through the choppy sea. Charles opted to sleep on the deck while I bunked down in the cabin with the crew and Sabran, an animal collector and expert we'd met in Borneo who was now an indispensable member of the team. 'Next boat, two months,' he replied. It was not an encouraging start to our quest to be the first wildlife team ever to film a komodo dragon It was difficult to decide who had the worse accommodation. Charles ran the risk of being showered with seawater, or clouted over the head by the boom. On the other hand, he had fresh air, which nobody in the overheated cabin with its overwhelming stench of rotting fish could boast. But we were on our way. Four days into the journey I asked the captain whether we would reach Komodo the next day. 'Maybe,' he replied non-committally. The following morning I tried again. 'Friend,' I said, 'How many hours to Komodo?' 'Not know,' he told me. 'Have you been to Komodo before?' I persisted. The airline officials were a little more helpful. They told us that by flying north to Macassar, on Sulawesi, we could then get from there to Maumere, a town on Flores, the island that lies next door to Komodo. The planes went every fortnight 'Belum,' he said. I looked it up in the dictionary. Belum: not yet. An awful realisation dawned on me. Basically, the captain hadn't a clue. From that point Charles and I took over navigation, lying on the hot deck with maps in front of us trying to match its mosaic of shapes with the land masses around us. At last we reached a gap between two islands which we calculated might be the entrance to the channel which would lead to Komodo. The events of the next three hours were among the most frightening of my life. It was approaching dusk, a gale was beginning to blow and our sails were bellying full as we bobbed our way southwards. Suddenly, beneath the noise of the creaking sails and the splash of the waves against our bows, we heard a steady, menacing roar. Then all we would have to do was travel 200 miles to the other end of the island and find a way of crossing the five-mile stretch of water to Komodo A few yards ahead we saw that the water was blistering with eddies and whirlpools. We hit the first whirlpool with a blow which shook every timber in the ship. The captain rushed forward, clinging to the rigging and bellowing instructions above the roar of the thrashing water to Hassan at the tiller. The rest of us frantically seized bamboo poles and stood ready to fend ourselves off the reefs. The ship rocked and staggered so violently that it was all we could do to keep our feet on the wildly tilting deck. As we desperately thrust our poles on to the rocks, the racing torrents almost tore them from our grasp. For hour upon weary hour we fought with all our strength until at last, driven by the gale, our tiny ship struggled out of the grip of the whirlpools and into deeper water. Only then did we really have time to think about how terrified we had been. Our progress from then on was pitifully slow measured in feet, then inches. Finally we came to rest in a tiny bay overhung with savage vertical cliffs, but out of the mainstream of the current. We found several people who had heard of Maumere, but none who had been there. Our most authoritative informant was a Chinese man who had a distant relative, That Sen, running a store in Maumere who would sort everything out for us We threw the anchor overboard. Two of us stood watch with bamboos in case the boat drifted near the rocks, while the rest lay on the deck and slept. None of us knew whether the island beside us was Komodo or not. AS THE first glimmerings of dawn spread across the sea, I uncurled my stiff limbs and picked myself up from the deck on which I had been fitfully sleeping. The land in the lee of which we had sheltered was, we were now almost certain, Komodo. As I scanned the grassy slopes, I half-expected to see the scaly head of one of the dragons peering from behind one of the rocks. A few naked children were standing on the beach. Beside them an old woman was drying shrivelled fragments of shellfish in the sun. 'Peace on the morning,' I said. 'The house of the leader?' She pointed to a hut that looked slightly less decrepit than the others. As we walked across to it, the sand hot on our bare feet, an old man stood in the doorway awaiting us. He gave both of us a broad, toothless smile, shook us by the hand and invited us into his house. There were very many giant lizards, or land crocodiles, as he called them, on the island so many that they would sometimes wander into the village and scavenge among the rubbish tips, he told us. Nobody hunted them. They were not as good to eat as wild pig, and besides, they were highly dangerous. Only a few weeks before, a local man had stumbled across one lying motionless in the grass. The monster had struck with its powerful tail, knocking the man over and numbing his legs so that he was unable to escape. The creature then turned and mauled him with its mighty jaws. The man's wounds were so severe that he died soon after his friends found him. We asked the leader how we could best attract a komodo dragon so we could take photographs. He was in no doubt. They have a very keen sense of smell, he told us, and they will come from long distances to putrefying meat. That night, he would slaughter two goats and tomorrow his son, Haling, would take Charles, Sabran and me by boat to a place where the dragons were plentiful. All would be well. But he had a warning for us about the captain of our boat. 'He not good,' he told us. 'He carried guns from Singapore and sells to rebel army in Macassar. Government men, they find out, so he not go back.' It explained a lot. The sun had already risen over the brown mountains ahead as we set out with all our filming gear and the goat carcasses in an outrigger canoe the next morning. At last we came to a dry, gravelly bed of a stream overhung by a high bank. 'Here,' said Haling. 'This is where the lizards are.' The goats' carcasses, already decomposing in the heat, were blown up and tight as drums. Sabran slit the underside of each one and burnt the skin on a small wood fire while Charles improvised a hideout of palm leaves. 'So that's settled,' I said to our cameraman, Charles, that evening. 'It's easy. We fly to Macassar, connect with a plane to Maumere, discover our Chinese friend's brother-in-law, hire a lorry, drive 200 miles to the other end of Flores, find a canoe and cross the five-mile strait to Komodo We staked the goats in an open space which would give us a good view of the lizards, retired behind the screen and began our wait. Soon it began to rain, the drops pattering gently on the leaves above us. Haling shook his head. 'No good,' he said. 'Dragon not like rain. He stay in his room.' As our shirts got wetter and the rainwater trickled down my back, I began to feel the dragons were more sensible than we were. During the previous weeks Charles and I had often discussed with Sabran the best type of trap to use for catching our dragon. With his immense local knowledge and years of experience of capturing animals of many kinds, his advice on the correct way of dealing with a large and dangerous creature such as this was invaluable. Eventually we had decided on one which he used to catch leopards in Borneo. With a drop door triggered by the animal touching the bait inside, its great merit was that apart from a length of stout cord, all the materials we needed to make it could be found in the forest. The next morning was cloudless. 'Good,' said Haling. 'Much sun, much smell from goats, many lizards.' We landed and set off through the bush as fast as we could. I was anxious to get back to the trap it was just possible a dragon might have entered it during the night. Sadly, it hadn't, but we found some fresh tracks in the mud. From the wide spacing of the footprints and the depth to which they had sunk in the mud, we knew that the dragon that had recently been in the area was a large and heavy one. We hurried on. Sitting behind our screen of palm leaves, it was so hot that the sweat poured down us. Charles tied a large handkerchief around his forehead to prevent perspiration trickling on to the viewfinder of his camera. We had been sitting in absolute silence for over half an hour when there was a rustling noise behind us. I thought it must be Haling and the other men and was twisting round to urge them to be quiet when I discovered that the noise had not, in fact, been made by humans. We found several people who had heard of Maumere, but none who had been there. Our most authoritative informant was a Chinese man who had a distant relative, That Sen, running a store in Maumere who would sort everything out for us There, facing me, less than 12ft away, crouched the dragon. He was enormous. From the tip of his narrow head to the end of his huge tail I guessed he measured about 10ft. He was so close to us that I could distinguish every beady scale in his hoary black skin, which hung in long horizontal folds on his flanks and was puckered round his powerful neck. He was standing high on his four bowed legs, his head erect and menacing. The line of his savage mouth curved upwards in a fixed sardonic grin and from between his half-closed jaws an enormous yellow-pink forked tongue slid in and out. There was nothing between us and him but a very few small sapling trees. The three of us sat staring at the monster. He stared back. It flashed across my mind that at least he was in no position to use his main offensive weapon, his tail. If he came towards us both Sabran and I were close to trees and I was sure I would be able to shin up mine very fast if I had to. Charles, in the middle with his camera, was not so well placed. The dragon emitted a heavy sigh and slowly relaxed his legs, splaying them so his great body sank to the ground. He seemed not in the least concerned about us, watching us imperiously with his unblinking black eyes. It was as though he realised that he was the most powerful beast on Komodo and that, as king of his island, he feared no other creature. Then I heard a noise from the riverbed. I looked behind me again and saw a young dragon waddling along the sand towards our bait. It was only about 3ft in length and had much brighter markings than the monster close to us. Charles tugged my sleeve. Another enormous lizard was advancing towards the bait. We were surrounded by these wonderful creatures. All three reptiles were now feasting on the goat carcasses in front of us. Savagely, they tore at the flesh. The biggest beast seized one of the goat's legs in its jaws. He was so large that I had to remind myself that what he was treating as a single mouthful was the complete leg of a full-grown goat. Meanwhile, Charles filmed feverishly. It was unbelievable. After all the problems we'd faced, we had finally achieved our mission of catching a komodo dragon on film the first wildlife team to do so. Now all we had to do was capture a real one. The first dragon was lumbering in the direction of our trap. The smell of the bait inside filtered into his nostrils and he slowed his pace to investigate. Sensing accurately the direction from which the smell came, he moved to the closed end of the trap and, with savage impatient swipes of his forelegs, he ripped aside the palm leaves we had draped over it, exposing the wooden bars. Thwarted and unable to reach the meat, he moved to the other end where the door was and with maddening caution looked inside. 'So that's settled,' I said to our cameraman, Charles, that evening. 'It's easy. We fly to Macassar, connect with a plane to Maumere, discover our Chinese friend's brother-in-law, hire a lorry, drive 200 miles to the other end of Flores, find a canoe and cross the five-mile strait to Komodo He took three steps forward and for an interminable time made no movement. At last he went further inside and disappeared entirely from our view. There was silence. Had our trap failed to work? Suddenly there was a loud click, the trigger rope flew loose and the gate thudded down, burying its sharpened stakes deep into the sand. Exultantly we ran forward. The dragon peered at us superciliously, flicking his forked tongue through the bars. We could hardly believe that we had finally achieved the objective of our four-month trip. We sat on the sand looking at our prize and smiling breathlessly at one another. Sabran put his arm round my shoulder and smiled his broadest smile. 'Is OK,' he said. 'Is very, very OK.' With our precious cargo we sailed to the large island of Sumbawa, just across the strait from Komodo. From there we planned to fly with the dragon back to Java and then on to London with all the animals from our trip. But we had reckoned without the huge bureaucratic and logistical struggle we'd face to get ourselves, our film, our cameras and all the creatures out of Indonesia. For four frustrating days we slept on the airport floor while we waited for a plane. Then, having finally completed the 500-mile flight to Java, we became immediately embroiled in a series of negotiations that seemed at times to rival the complexities of catching the dragon in the first place. But in the end, we were given the shattering news that we were not going to be given permission to export the dragon. The other animals we'd collected earlier in the trip (Charlie the orangutan, Benjamin the bear, the python, parrots and civets as well as the mischievous and ticklish armadillos, I'll tell you about tomorrow) would be returning to London with us. But not him. It was a huge and devastating blow after everything we had been through. But in one way I was not sorry that we'd had to leave the dragon behind. He would, I'm sure, have been happy and healthy in the large heated enclosures of London Zoo's reptile house. But he could never have appeared to anyone else as he did to us that day on Komodo when we turned round to see him a few feet away, majestic and magnificent in his own forest. In recognition of his pioneering work with komodo dragons, and in celebration of his 90th birthday, ZSL London Zoo's komodo dragon enclosure was last year renamed after Sir David Attenborough. The zoo has one resident komodo dragon, nine-year-old Ganas. The daughter of Charlie the orphaned orangutan, Bulu, was the first of her species to be born in Britain. She died in 2008 aged 47, having given birth to several young. She clashed with Celebrity Big Brother's Chanelle McCleary on the red carpet at a Manchester event in recent weeks. But Jemma Lucy put the explosive row behind her when she got into the festive spirit and partied up a storm at the Vanilla bar, Manchester on Christmas Eve. The feisty star, 29, put on an eye-popping display in the plunging olive green vest top, drawing further attention to her chest with her extensive inks. Scroll down for video Beaming Jemma Lucy puts on VERY busty display in plunging vest top as she larks about with pal on Christmas Eve night out in Manchester... after explosive row with Chanelle McCleary Ex On The Beach beauty Jemma donned camouflage khaki bottoms as she ensured all eyes remained well and truly on her gravity-defying cleavage. The reality star showed off her cheeky side as she larked about with her pal who picked her up and span her round in the bustling streets of the northern city. Beaming Jemma injected a hint of glamour into her appearance as she styled her raven tresses in a poker straight fashion and added a shade of glossy nude lipstick. The Oxford born beauty had no trouble in moving on from the incident on Thursday where she was at loggerheads with Chanelle McCleary, 25, on the red carpet. Having fun! The reality star showed off her cheeky side as she larked about with her pal who picked her up and span her round in the bustling streets of the northern city The pair reportedly had to be restrained by doormen, an onlooker claimed to the Manchester Evening News. The reality stars then made social media their battlefield for their war of words with Jemma branding Chanelle the 'dregs of Manchester' in the heat of the moment. Meanwhile, Chanelle hit back at her rival as she branded her 'nothing more than a bully' on Twitter following the clash at Impossible nightclub. Busty display: Ex On The Beach beauty Jemma donned camouflage khaki bottoms as she ensured all eyes remained well and truly on her gravity-defying cleavage Jemma said: 'It's funny when you turn up to an event and the dregs of Manchester are there. The Chanelle McCleary 's of Manchester are there and they try and start on you. 'Embarrassing babes. I don't think she even knows what I'm rollin' with. You ain't coming near me. I got knuckle dusters and dat. Handcuffs and dat,' she added, in the clip posted on Snapchat and shared on Twitter. Chanelle replied: 'No hate around me' yet you go straight on Snapchat trying to start saying your rolling with knuckle dusters #cringe #youaintagangsta.' She then shared the video saying: 'Typical @jem_lucy started with me then got your little bodyguard involved thinking your f***** Jay z, then left the event and went on Snapchat chatting s*** It's forgotten:The Oxford born beauty had no trouble in moving on from the incident on Thursday where she was at loggerheads with Chanelle McCleary, 25, on the red carpet 'Stop begging attention, your nothing more than a bully, you've tried bullying the wrong person you h*e I ain't scared of u (sic).' Chanelle's representative told MailOnline the row kicked off when Chanelle went to take a photo with Jemma who accused Chanelle of having a problem with her. 'Neither of them were backing down so most of the shouting was "Don't start on me". It came out of nowhere to be honest,' her management said. 'Chanelle has always been nothing but nice to her even though she knows people have bad things to say, she takes people for face value. Fight: The reality stars then made social media their battlefield for their war of words with Jemma branding Chanelle the 'dregs of Manchester' in the heat of the moment 'Her friend Jsky was getting a pic with her so he called her over, she stood next to her and she said "I heard youve got a problem with me, if you think that then pull me aside".' Her representative said Jemma 'did it in front of a group of people and photographers, started drama then left the event and went straight on Snapchat to call Chanelle names. 'Chanelle doesnt dislike Gemma and never had a problem so it caught het by surprise. She doesn't think Gemma is a girls' girl.' MailOnline previously contacted a representative for Jemma for comment. He welcomed his first child with fiancee Snezana Markoski in October. And Sam Wood shared a precious clip to his Instagram Story on Sunday of their newborn daughter Willow sitting on Santa Claus' lap. The little one looked cute as a button as she was joined by Snezana's daughter Eve, 12, from a previous relationship. Scroll down for video Baby's first Christmas! Sam Wood and Snezana Markoski's newborn daughter Willow sat with Santa Claus and older sister Eve, 12, as the family celebrated the holidays in Perth In the video, Willow and Eve are sitting with Santa Claus at a Perth shopping centre. The newborn was dressed in a white onesie, alongside Eve who wore a white off-the-shoulder top and denim shorts. Proud father Sam, 37, captioned the video, 'First time with Santa', alongside a love heart emoji. 'First time with Santa': Proud father Sam, 37, shared the video of Willow on his Instagram Story Proud mother: Elsewhere in the clip, Snezana, 37, smiles at her cute daughters while wearing an Aje T-shirt, slides and skinny jeans Elsewhere in the clip, Snezana, 37, smiles at her cute daughters while wearing an Aje T-shirt, slides and skinny jeans. Sam and Snezana welcomed Willow, named after Sam's mother, in October, with the newborn weighing a healthy 3.5kg and measuring 48.5cm. The couple met in early 2015 on Network Ten's The Bachelor. They got engaged in December that year while on holiday in Tasmania. Bundle of joy: Sam and Snezana welcomed Willow, named after Sam's mother, in October, with the newborn weighing a healthy 3.5kg and measuring 48.5cm Reality TV lovebirds: The couple met in early 2015 on Network Ten's The Bachelor. They got engaged in December that year while on holiday in Tasmania. While the pregnancy forced them to postpone their wedding plans, the pair have previously said they are content because they 'already feel married.' 'A wedding can happen whenever, we're committed to each other and we have a family together,' Snezana told NW earlier this year. 'We feel like we're married already... it'll be great to have both our little girls there.' Florida Georgia Line vocalist Tyler Hubbard and his wife Hayley are new parents. The couple on Saturday afternoon welcomed their first baby - daughter Olivia Rose Hubbard - in their native Nashville. 'Were so overwhelmed with joy and already more in love than we could have ever imagined with this little angel that God has given us,' Tyler told People on Sunday. 'Olivia is the best Christmas gift we could have ever asked for.' Scroll below for video A post shared by Tyler Hubbard (@thubbmusic) on Dec 24, 2017 at 7:59am PST The duo's rep told the magazine the baby weighed seven pounds and 13 ounces, measuring at more than 19 inches long. Tyler took to Instagram on Sunday to express his exhilaration about his newfound parenthood. 'I had no idea I could love somebody as much as I love [Hayley] but last night God gave us Olivia Rose and melted our hearts,' said the country vocalist, who tied the knot with Hayley, a 31-year-old blogger, in the summer of 2015. 'We love this little girl more than words can describe and it hasnt even been 24 hours yet. 'Our life has been forever been changed for the better.' A post shared by Tyler Hubbard (@thubbmusic) on Dec 18, 2017 at 9:01am PST A post shared by Tyler Hubbard (@thubbmusic) on Dec 18, 2017 at 9:01am PST Tyler admitted he had been a bit overeager with his camera amid the precious life milestone. He wrote: 'I cant wait to share more photos with yall. Ill try to contain myself from being the annoying parent that post 50 pics a day but Ive already taken over 100 so forgive me.' The happy pairrevealed their pregnancy this past June. At one point, the couple had mistakenly believed they were expecting a son, but were going off the results of an erroneous blood test. By August, they realized they would be having a daughter. Hubbard wrote on Instagram, 'So many emotions but really really excited about this next chapter even if God does like throwing us a curve ball every now and then.' She's the Australian actress currently embroiled in a bitter battle with ex-partner Jean-David Blanc over the custody of their two sons, Raphael, three, and Solal, two. And on Monday, Melissa George took to Instagram, revealing her excitement at celebrating Christmas with her children. A photo of the 41-year-old outside the Palais-Royal, in Paris, France, was captioned: 'Countdown to picking up my babies.' 'Countdown to picking up my babies': Melissa George looks forward to celebrating Christmas with her sons Raphael and Solal amid a custody battle with ex-partner Jean David Blanc Taking to Instagram, Melissa shared a close-up snap of her profile while enjoying a coffee at Cafe Kitsune at the Palais-Royal in Paris. The former Home And Away star was pictured holding a coffee cup, and looked glamorous with her locks swept into an up-do and sporting gold drop earrings. Melissa captioned the photo: 'Countdown to picking up my babies for Christmas... might not be with family in Australia or the US today. 'But am finding my happiness alone with my son's and #cafekitsune in one of my favorite places on earth #palaisroyal. Merry Christmas to all.' Tumultuous relationship: Earlier this year, Melissa and French entrepreneur Jean-David Blanc, were convicted of assaulting each other following an alleged domestic dispute in 2016 Speaking out: Jean-David said, 'Regarding the supposed violence against Melissa George, I strongly contest it and have thus filed an appeal against the judgment, which is not final' Earlier this year, Melissa and French entrepreneur Jean-David Blanc were convicted of assaulting each other following an alleged domestic dispute in 2016. Jean-David later said in a statement: 'Regarding the supposed violence against Melissa George, I strongly contest it and have thus filed an appeal against the judgment, which is not final.' The businessman is famous for founding cinema service organisation AlloCine. History: The former couple met in 2011 at a BAFTA after-party. They welcomed their first child, a son named Raphael, in February 2014 and a second son Solal, in November 2015 He and Melissa first met in 2011 at a BAFTA after-party, before entering into a relationship in 2012. They welcomed their first child, a son named Raphael, in February 2014 and a second son Solal, in November 2015. Melissa was previously married to Chilean film director Caludio Dabed. The actress first found fame on Home And Away, before starring in TV hits like Alias and Grey's Anatomy. They are going to spend their second Christmas together as husband and wife. And Mark Wright has given a huge hint that he is ready to start a family with his wife Michelle Keegan in his latest Instagram story on Christmas Eve. The Extra presenter, 30, shared a picture with his 1,400,000 followers on social media of his beautiful partner, also 30, doting on a baby with the caption: 'Getting the practise in.' Scroll down for video 'Getting the practise in': Mark Wright gives HUGE hint he is ready to start a family with Michelle Keegan when he shares snap of his wife doting on baby on Christmas Eve Coronation Street beauty Michelle wrapped her arm around the child's waist while she held the glass of water for the tot to take a sip. The Our Girl actress has a huge smile on her lips as her eyes fixed solely on the child in the cosy Instagram post. Mark gave his biggest hint that the married lovers could be ready to start a family together when he captioned the picture: 'Getting the practise in.' Sparks first flew when the couple started dating back in December 2012, which is now five years ago. Must be love: Sparks first flew when the couple (pictured in February 2017, London) started dating back in December 2012, which is now five years ago They were engaged in September 2013 and went onto tie the knot in May 2015, so it is no surprise that the former TOWIE star has babies on the brain. Despite Mark's hints, Michelle recently revealed she has 'no plans' to have children in the near future because it is not 'realistic' in a Women's Health magazine interview. In October 2017, the actress did however confess she has 'always been broody' and she would love to have 'four' kids. Going strong: They were engaged in September 2013 and went onto tie the knot in May 2015, so it is no surprise that the former TOWIE star has babies on the brain She told the publication: 'Weve not planned anything and realistically nothing can happen right now because Im too busy. But Ive always been broody. I love kids and I want four, so hopefully in the near future.' They are finally getting to spend some quality time together over the festive period as they plan to have their second Christmas together as husband and wife. The married lovebirds have spent the good part of eight months apart due to their intense work schedules. Truth: Despite Mark's hints, Michelle recently revealed she has 'no plans' to have children in the near future because it is not 'realistic' (pictured together in December 2014, London) Soap star Michelle recently wrapped up filming the latest series of Our Girl in South Africa, while Mark has been in Los Angeles for his presenting gig on Extra. Speaking of their time apart, a source told The Mirror in recent weeks: 'Michelle and Mark have spent most of the year apart and it has not been easy.' 'In 2018, Michelle is determined they dont spend as much time away from one another.' Relations with Canada very important for Ukraine, especially in context of Ottawa's presidency in G7 Cooperation between Kyiv and Ottawa is one of the priorities of international work of the Ukrainian government, Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman has said during a meeting with Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland. "Relations with Canada are one of the important issues of the international component of work of the Ukrainian government, especially in the context of Ottawa's chairmanship in the Group of the Big Seven," the premier said. He thanked the government of Canada for the warm welcome during the visit of the Ukrainian governmental delegation to Canada and noted that he is always glad to welcome Canadian partners in Kyiv. Groysman added the agenda of relations between the two countries is very rich. Cooperation between the countries has a wide range: from the agricultural sector to the sphere of aircraft building and joint space exploration. An important instrument of cooperation is also the free trade area (FTA) agreement, which has already allowed doubling mutual trade. "Now we need to make full use of the potential of the FTA Agreement," the head of the Ukrainian government said. Freeland, in turn, offered support to Kyiv in the format of Canada's supremacy in the G7 Group. It's a sad turn this Christmas for the Giudice family. Joe Giudice won't be able to see his wife Teresa, 45, and their four daughters - Gia, 16, Gabriella, 13, Milania, 11 and Audriana, eight - on the holiday, amid administrative sluggishness stemming from his recent transfer to a different prison, TMZ reported on Saturday. The 45-year-old reality star was in custody in Fort Dix, New Jersey, but transferred last month to Pennsylvania's FCI Allenwood facility, according to The Blast. Scroll below for video Troubled time: Teresa and Joe Giudice, both 45, will not be able to see one another on Christmas this year amid administrative issues stemming from his recent prison transfer. The couple was snapped in Pennsylvania in March 2016 With the transfer to a separate facility, Joe's family was required to provide updated clearance forms to visit him in the Pennsylvania penitentiary, a process one source told People 'takes about four to six weeks for visitors to be approved,' which won't wrap up until after the holidays are over. His transfer came amid a row over his entrance of an alcohol treatment program that provided ample incentive for participation: a full year off his sentence. The point of conflict, according to The Blast, is the Saronno, Italy-born star's immigration status. The Pennsylvania facility can issue him a hearing in connection with the dispute, paving the way to the transfer. Joe in March of 2016 entered custody in connection with a sentence of 41 months following his conviction on fraud charges in October of 2014. Smiling through sad times: Teresa shared this shot from her pre-Christmas celebration on Sunday Out and about: Teresa was snapped earlier this month attending a concert in NYC Earlier this month, a source told People that the couple, who wed in October of 1999, was talking 'multiple times a day over the phone' amid his conviction, and that Joe was also communicating with loved ones digitally. 'Hes emailing people all day long,' the source said. 'Emails with each of the girls, separately. He is in good spirits and hes happy and even happier where he is than where he was. 'This facility is better suited to him he seems more upbeat since having moved.' The source said that Teresa and her daughters will head to Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic, on Tuesday, with fingers crossed that the administrative details are completed upon their return. 'Her hope is that immediately after she gets back from her trip,' the source told People, 'she will be able to see him once her visiting form is approved.' Caring parent: The mom-of-four was snapped with her daughters Milania, 11, (L) and Audriana, eight (R) at the NYC Jingle Ball She's been indulging in a sun-kissed winter break in Florida with her fiance Hugo Taylor. And Millie Mackintosh, 28, looked sensational as she took to Instragram with a cheeky snap of her derriere. Ringing in the festive season, the former Made In Chelsea star oozed sex appeal in the saucy snap which she captioned: 'Waiting for Christmas to arrive. #haveyoubeennaughtyornice.' Scroll down for video 'Naughty or nice?' Millie Mackintosh, 28, oozed sex appeal as she took to Instragram with a cheeky snap of her derriere while on holiday in Florida with her fiance Hugo Taylor Millie, who is set to wed her boyfriend Hugo after a romantic proposal in Mykonos in July, sizzled in the festive snap which saw her opening the balcony doors to her hotel room. The reality star couldn't resist flaunting her derriere, as well as her long legs as she gazed into the distance while wearing a Santa hat. Millie has been making he most of her quality time on her getaway as she showed off every inch of her enviably toned physique in a skimpy floral bikini while soaking up the sun earlier this week. Beach babe: Mill has been making he most of her quality time on her getaway as she showed off every inch of her enviably toned physique in a skimpy floral bikini while soaking up the sun earlier this week The brunette beauty looked every inch the beach babe in her sizzling swimwear, which featured a strapless plunging neckline and purple geometric print. The reality star accessorised with a floppy wide-brim hat and shielded her eyes from the sun with simple round-eye shades. Hinting at their mystery location, she captioned the Instagram snap: 'Somewhere over the rainbow.' A day earlier, Millie was pictured cooking up a storm in a quirky Boomerang mini video as they enjoyed their Winter break. Floral fancy: The former Made In Chelsea star showed off every inch of her enviably toned physique in a skimpy floral bikini as she soaked up the sun during the idyllic getaway Check him out: Hugo seemed to be soaking up the holiday atmosphere as the couple headed out later in the day The 28-year-old showcased her slender physique as she cheekily stuck her tongue out for the mirror selfie. Captioned 'Working on my tan', the Quality Street heiress soaked up the sun's rays as she put on a scantily-clad appearance in the barely-there swimsuit, held by a circular chain. Her wet tresses were flipped to one side as she protected her eyes from the sweltering hot beams in cat-framed sunglasses. In the latter snap, the fashion icon wrapped her golden mane into a high-bun as she cooked a meal for her beau. Cheeky: Millie was in high spirits as she flaunted her impeccable frame while on a tropical holiday with her husband-to-be on Thursday Cooking up a storm: In the latter snap, the fashion icon wrapped her golden mane into a high-bun as she prepared a meal for her beau Hugo popped the big question to Millie in July this year, a year after they rekindled their relationship following Millie's divorce from Professor Green, 34. The fashionista gave a rare glimpse into her private romance when she gushed about her fiance on The Ray Darcy Show, RTE in Dublin, Ireland last month. While fans know them as an original golden Made In Chelsea couple, Millie revealed the couple go way back as they have been friends for a 'long time' before the show. On/off: Hugo popped the big question to Millie in July this year, a year after they rekindled their relationship following Millie's divorce from Professor Green Of their relationship, she explained: 'We've known each other since I was 16. So we've been friends for a long long time.' Former Made In Chelsea co-star Spencer Matthews confirmed he will act as best man for the highly anticipated wedding. When asked whether he'd be at the nuptials in June 2018, Spencer told The Sun: 'I am the best man. I think hed [Hugo] be a bit peeved if I didnt turn up.' Long-time relationship: Of their relationship, she explained 'We've known each other since I was 16. So we've been friends for a long long time' She's the Australian fashion designer who announced her first pregnancy at age 41. And just days before her due date, Camilla Franks celebrated Christmas Day at Sydney's Bondi Beach with her artist fiance JP Jones The 41-year-old 'Kaftan Queen', who announced she was expecting in August, will welcome her first child in early January. Bump on the beach! Heavily pregnant Camilla Franks, 41, flaunted her baby bump at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Christmas Day, later sharing a sweet photo of fiance JP Jones kissing her belly In a photo shared to Instagram, Camilla flaunted her growing baby bump while JP bent down to kiss it in front of a Christmas tree. It was a stunningly warm day in Sydney with people flocking around them to enjoy the water and festive cheer. Camilla was due to marry JP in India this November, but decided to postpone the wedding until after she gives birth. Australian Christmas: It was a stunningly warm day in Sydney with people flocking around the engaged couple to enjoy the water and festive cheer Love at last: Camilla and JP met over 20 years ago, before an expired visa forced the pair to separate. They reunited in 2015 Camilla recently spoke to 9Honey about discovering she was expecting her first child at age 41. 'It started off as an unpredictable emotional rollercoaster of happy, excited, terrified and everything in between,' she said. 'But as January comes closer, I'm beginning to learn how to relax and enjoy this sacred time.' Road to motherhood: Camilla recently revealed what it was like to find out she was expecting her first child at age 41 'I've always said my business was my first love child. She has been the centre of my everything for nearly 15 years - it was time to bring her a sibling.' Camilla and JP met over 20 years ago, before an expired visa forced the pair to separate. But they reunited again in 2015. 'We met and fell in love at first sight when I was 19 or 20. We were together for three years, living in the UK, but my visa ran out and I had to go back to Australia,' Camilla told The Daily Telegraph last year. They've been inseparable since falling in love on The Bachelor earlier this year. And Matty Johnson and Laura Byrne looked like the picture-perfect couple in Christmas Day snaps shared to Instagram on Monday. In one photo, the 31-year-old brunette showed off a hint of cleavage while Matty J wrapped his arm around her shoulders. 'Merry Christmas ya filthy animals!': The Bachelor's Matty Johnson and Laura Byrne looked like the picture-perfect couple in Christmas Day snaps shared to Instagram on Monday In the snap, the ToniMay jewellery designer accessorised with a paper hat and styled her brunette hair in loose curls. Meanwhile, Matty held up a festive Christmas cracker. Laura wrote in the captioned, 'Merry Christmas ya filthy animals,' alongside a love heart emoji. 'From my weird little family to yours': In another photo shared to Laura's business account, the ToniMay jewellery designer happily posed next to Matty and her three-legged dog Buster Inside look: The festive posts come after the TV couple opened up about their relationship in an interview with BW magazine earlier this week. In another photo shared to Laura's business account, she happily posed next to Matty and her three-legged dog Buster. Laura captioned the snap: 'Wishing all of you absolute legends the most wonderful Christmas - from my weird little family to yours.' The festive posts come after the TV couple opened up about their relationship in an interview with BW magazine earlier this week. 'The top sheet can't go on inside out or he'll have a tantie!' The Wollongong native also said her boyfriend is quite the obsessive when it comes to his bed sheets Laura revealed she hates Matty's gum habit, explaining: 'As soon as he comes in the house chewing gum I'll say "Spit that out!"' The Wollongong native also said her boyfriend is quite the obsessive when it comes to his bed sheets. 'He's really obsessed with having the sheets on in the correct way. The top sheet can't go on inside out or he'll have a tantie and have to undo the bed!' He's the Hollywood movie star we're used to seeing in metallic armour and a red cape. But on Monday, Thor star Chris Hemsworth was taking some time off from his superhero duties and ditching the costumes in favour of a festive Christmas rashie. The 34-year-old is spending the holiday season with his wife, Spanish model Elsa Pataky, and their three children in Australia's Byron Bay - but he managed to sneak out for a surfing session on December 25. 'On the hunt for xmas barrels!' Chris Hemsworth wears an ugly Christmas rash shirt to the beach as he spends the festive holiday in Byron Bay He posted an Instagram photo wearing a fluorescent blue and red rash vest emblazoned with kangaroos and icicles, giving the camera a 'shakas' sign. The father-of-three was holding a large surfboard and appeared to have a blue wetsuit rolled down to his hips. 'On the hunt for some Xmas barrels in my ugly Christmas rashie this summer in support of the cancer council. 2 in 3 Australians are unfortunately diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70, cover up and protect your skin!' Chris captioned the snap. Dubbed the 'Ugly Christmas Rashie', the cult clothing item is Australia's answer to the 'Ugly Christmas Jumper' that is traditional in countries with colder climates across the globe. The Ugly Xmas Rashie first launched in 2015, when the collaboration between swimwear designers and Cancer Council saw all proceeds be donated to Cancer Council Queensland in the fight against cancer. Getting into the spirit! Dubbed the 'Ugly Christmas Rashie', the cult clothing item is Australia's answer to the 'Ugly Christmas Jumper' that is traditional in countries with colder climates across the globe 'The Ugly Xmas Rashie ensures Aussies can stay on trend and sun safe while supporting a great cause': Cancer Council Queensland CEO, Ms Chris McMillan previously explained the festive attire helped charity 'It's too hot for us to don ugly Christmas sweaters in summer in Australia,' Cancer Council Queensland CEO, Ms Chris McMillan previously said. 'But the Ugly Xmas Rashie ensures Aussies can stay on trend and sun safe while supporting a great cause. 'What better way to incorporate sun safety into your Christmas get-up and stay festive all summer long?'. Loved-up! Chris, who is married to Spanish model and actress Elsa Pataky, is spending the holiday season in Byron Bay Former Home And Away actor Chris and his model wife Elsa are proud parents to daughter India Rose, 5, and twin sons, Sasha and Tristan, three. And the family appear to be enjoying some much-needed time off over the Christmas break. On Friday the brood were spotted soaking up the sun on a family outing to a beach in the New South Wales coastal town they call home. Jennifer Lawrence continued her Christmas tradition on Sunday of visiting a children's hospital in her hometown. The 27-year-old actress raised the spirits of young patients at Norton Children's Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. The Oscar-wining actress brought a huge smile to a girl's face as they took a photo together inside a hospital room. Christmas tradition: Jennifer Lawrence kept up her Christmas tradition on Sunday of visiting a children's hospital in her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky Jennifer wore a dark plaid long-sleeved shirt over a black T-shirt while visiting patients and staff. She had her blonde hair pulled back into a loose ponytail and accentuated her natural beauty with just a hint of makeup. Jennifer beamed while taking a group photo with nearly a dozen hospital staffers as she made the visit, which has become an annual affair in recent years. 'Louisville's own Jennifer Lawrence stopped by Norton Children's today to visit with patients, families, and staff. This visit has become a tradition for Lawrence each Christmas. Thank you, Jennifer! You sure do bring a smile to all!,' Norton Children's Hospital posted on Facebook along with photos of her visit. Big smiles: The Oscar-winning actress brought smiles as she visited young patients and their families Group photo: Jennifer beamed while taking a group photo with nearly a dozen staffers at Norton Children's Hospital in Louisville Jennifer was raised in Louisville by her mother Karen and father Gary who together ran a children's day camp. She was an assistant nurse at their children's camp before finding fame as an actress. Jennifer donated $2 million to the hospital in 2016 to build the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation Cardiac Intensive Care Unit for children recovering from heart procedures, open-heart surgery, heart failure and other conditions requiring intensive care. Generous star: The Hunger Games franchise star, shown earlier this month in Hollywood, donated $2 million in 2016 to the hospital to build a pediatric cardiac intensive care unit The Silver Linings Playbook star can next be seen in the spy thriller Red Sparrow based on the 2013 book of the same name by former CIA operative Jason Matthews. Jennifer portrays Russian intelligence officer Dominika Egorova in the film scheduled for release on March 2, 2018. Red Sparrow also stars Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Charlotte Rampling, Mary-Louise Parker and Jeremy Irons. Jennifer also can be seen in X-Men: Dark Phoenix due out in November 2018. They've had one of the most publicised love stories this year. And on Monday, Karl Stefanovic, 43, and girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough debuted their first holiday photo together. Taking to Instagram, the 33-year-old uploaded a festive shot that saw the loved up pair posing alongside a reindeer and Christmas tree... but followers were left scratching their heads after spotting one element. Merry Christmas! On Monday, Karl Stefanovic, 43, and girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough debuted their first holiday photo together 'Merry Christmas from us,' the shoe designer captioned the shot. Sporting a similar outfit to his girlfriend's, Karl was seen dressed in a black T-shirt, denim jeans and Christmas tree antlers while bending down on one knee. Also in a black top, Jasmine added white pants and a red and green bow headband to her festive look. Festive! 'Merry Christmas from us,' the shoe designer captioned the Christmas shot But although there was a large Louis Vuitton gift bag also captured in the shot under the tree, fans seemed to be more concerned about the action of Karl's hand. 'What is Karl grabbing lol,' asked one follower regarding the unfortunate hand placement. 'Ummm where's your hand Mr Stefanovic? Merry Christmas,' added another. What's going on? 'Ummm where's your hand Mr Stefanovic Merry Christmas,' While bending down, the photo saw the TV journalist place his right hand underneath the animal. This year marks the first Christmas the pair have publicly shared. Speaking to Stellar about their 2016 December union earlier in the year, Karl said he was caught off-guard. 'I certainly did not expect to meet someone five months after I broke up with my wife. That was not planned. I did not know her before. I met her on a boat in Sydney,' he confessed. 'It was unexpected and lovely, but we're going to keep a level of privacy to how we're going and what we're planning, especially considering I have three beautiful children who need to be taken into consideration.' They're the pun enthusiasts who love to showcase their burgeoning relationship throughout social media. And on Monday, family members of The Bachelorette's Georgia Love, 29, and Lee Elliott, 36, seemed to reach their wit's end thanks to the couple's social media and phone use, telling them off at the Christmas lunch table. Taking to Instagram Stories to take a selfie while eating and drinking, a frustrated male was heard telling the pair to put their phone away. Scroll down for video They've had enough! On Monday, family members of Georgia Love, 29, and Lee Elliott, 36, seemed to reach their wits end with the couple's social media and phone use, telling them off at the Christmas lunch table 'Oh for goodness sake you two, put it away,' he said. 'No,' replied Georgia bluntly. Disregarding the request, the former love seeker took a bite of food and a sip of red wine before smiling alongside her beau. Too much phone use! 'Oh for goodness sake you two, put it away' Loved up: 'Find a happier girl. I'll wait' 'Find a happier girl. I'll wait,' she captioned the video. And regardless of the day being a public holiday, there was no rest for the pun-loving pair who fell in love on the 2016 season of The Bachelorette. 'Avo Merry Christmas,' captioned Georgia on a sweet couple photo that saw them stand underneath their Christmas tree. No rest days! And regardless of the day being a public holiday, there was no rest for the pun loving pair who fell in love on the 2016 season of The Bachelorette 'You didn't think we were getting through Christmas without a pun, did you?' she added. And the same went for Lee who shared a romantic photo with his lady-love by the pool. 'Do you like Christmas puns?' he asked his 100,000 fans. 'Yule love this one! Have your elf a merry little Christmas,' he added along with the comedic hashtags, 'rebel without a clause', 'sleigh all day' and 'the tree isn't the only thing getting lit this year'. Anna Heinrich just took things to a whole next level. On Christmas Day, the blonde beauty proved herself the perfect girlfriend, treating fiance Tim Robards, 35, to a haul of Playstation 4 gaming gear. The blonde beauty's happy man took to Instagram to share the haul, which included a Playstation 4 console, aim controller, and, a virtual reality set, the latter of which retails for about $549 alone. Big kid: The Bachelor's Anna Heinrich, 31, has treated fiance Tim Robards, 35, to an unforgettable Christmas haul with loads of Playstation 4 gear, including a virtual reality set Hunky Tim revealed that he wanted to feel like a 'big kid' on Christmas, praising his fiancee for her gift-giving abilities. 'I told Anna I want to feel like a big kid on Xmas morn ... She killed it,' he posted alongside the image, which showed him, dressed in a red shirt and chino shorts, pointing to his new PS4 aim controller. Tis' the season: The reality show couple Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich have been very festive this season, attending Carols by Candlelight last week Meanwhile, in the image, Anna looked relaxed with her blonde hair pushed to one side, while she wore a black off-the-shoulder top and a white polka dot skirt. Fitness fanatic Tim then sought out game recommendations for his present. 'Now, what games should I get? What's the best one using the #psvr [virtual reality set],' he questioned. Fans of the reality show pair were quick to joke their relationship might be affected by the gifts. Festive: The Bachelor's Tim Robards took to Instagram to share images of himself dressed as Santa this year 'Anna take it back ... save your relationship before it's too late,' one user wrote, before quickly adding,'Kidding...Have a blessed Christmas and NY's guys.' Another user wrote, 'I got my husband Grand Turismo Sport which he's just started playing in the last hour,' she said, before continuing, 'Guess that's him and the TV gone for the next few days.' Later that day, Tim shared an image of his nephew, sharing a heartfelt tribute to his sister and the little fella, indicating he might be a little bit clucky. Family and fun: The Bachelor's Tim Robards took to Instagram to share festive images of himself dressed as Santa Claus 'Just like his mother ... how cute is this little guy honestly!' he posted. 'Can I borrow him for a while and just give him back when I need to do things like sleep, go to the movies and have a social life?' before continuing,'Very proud of my sis for being such a great mum!' An Instagram user picked up on the post,'Watch out, Anna ... is Tim getting clucky? LOL,' while another added, 'You look so cute with [a] cute little baby.' She's the Channel Nine personality who spent her Christmas Eve co-hosting the annual Carols By Candlelight event in Melbourne. And on Monday, Sonia Kruger was spotted heading back to the Gold Coast to spend Christmas with her family. Having a quick stop over in Sydney before her second flight, the 52-year-old mum to Maggie, two, looked every bit chic as carried her daughter through the terminal. En route: On Monday, Sonia Kruger was spotted heading back to the Gold Coast to spend Christmas with her family Keeping a low profile, the stunner sported a straw hat and reflective shades as she looked through the children's section in Seed. Flaunting her enviable assets, Sonia donned a patterned maxi-dress that featured layers of frills. The Today Show Extra host kept warm by adding a denim jacket to her look. Sonia, is that you? Keeping a low profile, the stunner sported a straw hat and reflective shades as she looked through the children's section in Seed Like mother, like daughter: The toddler who'll be celebrating her third birthday next month was seen in a pink sleeved dress and had her hair tied up into a ponytail and a white bow And it wasn't just Sonia with great airport style, following in her mother's footsteps, Maggie also looked the part. The toddler who'll be celebrating her third birthday next month was seen in a pink sleeved dress and had her hair tied up into a ponytail and a white bow. Although spending much of the day travelling with her family, Sonia ensured Maggie woke up to her Christmas gifts. Christmas day! Although spending much of the day travelling with her family, Sonia ensured Maggie woke up to her Christmas gifts Jet-setter: Sonia's day of travelling comes after spending Sunday night co-hosting the 80th annual Carols By Candlelight in Melbourne 'Merry Christmas everyone!' she captioned a photo that saw her tot mid-opening her present. Sonia's day of travelling comes after spending Sunday night co-hosting the 80th annual Carols By Candlelight in Melbourne. Dazzling in two strapless Alex Perry frocks worth $5000, the stunner looked festive with her blonde locks styled into loose waves. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has positively assessed the steps of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to create an independent Anti-Corruption Court in the country. "The chancellor welcomed the timely legislative steps announced by President Poroshenko to set up an independent Anti-Corruption Court in Ukraine," reads a statement on the website of the German government, posted after a telephone conversation of Merkel and Poroshenko. Earlier the presidential press service reported a number of experts presented a draft law on the Anti-Corruption Court to Poroshenko. The document takes into account the recommendations of OSCE experts and the conclusions of the Venice Commission. The bill on the Higher Anti-Corruption Court was registered in the Verkhovna Rada on December 22 and determined by the president as urgent. The text of the document is not yet available on the website of the parliament. She's been showcasing her incredibly toned physique on the beach this winter. And Emma Forbes, 52, was once again topping up her tan during her festive Barbados break, enjoying a stroll along the sand with her husband Graham Clempson on Saturday. The presenter looked stylish in a blue kaftan with tassel detailing on the bodice and running around the hemline. Scroll down for video Strolling along: Emma Forbes, 52, was once again topping up her tan during her festive Barbados break, enjoying a stroll along the sand with her husband Graham Clempson on Saturday Emma topped off her look with a pair of shades, wearing her blonde crop in a sleek style. Her husband Graham was smartly dressed for their beach walk, sporting a blue shirt and pastel shorts. It has become something of a tradition that she loves to ring in Christmas under the Caribbean sunshine. Covering up: The presenter looked stylish in a blue kaftan with tassel detailing on the bodice and running around the hemline Earlier in the day, she was spotted in yet another stylish beach ensemble. The television presenter paraded her age-defying figure in a navy slinky swimming costume, teamed with a tasseled wrap. 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. Christmas in the Caribbean! Earlier in the day, Emma was spotted in yet another stylish beach ensemble 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. 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. Fabulous figure: The decorative tassels on the semi-sheer sarong drew further attention to the radio personality's incredible physique 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. 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. Covered up: Under wraps, the blonde bombshell flaunted her fabulous figure in the skintight swimming costume which clung to her enviable curves 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.' 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!' She was arrested early Sunday morning after reportedly kicking a police officer in Palm Beach, Florida. And one day later, Luann de Lesseps spoke out about her arrest: 'This is my first time in Palm Beach since my wedding, and being here brought up long-buried emotions,' she said on Twitter. The Real Housewives Of New York City star, 52, continued: 'I want to offer my sincere apologies to anyone I might have offended with my behavior.' She's sorry: Luann de Lesseps spoke out about the arrest: 'This is my first time in Palm Beach since my wedding, and being here brought up long-buried emotions,' she said in a statement to People; pictured in her mugshor from Sunday Adding: 'I am committed to transformative and hopeful 2018.' Luann was charged on Christmas Eve with resisting arrest with violence, corruption by threat of a public servant, battery and disorderly intoxication. An assistant state attorney said that the TV star 'slammed a door' and 'kicked at least one officer,' according to the Palm Beach Post. She also said 'I'm going to kill you all' to the officers before her arrest, the state attorney said via the newspaper. Candid: The Real Housewives Of New York City star, 52, continued: 'I want to offer my sincere apologies to anyone I might have offended with my behavior;' seen on December 6 in NYC The Palm Beach Post reported that Judge Ted Booras advised her that she shouldn't ignore the charges, even though she's allowed to go back to New York. 'I don't think it would be that hard to find you,' Judge Booras said, according to the newspaper. The mother of two was taken into custody at 1:25 am by Palm Beach police. Drama: The Palm Beach Post reported that Judge Ted Booras advised her that she shouldn't ignore the charges, even though she's allowed to go home seen November 29 in NYC Luann's bail was set at $200,000 and she was released by her own recognizance before noon. In her apology post-arrest, the reality star is referring to her brief marriage to Tom D'Agostino Jr. They tied the knot on December 31, 2016 in Palm Beach; the duo split seven months later. Happier times: In her apology, the reality star is referring to her brief marriage to Tom D'Agostino Jr; pictured with her now ex on July 28 at the Alzheimer's Association bash in NY The Kardashian/Jenners all like to go big on Christmas. They even discussed their love for all things Yule time on a recent episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. The Calabasas, California natives take decorating their trees very seriously too. And 2017 was no exception even though three of the girls are expecting babies soon. Mama Christmas: The Kardashian/Jenners all like to go big on Christmas; here is Kris Jenner in the foyer of her Hidden Hills, California home Another view: Kim and North in the foyer of Kris' house on Sunday That Khloe glow: Khloe in front of another tree at the Jenner party Another view again : Here are two smaller trees with a gift from Jennifer Lawrence By Christmas Eve they had nearly all shown off their trees in all their splendor. Kris Jenner had her tree on display in her entrance way for her annual party. It looked to be 15 feet tall and it had red and white candy decorations as well as big red balls. Nice touch: Kylie Jenner, 20, who is reportedly pregnant with her first child, has a massive tree. She went with big pink decorations that included matte and shiny balls. There was also fake snow on the tree To the side was a large red polar bear. Kylie Jenner, 20, who is reportedly pregnant with her first child, has a massive tree. She went with big pink decorations that included matte and shiny balls. There was also fake snow on the tree. Minimal charm: Kourtney had a smaller tree with just white lights and no decorations There was more than one: She had other trees in her house two; these had decorations Bare: Khloe decorated her tree in the Cleveland, Ohio home she shared with baby daddy Tristan Thompson Christmas morning: Khloe is seen here with her PJS on Monday All lined up: Mason, Reign, Saint and North are all seen at Kourtney's house Kourtney had a smaller tree with just white lights and no decorations. Underneath the tree the mother of three had packages wrapped in a light beige with cream colored ribbon. There appeared to be no star on top. Pregnant Khloe had a tree in the home she shares in Cleveland, Ohio with baby daddy Tristan Thompson. Kim has yet to show off her tree. Blac Chyna, who has Dream with Rob Kardashian, shared off part of her tree in a portrait with Dream and Kim Cairo. On Christmas morning, the Kardashian family took to Snapchat to capture images of the family ready to open gifts. He has always been sure to delightedly mark the milestones of his young sons - Bobby, 14 and Freddie, 13. And Jeff Brazier, who shares his brood with the late Jade Goody, couldn't contain his pride as he took to Instagram with a proud Christmas snap on Monday. The TV star, 38, shared a lovely image of him walking with his eldest on the beach and revealed in his caption that his youngest Freddie wasn't spending the festive season with him due to his 'desire to keep his nan company.' Scroll down for video Good reason: Jeff Brazier, who shares his brood with the late Jade Goody, couldn't contain his pride as he took to Instagram to proudly detail where his youngest son Freddie was 'Proud': The TV star shared a lovely snap of him walking with his eldest on the beach and revealed in his caption that his youngest Freddie wasn't spending the festive season with him due to his 'desire to keep his nan company' Big Brother star Jade passed away in 2009 following a short battle with cervical cancer, aged just 27. And in order to keep her memory alive, doting dad Jeff has proved that his young sons are still close to the reality star's mother, Jackiey Budden. 'Just Bob and I this morning. Missing Fred today but his kindhearted desire to keep his Nan company so she wasnt on her own this Christmas isnt something I can stand in the way of so must encourage. 'Proud of him. ,' he concluded the moody beach snap. Heartbreaking: Big Brother star Jade passed away in 2009 following a short battle with cervical cancer, aged just 27 Tight bond: In order to keep her memory alive, doting dad Jeff has proved that his young sons are still close to the reality star's mother, Jackiey Budden Eight years after Jade lost her battle to cancer, Jeff has now focused on himself and found happiness with Kate Dwyer, who he recently proposed to. He recently told Mirror Online that his fiance has played a vital part in his children's grief: '[Marriage is] going to happen. I think we're working our way to it. What's going to be exciting to me is seeing the kids as older brothers, they'll be incredible. 'I'll get to experience parenting within a relationship and actually be married, because I haven't experienced that not even as a child.' He elaborated: 'It'll be like putting things on track, being a real human being who is married and has a child with someone that he loves and stays with. In love: Eight years after Jade lost her battle to cancer, Jeff has now focused on himself and found happiness with Kate Dwyer, who he recently proposed to 'I'll get to experience parenting within a relationship': He recently told Mirror Online that his fiance has played a vital part in his children's grief 'Not that I didn't love Jade, but to be with someone where the relationship blossoms and goes from strength to strength... it's what we all try to create.' Jeff admitted that he felt 'going solo' was more of a realistic way of bringing up sons Bobby and Freddie but that he feels he and Kate can now 'start getting all the rewards that we deserve.' Speaking to MailOnline, Jeff revealed that his sons' favourite memory of their late mum Jade Goody is when she heroically helped put out a fire while they were on holiday. Jade bravely threw buckets of water at a bushfire that ravaged their villa in Trinidad and Tobago back in 2007 and rescued their terrified toddlers Bobby and Freddie from inside. Grief counsellor Jeff said that the boys, now teenagers, saw Jade as a 'lifesaver' afterwards - and plans to take them back there so they can feel a connection to their mum, who died of cervical cancer eight years ago aged 27. 'Heroic memory': Speaking to MailOnline, Jeff revealed that his sons' favourite memory of their late mum Jade Goody is when she heroically helped put out a fire while they were on holiday Jeff also reflected on how the 'wonderful, heroic memory' left its mark on Freddie and Bobby. 'Their favourite memory is sadly one that I wasn't a part of, but irrespective it was a very wonderful, heroic memory for them,' he said. 'They were in Trinidad and Tobago and somehow she put out a fire. They recall it very fondly how Mummy was very quick to react to the fact that something was on fire and that she put it out. 'They were young and very impressionable at the time and just thought that was the most incredible thing. They thought "Wow, my Mum's a lifesaver, she's a firefighter!" 'That's a wonderful memory. That's probably their most valued memory. I'm gonna take them there one day and it will feel special because it was a place that's very special to their Mum.' On Christmas morning, the Kardashian family took to Snapchat to capture images from inside Kourtney's Calabasas mansion as the kids opened presents from Santa. Pregnant Khloe posed with Kim and Kendall as they wore matching pajamas. Also seen were North and Saint with cousins Mason and Reign. The big surprise, however, was seeing Kylie Jenner, who has yet to confirm she is pregnant with Travis Scott's baby. Another shocker was that her brother Rob was there. He has been in hiding since his Instagram tirade against ex Blac Chyna earlier this year. Scroll down for video Christmas morning: On Christmas morning, the Kardashian family took to Snapchat to capture images of the family ready to open gifts; here is Khloe, right, with Kylie, left He made the scene: Rob and Khloe with Kim in the background A break from his lair: He has been in hiding since his Instagram tirade against ex Blac Chyna earlier this year When Khloe poses with Kylie she said everyone thought the young Kylie Cosmetics mogul was not at mom Kris' Christmas Eve party, but she really was. Kylie does not say much, and she later puts up her hoodie. Her 'bump' is not visible. Several outlets have said she does not want to announce her pregnant just yet. There are not yet any photos of Kylie at the Christmas Eve bash. Momager Kris Jenner appeared to have received a brown Gucci fur coat that she modeled for the camera. The family still wears fur even though PETA and Pamela Anderson have begged them not to. Khloe told her mother, 'It looks like Gucci threw up all over you.' The model flew in from New York City: Here pregnant Khloe is seen with Kendall Hostess Kourtney: The 33-year-old also posed with her older sister in the kitchen Pretty as can be: Kim had on makeup and wore her pajama top unsnapped Sweet child: Kim's son Saint stayed close to mommy and wore a sweatshirt The beauty, 62, had on not just the fur coat, which had Gs all over it, but also a Gucci purse and white sneakers. In the background Rob could be heard saying that Kris still had the price tag on her. Khloe wore her long hair down as she added a filter that included bunny ears; she did not show off her bump. The star, 33, is pregnant with her first child with basketball player Tristan Thompson. With her pride and joy: Kim and North posed together for this Snapchat All lined up: Mason, Reign, Saint and North are all seen at Kourtney's house Kim, 37, had her hair down and short in a bob. Vogue model Kendall, 22, had her long locks down and straight. She had on no makeup. The pajamas were dark blue with a print that included trees and little Santas. Missy Vogue: Kendall had on a hat and no makeup while she held a throw Fur real? Kris was seen modeling a new brown fur coat. The family still wears fur even though PETA and Pamela Anderson have begged them not to Funny: Khloe told her mother, 'It looks like Gucci threw up all over you' This comes after Kris' massive Christmas eve bash at her home, which was attended by Christina Aguilera. The family has all month been showing off their over the top Christmas decorations. Jenner had her tree on display in her entrance way for her annual party. It looked to be 15 feet tall and it had red and white candy decorations as well as big red balls. Mama Christmas: The Kardashian/Jenners all like to go big on Christmas; here is Jenner in the foyer of her Hidden Hills, California home Another view: Kim and North in the foyer of Kris' house on Sunday That Khloe glow: Khloe in front of another tree at the Jenner party Another view again : Here are two smaller trees with a gift from Jennifer Lawrence Nice touch: Kylie Jenner, 20, who is reportedly pregnant with her first child, has a massive tree. She went with big pink decorations that included matte and shiny balls. There was also fake snow on the tree To the side was a large red polar bear. Kylie, 20, has a massive tree. She went with big pink decorations that included matte and shiny balls. There was also fake snow on the tree. Minimal charm: Kourtney had a smaller tree with just white lights and no decorations There was more than one: She had other trees in her house two; these had decorations Bare: Khloe decorated her tree in the Cleveland, Ohio home she shared with baby daddy Tristan Thompson Kourtney had a smaller tree with just white lights and no decorations. Underneath the tree the mother of three had packages wrapped in a light beige with cream colored ribbon. There appeared to be no star on top. Khloe had a tree in the home she shares in Cleveland, Ohio with baby daddy Tristan Thompson. Kim has yet to show off her tree. Blac Chyna, who has Dream with Rob Kardashian, shared off part of her tree in a portrait with Dream and Kim Cairo. Unwrapping presents under the tree isn't the only reason to get up early on December 25, as shown by the surge of energetic people making a 5km fun run part of their Christmas tradition. Huge numbers of runners took to 73 free ParkRun events around the country on Monday morning, where Santa hats, reindeer antlers, festive running shirts and even full St Nick suits sweated in the summer heat. Brisbane's South Bank ParkRun, among the first to schedule a Christmas event five years ago, blew away their old record despite the mercury reaching 28C at their 7am start time. Almost 800 people, old and young alike, as well as the speedy and the slower, did the picturesque 5km CBD loop around the Brisbane River. "This is insane! I thought the heat would keep everybody away today as well," said run director Mathew Egan. South Bank is the largest attended ParkRun in the country and typically sees about 500 runners turn out for their weekly Saturday morning event, all run by volunteers. Pioneer run director Gareth Saunders doubted they would get half that number when he first scheduled a South Bank Christmas run in 2013. "I didn't think we'd get many at all but 500 turned up," he told AAP. "It works really well. A lot of family Christmas proceedings don't happen until lunch ... so you can rack up a few calorie credits and then get stuck in to the Christmas turkey." For Josh and Mel Campbell it was a no-brainer they would take nine-month-old son Paddy to ParkRun for his first Christmas. "We did it this time last year when I was pregnant and we thought we'd start a tradition," Mel said. "Our family tradition is wake up, open presents and then go out (to ParkRun) and spend Christmas morning with all our friends," Josh added. "I also figure how much we are going to eat today, this is a good way to start the day!" Mel said. Among the volunteers was 12-year-old Bara Abdrabbou who was the official timekeeper while his father was the photographer. For Cameron and Susan Staib - who ran with children Luke, 13, and Niamh, 11 - it was the second year of their Christmas morning tradition - waking at 5am. "We were going to wait until after ParkRun to open the presents but we couldn't help ourselves," Susan said. "We'll enjoy Christmas lunch all the more now." A man has been charged after allegedly trying to ram two teenagers on dirt bikes with an SUV on Christmas Eve in Perth's northern suburbs. The man driving a Mitsubishi 4WD drove directly at two teenage boys, aged 16 and 19, who were sitting on the dirt bikes in Lilac Place at Dianella about 7.20pm. The teenagers leapt to safety, with the 4WD running over one of the bikes, before the 37-year-old driver left his vehicle threatened the boys, and hit the 16-year-old in the back. The driver has been charged with unlawful acts with intent to harm, criminal damage and common assault and will face Perth Magistrates Court on January 18. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has paid a visit to the Wayside Chapel, serving Christmas lunch to Sydney's homeless. Mr Turnbull thanked volunteers and posed for selfies at the event on Monday, which serves up about 1000 meals for Sydney's less fortunate. "Merry Christmas, it's wonderful to be here with you all, I want to thank in particular all the volunteers - the people who work at the Wayside, it is a great excessive in practical, unconditional love," Mr Turnbull told the crowd. Christmas is a celebration of those who are poor, powerless and on the margins, Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge has said in his Christmas homily. Speaking to a packed St Stephen's Cathedral on Monday he said the Christmas story gave hope to a darkening world and to the church. Archbishop Coleridge said Jesus's birth in Bethlehem more than 2000 years ago was the greatest of gifts and it continues to give for both the world and the church, particularly in despairing times. He said heightened anxiety from both the young and the old with both acts of terror and mental illness had made "the world seem a very insecure place". "There's a lot of darkness around and what Christmas is about is a birth of a baby ... and there's a tiny little light that can dispel all the darkness and that's what people are looking for," he told reporters after mass. "The darkness is real but there's something bigger than the darkness, and the something is a someone, and the someone is unbelievably a baby born poor, powerless and on the margins. "In that sense Christmas is a celebration of those who are poor, who are powerless and who are on the margins. "This is their day." During his homily, the archbishop embraced Christmas's solstice origins, saying the pagan winter feast brightened spirits at the time and Christianity was right not to spoil the party by ending it. "So Christianity didn't quench the spirit of celebration but baptised it," he told the congregation. "The Christ child was the little light that would eventually become the great light of Easter." Despite dwindling numbers across all Christian denominations, particularly among youth, Archbishop Coleridge said Christmas gave the church the most opportunity for outreach. The "profound" story cuts through more than that of Easter. "Kids sense something deep about Christmas," he said. "A lot of the God stuff can seem awfully abstract and remote but babies and births aren't abstract and remote. "Easter is different and harder to get your head around rising from the dead." A string of scrub fires in Perth, including one on Christmas Day, may have been started by an arsonist and police are seeking help as they investigate. Five suspicious fires have broken out near bicycle and footpaths in Perth's inner-eastern suburbs since December 1. Arson Squad detectives believe most were started in the early hours of the morning. They reached out to the public for information on Monday as they try to track down the fire starter. The latest blaze broke out at about 3am on Christmas morning near Corfield Street in Champion Lakes. Four other fires burned at Camillo on December 1, Champion Lakes on December 14, Gosnells on December 21 and Martin on December 22. Rewards of up to $50,000 are on offer for information that leads to the arsonist being caught. Prisoners will be exchanged in Donbas on December 27, the Verkhovna Rada First Deputy Speaker and Ukrainian representative to the humanitarian subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine, Iryna Gerashchenko, said on her Facebook page on Monday. "Seventy-four Ukrainians will be released on December 27. We will exchange them for 306 persons who can be released consistent with the Ukrainian laws," she said. Kyiv was ready to conduct the exchange several days ago, the expert said. "The Ukrainian Security Service, the Prosecutor General's Office, and the Minsk Group did their best. As I have said before, the Ukrainian parliament, all of us stood ready, were on the finish line. Importantly, all problems delaying the release were solved," she said. "I have just spoken with President Petro Poroshenko. He said that Ukraine was ready to release [the prisoners] and had done everything to unblock this process. We wanted to do that even earlier. We were happy when the other side finally gave its consent. The president ordered further work in order to release everyone still being held in prisons in the occupied territories and in Russia," Gerashchenko said. She said on December 8 that the number of persons held in Donbas territories uncontrolled by Kyiv had grown to 168 (compared to 162 detained Ukrainians mentioned by her earlier), and that Kyiv hoped to free 74 Ukrainians before the end of this year. A man has drowned at a beach on the Queensland-NSW border. Lifeguards raced to help a group of seven people, believed to be tourists, who got into trouble at Flagstaff Beach about 4.30pm on Christmas Day. They made three separate trips into the water to pluck the swimmers to safety when it became clear five others were also struggling and a mass rescue was required. Despite extensive CPR, one man was unable to be revived. Three others were taken to Tweed Heads Hospital for assessment, a NSW Police spokesman told AAP. The victim has not yet been formally identified. Surf Life Saving NSW said the incident was the 17th coastal drowning since July and the rising figure was concerning. CEO Steven Pearce said lifeguards put in a heroic effort to save the man's life. "This tragedy reinforces why we are so determined to ensure that our safety messages are heard and understood," he said in a statement. NSW Ambulance paramedics have urged parents to be vigilant with their children around water after a toddler drowned in a portable pool in southwest Sydney. The two-year-old was found in the pool at Bass Hill on Christmas Eve and wasn't able to be saved despite being rushed to Westmead Children's Hospital. NSW Ambulance spokesman Michael Mills said children in general needed close supervision around water. "You've got to be aware that if you've got children in the pool you can't be distracted by things like the phone ringing, people knocking at the door, other children,' he told the Seven Network on Monday. "It's also very important for people that own pools to learn how to do CPR." Police are investigating and a report will be prepared for the coroner. Surf Life Saving NSW says its concerned about the rising number of coastal drownings in the state following a Christmas Day tragedy that claimed a man's life on the Queensland border. A group of seven people, believed to be tourists, got into trouble at the patrolled Flagstaff Beach on Monday afternoon. Life guards rushed to save them but the victim, who was unconscious, wasn't able to be revived by the time he was taken to shore. Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steven Pearce said it was the 17th coastal drowning in the state since July, which had the whole life saving community concerned. "The lifeguards and lifesavers involved all put in a heroic effort to save this young man's life, but unfortunately were unable to do so," he said in a statement. "This tragedy reinforces why we are so determined to ensure that our safety messages are heard and understood." They twirl and sling their rifles, smashing the butts on the floor in perfect harmony. It is part performance art, part homage to a long-dead leader. The changing of the guard at the Dr Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei's Xinyi District is a mark of respect to a man who achieved no insignificant feat - admiration and respect on both sides of the Taiwanese strait. But who was Dr Sun and why is a man who died over 90 years ago still revered? Dr Sun, a physician and writer, played an important role in overthrowing the last imperial dynasty of China and was a fervent nationalist, earning him the respect of both sides. He is the man the Taiwanese call the "father of the nation", while mainland Chinese call him the "forerunner of the democratic revolution". In Taiwan, roads and schools bare his name and the Taiwanese $100 bill has his image on it. For visitors, a visit to his memorial and that of Chiang Kai-shek, the first president of Taiwan, is worth the trip. Dr Sun's memorial hall is surrounded by a park covering nearly 30,000 square metres, illustrating Taiwan's ability to blend old and new. On the steps to the museum, young Taiwanese practise their breakdancing while just a few metres away, the older generation do tai chi. But the most important and impressive attraction is inside the building. The bronze statue of Dr Sun Yat-sen stands at nearly six metres and greets visitors when they enter the lobby. The leader sits in a chair similar to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, and he is guarded by two soldiers who, like those of the Queen's guard at Buckingham Palace, move on the hour, every hour. The soldiers with extremely shiny boots and helmets start a changing of the guard's procession with much pomp swinging their rifles in perfect precision and marching in time. Although it can be crowded, the beauty of the march is that it occurs slowly, meaning you can catch a glimpse and walk around to get a better view before it passes. Afterwards, take the time to wander into the museum, but be warned that not all the exhibitions are in English. If you are not done with museums, the next stop is the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, where there's not only a similar memorial to the first president of Taiwan, but also his official cars, clothes, medals and photographs. Taiwan has many attractions, shops, food and outdoor markets so it can be tough to cram it all into a holiday, but its complicated and fascinating history is worth making time for. IF YOU GO GETTING THERE: Taipei sits on the northern tip of Taiwan and its airport is about 30km from the city centre. AirAsia flies to Taipei from Sydney via Kuala Lumpur. STAYING THERE: The Grand Hyatt Taipei offers rooms with a stunning view of Taipei 101, one of the largest skyscrapers in Asia, and is strategically located in the heart of the city. Prices start at around $A280 per night. Visit https://taipei.grand.hyatt.com PLAYING THERE: The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall: No. 505, Section 4, Ren'ai Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan 110. Hourly guard changes occur from 9am-5pm daily. The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall: No. 21, Zhongshan South Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100. The National Palace Museum: Home to one of the world's biggest collection of Chinese artefacts, No. 221, Sec 2, Zhi Shan Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111 The writer travelled as a guest of Grand Hyatt Taipei. Tunisia has been trying to repair diplomatic ties with UAE, whose Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash is pictured here, damaged by its 2011 revolution 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". Tunisia has been trying to repair diplomatic ties with 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, 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. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) is decorated by his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir 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. Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales (L), shown with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) in 2016, said he spoke with Netanyahu before announcing that his country's embassy in the Jewish state will move to Jerusalem Guatemala is to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, President Jimmy Morales said Sunday, following US President Donald Trump's controversial lead on the holy city. After speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Morales wrote to Guatemalans on his Facebook page that "one of the most important topics was the return of Guatemala's embassy to Jerusalem," from Tel Aviv where it is currently located. "For this reason I am informing you that I have given instructions to the foreign ministry that it start the necessary respective coordination to make this happen," Morales wrote. Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon thanked Guatemala for the "important decision." "Wonderful news and true friendship!", he wrote on Twitter. Guatemala's leader made the announcement on Christmas Eve, three days after two-thirds of UN member states rejected Trump's decision to have the United States recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. In all, 128 nations voted to maintain the international consensus that Jerusalem's status can only be decided through peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Only eight countries stood with the United States in voting no to the resolution held in the UN General Assembly, among them Guatemala and fellow Central American country Honduras. Guatemala and Honduras are both reliant on US funding to improve security in their gang-ridden territories. The two nations are, along with El Salvador, in what is known as the Northern Triangle of Central America. Violence, corruption and poverty have made them the main source of illegal migration to the United States, which is giving them $750 million to provide better conditions at home. Morales, like Trump, was a television entertainer with no real political experience before becoming president of Guatemala in 2016. - Guatemala is 'pro-Israeli' - On Friday, Morales foreshadowed the decision he was to make regarding Jerusalem, as he defended his government's vote at the UN backing the United States. "Guatemala is historically pro-Israeli," he told a news conference in Guatemala City. "In 70 years of relations, Israel has been our ally," he said. "We have a Christian way of thinking that, as well as the politics of it, has us believing that Israel is our ally and we must support it. Despite us only being nine in the world (in the UN vote), we have the total certainty and conviction that this is the right path." Morales's position has become fragile in recent months because of allegations of corruption against him being investigated by a special UN-backed body working with Guatemalan prosecutors. The United States ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, had said her country would "take names" of the states opposing its position, and Trump threatened to cut funding to countries "that take our money and then vote against us." Several significant US allies abstained from the UN vote, among them Australia, Canada, Mexico and Poland. Others, such as Britain, France, Germany and South Korea were in the majority of 128 nations denouncing any unilateral decision to view Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The eight countries on the US side of the vote were: Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Togo. Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales, pictured in June 2017, was like his US counterpart Donald Trump a television entertainer with no real political experience before becoming Guatemala's leader in 2016 Following the US decision on Jerusalem, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said he would "no longer accept" any peace plan proposed by the US, dealing a pre-emptive blow to a new initiative expected by Washington next year. Trump has tasked his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who had no prior experience in government, with spearheading the complicated peace plan efforts. Afghan security personnel block a road near the site of a suicide attack close to an intelligence agency compound in Kabul A suicide attacker on foot blew himself up near a compound belonging to the Afghan intelligence agency in Kabul on Monday, killing six civilians, officials said. The attacker struck at a time when workers were arriving at their offices. It comes a week after militants stormed a National Directorate of Security (NDS) training centre in the Afghan capital. Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP six civilians in a car were killed when the attacker detonated himself. "Six people were martyred and three others were wounded," Danish said. "They were hit when they were passing the area in their Toyota sedan vehicle. We still do not know the target of the attack but it happened on the main road." The health ministry confirmed the death toll but put the number of wounded at one. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack in Kabul which in recent months has become one of the deadliest places in the war-torn country for civilians. An AFP reporter at the blast site said the attack happened outside the main entrance to an NDS compound. Security forces have swarmed the area, closing off the main road leading to the building. Ambulances were seen leaving the scene, apparently taking casualties to hospitals in the city. "Our initial information shows a blast took place near an intelligence headquarters in Shash Darak neighbourhood of Kabul," deputy interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told AFP. Kabul in recent months has become one of the deadliest places in the war-torn country for civilians Last week's attack on the NDS was claimed by the Islamic State, which has expanded its presence in Afghanistan since it first appeared in the region in 2015. It has scaled up its attacks in Kabul, including those on the country's Shiite minority. The resurgent Taliban and increasingly IS are both stepping up their assaults on security installations and mosques. On Friday, a suicide bomber drove an explosives-packed Humvee into a police compound in the southern province of Kandahar, killing at least six officers and destroying a building. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the pre-dawn ambush. Afghan forces, already 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 began a training and support role. Morale has been further eroded by long-running fears that the militants have insider help -- everything from infiltrators in the ranks to corrupt Afghan forces selling equipment to the Taliban. Chinese Artist Hu Jiamin disappeared shortly after he painted this mural in Shenzhen An artist that could not be reached for more than a week after he painted a politically charged mural in southern China wrote on Twitter Monday that he has been "released". "I was released a few days ago and we are in my hometown now," the Twitter account of painter Hu Jiamin read days after Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao reported that the couple had been taken away by plainclothes men. Hu noted in another post that he will return to France on December 30. The artist and his French wife, Marine Brossard, had painted a mural honouring China's late dissident Liu Xiaobo at the entrance of a public exhibition in Shenzhen on December 15. But city authorities covered the wall with a banner the same evening, witnesses told AFP. Their painting depicted an empty blue chair inside a room with red bars, an apparent reference to Liu. The veteran Chinese rights activist was in prison when he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 and was represented at the award ceremony by an empty blue chair. He died of liver cancer in July while serving a prison sentence for "subversion" making China the first country to see a Nobel laureate die in custody since Nazi Germany. References to Liu are heavily censored in China. Brossard is a French national, but Hu's nationality is unclear, a friend who has known them for over five years said. The couple had travelled from their home in the French city of Lyon to participate in the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Biennale of Urbanism Architecture, witnesses who spoke with the couple in Shenzhen told AFP. US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive at Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea for a Christmas Eve service on December 24, 2017 US President Donald Trump attended a Christmas Eve service in Florida Sunday night with First Lady Melania Trump, as they spend a year-end break at the president's Mar-a-Lago resort. Arriving at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach -- around 70 miles north of Miami -- the president was greeted by Reverend James R Harlan as around 100 people lined the street to watch the motorcade. Mass began before the Trumps arrived, and Harlan had asked the congregation to put any phones and cameras away, describing them as an "intrusion." "We're here to worship," he said. Seated in the third row, Trump listened to Harlan's sermon, which centered on the power of words. Quoting Nelson Mandela on the importance of understanding "how precious words are and how real speech is in its impact on the way people live and die," Harlan highlighted the ability of language to educate and enlighten, but also to cause harm. "Your words can have as much destructive potential as they do healing," Harlan said. "God's word is pure light." A crowd lined up to shake Trump's hand during the peace-be-with-yous -- while the church's livestream cut to another angle as he stood up to take communion. Trump, who was accompanied only by his wife Melania, departed the church after midnight local time (0500 GMT), arriving back at Mar-a-Lago shortly before 12:30am Monday. Earlier Sunday, President Trump and the First Lady joined in the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tradition of tracking Santa Claus, taking calls from children who wanted to know his location. "What would you like more than anything?" the president asked one child. After the child responded, Trump said: "Building blocks, that's what I've always liked too. I always loved building blocks." Later in the evening, they enjoyed a Christmas Eve dinner menu which included turkey, beef tenderloin and seafood, along with side dishes such as creamy kale, popovers and mashed potatoes. Trump also took to Twitter to wish his followers a "Merry Christmas," once again lamenting what he described as an "assault" on the phrase. "People are proud to be saying Merry Christmas again", he wrote. "I am proud to have led the charge against the assault of our cherished and beautiful phrase. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!" Batkivschyna party says it gets most votes at local elections KYIV. Dec 25 (Interfax-Ukraine) Leader of the Batkivschyna Party Yulia Tymoshenko has stated the party had won first place with a 31.6% result during local elections in 51 united territorial communities held on December 24, during which the deputies and heads of village and town councils were elected. "According to all the protocols with wet stamps, the Batkivschyna Party, with a wide margin from all parties, ranked first with 31.6% of the votes. The Solidarnist Party received 19.4% of the votes and the Agrarian Party 13.8%," Tymoshenko said at a press conference in Kyiv, adding that 80% of candidates for deputies were elected from parties. At the same time, according to the politician, other parties got even lower results, for example, Nash Kray got 7% of support, the Radical Party of Oleh Liashko some 6.6%, UKROP some 5.5%, Samopomich some 2.8%, the Opposition Bloc some 2.7%, the People's Front 2.2%, Svoboda 1.2%, and Civil Position got 1.1%. Tymoshenko said the team of the Batkivschyna Party, according to all the protocols with ink stamps, managed to lead 268 deputies elected from parties to local councils, while the Bloc of Petro Poroshenko Solidarnist 165 deputies, the Agrarian Party 117 deputies, and Nash Kray some 60 deputies. Saudi troops patrol the Shiite-majority town of Awamiya on October 1, 2017 as they seek to put down a wave of unrest triggered by their demolition of its historic Musawara neighbourhood Saudi police have recovered the body of a kidnapped pro-government Shiite judge after a shootout in which a policeman and a suspected militant were killed, the interior ministry said Monday. The remains of Judge Mohammed al-Jirani were found on a farm in the town of Awamiya in the kingdom's Eastern Province, which has been a hotbed of protests among the Shiite minority for years. The raid took place last Tuesday and subsequent DNA tests confirmed that a body recovered was that of Sheikh Jirani, a ministry spokesman told the official Saudi Press Agency. The ministry named the slain suspected militant as Salman al-Faraj, adding that he was wanted on suspicion of terrorism offences. Sheikh Jirani was kidnapped in December 2016 in front of his Awamiya home. The authorities said at the time that they had arrested three suspects. Considered close to the authorities, the judge had been the target of several attacks before his abduction. In a press conference Monday, interior ministry spokesman General Mansour al-Turki accused the judge's kidnappers and murderers of forming "an organised terrorist group that has relations with Iran and benefits from its support". Saudi Arabia's council of senior scholars -- comprised of only Sunni clerics -- has decried the murder. "This is a crime that must be condemned in the strongest terms and which reveals the threats posed by these terrorists," the committee said in a statement. Sheikh Jirani was critical of the protest movement among his fellow Shiites and accused leading clerics in the community of being too close to Iran and neighbouring Iraq. In 2011, his house and car were set on fire and members of his family barely escaped the flames. In 2012, his house was attacked again by armed men who failed to capture him. Awamiya, a town of around 25,000 people, has seen bouts of unrest since 2011 when protesters emboldened by that year's Arab Spring uprisings took to the streets demanding an end to alleged discrimination by the Sunni-dominated government. The Shiite community makes up between 10 and 15 percent of Saudi Arabia's population of 32 million. A latest wave of unrest erupted in the summer when authorities began tearing down the historic Musawara district of Awamiya. Authorities said that the walled neighbourhood's labyrinth of alleyways had become a breeding ground for "terrorists". The demolitions prompted armed clashes between militants and security forces. An Emirates Airbus A380 takes off from Toulouse-Blagnac airport on October 19, 2017 Controversial security measures taken by the United Arab Emirates against Tunisian women trying to travel to the Gulf state were prompted by fears of a terrorist attack, Tunisia said Monday. Since Friday Tunisian women and girls have been delayed for hours as they look to board planes for the UAE, sparking outcry in the North African nation that led to the suspension of Emirates airline flights to Tunis. "The UAE authorities have serious security information about the possibility of terrorist attacks," Tunisian presidency spokeswoman Saida Garrach told Shems FM radio. The information indicates that with jihadists returning from Syria and Iraq, there is "a possibility of a terrorist attack involving either Tunisian women or women carrying a Tunisian passport," Garrach said, suggesting that they could be using false identities. UAE carrier Emirates has received "clear instructions" to deny Tunisian women access to its planes, she added. Passengers said the only explanation they were given by airline staff was that women holding Tunisian passports were not authorised to travel to the UAE. The Tunisian authorities said they had been forced to intervene several times in the past few days to help their nationals in Tunis as well as in Abu Dhabi and Beirut. In response Tunisia on Sunday halted Emirates flights between Tunis and Dubai. Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, in a statement, called for the rights of Tunisian women not to be violated "whatever the justification". But he also instructed his foreign minister, Khemaies Jhinaoui, to "work to overcome these problems as quickly as possible to preserve fraternal relations and cooperation" with the Emiratis. UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash on Sunday blamed the delays on "security information that necessitated taking specific procedures". "We highly value Tunisian women and respect them," he said on Twitter. But Tunisian official Garrach insisted that while her country could understand the UAE's concerns, it cannot "accept the way Tunisian women have been treated". Tunisian rights groups have condemned the UAE measures as "discriminatory and racist". China's first emperor - creator of the world-famous terracotta army - was on a quest for eternal life, new archaeological research has revealed. A set of wooden slips found in the central province of Hunan contain an executive order from emperor Qin Shihuang for a nationwide search for the elixir of life, along with replies from local governments, according to Xinhua news agency on Sunday. It cited Zhang Chunlong, a researcher at the provincial institute of archaeology, as saying the emperor's decree reached even frontier regions and remote villages. A set of wooden slips found in the central province of Hunan contain an executive order from emperor Qin Shihuang for a nationwide search for the elixir of life, along with replies from local governments Qin Shihuang was responsible for the massive underground mausoleum in the northern province of Shaanxi filled with nearly 8,000 terracotta soldiers built to protect him in the afterlife Qin Shihuang's obsession with eternal life was well-known: He was responsible for the massive underground mausoleum in the northern province of Shaanxi filled with nearly 8,000 terracotta soldiers built to protect him in the afterlife. By studying the 36,000 wooden slips - found in 2002 at the bottom of a well in Hunan - archaeologists have uncovered not only the imperial order to find an 'elixir of life', but also the often embarrassed responses from local authorities who struggled to meet his demands. According to Xinhua, a village called 'Duxiang' reported to the emperor that it had failed to discover a miraculous potion, but that the search was continuing. Another place, 'Langya', suggested that 'an herb collected from an auspicious local mountain' might do the job. The texts were written on a series of wooden slats originally connected to each other by strings. Qin Shihuang's 8,000-man terracotta army, crafted around 250 BC for the emperor's tomb, is a UNESCO world heritage site This technique was the most common medium of writing in China before the appearance of paper at the beginning of the first millennium AD. Qin Shihuang's search for immortality was doomed to failure: He died in 210 BC after reigning for 11 years. His 8,000-man terracotta army, crafted around 250 BC for the emperor's tomb, is a UNESCO world heritage site. The site a major tourist draw and a symbol of ancient Chinese artistic and military sophistication in a country that proclaims itself a 5,000-year-old civilisation. As emperor, he added, Qin Shihuang 'not only innovated the terracotta warriors, he also created a series of innovations' including standardised weights and measures, national roads, and a unified currency. Following Qin Shihuan's death, the Qin dynasty - notorious for its book burnings and executions of literati - laid the foundation for China as a unified nation that has persisted for two millennia. Pakistani officials claim Kulbushan Jadhav has confessed to spying for Indian intelligence Pakistani authorities allowed an Indian national sentenced to death for spying to see his family for the first time since his arrest, a rare and highly-anticipated meeting arranged amid tight security in Islamabad. Kulbushan Sudhir Jadhav, clad in a blue jacket, met with his wife and mother at Pakistan's foreign ministry in the capital, where they spoke through a glass barrier, pictures issued by the ministry showed. The images were low quality, and it was impossible to ascertain Jadhav's well-being, but he was sitting up and appeared to be healthy. Pakistani officials said Jadhav was in good health. In a video released by authorities ahead of the meeting, Jadhav said he was grateful to Pakistan for a "grand gesture". It was not clear if the video was filmed under duress. The meeting, which a foreign office spokesman said lasted around 40 minutes, is the first time Pakistan has granted access to the family of Jadhav, who was arrested in the southwestern province of Balochistan last year. An Indian diplomat was present during the meeting, but was not allowed to talk to Jadhav or listen to the conversation with his family, the foreign ministry spokesman said. Pakistani officials claim he has confessed to spying for Indian intelligence. On Monday, the Foreign Office spokesman described him to media as "the face of Indian terrorism in Pakistan". Jadhav was found guilty in a closed trial by a military court and sentenced to death. New Delhi sought the intervention of the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan to stay the execution until it passes final judgement in the case. India has maintained that Jadhav is not a spy, and that he was kidnapped by Pakistan. New Delhi has also accused Islamabad of violating the Vienna Convention by denying consular access. The nuclear arch-rivals routinely accuse one another of sending spies into their countries, and it is not uncommon for either nation to expel diplomats accused of espionage, particularly when tensions are high. Death sentences, however, have rarely been carried out in such cases in recent years. Indian national Sarabjit Singh, on death row for spying in Pakistan, was attacked and killed in jail by fellow inmates in 2013. He had been on death row for 16 years. In Balochistan, Pakistan's largest but least developed province, security forces have been battling a years-long separatist insurgency that authorities have repeatedly characterised as "terrorism" promoted by hostile states such as India. Jadhav, who has two children, reportedly joined India's prestigious National Defence Academy in 1987 and was commissioned as an engineer in the Indian Navy in 1991. The son of a retired police officer, Jadhav's neighbours remember him as a shy but helpful man who was good at sport and studies, according to Indian media reports. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's eldest son resigned from his local government post on Monday, citing allegations of links to drug smugglers which he denies and a bitter social media dispute with his own daughter. Paolo Duterte told the city council of Davao, a southern port where he serves as vice-mayor, that he was resigning because of 'recent unfortunate events in my life', citing family problems and allegations of drug smuggling. 'These among others, include the maligning of my reputation in the recent name-dropping incident in the Bureau of Customs smuggling case and the very public squabble with my daughter,' he said. Paolo Duterte told the city council of Davao, a southern port where he serves as vice-mayor, that he was resigning because of 'recent unfortunate events in my life' 'I take responsibility for all that has happened,' the 42-year-old said in a statement later released to the press. The president's son made headlines last week when he used the official Facebook page of the Davao vice mayor's office for an expletive-laced rant at his teenage daughter Isabelle, after she posted criticism of him on social media. Her posts were not publicly available. The vice mayor responded in a Facebook post - which was no longer publicly available on Monday - saying his daughter had 'embarrassed' herself with her behaviour though he did not elaborate. The son of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, pictured, resigned from his local government post on Monday Isabelle was in the media spotlight earlier this month when photos of her posing in designer gowns at the presidential palace went viral on social media. An opposition senator accused Paolo earlier this year of facilitating the smuggling of crystal methamphetamine worth 6.4 billion pesos ($125 million) into the Philippines from China. He testified in the Senate in September to deny the drug allegations, in a country that has seen thousands killed in an anti-narcotics campaign launched by his father. Paolo Duterte made headlines last week when he used an official Facebook page for an expletive-laced rant at his teenage daughter Isabelle, pictured Harry Roque, the president's spokesman, said Monday that Paolo's resignation letter had been received but did not comment further as 'the father wants to speak to the son first'. Davao mayor Sara Duterte, the president's daughter, said Monday she did not know if her brother's resignation had been accepted. The Duterte family has controlled Davao politics for more than two decades, with the president also having served as the city's long-time mayor. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono lays a wreath at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial museum in Jerusalem on December 25, 2017 Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono on Monday laid a wreath at Israel's Yad Vashem holocaust memorial in Jerusalem and called for stronger ties between the two countries. He wrote in the memorial's guest book that he prayed "from the bottom of my heart that such a tragedy will never be repeated". At a joint press conference with President Reuvin Rivlin, he said Japan "regards Israel as a country full of talent, not just a state of technology, but humanity, art and science". "I hope to increase the exchange of people between (the) two countries," he added. Rivlin said he was "very concerned" about North Korea and that "a crisis on one side of the globe can influence the other side of the globe". In a statement, Rivlin's spokesman said Kono voiced hope that Israel and Japan would establish direct air links "sometime soon". Kono was set to meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas later Monday. Pope Francis kisses a figurine of baby Jesus during a mass on Christmas eve Pope Francis in his traditional Christmas address on Monday called for peace in Jerusalem and highlighted the plight of children scarred by conflict, having earlier urged the world's Catholics not to ignore the conditions migrants face. Tens of thousands of worshippers gathered at the Vatican to hear the pontiff's fifth "Urbi et Orbi" (To the City and The World) message. It was delivered hours after a Christmas Eve mass where he spoke on how migrants had been "driven from their land" because of leaders willing to shed "innocent blood". On Monday, Francis's message sought "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. "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 Israeli-occupied West Bank after US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Following Trump's declaration, Guatemala's President Jimmy Morales said Sunday his country would move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump's announcement on December 6 triggered demonstrations and clashes, including in Bethlehem in the West Bank where Christians marked the birth of Jesus at a midnight mass. Pope Francis gives his fifth "Urbi et Orbi" (To the City and The World) Christas message "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. - Fewer tourists in Bethlehem - A man takes a selfie at the Manger Square outside the Church of the Nativity during Christmas Eve celebrations Bethlehem 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 the city is 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 recent violence between Palestinian protesters and the Israeli army. 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. - First Xmas in Homs in years - Iraqis clergymen attend a Christmas Eve mass at Saint Paul's church in the country's second city Mosul 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. In Europe, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II paid tribute to the cities of London and Manchester which this year suffered what she called "appalling" terror attacks. "This Christmas, I think of London and Manchester, whose powerful identities shone through over the past 12 months," the 91-year-old monarch said in the pre-recorded televised message. And just two hours before the pope delivered his traditional message Monday, there was a disruption on St Peter's Square as a bare-breasted woman shouting "God is a woman" stormed the Christmas Nativity display and seized the baby Jesus statue. Police said a 25-year-old Ukrainian woman, reportedly a member of the feminist movement Femen, was arrested. Femen, founded in Ukraine, has staged anti-Kremlin protests and now in western Europe has focused on the Catholic Church which it accuses of suppressing women's rights. Elsewhere, a tragic Christmas weekend in the Philippines was compounded Monday by the deaths of 20 people in a bus collision while travelling to mass. burs/adm/boc/dcr Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila spends most of his time in the capital, Kinshasa, but is believed to have several homes across the country, including a farm A residence of President Joseph Kabila was burned down early Monday in a suspected militia attack that killed a police officer in the Democratic Republic of Congo, witnesses said. So-called Mai-Mai armed groups were probably trying to steal goods from the building in Musienene, North Kivu province in the country's troubled east, according to a military official. "The residence of the head of state in Musienene has been targeted in an attack from 03:00 (01:00 GMT) and then burned by the Mai-Mai," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "The attackers ransacked everything before setting the house and some vehicles on fire." Kabila spends most of his time in the capital, Kinshasa, but is believed to have several homes across the country, including a farm. Musienene regularly sees protests against Kabila's extended time in power and demonstrations over insecurity. He has managed to cling to power despite his second and final term as president officially ending in December 2016. Elections to replace him never took place and a deal was eventually brokered that enabled Kabila to stay in office until a vote that was due to be held in 2017. The poll has since been postponed until December 23, 2018. "We saw the flames consume the residence of the president of the republic when we awoke," said Pascal Mukondi, a resident of Musienene. Another resident said they "feared retaliation" from the army. Armed Congolese groups and foreign forces control swathes of territory in North Kivu province and fighting is relatively common. In a separate development, nine soldiers were killed in two ambushes by a suspected rebel militia group in South Kivu province, the military said Monday. "The army recorded a loss of nine soldiers in two ambushes in the Baraka operational zone", a unnamed military official told AFP. A lieutenant was killed on Sunday in the village Lweba, seven kilometres (four miles) from the Baraka district, the official added. The other deaths came in an attack two days earlier. "Our hospital received the bodies of eight soldiers killed by bullets on Friday," an official at a hospital in Lulimba, a village 60 kilometres south of Baraka, told AFP. The military official accused the Mai-Mai militia of being responsible for both attacks, adding that DR Congo's army lost "important material". Israeli security forces scuffle with a Palestinian man in the Old City of Jerusalem on December 22, 2017 amid protests triggered by Washington's decision to recognise it as Israel's capital Israel is in touch with "at least ten countries" over the possible transfer of their embassies to Jerusalem after the United States recognised the city as Israel's capital, a deputy minister said Monday. "We are in contact with at least ten countries, some of them in Europe" to discuss the move, deputy foreign minister Tzipi Hotovely told public radio. She spoke a day after Guatemala said it would move its embassy to the city, a move slammed by Palestinian officials as "shameful". Hotovely said US President Donald Trump's statement would "trigger a wave" of such moves. "So far we have only seen the beginning," she said. Hotovely did not name the countries in question, but public radio cited Israeli diplomatic sources as saying Honduras, the Philippines, Romania and South Sudan are among states considering such a move. Two-thirds of United Nations member states on Thursday voted for a resolution rejecting Trump's controversial move, reaffirming that the status of Jerusalem must be resolved through negotiations. Israel seized the eastern part of Jerusalem in the 1967 Six Day War and later annexed it in a move not recognised by the international community. Several mainly Latin American countries had diplomatic missions in Jerusalem until a 1980 UN Security Council resolution condemning Israel's attempt to alter the "character and status" of the city, saying it was a barrier to peace. Trump's announcement on December 6 sparked anger in the Palestinian territories and across the Muslim world. Israelis see the whole of the city as their undivided capital while the Palestinians view the east as the capital of their future state. No country currently has its embassy in Jerusalem, instead keeping them in the Israeli commercial capital Tel Aviv. The Guatemalan flag flies at its current embassy in Israel, which is located in the city of Herzliya, near Tel Aviv Guatemala said Monday it is starting the process of moving its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, after President Jimmy Morales announced he would follow US President Donald Trump's controversial lead on the holy city. Morales wrote a message to Guatemalans on his Facebook page Sunday, saying he had spoken with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that "one of the most important topics was the return of Guatemala's embassy to Jerusalem." "For this reason I am informing you that I have given instructions to the foreign ministry... to make this happen," Morales wrote. On Monday, the foreign ministry said it was implementing the order. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs received the presidential order and is starting the process of implementing this foreign policy decision," it said in a statement. Guatemala's leader made the embassy announcement on Christmas Eve, three days after two-thirds of UN member states rejected Trump's decision to have the United States recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Netanyahu on Monday hailed the decision, saying Guatemala would not be the only nation to follow Washington's lead. "Other countries will recognize Jerusalem and announce the relocation of their embassies. A second country did it and I repeat it: there will be others, it's just the start and it's important," Netanyahu said in a statement. Israel's deputy foreign minister Tzipi Hotovely told public radio that "we are in contact with at least 10 countries, some of them in Europe" over the possible transfer of their embassies to Jerusalem. - 'Shameful and illegal' - "So far we have only seen the beginning," she said. But the Palestinian foreign ministry slammed Guatemala. "It's a shameful and illegal act that goes totally against the wishes of church leaders in Jerusalem" and of a non-binding UN General Assembly resolution condemning the US recognition, the ministry said in a statement. Guatemala's President Jimmy Morales made the embassy announcement on Christmas Eve, three days after two-thirds of UN member states rejected Trump's decision to have the United States recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital Guatemala's decision also drew fire from Bolivian President Evo Morales. "In a complete act of mockery of the international community, the government of Guatemala ignores the resolution of the UN (General) Assembly and decides to move its embassy to Jerusalem," he wrote on his Twitter account. In all, 128 nations voted to maintain the international consensus that Jerusalem's status can only be decided through peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Only eight countries stood with the United States in voting against the resolution in the UN General Assembly, among them Guatemala and fellow Central American country Honduras. Guatemala and Honduras are both reliant on US funding to improve security in their gang-ridden territories. Violence, corruption and poverty have made the two countries, along with El Salvador, the main source of illegal migration to the United States, which is giving them $750 million to provide better conditions at home. Morales, like Trump, was a television entertainer with no real political experience before becoming president of Guatemala in 2016. - Guatemala 'pro-Israeli' - On Friday, Morales foreshadowed the decision he was to make regarding Jerusalem, as he defended his government's vote at the UN backing the United States. "Guatemala is historically pro-Israeli," he told a news conference in Guatemala City. "In 70 years of relations, Israel has been our ally," he said. "We have a Christian way of thinking that, as well as the politics of it, has us believing that Israel is our ally and we must support it." Morales's position has become fragile in recent months because of allegations of corruption against him being investigated by a special UN-backed body working with Guatemalan prosecutors. US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley had said her country would "take names" of the states opposing its position, and Trump threatened to cut funding to countries "that take our money and then vote against us." Several significant US allies abstained from the UN vote, among them Australia, Canada, Mexico and Poland. Others, such as Britain, France, Germany and South Korea were among the nations denouncing any unilateral decision to view Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Along with Guatemala and Honduras, Israel, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Togo were on the US side of the vote. Following the US decision on Jerusalem, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said he would "no longer accept" any peace plan proposed by the US, dealing a pre-emptive blow to an initiative expected by Washington next year. Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk was detained at the airport of Geneva, Switzerland, his press secretary Olha Lappo has said. "Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who arrived in Geneva with his younger daughter, was stopped at passport control at the request of Russia, on the ground of all now known absurd accusations of involvement in fighting in Chechnya. They clarified everything within ten minutes and then let [him] go, having warned that a similar procedure is possible on the way out," Lappo wrote on Facebook on Saturday evening. LIMA, Peru (AP) - Peru's president announced Sunday night that he granted a medical pardon to jailed former strongman Alberto Fujimori, who was serving a 25-year sentence for human rights abuses, corruption and the sanctioning of death squads. President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski released a statement on Christmas Eve saying he decided to free Fujimori for "humanitarian reasons," citing doctors who had determined the ex-leader suffers from incurable and degenerative problems. The 79-year-old Fujimori, who governed from 1990 to 2000, is a polarizing figure in Peru. Some Peruvians laud him for defeating the Maoist Shining Path guerrilla movement, while others loathe him for human rights violations carried out under his government and some human rights groups quickly criticized the pardon. FILE - In this Oct. 25, 2013 file photo, Peru's jailed, former President Alberto Fujimori attends his hearing at a police base on the outskirts of Lima, Peru. On Dec. 24, 2017, Peru's President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski announced he was granting Fujimori a medical pardon. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia, File) His daughter, Keiko Fujimori, narrowly lost Peru's last presidential election to Kuczynski, and her party dominates congress. Her party mounted an attempt this month to oust Kuczynski over business ties to the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht, which is at the center of a huge Latin American corruption scandal, but the president survived the impeachment vote late Thursday. Critics of Fujimori again raised speculation that Kuczynski agreed to pardon the former leader in return for some opposition lawmakers not supporting his impeachment. Fujimori filed a request seeking a medical pardon more than a year ago, citing deteriorating health. He has said on his Twitter account that he suffers from arrhythmia, for which he has been hospitalized several times this year. He remained at a clinic Sunday night where he was taken from prison a day earlier after suffering a drop in blood pressure. Keiko Fujimori and one of her brothers, Kenji, visited the clinic Sunday night. The brother later tweeted that their father would remain hospitalized a few days more. Supporters of the former leader gathered outside the clinic to celebrate his pardon Sunday night. "He was a brave man, the best Peruvian president of all time," said Juana Lopez. A few dozen opponents of Fujimori demonstrated a few blocks from the presidential palace. Some protesters chanted "Kuczynski traitor" and "Killer Fujimori" while carrying posters with photographs of those slain during his decade in power. Jose Miguel Vivanco, executive director of Human Rights Watch, said on this Twitter account that the pardon "was a vulgar political negotiation in exchange for Kuczynski's stay in power." Amnesty International demanded that Kuczynski "clarify the doubts about the lack of transparency and respect for due process." Eduardo Dargent, a political science professor at Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, predicted the presiden'ts decision would prove to be "his worst mistake." He said the pardon was a "mockery" for people who voted for Kuczynski in his runoff election fight with Keiko Fujimori. Peruvian law provides that no person convicted of murder or kidnapping can receive a presidential pardon except in the case of a terminal illness. Three previous requests from Fujimori for pardons since 2013 were rejected after doctors said he did not suffer from incurable illness or severe mental disorder. Kuczynski's statement said a medical board had evaluated Fujimori and determined that "he suffers from a progressive, degenerative and incurable disease and that prison conditions mean a serious risk to his life, health and well-being." Fujimori would have been in prison until age 93 if he had severed his full sentence. He was first convicted in 2009 and sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in the killings of 25 people, including an 8-year-old boy, during his administration. He was later drew four more convictions, the most serious one charging him with knowledge of the existence of death squads financed with public money that killed civilians accused of being Shining Path members. A former university president and mathematics professor, Fujimori was a political outsider when he emerged from obscurity to win Peru's 1990 presidential election over writer Mario Vargas Llosa. Peru was being ravaged by runaway inflation and guerrilla violence when he took office. He quickly rebuilt the economy with mass privatizations of state industries. Defeating the fanatical Shining Path rebels took longer but his fight won him broad-based support. His presidency collapsed just as dramatically as his rise to power. After briefly shutting down Congress and putting himself into a third term, Fujimori fled the country in disgrace in 2000 after leaked videotapes showed his spy chief, Vladimiro Montesinos, bribing lawmakers. Fujimori went to Japan, his parents' homeland, and famously sent in his resignation by fax. Five years later, he stunned supporters and enemies alike when he flew to neighboring Chile, where he was arrested and extradited to Peru. Fujimori's goal was run for Peru's presidency again in 2006, but instead he went to trial and was convicted of abuse of power. Keiko and Hiro, daughter and son of Peru's former President Alberto Fujimori, arrive to the clinic where their jailed father was admitted the previous day after suffering a drop in blood pressure in Lima, Peru, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017. Peru's president announced Sunday night that he granted a medical pardon to the jailed former strongman who was serving a 25-year sentence for human rights abuses, corruption and the sanctioning of death squads. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) Supporters of former President Alberto Fujimori celebrate his medical pardon outside the clinic where the jailed leader was admitted the previous day after suffering a drop in blood pressure in Lima, Peru, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017. Peru's president announced Sunday night that he granted a medical pardon to the jailed former strongman who was serving a 25-year sentence for human rights abuses, corruption and the sanctioning of death squads. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) Supporters of former President Alberto Fujimori celebrate his medical pardon outside the clinic where the jailed leader was admitted the previous day after suffering a drop in blood pressure in Lima, Peru, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017. Peru's president announced Sunday night that he granted a medical pardon to the jailed former strongman who was serving a 25-year sentence for human rights abuses, corruption and the sanctioning of death squads. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) A supporter of former President Alberto Fujimori stands with poster that says in Spanish "Free Chino now" outside the clinic where the jailed leader was admitted the previous day after suffering a drop in blood pressure in Lima, Peru, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017. The former strongman, who governed from 1990 to 2000, is a polarizing figure in Peru. Some Peruvians laud him for defeating the Maoist Shining Path guerrillas, while others loathe him for human rights violations carried out under his government. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) FILE - In this Dec. 10, 2007 file photo, journalists watch a screen showing live images of Peru's former President Alberto Fujimori during the first day of his trial on charges of human rights violations and corruption during his government, at a police base in Lima, Peru. On Dec. 24, 2017, Peru's President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski announced he was granting Fujimori a medical pardon. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia, File) ST. LOUIS (AP) - An effort to remove guns from the streets of St. Louis is being called a success, so much so that there wasn't enough money to buy up all of the offered weapons. Hundreds of people turned out Saturday for a gun buyback program, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported . The city has recorded more than 200 murders this year, the most in two decades, and officials say part of the problem is too many guns. Those bringing in guns were promised $100 to $200 per weapon, no questions asked. The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, along with individuals and some companies, raised $125,000 in donations. It wasn't enough, and some people had to be turned away. Police said 303 handguns, 533 long guns and six assault rifles were purchased. Willie Shelton, 67, said his brother in Arkansas previously used the pump 20-gauge shotgun he brought in for rabbit hunting. "It was just sitting in the corner, and I heard on the news that I could get $150," Shelton said as he stood in line. Behind him, Stan Sisley carried a .22-caliber rifle in a guitar sack. The gun that he said he inherited had been in a storage unit. "Might as well get rid of it, and I could use the Christmas money," said Sisley, 62. He didn't get the chance. After the couple waited in the cold for more than two hours, officials began turning people away unless they had assault weapons or wanted to donate their guns. "Maybe they will be more prepared next time," Sisley said. The collected guns will be destroyed. Doug Albrecht, president of the St. Louis Police Foundation, said more fundraising would be needed for another buyback in 2018. Mayor Lyda Krewson said the strong turnout "speaks to, first of all, how our community is awash in guns and how difficult that makes our police officers' job. It also speaks to the good people of this community who went to their basement or garage and said I don't want this gun to fall into the wrong hands." Public Safety Director Jimmie Edwards was pleased that many of the weapons were from St. Louis city. But many of the people in Saturday's line were not from the city, including Kent Oxman, who works at a pawn shop in St. Charles County and was there to sell a dozen guns. "The gangbangers and criminals, they aren't going to turn their stuff in," Oxman said. "They are still sleeping." ___ Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - A suicide bomber struck Monday near an office of the Afghan intelligence service in the capital, Kabul, killing at least six people, including a woman in a passing vehicle, officials said. The Islamic State group claimed the attack. Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said another three people were wounded in the attack, adding that the exact target was unclear. Afghan security personnel arrive near the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 25, 2017. A spokesman for the interior ministry says that the bomber blew himself up Monday near an office of the country's intelligence service. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) "The bomber was on foot and detonated his suicide vest on the main road," he said. Health Ministry spokesman Ismail Kawasi confirmed the death toll. Both the Taliban and the local Islamic State affiliate have carried out several past attacks in the capital, mainly targeting security forces. Separately in southern Helmand province, six Afghan border police officers were killed when their military vehicle hit a roadside bomb, said Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor. Six other policemen were wounded in the incident which took place in Marjah district late Sunday afternoon, added Zwak. Qari Yusouf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for the attack in Helmand. The Taliban, who have a strong and growing presence in Helmand, launch near-daily attacks across the country. Afghan security personnel stand near the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 25, 2017. A spokesman for the interior ministry says that the bomber blew himself up Monday near an office of the country's intelligence service. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan security personnel stand near the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 25, 2017. A spokesman for the interior ministry says that the bomber blew himself up Monday near an office of the country's intelligence service. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan security forces remove a destroyed vehicle after a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 25, 2017. A spokesman for the interior ministry says that the bomber blew himself up Monday near an office of the country's intelligence service. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan security personnel stand near the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 25, 2017. A spokesman for the interior ministry says that the bomber blew himself up Monday near an office of the country's intelligence service. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan traffic police and security personnel stand near the site of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 25, 2017. A spokesman for the interior ministry says that the bomber blew himself up Monday near an office of the country's intelligence service. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan security personnel stand near the site of suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 25, 2017. A spokesman for the interior ministry says that the bomber blew himself up Monday near an office of the country's intelligence service. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) ISLAMABAD (AP) - The wife and mother of an imprisoned Indian naval officer facing the death penalty in Pakistan for espionage and sabotage were allowed to meet with him on Monday in what the Foreign Ministry said was a "humanitarian gesture." It was the first meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav and his family since he was arrested in March 2016 after entering the country from Iran. He was able to speak with his wife and mother at the ministry through a glass partition with microphones. The two women looked visibly worried and stressed before and after meeting Jadhav, and later returned to India by plane. The wife, right, and mother of imprisoned Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, gesture to media upon arrival for meeting with Jadhav at Foreign Ministry in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, Dec. 25, 2017. The wife and mother of an imprisoned Indian naval officer facing the death penalty in Pakistan for espionage and sabotage were allowed to meet with him on Monday in what the Foreign Ministry said was a "humanitarian gesture." (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed) Pakistan and India are bitter regional rivals that have fought three wars since gaining independence from Britain in 1947. The nuclear-armed countries each claim the Himalayan territory of Kashmir, and their forces regularly exchange fire there despite a 2003 cease-fire. A Pakistani military tribunal found Jadhav guilty of espionage and sabotage and sentenced him to death, but India obtained an order from the International Court of Justice to halt the execution. Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal said Pakistan allowed the meeting as a "humanitarian gesture" following a request from India. He said the visit was granted in accordance with Islamic customs despite Jadhav's involvement in "acts of terrorism." "The visit was allowed in line with Islamic practices and teachings. Islam is the religion of peace and advocates mercy. It is a gesture of good faith and compassion," he said. "Jadhav's actions at Indian behest have deprived many mothers of their sons and daughters. Pakistan upholds the Islamic morals and values which teach mercy, grace and compassion for all," he said. Faisal said Pakistan had hoped to make the family members available to media but that India objected, insisting journalists be barred from speaking to them. Their names have not been made public. He said the meeting was originally scheduled to last half an hour but was extended by another 10 minutes. "This is not their last meeting with him," he said, indicating that Jadhav would not be executed in the near future. He said the case was still pending before the International Court of Justice, and that Jadhav had requested clemency from Pakistan's army chief, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa. If Bajwa declines, he could then seek a pardon from Pakistan's president. Faisal refused to disclose what was discussed by Jadhav with his family, but said that Jadhav was tasked by Indian intelligence "to plan, coordinate and organize espionage, terrorism and sabotage aiming to destabilize and wage war against Pakistan." Faisal said Jadhav was the "face of Indian terrorism, especially in Pakistan." He said Jadhav was carrying a fake passport when he was captured. In his petition to the army, Jadhav wrote that he was "ashamed" over his involvement in terrorism inside Pakistan. He also confessed to working for India's spy agency, saying he was tasked with orchestrating acts of terrorism in Pakistan. Jadhav gave details of his meetings with his contacts in Pakistan and exposed the network which he was handling, according to his confessional statement, obtained by The Associated Press. It was not clear whether the confession was extracted under duress, but in a video statement he Jadhav said "I have been treated with dignity and honor and very professional manner by the Pakistani authorities." India and Pakistan routinely accuse each other of harboring terrorists. The wife, second right, and mother, center, of imprisoned Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, are escorted by an Indian diplomat after meeting with Jadhav at Foreign Ministry in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, Dec. 25, 2017. The wife and mother of an imprisoned Indian naval officer facing the death penalty in Pakistan for espionage and sabotage have arrived in Islamabad for a rare meeting with him. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed) BEIJING (AP) - The Chinese government has urged countries to act with restraint and work to ease tensions after North Korea called the latest U.N. sanctions to target the country "an act of war" that violates its sovereignty. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Monday that nations should "exercise restraint and make positive and constructive efforts to de-escalate tensions on the (Korean) Peninsula." The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved tough new sanctions against North Korea on Friday in response to its latest launch of a ballistic missile that Pyongyang says can reach anywhere on the U.S. mainland. Hua said the new U.N. resolution emphasizes "not inflicting adverse humanitarian impact" on North Koreans and not affecting regular economic activities, humanitarian assistance and the activities of the diplomatic missions in North Korea. NEW DELHI (AP) - Christians and others in India celebrated Christmas despite fears of an anti-Christian backlash in some parts of the predominantly Hindu country. The Indian government asked states to increase security for Christmas celebrations this year after recent isolated attacks on Christians in northern India. No new incidents had been reported as of late Monday. Vigilante groups have targeted Muslims since a Hindu nationalist party came to power in India in 2014. Some Christian leaders fear the attacks may now be spreading to their community. An Indian Christian boy, left, confesses to a priest before the Christmas prayer at a Church in Gauhati, India, Monday, Dec. 25, 2017. Though the Hindus and Muslims comprise majority of the population in India, Christmas is a national holiday celebrated with much fanfare. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) "The poison of polarization has now made Christians also a target," said Madhu Chandra, the administrator of the All India Christian Council, a national alliance that works for religious freedom and the rights of marginalized people. Earlier this month, members of a militant Hindu group allegedly beat up a group of Catholic seminarians and priests in Madhya Pradesh state. Police arrested one member of the group, but also a priest, according to the Press Trust of India news agency. The priest was charged with forced religious conversion, an accusation frequently leveled against Christians in India. In Uttar Pradesh state, an extremist Hindu organization warned schools in the city of Aligarh against holding Christmas festivities. State police were put on alert to ensure that festivities went on without incident, Indian media reported. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party doesn't condone the violence against Muslims, Christians and others, but activists say it needs to do more to stop it. "It is not enough anymore for political leaders and government leaders to make a statement against it, because the fringe is now becoming mainstream," Chandra said. "They are beginning to dominate the narrative." Christians are a small minority in India, where Hindus make up 80 percent of the population of 1.3 billion people, and Muslims another 14 percent. TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) - Tunisia tried to smooth out emerging tensions with the United Arab Emirates on Monday after Emirates airline barred Tunisian women from boarding its flights and the North African country responded by suspending the Dubai-based carrier's operations in the air and on the ground. The spokeswoman for the Tunisian presidency dismissed any notion of a "diplomatic crisis" between the two countries, expressing Tunisia's "understanding" of a decision made by the UAE's government to "protect its territory and its airlines." After the Emirates' decision caused an outcry in Tunisia, the presidential spokeswoman had to speak publicly on a radio station to explain that the ban targeting Tunisian women followed alleged serious threats of attacks. Tunisian women stage a protest near the United Arab Emirates' embassy in Tunis, Tunisia, Monday Dec. 25, 2017. Tunisia has suspended all flights by Emirates to and from Tunis after the Dubai-based airline barred Tunisian women from boarding its flights last week. (AP Photo/Hassene Dridi) The spokeswoman, Saida Garrach, said the UAE's authorities explained that they made the decision following "serious security information" about alleged plans for attacks by Tunisian women, or women with Tunisian passports, from "tense hotbeds" in Syria and Iraq. UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash tweeted that the ban was temporary and due to security reasons. In a later written statement, Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi "called for overcoming these problems as soon as possible to preserve the relations of brotherhood and cooperation between the two peoples of Tunisia and UAE." But Caid Essebsi said Tunisia will maintain the suspension of all flights by Emirates to and from Tunis until the UAE's government reconsiders its ban. He stressed the need to preserve the dignity of all Tunisian citizens in the country and abroad and to protect the rights of Tunisian women in all circumstances. Tunisia summoned UAE's ambassador on Friday following Emirates' ban. Speaking on Shems FM radio, Garrach, the Tunisian presidential spokeswoman, said the UAE decided on the targeted ban "swiftly, without notifying the Tunisian authorities and even their own ambassador in Tunis," given the "seriousness" of the information they held. While "understanding" the Emirati move, she said the way the UAE proceeded was "unacceptable" and required a "quick reaction" from Tunis. In an apparent attempt to ease Tunisians' discontent, Gargash, the Emirati minister of state, tweeted that the UAE values Tunisian women and their "exemplary empowerment." The barring of Tunisian women has caused anger among rights groups and political parties in Tunisia. In a joint statement, three rights groups described the UAE's move as "a violation of the basic rights of Tunisian women and agreements on the free movement of people." A small protest was held outside the UAE Embassy in Tunis in the afternoon. Protesters called the decision "discriminatory" and "a humiliation to Tunisian women." Since Friday, several Tunisian women have been barred from boarding Emirates flights in Tunis, Abu Dhabi and Beirut. ATLANTA (AP) - When Adele MacLean joined others in an Atlanta park to feed the hungry the Sunday before Thanksgiving, she left with a citation and a summons to appear in court. The case was dropped when she showed up in court earlier this month, but she and her lawyers say the citation for serving food without a permit was improper and demonstrates callousness toward the homeless. The city and some advocates say feeding people on the streets can hinder long-term solutions and raises sanitation concerns. "I'm still outraged this is happening," MacLean said after her court appearance Dec. 14. "I'm concerned that the city, whenever they want to crack down on the homeless, they're going to go after anyone that tries to help them." FILE - In this Nov. 5, 2014, file photo, members of the homeless community are served meals by advocates in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Volunteers who feed the homeless in public places say they're providing a needed service. But city governments and some advocates say their well-meaning efforts can hinder long-term solutions and raise sanitation concerns. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) About 40 cities nationwide had active laws to restrict food sharing as of November 2014, and a few dozen more had attempted such restrictions, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless. Interim Director Megan Hustings said she doesn't have updated numbers but that she's heard about more cities considering such regulations. MacLean, a volunteer with a movement called Food Not Bombs, was cited Nov. 19 by a Georgia State University police officer after her group refused to stop feeding the homeless in a downtown park, and her lawyers say city officers have been distributing a "misleading pamphlet" bearing the city seal that says a permit is required to feed people in public places. That's simply not true, said Southern Center for Human Rights attorney Gerry Weber, who's representing MacLean. Permits are required for restaurants, food trucks and festival food vendors, not for people sharing food at no charge, he said. Even though MacLean's case was dropped, it doesn't mean officers will stop telling people they can't feed the homeless, and doesn't eliminate the possibility of future citations, Weber said. The Southern Center is pushing for a clear statement from the city that people have a right to feed the homeless in public places, he said. Conflict between city government and groups feeding the homeless in public isn't unique to Atlanta. A Fort Lauderdale, Florida, ordinance requiring permits to feed the homeless in a park is being challenged in federal court by another Food Not Bombs group. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments in that case in August but has not ruled yet. The lawyers in that case argue the ordinances violate the group's right to free speech because group members share food "as an expression of their political message that hunger and poverty can be ended if society's resources are redirected from the military and war." "I salute genuinely the good will and good nature of all these people. There is no bad guy in this," said Georgia State University police Sgt. Joseph Corrigan, a chaplain who also leads the department's homeless outreach program. But instead of having feedings that pop up in different places all the time, it's better to connect people with shelters or other established organizations that provide consistent help and services, he said. Food safety, garbage and the human waste left behind when people are fed in a place with no bathrooms are also concerns, Corrigan said. Additionally, many homeless people struggle with serious mental illness or addiction, which can make them wary of help, said George Chidi, social impact director for Central Atlanta Progress, a nonprofit community development organization that serves downtown Atlanta. The city has teams whose mission is to reach out, develop trusting relationships and, ultimately, connect the homeless with housing and treatment services. Public feedings can disrupt those efforts, Chidi said. "We don't want anybody to stop feeding people," he said. "We just want it done in a way that's connected to social services providers ... and not on the street corner because we can't make sure those connections are being made in these street corner feedings." MacLean doesn't buy those arguments. "Food is a human right, and you don't force people to do what you want them to do by withholding food," she said. Some avoid shelters because of strict rules, safety and health concerns or because they aren't able to be in the same place as family or friends, she said. Hustings said restrictions on public feedings are most commonly enacted or enforced when the homeless population becomes more visible. In Atlanta, advocates say, more people have ended up on the streets after the recent closure of the city's shelter of last resort. "Even though the rhetoric will be around providing access to safe food or something that purports to be considering the folks who are homeless and need the food, a lot of times our communities across the country know it's because citizens don't like seeing large gatherings of people who look homeless," Hustings said. FILE - This Aug. 7, 2017, file photo shows homeless men on a sidewalk outside a shelter in Atlanta. Volunteers who feed the homeless in public places say they're providing a needed service. But city governments and some advocates say their well-meaning efforts can hinder long-term solutions and raise sanitation concerns. (AP Photo/Robert Ray, File) A team of college students has come up with an internet browser plug-in that identifies fake and biased news stories and then steers the user to alternative articles. 'Open Mind' was created this month as an extension for Google's Chrome browser during a problem-solving competition known as a hackathon at Yale University. The four-member team comprised of students from Yale, the California Institute of Technology and Waterloo University in Ontario won a challenge from Yale's Poynter Fellowship in Journalism to find a way to combat fake news. Their plug-in uses sentiment analysis technology to analyze articles for bias. It also can show a reader whether their news browsing history is balanced or not. The group will be meeting this spring with members of Congress to discuss their creation. Yale students Michael Lopez-Brau and Stefan Uddenberg, two of the creators of 'Open Mind,'pose at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut BEIRUT (AP) - Syrian government forces have captured new areas south of the capital Damascus near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, increasing pressure on insurgents. The government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media reported that Syrian troops and their allies captured Monday three new areas from al-Qaida-linked Levant Liberation Committee. It added troops are now about 500 meters (yards) from the shrine of Sheikh Abdullah that is sacred to the country's Druze community. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Right said the fighters are now besieged in the village of Beit Jin and nearby areas after a 10-day intense offensive. It added that negotiations are underway to evacuate insurgents to the rebel-held northwestern province of Idlib. Israel has been concerned about the push by Syrian troops and their Iran-backed allies close to its border. 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. LOS ANGELES (AP) - Actress Heather Menzies-Urich, who played one of the singing von Trapp children in the hit 1965 film, "The Sound of Music," has died. She was 68. Her son, actor Ryan Urich, told Variety that his mother died late Sunday in Frankford, Ontario. She recently had been diagnosed with brain cancer. "She was an actress, a ballerina and loved living her life to the fullest," Urich said. FILE - In this March 26, 2015, file photo, Heather Menzies-Urich, from left, Kym Karath and Debbie Turner, cast members in the classic film "The Sound of Music," pose together before a 50th anniversary screening of the film at the opening night gala of the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival in Los Angeles. Menzies-Urich, who played one of the singing von Trapp children in the 1965 hit film, has died. She was 68. Menzies-Urich's son, actor Ryan Urich, told Variety that his mother died late Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017, in Frankford, Ontario. She had been diagnosed with brain cancer.(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) Menzies-Urich played Louisa von Trapp, the third-oldest of the seven von Trapp children, in the film adaptation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical that starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. "The Sound of Music" captured five Academy Awards, including best picture. "Heather was part of 'the family.' There is really no other way to describe the members of the cast of the movie of 'The Sound of Music,'" Ted Chapin, president and chief creative officer of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization, said in a statement. A Toronto native, Menzies-Urich's other film credits include "Hawaii" and "Piranha." On television, she appeared as a fugitive in "Logan's Run" and had guest spots on "Dragnet," ''Bonanza," ''Marcus Welby, M.D." and other series. Variety reports that Menzies-Urich is survived by two other children, several grandchildren and a great grandchild. Her husband, actor Robert Urich, died in 2002. After his death, Menzies-Urich established the Robert Urich Foundation to raise funds for cancer research. Jeremy Corbyn has urged people to think about others who are cut off and lonely or living in war-torn nations at Christmas. The Labour leader urged Britons to show them you care while stressing that his Christmas wish is to improve their circumstances and society. In his second Christmas message as Labour leader, Mr Corbyn highlighted Britains pride in being a compassionate nation. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn This Christmas, whenever you can, show people love and show them you care. pic.twitter.com/8sLSx5PlfH Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) December 24, 2017 At Christmas we spend time at home with family and friends, 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 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. 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. A complete transformation is needed in society to encourage survivors of domestic abuse to come forward, the head of a prominent charity has said. Disclosures about sexual harassment from Hollywood to Westminster are a fantastic opportunity to reflect on power and control at the heart of domestic abuse, Katie Ghose, chief executive of Womens Aid, told the Press Association. Many families will suffer the consequences of domestic abuse over the Christmas period, she warned. Domestic violence But planned Government changes to funding for supported housing, under which refuges fall, could threaten the availability of safe places for survivors, Ms Ghose said. Our advice workers will work tirelessly over the festive period to help women experiencing abuse. But we cant do this alone. Help us give the gift of support and safety to a woman this Christmas https://t.co/sPiXnqVMy4 pic.twitter.com/2NHd8tngO0 Women's Aid (@womensaid) December 23, 2017 She said: In 2017, from Hollywood to Westminster, weve seen these themes of power and control, and abuse of a powerful relationship coming to the fore, and it is power and control that is at the heart of domestic abuse. So its a fantastic opportunity for us all to reflect on power and control and what that means, and then at Christmas time, to bring it back to the home which should be a place of safety. The charity is calling on the Government to change tack and abandon dangerous reforms to the way housing costs in refuges are funded from 2020, after a survey by Womens Aid found 39% of shelters in England would have to close down as a result. The Department for Communities and Local Government said it will ring-fence grants to local authorities for short-term supported housing. But Womens Aid warns that making local authorities responsible for how refuges are resourced risks dismantling the charitys world-leading national network of womens refuges. Ms Ghose said: Refuges are already operating on a shoestring in many cases and we fear that the latest proposals mean that many will have to close their doors, and that means that more women and children wont be able to safely escape domestic abuse. This time of year can be difficult for many women, but it can also be a time for #newbeginnings - share your stories of the first #Christmas you felt safe pic.twitter.com/X4zbcEpqfu Women's Aid (@womensaid) December 21, 2017 A Government spokesman said: Our new funding model will see all housing costs covered by a long-term ring-fenced grant to be distributed by local authorities. Local authorities will also be required to assess the need for support for survivors of domestic abuse from both within and outside their local area. This means that survivors will no longer need to worry about paying their rent and accruing rent arrears at a difficult time in their lives and their entitlement to welfare benefits remains unchanged. He added: Domestic abuse is a devastating crime and were taking action to make sure that no survivor is turned away from the support they need. Government consultation on funding for supported housing is open until January. The charity is keen to highlight the hidden nature of domestic abuse in their Christmas campaign, as ONS figures show that about 1.2 million women experienced domestic abuse in the year up to March 2017. The story of brothers Luke and Ryan Hart, whose mother Claire and sister Charlotte were killed in July 2016 by their father following years of psychological abuse, is central to their Christmas appeal. Ms Ghose said: Domestic abuse is often in the shadows its a hidden problem and people can feel its very difficult to talk about it, and we need a complete transformation of our culture and society, so that people feel they will be listened to, theyll be believed, and there will be the helping hand out there for them to escape an abusive relationship and get the help they need. What we want to do this Christmas is send out the message to everyone, women and children, that youre not alone, there is help out there for you. A total of 113 women were killed by men in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2016, the Womens Aid Femicide Census found. Two women are killed each week by their partner or ex-partner on average in England and Wales, figures also show. The mother of murdered soldier Lee Rigby has told how she has finally found peace this Christmas following the brutal death of her son. For the past four years, Lyn Rigby has been consumed by grief after her 25-year-old son was stabbed to death outside the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, south London, in May 2013. But while previous Christmases have been about going through the motions for the sake of her grandchildren, this year, she said, will be different. Lee Rigby's mother Lyn, centre, and his stepfather and sister She told the Sunday People: This year I feel we will be celebrating for the first time since he left us. Its hard to explain but I feel as if Lee is guiding us and telling us its time to get on with our lives and have some happiness. Thank you all for your support, your love, your best wishes and often touching and heartfelt messages. Merry Christmas to you all and a very happy and healthy New Year. pic.twitter.com/a4eI9sMh0V Lee Rigby Foundation (@leerigbyfdn) December 22, 2017 The turning point, she said, was moving into a new home in the country, where she feels closer to her son than ever before. On Christmas Day, the family will raise a glass to Fusilier Rigby, knowing that he would want them to be happy again, she said. Remembering how he kept the family entertained on their last Christmas together, she added: Lee will be with us in his own way and we will all laugh at his antics on his last Christmas with us. It wont be as noisy or crazy without him but we do have something very precious this year: the Christmas gift of peace. Fusilier Rigby was murdered by Muslim extremists Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale in a killing which shocked the nation. The pair mowed him down before butchering him to death on the streets of Woolwich. They are thought to have targeted him because of his connection with the armed forces. Since his death, the family have set up the Lee Rigby Foundation, a charity dedicated to supporting those suffering from bereavement or loss, or helping those in mental or physical distress. Part of this work has included opening Lee Rigby Lodge, a four-bedroom retreat in the Staffordshire countryside where bereaved military families can seek some solace. Mrs Rigby told the paper she expects to welcome the first guests next year, vowing to make sure some good comes out of Lees terrible murder. The Irish Government intends to do all it can to assist next years visit from Pope Francis, the Taoiseach has said. The pontiff is scheduled to come to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families in August 2018 and it will be the first visit from a pope since John Paul II drew one million people to Phoenix Park in 1979. Recently, the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said that the visit will cost about 20 million euro (17.75 million). Leo Varadkar said that the Government is due to meet with the Catholic Church in the new year to discuss the visit. They asked that we have someone here in the department as a contact point to assist them in the co-ordination and we made that available to them. Leo Varadkar said the Government is due to meet with the Catholic Church in the new year to discuss the pope's visit (Brian Lawless/PA) We just dont know yet if it will be a very short visit just for the Meeting of World Families or whether it will be an extended visit involving other things such as Northern Ireland, Mr Varadkar said. He said the Government is very much at (the) disposal of the Catholic Church. The Government will assist in any way to facilitate Pope Franciss visit, he added. The popes advancing age he is now 81 would mean his itinerary will not be as packed as John Paul IIs was in 1979. While it may be possible for the pope to go outside Dublin, he would mainly be here for the World Meeting of Families, Archbishop Martin said recently. The archbishop also said that church collections would bring in around five million euro (4.4 million) for the visit, with the remaining costs to be recouped through donations. It was a subdued Christmas Eve in the traditional birthplace of Jesus on Sunday, with spirits dampened by cold, rainy weather and recent violence sparked by US president Donald Trumps recognition of nearby Jerusalem as Israels capital. Crowds were thinner than previous years as visitors, especially Arab Christians living in Israel and the West Bank, appeared to be deterred by clashes that have broken out in recent weeks between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces. Although there was no violence on Sunday, Palestinian officials scaled back the celebrations in protest. Members of a Palestinian marching band parade outside the Church of the Nativity Claire Degout, a tourist from France, said she would not allow Mr Trumps pronouncement, which has infuriated the Palestinians and drawn widespread international opposition, affect her decision to celebrate Christmas in the Holy Land. The decision of one man cannot affect all the Holy Land, she said. Jerusalem belongs to everybody, you know, and it will be always like that, whatever Trump says. Mr Trump abandoned decades of American policy on December 6 by recognising Jerusalem as Israels capital and saying he would move the US Embassy to the holy city. He said the move merely recognises the fact that Jerusalem already serves as Israels capital and that he was not prejudging negotiations on the citys final borders. Worshippers in Bethlehem But Palestinians, who seek Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as their capital, saw the declaration as unfairly siding with Israel. On Thursday, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to reject Mr Trumps decision. The Old City, in east Jerusalem, is home to sensitive Jewish, Muslim and Christian holy sites. The announcement triggered weeks of unrest in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including near-daily clashes in Bethlehem, which lies just south of Jerusalem. Donald Trump's decision has sparked protests across the West Bank (Nasser Nasser/AP) By mid-afternoon, hundreds of people had gathered in Manger Square near the citys main Christmas for celebrations, greeted by bagpipe-playing young Palestinian marching bands and scout troops. Accompanying the decorations was a large banner protesting Mr Trumps Jerusalem declaration. But after nightfall, the crowds had thinned as rain fell and temperatures dipped to about 9C (49F). Just a few dozen people milled about Manger Square, while others took shelter in the church and other nearby buildings. Bethlehems mayor, Anton Salman, said celebrations were toned down because of anger over Mr Trumps decision. We decided to limit the Christmas celebrations to the religious rituals as an expression of rejection and anger and sympathy with the victims who fell in the recent protests, he said. A suicide bomber has struck near an office of the Afghan intelligence service in the capital, Kabul, killing at least six people, including a woman in a passing vehicle. Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said another three people were wounded in Mondays attack, adding the exact target was unclear. A car damaged in the blast (Rahmat Gul/AP) The bomber was on foot and detonated his suicide vest on the main road, he said. Health Ministry spokesman Ismail Kawasi confirmed the toll. No one immediately claimed responsibility. Both the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate have carried out several past attacks in the capital, mainly targeting security forces. Cardiff Blues Samoa international centre Rey Lee-Lo has signed a new long-term contract with the Guinness PRO14 side. The 31-year-old, who arrived at the Arms Park in 2015, has made 57 appearances for the club. Lee-Lo told the club website: Ive loved my time here so far we have a great squad and my family are really happy in Cardiff, so it was an easy decision to make. Rey Lee-Lo has signed a new contract at Cardiff Blues (Joe Giddens/PA) Im enjoying my rugby and we have so many exciting, attacking players. The style we try to play really suits me, especially on the Arms Park, which is an amazing place to play. Im excited by the squad were developing, the players coming through and Im confident we are heading in the right direction. Cardiff Blues chief executive Richard Holland said: Rey has proved a brilliant addition since he arrived at Cardiff Blues and it is great to see how comfortable and happy he is here. When reports claim Lee-Lo is definitely heading to France but hes actually signed a new, long-term deal to stay with @cardiff_blues pic.twitter.com/MfcmglRZoP Cardiff Rugby (@Cardiff_Rugby) December 25, 2017 He was the standout performer throughout last season and is proving instrumental once again in the current campaign. With more than 75 per cent of our squad Welsh, and with so many promising youngsters coming through our academy, it is vital to have a strong core of overseas talent to supplement that and pass on their experience. Rey has been invaluable in that respect and we are thrilled he will remain at Cardiff Arms Park for years to come. BERLIN, Dec 24 (Reuters) - 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." Instead of doubling down on what he termed a "failed" policy, Kurz called for the EU to support, "perhaps militarily", efforts to help migrants in their countries of origin or in neighbouring states. "If that isn't possible, then they should be helped in safe areas on their own continent," he said. "The EU should support that, perhaps even organise it, and back it militarily." It was not clear from the interview extracts, published by the newspaper, what kind of military support he envisaged. But European leaders have on occasion suggested the EU contribute to peacekeeping operations to stabilise conflicts in Africa. The question of how to deal with streams of migrants fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa also divides Merkel's conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD) as they prepare for talks on forming a new government. Hard-line members of Merkel's conservative camp demand tight absolute caps on the numbers of refugees allowed to enter Germany each year, while a senior SPD official on Saturday suggested local authorities around Europe be paid to house refugees. (Reporting by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Richard Balmforth) LIMA, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski pardoned former authoritarian leader Alberto Fujimori late on Sunday, clearing him of convictions for human rights crimes and graft before completion of a 25-year prison sentence. Kuczynski's office said in a statement that a medical review showed that Fujimori, 79, who governed Peru from 1990 to 2000, suffered from "a progressive, degenerative and incurable disease." The pardon comes just days after a faction of Fujimori's supporters in the opposition-controlled Congress saved Kuczynski from a motion that would have forced him from office in the wake of a graft scandal. (Reporting by Marco Aquino; Editing by Leslie Adler) The AG600, the world's largest seaplane, lands in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, after its maiden flight on Sunday. The aircraft can take off and land on land or water and can help in areas like search and rescue or firefighting. GUAN WENQING / FOR CHINA DAILY The world's largest amphibious aircraft, the Chinese-made AG600, carried out its maiden flight on Sunday morning in Zhuhai, a coastal city in Guangdong province. An AG600, piloted by four crew members, took off from the Zhuhai Jinwan Airport at 9:50 am and remained airborne for about an hour before returning. A congratulatory letter sent by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council was read out at a ceremony to mark the maiden flight, attended by Vice-Premier Ma Kai and Guangdong Party chief Li Xi, as well as hundreds of other officials and about 3,000 spectators. The central government approved development of the AG600 in June 2009, with the work taken on by Aviation Industry Corp of China, the country's leading aircraft maker. Construction on the first prototype began in March 2014 and was completed in July 2016. In April, the first ground taxiing test was successful. Earlier this month, the seaplane received the government's approval for Sunday's first flight. The AG600 is one of the three large-size aircraft borne from the nation's ambitious effort to become a top-tier player in the global aviation sector, joining the Y-20 strategic transport plane, delivery of which to the Chinese Air Force began in July 2016, and the C919 narrow-body jetliner that is being flight tested. The amphibious aircraft will mainly be tasked with performing aerial firefighting and maritime search and rescue. It can also be refitted to conduct marine environmental inspection, marine resources surveying and personnel and supply transportation, according to the manufacturer. Powered by four domestically designed WJ-6 turboprop engines, the AG600 has a size roughly comparable to that of a Boeing 737 and a maximum takeoff weight of 53.5 metric tons. These specifications have made it the world's largest amphibious aircraft, surpassing Japan's ShinMaywa US-2 and Russia's Beriev Be-200. The aircraft can take off and land on both ground and water. It has an operational range of more than 4,000 kilometers and is capable of carrying 50 people during a maritime search-and-rescue mission. To extinguish forest fires, it can collect 12 tons of water from a lake or sea within 20 seconds and then use the water to douse fires on an area of around 4,000 square meters, according to the company. Huang Lingcai, chief designer of the AG600, said researchers overcame a lot of technological and technical difficulties when they designed the aircraft, such as those pertaining to its aerodynamic and hydrodynamic airframe and sea wave-resistant hull. The company said the aircraft will be of great importance to the country's emergency rescue system and the building of a strong sea power, noting that tens of thousands of researchers and engineers from nearly 200 domestic institutes, universities and enterprises took part in the project. The State-owned aviation giant also said 98 percent of the AG600's 50,000-plus components are supplied by Chinese companies, explaining the project has extensively boosted the nation's civil aviation manufacturing industry. Leng Yixun, a senior project manager in charge of the AG600, said China has about 18,000 km of coastline, more than 6,500 islands and reefs and a rapidly expanding marine industry, therefore it urgently needs an aircraft capable of providing emergency-response support and conducting long-distance maritime search and rescue. The AG600 boasts a longer operational range and a faster speed when compared with helicopters and ships. The seaplane's service will greatly improve China's capability to conduct maritime search and rescue, he said. Zhang Shuwei, deputy general manager of China Aviation Industry General Aircraft, a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corp of China that assembled the seaplane, said the company has received orders for 17 AG600s from domestic users. Zhang said the model primarily targets domestic buyers, but also will tap the international market. Next, the aircraft will continue to make flight tests and will start the certification process, the manufacturer said. Crew members disembark from the amphibious aircraft AG600 on Sunday. CHEN XIAO / FOR CHINA DAILY By Mi Nguyen and Manuel Mogato HANOI/MANILA, Dec 25 (Reuters) - Authorities in Vietnam prepared to move a million people from low-lying areas along the south coast on Monday as a typhoon approached after it battered the Philippines with floods and landslides that killed more than 230 people. Typhoon Tembin is expected to slam into Vietnam late on Monday after bringing misery to the predominantly Christian Philippines just before Christmas. Vietnam's disaster prevention committee said 74,000 people had been moved to safety from vulnerable areas, while authorities in 15 provinces and cities were prepared to move more than 1 million. The government ordered that oil rigs and vessels be protected and it warned that about 62,000 fishing boats should not venture out to sea. "Vietnam must ensure the safety of its oil rigs and vessels. If necessary, close the oil rigs and evacuate workers," Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was quoted as saying on a government website. Schools were ordered to close in the southern commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City on Monday, a working day in Vietnam. On Sunday, Tembin hit the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, parts of which are contested by several countries, including Vietnam and China. No casualties were reported in outposts there. Vietnam, like the Philippines, is regularly battered by typhoons that form over the warm waters of the Pacific and barrel westwards into land. Tembin will be the 16th major storm to hit Vietnam this year. The storms and other disasters have left 390 people dead or missing, according to official figures. SCORES MISSING In the Philippines, rescue workers were still struggling to reach some remote areas hit by floods and landslides that Tembin's downpours brought, as the death toll climbed to more than 230. Scores of people are missing. The full extent of the devastation was only becoming clear as the most remote areas were being reached. Health worker Arturo Simbajon said nearly the entire coastal village of Anungan on the Zamboanga peninsula of Mindanao island had been wiped out by a barrage of broken logs, boulders and mud that swept down a river and out to sea. "Only the mosque was left standing," Simbajon said. "People were watching the rising sea but did not expect the water to come from behind them." Manuel Luis Ochotorena, head of regional disaster agency, said he expected the death toll to rise. "Many areas in Zamboanga peninsula are still without power and communications, some towns are cut off due to collapsed bridges, floods and landslides," he said. Tens of thousands of people on Mindanao have been displaced by the storm, which struck late on Friday. The Philippines is battered by about 20 typhoons a year and warnings are routinely issued. But disaster officials said many villagers had ignored warnings this time to get out coastal areas and move away from riverbanks. In 2013, super typhoon Haiyan killed nearly 8,000 people and left 200,000 families homeless in the central Philippines. (Reporting by Mi Nguyen; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Robert Birsel) BANGKOK, Dec 25 (Reuters) - Thailand welcomed 3 million foreign tourists in November, the tourism ministry said on Monday, 23.18 percent more than the same month a year earlier. The ministry said the kingdom saw a total of 31.85 million foreign tourist arrivals in the period from January to November, up 8.07 percent from the previous year. Thailand's tourism industry is a major employer and accounts for 12 percent of Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy. (Reporting by Wirat Buranakanokthansan and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Editing by Robert Birsel) TORONTO, Dec 25 (Reuters) - Canada will expel a Venezuelan diplomat and bar that country's ambassador from returning, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Monday, after the South American nation booted envoys from Brazil and Canada for criticizing its rights record. Western nations and Latin American neighbors have been increasingly critical of President Nicolas Maduro this year, accusing him of stamping on democracy and human rights. Venezuela says foreign governments are trying to encourage a right-wing coup. Venezuela had already withdrawn its ambassador in protest over Canadian government sanctions against the Maduro regime imposed in September. In a statement, Freeland said the ambassador was no longer welcome in Canada and that Venezuelan charge d'affaires is persona non grata. Freeland said Venezuela's expulsion of the Canadian diplomat over the weekend was "typical of the Maduro regime, which has consistently undermined all efforts to restore democracy and to help the Venezuelan people." "Canadians will not stand by as the Government of Venezuela robs its people of their fundamental democratic and human rights, and denies them access to basic humanitarian assistance," she said in the statement. (Reporting by Amran Abocar; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) She was four years old when the disastrous tsunami hit the southern and eastern coastal strip of Sri Lanka in 2004. She was in that fateful train accompanying her grandfather and aunt when the mass of water gushed into the train in Paraliya. There are the reminiscences of Nipuni who witnessed the tsunami which caused destruction in all its force. The monstrous surge of water loomed over the train and instantly gulped all in the train. Thirteen years after the tsunami we went to Arachchigewatta in Imaduwa Ahangma in search of this tsunami survivor. This girl is Nipuni Wathsala Abewickrema, now a 17-year-old teenager. In response to our quest to know her story about the tsunami experience, Nipuni with a feeling of shock and pain associated with the loss of her grandfather during the tsunami began to narrate the horrifying tale. At that time our uncle was at Trincomalee Camp. My grandmother and elder aunt made arrangements to see our uncle in Trincomalee. As it was during the December school holidays they also took me with them to visit uncle. After our arrival in Trincomalle uncle provided accommodation and all other necessities. We were able to visit several important places there and enjoyed our stay. We left Trincomalee on December 25th by night mail to Colombo. We reached Colombo Fort station on 26th morning. After having breakfast, bought by my grandfather at the station canteen, we boarded the Matara bound train. The three of us shared a row of seats which offered a view of the seaside during our journey to Matara. A few minutes after passing Ambalangoda Railway Station the train stopped suddenly and we had the instinct that there was some imminent danger,she recalled. When my aunt pushed me up to climb out through the window I felt someones foot trampling my head. There was a stampede and passengers were trying to escape. However, we were able to escape through the window Screaming people Nipuni continued to recall her memories. We saw a large number of people screaming and rushing towards the train. Many of them got on to the train that was stationary by now. Some of them came with bundles or bales containing items on their heads. We were surprised to see large waves rushing after them. Then we saw that the train compartment before ours had toppled. Then my grandfather shouted warning us not to close the windows. My grandfathers raised voice at that moment of destruction still echos in my ears, she said. According to her in a few seconds their compartment was filled with water up to the level of the window after the train had toppled to the land side. As we were seated facing the seaside we could resist the gushing water for a few minutes. My aunt raised me up and managed to hold on to the racks inside the train. By then water was up to her neck. Suddenly we could hear grandfather shouting from top of the toppled train. He was asking my aunt to raise me up and me over through the windows so as to take me out first. But my aunt couldnt do so as she was holding onto the rack with one hand. After that we couldnt see nor hear grandfather. He was probably washed away by the water, she recalled. Escape They had remained for a few minutes. Then the water had receded to some extent. The scene around had been terrible. Many were laying, probably dead, at the bottom of the toppled compartment. Some had jumped out of the train through the windows. When my aunt pushed me up to climb out through the window I felt someones foot trampling my head. There was a stampede and passengers were trying to escape. However, we were able to escape through the window. We began to move through the water without knowing where we were heading to. Some people shouted and warned us not go further as there is a river nearby. Finally these people rescued us using long ropes, she said. Nipuni said that after being rescued they were led to a temple where they were provided with meals and temporary accommodation. We later came to know that we had been given shelter at the Thelwatte Temple, she said. During those few days they hadnt had a mode of contacting their relations. But the people who had come to see them at the temple were very kind and had provided all their needs. One day we met a kind gentleman who came to Elpitiya Temple along with a team to distribute meals to tsunami victims. We asked him for help to be taken to the family of one of our relations in Elpitiya. Although all the roads in the area had been severely damaged due to the tsunami we received his help and reached the relation house with much difficulty. Two members of this family were employed by the Sri Lanka Army. They contacted our uncle in Trincomalee and informed him that we were safe, she reminisced. Nipuni said they werent able to locate the body of her grandfather. He had been employed by the police. Later Nipunis family had come to know that someone had found her grandfathers identity card and handed it over to the Boossa Camp. Several days later Nipunis family had returned home. We saw how the whole area had been devastated by the monstrous tsunami. My aunt had to be admitted to the hospital due to health issues she had developed as a result of staying in the water while on the train. Due to the tsunami we could see how people died right before our eyes. Our grandfather was one of those who vanished with the others, she said. Every year Nipuni and her family go the tsunami memorial in Paraliya and engage in religious activities to invoke merits on thousands of tsunami victims, including my grandfather. Whenever I pass the area where our train fell prey to this tidal disaster a cloud of horror engulfs me. Today I am awaiting the result of GCE A/L examination. Before 26 December 2004 we knew nothing about the tsunami. But on this tragic day I experienced this tidal disaster as a 7-year-old little child. I pray that we dont get to face another tsunami in my lifetime, she said. The Sri Lanka-Palestine Friendship Association yesterday organised a campaign at the New Town Hall in Colombo to lobby for the recognition of East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. At this campaign, the organisers invited representatives of all political parties gathered there to sign a petition for this cause. Ministers Rajitha Senaratne and Rauf Hakeen are seen signing the petition. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana Russia agreed to lift the temporary restriction on tea imports from Sri Lanka from December 30, following discussions with the Sri Lankan technical team, Plantation Industries Minister Navin Dissanayake said today. The Minister told the Daily Mirror that Russian authorities had set several criteria to be met by the Sri Lankan tea exporters, such as to maintain purity of the containers used for tea exports and adhere to fumigation methods. He said the Sri Lankan tea exporters had agreed to adopt the criteria set out by the Russian authorities. A six-member team went to Moscow a few days ago for a discussion on the Russias recent restriction on tea imports from Sri Lanka.(Ajith Siriwardana) Camellia, Khapra & Asbestos : Tea as an Aphrodisiac ? Not often is that the men have the heart, when their one great industry is ruined, to rear up in few years another as rich to take its place; and the tea fields of Ceylon are as true monument to courage as is the lion of Waterloo Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Is it the Khapra Beetle or Tit-for-Tat by Putins men against Sri Lankas ban on Asbestos? Out of total production of Sri Lanka tea [Camellia Sinensis] more than 60 per cent is directly purchased by West Asia and Russia. The largest importer is Russia which accounts for 15 per cent of the total production and is followed by UAE, Iran, Syria, Turkey, Libya, Iraq, Azerbaijan and Japan. In 2014 January, for the first time in Sri Lankan history tea prices have came down by Rs. 174 or US$ 1.27 per kg. Tea auction fetched the highest prices in the world; also the highest cost of production and lowest productivity is also witnessed in Sri Lanka. The crisis period during 2008 there was a drastic impact on the tea smallholders with bought leaf price falling below the cost of cost of production which was Rs. 40/-, an absolute crisis situation was experienced. Sadly, nationalisation in the 1970s and the crisis the industry faces, have made preservation of its history almost impossible. Sri Lankas share of world production and share of world export are also gradually decreasing. These are the signs of losing competitiveness in the global tea market. In the 1970s, African countries entered the tea industry in a large scale. During 1970s, the Sri Lankan Government nationalised many of its plantations. As a result, the British investors who ran many of the Sri Lankan plantations went to Kenya to invest in the tea plantation sector in African soil. The Kenyan Government provided them with the necessary support. The tea produced by the Kenyan estate sector is marketed by the multinational companies. Thus, Kenya has relatively strong international marketing mechanism. This enabled Kenya to be a major player in the global tea market. Kenya is now enjoying a significant portion of the global tea production and global tea exports. Kenya gained market share at the expense of the major players, such as Sri Lanka and India. An industry, without a long-term vision was going through a crisis moving downward for decades now, as a consequence of Going for short-term political expedience instead of probing for enduring solutions. Importation of tea from abroad for blending purposes tarnished the reputation the country earned for centuries as the undisputed quality tea producer. Khapra beetle considered native to India and one of the most destructive invasive insect species in the world The plantation sector covered around 760,000 hectares in 2002 The largest importer is Russia which accounts for 15 % of the total production Khapra Beetle and Sri Lankan Tea Sri Lankan tea accounts for about 20% of the Russian tea market. Russia restricted the importation of agricultural products when a Tea consignments from Sri Lanka to Russia found to contain a Khapra beetle a few days ago. Sri Lanka consequently lost a substantial amount of foreign exchange this year. A situation that has affected not only the countrys economy but also its image as a tea exporter. Khapra beetle considered native to India and one of the most destructive invasive insect species in the world; they say it prefers grain and cereal products but contaminations are also reported in dried plant/animal matter, vegetable seeds and pulses. The pest according to specialists could thrive on the packing materials used as the larvae are known to live effectively until it finds a suitable host. It is very hard and expensive to destroy this pest. Therefore the argument that the insect was found on the outside of the packging material and the tea was not contaminated does not hold any worthwhile purpose. Whos destroying Ceylon Tea? Vasa Visa Nethi Ratak Glyphosate, the killer of weeds was banned following a A country devoid of poisonous food campaign led by Ven Athuraliye Ratana MP, without finding an alternative herbicide. Regional plantation companies and Small holders are searching for a substitute to glyphosate, which is being extensively used all around the world in most developed nations.Low country tea small-holders who produce 70 percent of the total output faces enormous difficulties due to the suppression of the growth of the bushes as a result of Weeds. It turns the foliage brownish and stimulates defoliation, manual uprooting is the only alternative to use of herbicides, which is a tedious and costly task. Commercial plantations are very much ineffective in weed control. A Cabinet sub-committee appointed to study and report on the matter had noted that the ban led to unavailability of successful herbicides leading to experimenting with unauthorized herbicides or manual weeding that added to the cost along with reduced use of fertilizer that depressed the tea production further. Tea production in 2016 dropped by about 15 percent due to the above factors and the drought. At the last AGM of the Colombo Tea Traders Association, they brought out the issue stressing how just one individual was holding an entire industry and the government to ransom based on their unscientific ideals. Disastrous effects of Estates take-over The plantation sector in Sri Lanka covered around 760,000 hectares in 2002. Of this total area, around 24% was used for cultivation of tea, 21% for rubber, and 55% for coconut. The plantation sector contributed 6% of the national GDP (Central Bank of Sri Lanka, 2002). These estates were Nationalized in 1972. After nationalization, management of the estates was given to the state owned enterprises (SOEs), namely Janawasama, State Plantations Corporation and Usawasama. The Estates that came under the third institution was managed by retired School teachers, Gramasevakas and other cronies of SLFP Ministers who knew nothing of Tea or Agriculture. Because of the ill performances of the SOEs, who ruined the tea industry, management was given to 22 private companies on a five-year-management contract in 1992. This made things worse, as at the tail end of the contract, that is when they approached the third year or so, they extracted the maximum benefits neglecting the maintenance factor. The authorities realizing error, in1995, this contract was extended to a 50-year leasing agreement reverting back the ownership and management of tea plantations to the private sector. Thus created a new generation of tea traders and planters. They combined local resources with global knowledge to fashion a new era in Ceylon Tea. The main purpose of this agreement is to ensure that the plantations are managed efficiently and effectively by transferring the full risks and benefits of such management to the private sector. The Arsenite Contamination Scenario in Early 1980s Political vultures in late seventies spread a fabricated and groundless rumor against the tea industry which became an extremely injurious canard that threatened the future survival of the industry. This surpassed all previous harmful actions and disasters the industry faced in 150 years, since the first tea plantation of Sri Lanka was initiated by Scotsman James Taylor, who planted tea seedlings brought down from Assam, India on a 19 acre plot of his estate, Loolecondera in Kandy in 1867. Increasing our tea yield levels overnight is impossible. However, experts have suggested, it can increase earnings by diversifying uses of tea. The diversification can be in as a novel drink in the beverage sector itself, and into non-beverage industry as a component for producing medicinal drugs, perfumes and cosmetics. They require investments in superior marketing techniques and sustained research and development. Tea as a component in Pharma, Cosmetics and Aphrodisiacs Facing worldwide challenges is inevitable as tea is concerned, it is a universal beverage. Hence, tea authorities should deviate from their current thinking and think global and act global. Ceylon tea has been highlighted for its potential aphrodisiac qualities too. Two entrepreneurs havecommenced marketing it as a highly profitable luxury product to boost the libido. One company sells a small jar of premium Ceylon for $350. A hot cup of Ceylon tea was better known as being soothing and relaxing, but Sri Lankas tea industry is increasingly plugging teas supposed aphrodisiac qualities in a bid to radically change perceptions of the brew. The industry may not yet have hard medical proof of Ceylon Teas performance-enhancing powers, but they have long been the stuff of legend among Sri Lankan tea lovers. The top-quality white teas, Silver and Golden Tips, are gaining popularity among rich Chinese, Saudis and Japanese businessmen; these teas are known for their influence and potency according to an exporters spokesman. Campaigning for the first time in the recent history, The Sri Lanka Tea Board is about to embark on the health benefits of a high-end cup in the major international markets. Unlike orthodox teas, the tea buds are carefully tended and are sun-dried for the gold or silver tint to make white varieties which they claim are good for sexual health. They have marketed a Kilo at a staggering over US $1000/-at Mariage Freres tea emporium in Paris. Your sexual performance automatically increases when your overall health improves, added the spokesman. Had Scotsman James Taylor ever dreamt of such qualities to be present in the plant when he first planted the bush, Camellia Sinensis, in 1849 at Peradeniya. Excessive real estate development and severe land reclamation in South China's Hainan Province have eroded local coastlines and damaged the marine ecology, reported the Ministry of Environmental Protection(MEP) on Saturday. The MEP criticized some cities on the tropical island for ignoring environmental protection while relying heavily on real estate for economic development. According to a press release the MEP sent to the Global Times on Saturday, the Ocean Flower Island project illegally approved by the Danzhou government has damaged large sections of coral reef and a specie of pearl oysters. The Ocean Flower Island is a tourist resort integrating hotels, shopping malls, theaters and residential buildings. The total investment was 160 billion yuan ($24 billion), according to the island's website. The Phoenix Island project in Sanya obtained the right to reclaim land along the city's coastline to build an international passenger terminal, but the project's main purpose was to develop properties and hotels. The western coastline at Sanya Bay was eroded through land reclamation, said the MEP's report. "Land reclamation by real estate developers has increased over the past decade in Hainan, and many real estate projects started construction without an environmental assessment," Lin Hongmin, an adviser to Hainan Provincial Maritime Environment Protection Association, told the Global Times, adding that some assessments were only cursory. "The MEP's current inspection was very necessary to curb deterioration of the fragile marine ecology in Hainan," Lin said, noting that coral reefs in some parts of Hainan have died due to excessive development of properties, which has also reduced the diversity of fish. Eight of the 10 national level nature reserves contain tourist projects that failed to get approval, the MEP inspection found. Land resource, forestry and housing departments in Wenchang failed to properly manage a project at the Tongguling Natural Reserve where a hotel and road were built on an land reserved for forests. The MEP required Hainan government to curb excessive real estate development and establish a special department to investigate the problems. It called on Hainan to hold those accountable for the ecological damage. The MEP has asked Hainan to submit plans to address the problems to the State Council within 30 work days and make the report public. South Asia giant feeling threatened, adopts zero-sum mindset: experts A view of the port facility at Hambantota port File photo: VCG India has launched fierce attacks against Chinese commercial activities in Sri Lanka in recent weeks, and moved to secure more projects in Sri Lanka with Japan, in what appears to be desperate moves to maintain its declining influence in Sri Lanka. Chinese experts pointed out on Sunday that India, which has considered Sri Lanka its backyard rather than a sovereign nation, has adopted a very dangerous zero-sum mindset on China's cooperation with other countries, which is not conducive to regional economic cooperation. On December 9, Sri Lanka formally handed over commercial activities at the Hambantota port to China Merchants Port Holdings Co as part of a $1.2-billion deal that would grant the Chinese company a 99-year lease on the port. The port, which was financed and built by Chinese companies, went into operation in 2010 but has failed to make a profit. The handover of the port to the Chinese company has drawn widespread attention among global media outlets, especially those in India. In an editorial posted on December 14, the Hindustan Times called the Hambantota port deal a "white elephant in gilded chains" while declaring Chinese investments in infrastructure "little more than a modern neo-colonial enterprise." "It is pointless for India to try and outbid and buy out every maritime facility that China builds and manages in the Indian Ocean. What India is trying to do is to showcase how the Chinese way of infrastructure building is little more than a modern neo-colonial enterprise," the editorial reads. India is also looking to secure a deal to run an airport near Hambantota, which has been dubbed the "world's emptiest airport," in order to monitor China's growing presence in Sri Lanka, according to a report from CNBC on December 13. Commercial, not political China Merchants Port Holdings Co declined the Global Times' request for comments over the weekend, but official documents showed that the company considered the deal purely commercial and not political. The company regards the Hambantota project as a 100 percent commercial project with no political motives, and the project development fully complies with Sri Lankan laws and regulations and international practice, according to a document obtained by the Global Times. The document further stressed that the project is in the best interest of both Sri Lanka and the company. It pointed out that the overwhelming majority of employees at Hambantota are Sri Lankans, with Chinese employees accounting for only a small share. At the Colombo International Container Terminals Ltd (CICT), another investment by the company in Sri Lanka, there are only 25 Chinese employees out of a total of more than 1,300 employed at the project. The document stated that the management of Hambantota port will learn from CICT in the future. Experts said the deal represents win-win cooperation between Sri Lanka and the Chinese company. "The lease agreement has entitled China to operate the port and to generate revenue. This is beneficial to both the local economy and job creation, a truly win-win deal," Zhou Fangyin, a professor with the Guangdong Research Institute for International Strategies, told the Global Times on Sunday. Zhou pointed out that the investments China has committed to are large in scale, high in risk and take years to complete, yet they are expected to generate revenue, and the agreements aid development without causing too much debt for the host country. Zhou Yongsheng, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University's Institute of International Relations, pointed out that China-Sri Lanka cooperation has been conducted under the principle of equality, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. India's zero-sum mindset The two experts said that India's reaction to China's cooperation with Sri Lanka reflected the zero-sum mindset of some Indian officials and media outlets and their lack of knowledge of international law. "India has always had strong influence over the decision-making of many South Asian countries on foreign policy, including Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, treating them like its backyard," Zhou Fangyin said. "However, such an overbearing mindset will not work anymore." Zhou Yongsheng said any negative comments from India are sour grapes. "India's negative comments reflect its lack of common sense in international law, as they narrow-mindedly assume the Indian Ocean belongs to India." he said. Zhou Yongsheng further pointed out that India is using double standards toward China in sharp contrast to its view of the US and Japan. "The lease agreement is a reasonable commercial arrangement, but even if China some day would leverage the port for any military activities, it is totally understandable," he said. He added the US has established many military bases over the world, and the Japan Self-Defense Force Base Djibouti is a military base operated by the Japan Self-Defense Forces located near Ambouli, Djibouti. "If that is not tagged as a neo-colonial model, there is no point to label China's commercial lease agreement as such," Zhou Yongsheng stressed. Chu Daye contributed to this story. China to adapt policies to housing needs: official Housing policies will support first-home buyers and upgraders in China and curb speculation in 2018, an official said Saturday. "We should stick to the principle that housing is for living in, not for speculation, and improve the long-term mechanism to promote a steady, healthy housing market," Wang Menghui, minister of housing and urban-rural development, said at a meeting. Market monitoring and analysis should be improved to ensure the accuracy of policies, he added. "We should move faster to put in place a housing system that ensures supply from multiple sources, provides housing support through multiple channels, and encourages both house purchases and rentals," he said. Large and medium-sized cities with net population inflow should step up the development of the housing rental market and set up state-owned home rental companies, according to the minister. China will support home rental companies and build government-led rental management and service platforms. Third- and fourth-tier cities and counties should continue to reduce unsold housing, Wang said. China will also improve housing market order with a hard-line stance on violations by developers and property agencies, he added. A statement released Wednesday after the Central Economic Work Conferencesaid that China will maintain policy consistency and continuity and adopt differentiated property policies. The year 2017 has been an exciting and action-packed one for China and the United States, with both countries interacting closely at different levels in multiple fields. The following are eight terms that can offer a sneak peek at the trajectory of China-U.S. ties over the year, and beyond. RESORT MEETING In April, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, met at Mar-a-Lago resort in the U.S. state of Florida, the first such meeting since Trump took office in January. Disposing with the formality usually seen during state visits, the two leaders spent more than seven hours in two days, discussing issues of importance and charting the course for one of the world's most crucial bilateral ties. Recent years have seen Chinese and U.S. leaders meeting in relatively informal settings, but this does not make those meetings any less significant. A personal bond was forged between the two leaders during the Mar-a-Lago meeting, which sent a positive and reassuring message to the world that the two largest economies were seeking constructive cooperation despite their differences. As Xi said, "There are a thousand reasons to make the China-U.S. relationship work, and no reason to break it." STATE VISIT PLUS On Nov. 8, Trump started his first state visit to China. He was also the first head of state to have visited China since the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October. Trump was offered a "state visit plus" experience in China. Apart from the red-carpet ceremony, formal talks and state banquet, there were also special arrangements for Mr. and Mrs. Trump, including a tour of the Palace Museum with President Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan. The First Family enjoyed a tea break, a stop at a relics conservation workshop and a Peking Opera performance at the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City. "THANK YOU for an unforgettable afternoon and evening at the Forbidden City in Beijing, President Xi and Madame Peng Liyuan," Trump tweeted shortly afterwards. He also briefly changed his Twitter header to a photo of the two couples with a group of Peking Opera performers. During Trump's stay in China, the two leaders spent more than 10 hours together, comparing notes on a wide array of issues of common concern. Extensive consensus was reached and their personal rapport strengthened. HIGH-LEVEL DIALOGUE MECHANISMS China and the United States have seen headway made in implementing four high-level dialogue mechanisms designed to increase China-U.S. contact and cooperation in the key areas of diplomacy and security, economy, law enforcement and cyber security, as well as social and people-to-people exchanges. The mechanisms, initiated during the Mar-a-Lago meeting in April, have provided opportunities for Chinese and American officials to talk over significant issues ranging from peace and stability in the South China Sea and military-to-military exchanges, to innovation cooperation and cyber crime. Heartening results have been delivered. As a case in point, China and the United States have agreed to adopt a "double 100,000" two-way overseas study plan, which will allow China to send 100,000 government-sponsored people to study in the United States and permit 100,000 U.S. students to study in China in the next four years. PRESIDENTIAL PHONE CALLS Besides three formal face-to-face meetings, with the second taking place in Hamburg, Germany in July, the top leaders of China and the United States have also maintained close communication through phone calls. In 2017, nine phone calls were made between the two leaders to exchange views on issues not only significant for bilateral ties but also for the world at large, including the situation on the Korean Peninsula, Syria and global economic growth. Experts believe top-level communication is crucial to the sound growth of China-U.S. relations. Continuous and in-depth communication between the leaders could prevent misunderstanding, build trust, manage differences and increase cooperation. It is in the interest of the international community that China and the United States jointly address global challenges. PEACE ON KOREAN PENINSULA In 2017, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has pushed ahead with its nuclear program and conducted a number of missile launches, heightening tensions on the Korean Peninsula and prompting the international community to collaborate to find a solution. With six-party talks yet to be resumed, efforts made by China and the United States, either separately or collaboratively, have become all the more important. Chinese leaders and officials have on many multilateral and bilateral occasions reaffirmed China's commitment to denuclearization, peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. China is also a firm advocate of resolving the nuclear issue through dialogue and negotiation. To this end, China has done a lot of work, including proposing a dual-track approach and "suspension for suspension" initiative, as well as communicating closely with the American side. TRADE COOPERATION State visits have proved to be a boon to trade ties between the world's two largest economies, evident by the 100-day action plan initiated during the Mar-a-Lago meeting and 250 billion U.S. dollars' worth of deals signed by Chinese and U.S. companies during Trump's visit to China. The 100-day action plan designed to boost bilateral economic cooperation has yielded tangible results, including a deal to reopen the Chinese market to U.S. beef in July. American beef is now back on restaurant menus in China. In November, Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com and the Montana Stockgrower's Association inked a 300-million-dollar beef deal. The bilateral trade volume between China and the United States exceeded 550 billion dollars in 2016, according to figures from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Despite occasional setbacks it is believed that huge potential for China-U.S. trade cooperation waits to be tapped. TWO-WAY INVESTMENT China and the United States have seen exponential growth of two-way investment in recent years, with the figure surpassing 200 billion dollars last year. Chinese companies invested a record 46 billion dollars in the United States in 2016, a tenfold increase compared to just five years ago, according to a report jointly released by the Rhodium Group and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. The report also showed that the cumulative value of U.S. foreign direct investment in China since 1990 has exceeded 240 billion dollars. People in both countries stand to benefit from the huge amount of capital flows. The U.S.-China economic relationship supports roughly 2.6 million jobs in the United States across a range of industries, among which about 104,000 jobs are created by Chinese investment, a study conducted by Oxford Economics and the U.S.-China Business Council showed. SHOWCASING MANDARIN SKILLS Arabella Kushner might be more popular in China than her grandfather, Donald Trump. During his state visit to China, Trump proudly showed the Chinese president a video of Arabella singing and reciting poems in Mandarin. The video later became a hit on the Internet in China, as did another video of Arabella showing off her Mandarin skills back in 2016. In November, Jim Rogers showed a video of his two daughters reciting poems in Mandarin. Chinese netizens applauded the two girls' language ability and said Arabella now had rivals. The American investor guru said he always told anyone who would listen that they must teach their children Mandarin because it would be the most important language of their lifetime. The year 2017 has seen an increase in the popularity of Mandarin in the United States. According to a national survey conducted by American Councils for International Education and released in June, 227,086 U.S. students ranging from kindergarten to grade 12 had enrolled in Chinese language courses. The number of young Americans studying Mandarin doubled from 2009 to 2015, the survey found. Photo: Hu Zexi At a press conference leading up to the Christmas weekend, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that there would be additional security personnel from the state police department along with National Guard troops stationed at key transportation hubs throughout the holidays. Port Authority and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will also increase security efforts presence to safeguard New York City. Photo: Hu Zexi Additionally, radiation detectors and explosive-sniffing dogs will be used to help secure high traffic density areas. But Cuomo explained the increase in security was not based on credible threats on information about the threat of imminent danger. The added measures stem out of an abundance of caution. Obviously, with Christmas coming up this weekend, Christmas Masses. Were going to have full counter-terrorism overlays at St. Pats, there will be blocker cars, there will be teams out there. We will have truck restrictions on both Fifth and Madison Avenues from 42nd Street up to 57th Street, said NYPD Chief of Patrol Terence Monahan. Photo: Hu Zexi We will have heavy weapons teams responding throughout the city and throughout Midnight Mass services and through Christmas Day services as well, Monahan said. US media recently reported that a California man was arrested for planning an attack at San Franciscos Pier 39 on Christmas Day. The 26-year-old Modesto resident and tow truck driver allegedly was going to use his tow truck. Jameson told the FBI that he was connected with senior IS leadership. Going into the UN resolution vote on Israels new capital last Thursday, the White House sent UN delegates a clear reminder of how important their role is, and how vital they could be if a nation in need ever calls upon the US for help. There couldnt have been one person at UN Headquarters in New York who felt that Trumps unilateral campaign promise would win UN majority approval. The presidents decision reflects the will of the American people, said US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, shortly before the resolution vote. How this conclusion was reached remains a mystery as Americans , in general, could really care less. When the numbers came in, 128 voted yes, opposing the change in Israels capital, a sign that the UN majority believes a two-State solution should be reached by the parties directly involved, and not by an outsider. Israels leaders didnt have much to say following Thursdays result, unlike this time last year when the UN Security Council voted against the development of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory by claiming they had no legal validity and hindered the two-State peace process. Israel announced the settlement resolution was absurd, and refused to receive several foreign ambassadors in Tel Aviv. This settlement issue is the big reason why Trump picked David Friedman, a lawyer and proponent of the movement, to serve as US Ambassador to Israel. When combined, it seems the whole thing is a big real estate deal gone wrong. Israeli leaders haven't said much publicly after the 128 UN members nations showed their disapproval. Netanyahu later tweeted, Thank you President Trump and Ambassador Haley for standing up for Israel and for standing up for the truth. Ultimately the truth will prevail. Nine member nations, including Honduras and Guatemala, voted in support of Trumps decision. The US wasn't going to let the decision affect their optimism over the move. Haley posted a photo on Twitter of the 65 nations who supported the US by either voting in favour of the capital move, or choosing to abstain from Thursdays resolution vote. And then in a soft act of diplomacy, she decided it would be a good idea to throw a party for her UN buddies, a two-hour weekday event scheduled for January 3 at a location to be determined. The so-called need to move Israels capital entered the US presidential campaign vernacular when Bill Clinton said in 1992 that if was elected president, it would make it happen. Three years later, after the Jerusalem Act made it through Congress, Clinton didnt sign it. How many US voters concerned with peace in the Middle East consciously spend their free time thinking about what a shame it is the US embassy isnt in Jerusalem? How many US citizens even know where Jerusalem is? Nine UN member nations voted in support of Trumps decision, including Guatemala and Honduras. Guatemala needs all the support it can get. In 2016, Guatemala averaged 101 murders per week, but no school or mass shootings. On Sunday, the president announced they would move its embassy from Tel Aviv to be Jerusalem. Honduras needs the US, especially now as the country has been ripped apart by accusations of election fraud. Nationwide unrest forced the government to mandate a national curfew from 6 pm to6 am that is currently in effect. On Friday, heading into the Christmas weekend, the US State Department called Juan Orlando Hernandez to congratulate him on last months presidential victory. Former CIA Director John Owen Brennan recently opened a Twitter account. It was a decision fueled by the aid-pulling warnings from the US to those nations in opposition with the Jerusalem initiative. On December 21, Brennan tweeted, Trump Admin threat to retaliate against nations that exercise sovereign right in UN to oppose US position on Jerusalem is beyond outrageous. A focus on bilateralism should be the blueprint for all international ties. Other countries could start exploring new channels to work with Israel and Palestine. The long term results of such efforts would lead to peace, not conflict. Impact on business is about 50 pc in value of exports during last few months due to non-refund of GST and related issues. Kolkata: The non-refund of Goods and Services Tax (GST) is taking a toll on jewellery makers with exports taking a hit in West Bengal, both in terms of export value and jobs. "Even I am forced to decline orders for January due to lack of working capital. Situation is no different for other exporters and manufacturers. Till now, an amount totalling Rs 60 crore is stuck with the government as GST refund, that too interest-free for the jewellery exporters," Indian Bullion and Jewellers Association state president Pankaj Parekh told PTI. Parekh added that the impact on business is about 50 per cent in value of exports during the last few months due to non-refund of GST and related issues. "The last quarter is expected to be worse if things don't get resolved," Parekh said. The former Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council state chairman said that prior to GST, direct exports from Kolkata alone was about Rs 6,000 crore. An additional Rs 4,000 crore worth of jewellery manufactured in the state was also exported from ports like Mumbai. Besides affecting exports, it is threatening jobs in the jewellery sector in the state. "One lakh artisans are engaged in Kolkata in the sector," Parekh said. West Bengal state finance minister Amit Mitra had slammed the Centre about GST refund problem for exporters and SMEs. He had said that lack of interface in place between the Goods and Services Tax Network with the customs electronic date interchange (EDI) and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the Centre was using ledger for manual records for refunds, causing a delay in refunds. Mitra termed use of manual ledger as retrograde and more "primitive" than even VAT regime. Conspiracy theories and rumours about major events in history continue to be dispelled almost as quickly as they start doing the rounds (Photo: AFP/Facebook) While conspiracy theories and rumours about major events in history continue to be dispelled almost as quickly as they start doing the rounds, it also means that many mysteries still remain unsolved. Every passing year brings its own fair share of bizarre events and stories which add to the list of elusive cases that have left people wondering. A lot of news stories that can be described as anything between weird or bizarre to revolting were reported in 2017. But some of these garnered a lot of attention as they have left a lot of questions unanswered. Mystery room in the Great Pyramid The pyramids of Egypt have always been objects of curiosity with several legends and intriguing tales associated with them. When a group of researchers unveiled a mysterious chamber inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, the revelation raised more questions than it answered. The room was found right above the pyramids gallery but it isnt known why it was built. The team is currently working with others to come up with hypothesis regarding the purpose of the area. For now they are considering all possibilities including multiple structures or another gallery inside the void which is yet to be accessed by the team. Unexplained booms Several incidents of mysterious booming sounds heard by people were reported from different places across the globe in 2017. While residents of Cairns heard the sound followed by the image of a fireball lighting up the sky on October 10, the people in Eyre Peninsula in South Australia a couple of weeks later as a blue meteor was spotted. Experts say the sounds heard in 64 locations from Alabama to Australia may be caused by supersonic aircrafts or meteors exploding in the atmosphere, although NASAs Bill Cooke said the accurate reason remain unclear. Meanwhile conspiracy theorists suggest something going on in earths inner core. Otto Warmbier American student Otto Wambier was arrested in North Korea in 2016, only to be sent back on his death bed. What followed were allegations including one by Donald Trump claiming that he was tortured beyond belief. He was sentenced to 15 years hard labour for allegedly stealing a propaganda poster in 2016 and died of brain damage six days after his return from North Korea. But despite several allegations and theories, no one really knows what kind of treatment left Ottos body in such bad shape. Hamilton County coroner Dr Lakshmi Sammarco said that his skin was in excellent condition without any evidence of bed sores, and that he had to have round-the-clock care to be in such a condition. An examination found the cause of death as brain damage due to lack of oxygen caused by an injury a year before his death. But we may never know what really happened to Otto. Octopi marching out of the sea Thousands of octopi were found dead on several occasions in October following a baffling discovery by a dolphin tour group that saw the creatures marching en masse. While scientists were left astonished, experts were divided with one group saying that the octopi were preparing to end their lives after laying eggs. Meanwhile another group of experts were of the opinion that they were looking for shelter, although no one knows the exact reason for the mysterious phenomenon. City floating on the ocean Another mystery that left everyone stunned was that of a city filled with enormous blocks floating in the Pacific. The mysterious place called Nan Madol located near the island of Pohnpei in Micronesia has 97 blocks separated by channels of water and has left archaeologists puzzled. The site is known to be home to an ancient race but no one really knows much about them and most are clueless about why they built these blocks so far from civilisation. Sonic attacks in Cuba In one of the most talked about and puzzling incidents of the year, US diplomats in Cuba reported brain injuries thought to be inflicted by some kind of sonic weapon. Many of them sustained permanent damage to hearing and also some damage to the central nervous system. While the US government has been unable to figure out the real reason for this occurrence, they are clueless claiming that the facts and physics dont add up. Some victims heard high pitch chirping while some woke up with a ringing sound in their ear that stopped when they moved away from the bed. Hyderabad: Those running prostitution rackets keep throwing up new challenges for the police. What was noticed in 2017 was them changing tack from running brothels from rented property for a few months to sending escorts to residences/farm houses of customers by cab. Malkajgiri special operations team (SOT) inspector G. Naveen Kumar said, The racket organisers put up advertisements on online platform Locanto with semi-nude pictures of escorts. When a customer calls them up, he is asked to pay 50 per cent of the charge to get a contact number of an escort to chat up with on WhatsApp. After a time and date is fixed, the pimp and the escort drive to the place in a cab. Advertisements on these online platforms openly welcome customers with numbers, pictures and services they can choose from ranging from men seeking women to women seeking men to casual encounters. Frequent crackdowns earlier this year led the organisers be more discreet. The gangs started using other methods to deal with clients. Once a customer dials the phone numbers mentioned online, an agent asks him which hotel or lodge he is staying in, and then checks with the hotel reception to confirm. He then calls the customer to give the details of the escort and the charges, said a senior official from the Task Force team. Organisers also share the escorts with their counterparts in other states for a week or a month. One aspect which misses the eye is that the escorts, who actually are victims, are very vulnerable to danger, said North Zone DCP B. Sumathi. The girl is dropped off to the place by men and her safety is at risk. She can be assaulted against her wish and even get killed. Such an incident would obviously be hushed up and not reported by the racketeers. City police officials say that phone numbers listed on the ads are often registered on the names of dead people with SIM cards bought with fake identity papers. A large number of sex workers belong to Kolkata and Mumbai, police said. The latest modus operandi currently is using the guise of providing massage services at home. SOT officials of LB Nagar arrested one Pendam Sravan, 28, owner of Diamond Family Saloon, for secretly running a prostitution racket under the guise of home service for males. Sravan uploaded pictures of massage girls working in his saloon on a website and contacted customers for services. He personally took the women to the customers place, said LB Nagar SOT inspector P. Venkateswarlu. According to polices annual report, there were 82 cases in Rachakonda Commissionerate alone, in which 106 racket organisers were held and 151 victims belonging to Telangana, AP, Jharkhand, UP were rescued. As many as 31 brothels were raided. Busted scandals Dec. 17: High-profile prostitution racket at Taj Deccan hotel in Jubilee Hills and rescued two women from the film background. The police also caught two men, including a casting director, for forcing the actress into prostitution. Sept. 20: SOT police rescued a Bangladeshi woman from two men and seized her Aadhar card from them. Aug. 3: Madhapur police raided an apartment and arrested a couple from Mumbai for helping two organisers run a brothel and rescued two women. Oct. 3: SOT officials of Malkajgiri apprehended three Tanzanians for human trafficking via Locanto in a decoy operation. Spas, massage parlours doubled up as brothels Well-known hotels, spas and massage parlours turned out to be primary hubs for prostitution this year. Star hotels were the preferred choice of the affluent clientele, said Dr Sunitha Krishnan, a social activist and co-founder of Prajwala. She said the law says that one can make these places accountable as their premises were being used for the commission of an offence, whether it is a hotel, lodge or an apartment. It can be sealed, but this never happens. In August, SOT raids on spas in Madhapur unearthed a flesh trade racket running under a camouflage of massage parlours in the commercial and residential areas and the kingpin, Dasari Siddhartha, who runs the racket by procuring women from Thailand, was held. He gets teenage girls from Thailand through a one Kake, native of Thailand, with whom he developed acquaintance in Mumbai. She gets girls from Thailand under the guise of employment in massage centres for a monthly payment. Once the girls reach city, he takes possession of their passports and engages them in spas and massage parlours run by him for prostitution and other sexual services, said Mr M. Gangadhar, inspector of SOT, Madhapur, adding. Most of these parlours are active prostitution rings operating from the premises or were offering services of a sexual nature. The owners are found to be flushing and throwing condoms outside. They were collecting as much as Rs 9,000 from individual customers though cost of the most expensive package is not more than Rs 6,000. The spa collects Rs 1 lakh for permanent membership and many of them have about 500 members. As per the licencing norms, they should have transparent glass doors without any latch, CCTV cameras, a register of customers. But the spas have failed to comply. Thai girls came on business/tourist visa but are working here, the official. Picture tweeted by news agency ANI from a Pakistan media where Kulbhushan Jadhav is seen meeting his wife and mother in Pakistan. (Photo: Twitter | ANI) Islamabad/New Delhi: Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former officer of the Indian Navy sentenced to death by Pakistan military court for espionage, came face to face with his mother and wife on Monday, but between them was a barrier of glass screen. The meeting, held 21 months after his arrest in March 2016, lasted for about 40 minutes. Kulbhushan's mother Avanti Jadhav and wife Chetankul Jadhav landed in Islamabad via Dubai around Monday noon. They later went to the Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad along with Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh to meet Kulbhushan. Wife & mother of #KulbhushanJadhav meet him at Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad: Pakistan media pic.twitter.com/A8y0whwpAF ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Sunday said that they have granted India consular access to Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan by allowing the presence of an Indian diplomat during the meeting with his family. The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pakistan . We honour our commitments pic.twitter.com/hILiMyp7Zl Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 As JP Singh was accompanying Kulbhushan's wife and mother for the meeting, it would be considered a "consular access", Asif had told a Pakistani media channel on Sunday. Asked specifically if it constituted consular access as an Indian official would be present in the meeting, Asif said, "Yes". Wife, mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav reached Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad along with JP Singh, Deputy High Commissioner pic.twitter.com/8j4os0h64T ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 #WATCH: Wife, mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav reach Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad along with JP Singh, Deputy High Commissioner pic.twitter.com/Dnp9eUc5je ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 However, Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal on Monday clarified that India was not given consular access to Jadhav. Read: Pak says Kulbhushan Jadhav to get consular access, India refutes claim Faisal tweeted: "Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah." Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 Faisal also told media that "presence of an official of Indian High Commission in the meeting was not consular access" as he would only see the meeting taking place. In India, officials downplayed the comments by the Pakistani minister, maintaining that the Indian diplomat was only accompanying Kulbhushan's family and it cannot be construed as "consular access". Faisal had earlier said that the decision to allow Kulbhushan to meet his family was taken on "humanitarian grounds". They would be immediately travelling back to India via Oman. They will travel to Muscat on Oman Air and then will board Air India flight to New Delhi. Kulbhushan's family was not allowed to interact with the media. Read: Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife, mother to meet him in Pakistan today Stringent security measures were taken and additional police and paramilitary troops deployed around the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad. Kulbhushan, 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 India's appeal pending the final verdict by it. Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Kulbhushan alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016, after he reportedly entered from Iran. India, however, maintains that Kulbhushan was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy. Eenam Gambhir is the Indian diplomat who had made a strong rebuttal by calling Pakistan a 'terroristan' at UN General Assembly in September 2017. (Photo: ANI/Twitter) New Delhi: Bike-borne men snatched the mobile of Eenam Gambhir, the first Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, police said on Monday. The incident occurred on Saturday when Gambhir had gone for a walk in Rohini with her mother, they added. The accused snatched the phone from her on the pretext of asking for directions, the police said. Since it was evening, she could not note down the vehicle's registration number, they said. In her complaint, the diplomat said that the accused asked her for directions to Hanuman Mandir. When she started pointing towards the temple while holding her phone, they snatched the phone and fled, the police said. Gambhir stated that the iPhone had a US-registered SIM card and some important files related to her work, they said. In September this year, exercising India's right to reply after Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi raked up the Kashmir issue at the UN General Assembly, Gambhir had made a strong rebuttal by calling Pakistan a "terroristan". Ukrainian Ambassador Igor Polikha's mobile phone was snatched in September while he was taking pictures of the Red Fort, following which one person was arrested. Delhi Police has registered as many as 7,870 cases of snatching this year till November 30. For Tulshidas Pawar, the treatment meted out to his friend Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother and wife by the Pakistan authorities was unacceptable. (Photo: DC) Mumbai: As news channels played out images of Kulbhushan Jadhav meeting his mother and wife separated by a glass wall a childhood friend of the former Indian Navy officer expressed his frustration on the Pakistani authorities not allowing the family members to hug him. Jadhav, who is on death row in Pakistan for alleged spying, met his wife and mother in Islamabad in a carefully choreographed event that unfolded in tweets, photos and TV footage. The 40-minute meeting, which took place after many representations, at the heavily guarded Foreign Affairs Ministry building came after the International Court of Justice asked Pakistan in May to stay his execution. Tulshidas Pawar is Jadhav's childhood friend and lives in Mumbai's Parel area. He watched images of Jadhav's mother Avantika and wife Chetna sitting across a glass screen flicker on the TV set at his home. "Can you imagine what a mother, who last saw her son two years ago, must have felt when allowed to meet him from across a glass partition and was unable to touch him," Pawar said. "The Pakistan authorities should have allowed the mother to hug her son," he said. "This carefully choreographed meeting was a sham." He said, "What Pakistan did (allowing Jadhav's mother and wife to meet him) is just a spectacle for the global community," Pawar said. For him, the treatment meted out to Jadhav's mother and wife by the Pakistan authorities was "unacceptable". "The next hearing in Jadhav's case in the International Court of Justice is scheduled soon. Pakistan mere completed a formality by arranging the meeting in such a manner," he said. "Pakistan should be condemned for not having the decency to allow a mother to hug her son, for disallowing a wife to touch her husband," Pawar said. "One can only imagine the plight of Jadhav's mother." Pawar said he and Kulbhushan's other friends would request Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to bring Jadhav back home at the earliest, he said. It was the fist time Jadhav was meeting his family since his arrest in March last year. The 47-year-old 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. It is expected to hold another hearing in March or April. With further proof of the current uncertainties in US-Pakistan relations and the bitter back and forth between the two countries, the regional security situation is likely to deteriorate further. This essentially means the chances of a greater terrorist activity in Kashmir and the rest of the country and rising occurrences of unprovoked Pakistan firing on the Line of Control (LoC). Last Friday, an Army major was killed along with a soldier on the LoC. Usually, when the US interrogates Pakistan on its insufficient commitment to fighting terrorism in fact, its complicity with terrorist groups and hints at Islamabad having coolly pocketed $33 billion since 9/11, the Pakistanis make a bogey of India and raise the spectre of a nuclear exchange between India and Pakistan on the pretext of its bigger neighbour upping its conventional force strength. Over time, the Americans have shown themselves to be suckers for this and return to their old ways coddling Pakistan so that it doesnt run into Chinas embrace. Islamabad also plays on these fears. Recently its Army spokesman declared that Pakistan does not need America. In contrast, the Pakistan foreign office bleats and appeals to America in subtle ways. This happened once again after Mr Pences recent acerbic remarks. New Delhi will doubtless watch the Trump administrations moves with interest to see if it behaves any differently toward Pakistan than its predecessors in spite of occasional hectoring and warnings. Traditionally, the US State Department has shown a surprising spirit of accommodation toward Pakistans hostile actions against India, especially in Kashmir. In the Clinton and the Obama years, especially the latter, Washington was susceptible to heeding Pakistans anti-India rants in the context of Afghanistan. Last week, speaking to US troops at the Bagram airbase near Kabul, US Vice-President Mike Pence said President Trump had placed Pakistan on notice (for not showing enough commitment to fighting terrorism). The Pakistan foreign ministry replied that friends do not place one another on notice. This is a bit rich, considering that the Pakistan Army has been more a client of Washingtons rather than a friend on any metric. Besides absolving his country of all blame in respect of the Afghanistan theatre, the foreign ministry spokesman said that instead of blaming Pakistan, the US should blame the factors that have led to unbridled draft, misgovernance, expansion of ungoverned spaces and the rise of Daesh in Afghan-istan, despite the 17-year presence of the worlds most powerful forces in the area. In other words, Islamabad has put the blame squarely on the US. It is up to the US to make that clear but for Pakistans sustained support to terrorists, the warring in Afghanistan may have ended long ago. We are in a period of transition. 2017 is giving way to 2018. But there is another transition at work. From the toxic rule of corporations that is killing the Earth, small farmers and people to the emergence of new paradigms and practices based on care for the Earth, the last species, the last child. The last three decades of my work have been shaped by creating democratic and just alternatives to unfair and undemocratic rules of GATT/WTO, which were written by the corporations, for creating monopolies over our seed and food. Every rule of WTO that affects our daily bread was written by the Poison Cartel including Monsanto, the Merchants of Grain led by Cargill, and the junk food industry led by Pepsi, Coca Cola and Nestle. James Enyart admitted that Monsanto and pharmaceutical giants wrote the Trade Related Intellectual property rights (TRIPS) agreement to create monopolies on seeds and medicines. The lead US negotiator at the start of the Uruguay Round who shaped what became the WTO Agreement on Agriculture, was Dan Amstutz a former vice-president of agribusiness giant Cargill. The Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement was drafted by the global food processing industry to displace sovereign food safety laws, criminalise local food systems and impose junk food on the people of the world through pseudo safety laws. I started Navdanya, and Bija Swaraj, the seed freedom movement in 1987 when I first heard of GATT and patents on seed. After the Dunkel Draft of the GATT was leaked in 1991, I travelled the length and breadth of India to inform farmers about TRIPS and the Agriculture Agreement. We organised rallies in Hospet in Bengaluru, in Delhi to say No to the Agreement on Agriculture. The language of food sovereignty, Anna Swaraj, emerged as a response to WTO that farmers, communities, societies, countries have the right and the duty to grow good food in ecological ways for health and well being for all. This was the message we took to Seattle. At the Buenos Aires Ministerial MC, 11 northern countries tried to pink wash WTO to try and present corporate rule as womens liberation. As in Seattle, we, as Diverse Women for Diversity, continue to say the so-called free-market system is indeed a global war system, based on violence against nature, humanity, especially women and children. The Seattle Ministerial failed because of peoples power. Cancun failed. Hong Kong failed. And now the Buenos Aires Ministerial has failed. But corporations find new undemocratic ways to impose and spread their empire. Two decades of corporate driven globalisation has destroyed the biodiversity and cultural diversity of our indigenous food systems, the health of people and the planet. More than 300,000 farmers have committed suicide since 1995. Most suicides are in the cotton area, and most debt is for illegal royalty collection because Article 3J of the Indian Patent Act does not allow patents of seed. We have witnessed the illegal spread and failure of GMOs like BT Cotton. In 1998, the same year when BT cotton was illegally introduced by Monsanto, Cargill and Co assaulted our healthy edible oil economy, manipulating a ban on desi oils like mustard to flood the Indian market with unhealthy GMO soya oil and palm oil. As many as five lakh kacchi ghanis were shut. We organised a sarson satyagraha to protect our indigenous oilseeds and edible oil economy. A few years ago, a fake yellow pea dal started to get imported from Canada displacing our diverse dals, which we call the The Pulse of Life. The fake dal is only seven per cent protein compared to our chana and tur with 25-35 per cent protein. These unnecessary imports imposed by corporate cartels are a theft of our farmers livelihood and our nutrition. The CAG had assessed a Rs. 1,200 crore fraud in the yellow pea dal import when UPA imported two million tons. The NDA government is importing six million tons. The scam has to be bigger. Corporate imperialism goes hand-in-hand with government corruption. And people, especially the poor, pay the price with their very lives. Every fourth Indian is hungry, every second Indian child is malnourished, and India now is at 100th rank on the Global Hunger Index. The spread of junk food has led to an epidemic of non-communicable chronic diseases. Corporate imperialism cannot coexist with the rights of mother earth and human rights. Indias National Food Security Act is an important law that is supposed to guarantee the Right to Food to the last Indian citizen. No democratic society and no democratically elected government should allow its citizens to go hungry. Food security and food sovereignty requires that the government procure food grains from farmers at fair prices based on just MSP, to provide food to the poor. Farmers rights to fair prices are thus structural to the Food Security Act. The US has challenged Indias public stockholding for food security in the WTO. They want to force the Indian government to import toxic degraded GMO corn, soya, rice and wheat, sprayed with Monsantos Carcinogenic Round Up, traded by Cargill, for our PDS. Cash transfers replacing public procurement will achieve what corporations are seeking. The agrarian crisis will deepen. More farmers will commit suicide. More children will die of hunger. The ecological crisis, the agrarian crisis, the food crisis, the health and nutrition crisis, the crisis of democracy and sovereignty are not separate crisis. They are one. And they are connected through food. As the Taitreya Upanishad tells us everything is food. The web of life is a food web. When it is ruptured by chemicals and poisons that come from war, and rules of free trade that is a war declared by corporations against the earth and humanity, biodiversity is wiped out, farmers are killed through debt, and people die either because of hunger or because of cancer, diabetes, heart problems, hypertension and other environment and food related chronic diseases. Everyone is paying a very high price for corporate greed and dictatorship and collusion of corporate states to spread the toxic empire of corporations in the name of reforms. These corporate driven reforms have of course transformed India but in a destructive way. A 10,000-year-old agroecology tradition of growing and giving good food as the highest dharma is being destroyed by an industrial globalised agricultural model which came from the war and has unleashed a war against the earth, our farmers and our bodies. In this war waged by the corporate empire, our small farmers, our annadatas, are on the frontline in defending our national security and food sovereignty. It is time to make a transition from corporate imperialism that is killing us, our farmers and life on earth, to earth democracy that sustains life. We need to reform the WTO rules of corporate globalisation. We need to transform our food and agriculture system through a Jaivik Kranti a revolution for life to stop farmers suicides, hunger, malnutrition and disease. Let 2018 be a year when we sow the seeds of our food sovereignty through swadeshi bija and swadeshi bhoj. The software was developed with the Freedom of Press Foundation and the Guardian Project. (Representative Image) The former National Security Agency contractor who exposed US 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 its an open-source tool designed for human rights activists and other people at risk and it uses an Android phones 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 dont trust Snowden. Snowden has lived in Russia since 2013, when the country gave him asylum, resisting US pressure to extradite him. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal also said that Kulbhushan Jadhav was the face of Indian terrorism in Pakistan. (Photo: DC) Islamabad: "It is not the last meeting," said Pakistan after Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav spoke to his wife and mother from behind a glass barrier in Islamabad on Monday. Jadhav, who was sentenced to death for 'espionage' by Pakistan military, met his mother Avanti and wife Chetankul on Monday afternoon. After their meeting, Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal addressed the media and repeated its old allegations against Jadhav. He also clarified that his meeting with his family in the presence of an Indian diplomat did not constitute "consular access". "This meeting was not consular access as we had told India that its diplomat would see the meeting but was not allowed to speak or participate in it," Faisal told reporters. India's Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh, who accompanied the visitors, was not allowed to speak or listen to the conversation of meeting and he knew it, Faisal added. "All decision on consular access will be taken on basis of law and interests of Pakistan," he said in response to a question about granting the consular access. Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies. The Foreign Office also issued a new video message of Jadhav in which he is seen thanking the Pakistan government for arranging a meeting with his wife and mother. The video played during the press conference was recorded before Jadhav's meeting with his family, officials said. "I requested a meeting with my wife and mother and I am thankful to Government of Pakistan for this gesture," Jadhav said in the brief video message. The Foreign Office earlier released pictures of Jadhav talking to his wife and mother from behind a glass screen. The communication between them was through an intercom device. "We promised 30 minutes of the meeting but Jadhav and his mother requested towards the end of meeting that it should be increased and we did it. The meeting went on for 40 minutes," the spokesperson said. He said that the meeting was positive and the two sides talked thoroughly. "It is not the last meeting. It should be categorically registered," he added. Faisal also said that the family was told several days before the meeting that there would not be any physical contact. The family and Indian government knew about it. He said the meeting was not connected to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case and Pakistan had already responded to the ICJ on December 13. "Jadhav is the face of Indian terrorism in Pakistan" but still his family was allowed to meet on humanitarian and Islamic grounds, Faisal claimed. Faisal said that since Pakistan has allowed Jadhav's family to meet him, India should also allow the families of detained Kashmiris to meet their relatives. He said Pakistan wanted that Jadhav's family should be allowed to meet the Pakistani and Indian media. But India requested that media should not be allowed to speak to family. "We wanted to know why he was using fake passport and use it to enter India at least 17 times. We also wanted to know about the family getting pension if he was retired as India says," the spokesman said. Faisal said that the wife and mother of Jadhav "thanked Pakistan, FO and our team for the meeting while going away." He alleged that Jadhav was sentenced to death due to his involvement in terrorism. In his mercy petition filed to the Army chief in June, Jadhav admitted his involvement in various militant activities in Balochistan and Sindh. He also showed a medical test of Jadhav conducted on December 22 that he was in fine health. Faisal said the details of 15 persons with whom Jadhav was in contact in India were sought from India but it has not responded. "We will vigorously pursue this," he added. Jadhav 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 claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province 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. Gendarmes patrol the Arc de Triomphe, photo by AFP Paris (Peoples Daily) - In France, about 100,000 policemen, gendarmes, and soldiers have been activated across the country for the next two days to prevent a Christmas terrorist attack. The number of security personnel is up 6,000 from last year. In Paris alone, some 7,000 police were added to the security initiative known as Operation Sentinelle. "The safety of both the French and visitors is Frances top priority, said an official statement from Interior Minister Gerard Collomb, on December 22. Collomb stressed how the jihadist threat is a major concern with France. "To ensure security, 54,000 policemen, 36,000 gendarmes, and 7,000 soldiers make up Operation Sentinelle, for a combined total of 97,000 security personnel, and will be mobilized on December 24 and 25, the statement read. Over the past two years, jihadist attacks have claimed 241 lives in France. Security forces are worried about, isolated individuals acting out, often with rudimentary means, but which can be extremely dangerous. Frances national security alert system, Vigipirate, focuses on security in high-density areas like shopping malls, Christmas markets, and churches. Security throughout the countrys public transportation is also a main concern. Local police and gendarmerie were ordered to set up visible and dissuasive devices to secure places of worship. They plan to guard and protect more than 650 Christian locales. Also, Christmas markets, shopping centers, and tourist destinations will be heavily monitored. This year, prefects have established protection perimeters as mandated by the sweeping counterterrorism law that went into effect on October 30. The measure allows for the reinforcement of security controls to ensure the safety of all areas perceived to be at risk of danger. Within each perimeter, baggage and vehicle inspections are permitted. At the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, which receives 13 million visitors every year, a reinforced security perimeter will be used Sunday and will remain until late Christmas Day. Guatemala is to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, President Jimmy Morales has said, following US President Donald Trump's controversial lead on the holy city. After speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Morales wrote to Guatemalans on his Facebook page that "one of the most important topics was the return of Guatemala's embassy to Jerusalem," from Tel Aviv where it is currently located. "For this reason I am informing you that I have given instructions to the foreign ministry that it start the necessary respective coordination to make this happen," Morales wrote. Guatemala's leader made the announcement on Christmas Eve, three days after two-thirds of UN member states rejected Trump's decision to have the United States recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. In all, 128 nations voted to maintain the international consensus that Jerusalem's status can only be decided through peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Only eight countries stood with the United States in voting no to the resolution held in the UN General Assembly, among them Guatemala and fellow Central American country Honduras. Guatemala and Honduras are both reliant on US funding to improve security in their gang-ridden territories. The two nations are, along with El Salvador, in what is known as the Northern Triangle of Central America. Violence, corruption and poverty have made them the main source of illegal migration to the United States, which is giving them USD 750 million to provide better conditions at home. Morales, like Trump, was a television entertainer with no real political experience before becoming president of Guatemala in 2016. On Friday, Morales foreshadowed the decision he was to make regarding Jerusalem, as he defended his government's vote at the UN backing the United States. "Guatemala is historically pro-Israeli," he told a news conference in Guatemala City. "In 70 years of relations, Israel has been our ally," he said. "We have a Christian way of thinking that, as well as the politics of it, has us believing that Israel is our ally and we must support it. Despite us only being nine in the world (in the UN vote), we have the total certainty and conviction that this is the right path." Morales's position has become fragile in recent months because of allegations of corruption against him being investigated by a special UN-backed body working with Guatemalan prosecutors. The United States ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, had said her country would "take names" of the states opposing its position, and Trump threatened to cut funding to countries "that take our money and then vote against us." Several significant US allies abstained from the UN vote, among them Australia, Canada, Mexico and Poland. Others, such as Britain, France, Germany and South Korea were in the majority of 128 nations denouncing any unilateral decision to view Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The eight countries on the US side of the vote were: Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Togo. Following the US decision on Jerusalem, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said he would "no longer accept" any peace plan proposed by the US, dealing a pre-emptive blow to a new initiative expected by Washington next year. Trump has tasked his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who had no prior experience in government, with spearheading the complicated peace plan efforts. Pakistan has granted India consular access to Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav by allowing the presence of an Indian diplomat during the meeting with his family, Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told a Pakistani media channel. Asif, last night, told Geo News that Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh accompanying Jadhav's wife and mother, who arrived here today, could be considered "consular access". Asked specifically if it constituted consular access as an Indian official would be present in the meeting, Asif said, "Yes". However, Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal today said that India was not given consular access to Jadhav. Faisal told media that "presence of an official of Indian High Commission in the meeting was not consular access" as he would only see the meeting taking place. In India, officials downplayed the comments by the Pakistani minister, maintaining that the Indian diplomat was only accompanying Jadhav's family and it cannot be construed as "consular access". Faisal has earlier also said that the decision to allow Jadhav to meet his family was taken on "humanitarian grounds". They would be immediately travelling back to India via Oman. They will travel to Muscat on Oman Air and then will board Air India flight to New Delhi. Pakistan has announced it will issue photos and video of the meeting. Officials also said Jadhav's family would not interact with the media. Stringent security measures have been taken and additional police and paramilitary troops deployed around the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad. 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 India's appeal pending the final verdict by it. 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 killing of journalist- activist Gauri Lankesh and the boardroom battle at IT giant Infosys marked the high point of variegated developments from Karnataka during 2017, which also saw political parties sounding the bugle for the Assembly polls early next year. Diary entries by a political aide of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, indicating payments to Congress leadership; IT raids against Power Minister D K Shivakumar and factional feud within BJP against party chief B S Yeddyurappa made political waves in the state. The Siddaramaiah government also stirred a hornet's nest as it initiated a move for a separate flag for the state and providing a legal standing for it, which came under severe criticism with some equating it to Jammu and Kashmir, which enjoys a special status under Article 370 of the Constitution. The demand for a separate religion tag to Veerashaiva- Lingayat faith also surfaced from the numerically strong and politically-influential community. The year also saw ousted AIADMK leader V K Sasikala's return to central prison here with the Supreme Court upholding her conviction in a disproportionate assets case. This came at a time when she was staking claim as successor to the legacy of Tamil Nadu's former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, who died last year. Preferential treatment extended in jail to Sasikala made national headlines, after senior woman IPS officer D Roopa blew the lid over "corrupt practices". The year also saw city-headquartered Isro that was on a success spree, taste failure after a long gap, with its trusteworkhorsese, PSLV failing to launch backup navigation satellite IRNSS-1H into the orbit due to technical fault. The year began with public outrage over horrific incidents of mass molestation and groping of women in Bengaluru on New Year's Eve. The year also saw a spurt in communal tension in coastal districts and incidents of political murders in different parts of the state, raising the political temperature with the BJP accusing the ruling Congress of being "soft" on "jihadi elements". The audacious attack by unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants by pumping bullets into 55-year-old Lankesh, known for her left-leaning outlook and forthright views against Hindutva politics on September 5 created a national outrage and rekindled the debate on freedom of expression and free thinking. Though there are allegations holding right-wing organisations and also Maoists responsible for her killing, police who have released sketches of the suspects are yet to nab the culprits. Rationalist M M Kalburgi was killed in a similar fashion at his residence in Dharward, in August 2015. Politically, the year witnessed all three parties-the Congress, the BJP and the JDS- kick-start preparations in the run-up to Assembly polls early next year, amid efforts to sort out differences among their respective top leadership. While there is disgruntlement in the BJP between Yeddyurappa and other senior leaders, including K S Eshwarappa, over the former chief minister's style of functioning, post the intervention of party's national chief Amit Shah, all the leaders have embarked on a state wide 'parivartana yatra' to "expose the misdeeds" of the Siddaramaiah government. The Congress, too, with an intention to retain power has planned yatras across the state amid reports about differences between Siddaramaiah and KPCC chief G Parameshwara. According to insiders, the party's old guard, including Parameshwara, are disgruntled with high command's announcement that Siddaramaiah will be the party's face during polls. The JDS, too, has its own set of internal issues, most importantly within the family of party supremo and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda over how many members from the family will contest the assembly polls. There is a growing demand from within the family for tickets, despite Gowda maintaining only his two sons Kumaraswamy and Revanna will contest. Among the other developments that made national headlines politically from the state include issue relates to a diary reportedly recovered by the Income Tax department from the residence of the chief minister's Parliamentary Secretary K Govindaraju. The entries reportedly show a few acronyms similar to the names of some central Congress leaders, indicating payments. In an action that became a hot political issue for the Congress to target the Modi government, the Income Tax department conducted raids on properties linked to Karnataka Energy Minister D K Shivakumar in connection with a tax evasion case. Shivakumar at the time was hosting 44 Gujarat Congress MLAs at a resort on the city outskirts to thwart the "poaching" attempts by the BJP ahead of Rajya Sabha polls in that state. Ahmed Patel, the political secretary to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, was a contestant in the election to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat, which he eventually won. During the I-T raids at about 66 places across the country, the department officials claimed they had seized cash and jewellery worth over Rs 15 crore. The I-T department is yet to make an official statement regarding the outcome. The other development that can be marked as important this year is separate religion status demand for Veerashaiva- Lingayat faith. However, there is resentment within the community over projecting Lingayats and Veerashaivas as the same. While one section under "Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha" has demanded a separate religion status, asserting that Veerashaiva and Lingayats are the same, the other wants it only for Lingayats as they believe that Veerashaiva is one among the seven sects of Shaivas, which is part of Hinduism. The Veerashaiva-Lingayat community that pays allegiance to the 12th century "social reform movement" initiated by Basaveshwara has a substantial population in Karnataka, especially in the northern parts of the state. The BJP and several sections of the Hindu community are opposed to the move to give Veerashaiva-Lingayat separate religion status and have accused the Siddaramaiah government of dividing the society to draw political mileage ahead of assembly elections due early next year. On the business front, Vishal Sikka, the first non-founder CEO of Infosys, resigned amid heightened acrimony between the board and the high-profile founders led by N R Narayana Murthy, who had demanded a clean-up at the country's second-largest software services firm. Over the next few days, the then chairman R Seshasayee and two others also relinquished their positions. Murthy, along with some former Infosys executives, had claimed serious corporate governance lapses and questioned the high severance packages paid to former CFO and others. Another major contention was the acquisition of the Israeli automation technology firm Panaya by Infosys. The founders citing whistleblower reports had raised concerns about the $200 million buyout. Nandan Nilekani, one of the Infosys co-founders and Aadhaar architect, was brought in as non-executive chairman to restore order at the embattled company, and was tasked with finding Sikka's successor as the shareholder sentiment was hit by the developments at the firm. Concluding the three-month high-profile executive search, Infosys earlier this month appointed Salil S Parekh who was a member of the group executive board at French firm Capgemini as its CEO and managing director. In another development, as a major setback on August 31, India's mission to launch its backup navigation satellite IRNSS-1H on board PSLV-C39 ended in a failure after a technical fault on the final leg following a perfect launch. City-headquartered Isro has said the heat shield did not separate on the final leg of the launch sequence and, as a result, IRNSS-1H got stuck in the fourth stage of the rocket. The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a compound of Afghanistan's national intelligence agency in Kabul on Monday, that killed at least five people and wounded two. The blast comes a week after the group claimed an attack on a training facility of the same agency, the National Directorate for Security, in Kabul that ended when the attackers were killed before causing significant casualties. In a statement issued through the group's Amaq news agency, the IS said it was also behind Monday's attack. In Kabul, security officials said the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber who approached the agency's entrance on foot before blowing himself up. All the casualties reported were of civilian passersby. Najib Danish, a spokesman for the interior ministry, said at least five people had been killed and two wounded. The IS' local affiliate, which first appeared in eastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan in early 2015, has become increasingly active and has claimed several recent suicide attacks in Kabul. It has frequently fought Taliban militants and has been heavily targeted by US air strikes and special forces operations in its main stronghold in Nangarhar province. But there remains considerable uncertainty about how the group operates and the exact nature of its connections with Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Pakistani authorities said today they have deployed sharpshooters at the foreign ministry's office where Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav will meet his wife and mother. Jadhav, 47, would be meeting his family today at the foreign office in Islamabad. The exact time of the meeting is not immediately known but officials said it would be around midday or early afternoon. The duration has also not been confirmed but it may last for an hour, according to sources in the Foreign Office. Jadhav's family is flying to Islamabad via the UAE. Strict security measures have been taken on the occasion of Jadhav meeting his family at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), officials said. Police and paramilitary security forces including sharpshooters have been deployed at the MOFA to deal with any untoward security situation, they said. Roads leading to the Constitution Avenue, on which MOFA is located, have been closed for traffic. Special security passes have been issued for those visiting the Foreign Office, the officials added. Pakistan has announced it would issue photos and a video of the meeting and also allow the family to interact with media, if India agrees. Officials also said Jadhav's family would not interact with the media. Jadhav 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 India's appeal pending the final verdict by it. 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. Peru's jailed former president Alberto Fujimori, who was serving a 25-year sentence for corruption and rights abuses, has been pardoned on humanitarian grounds, the presidency said on Sunday. The announcement came after Fujimori's son Kenji split the Opposition vote in Parliament, allowing President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski to avoid impeachment and sparking speculation about a pardon as political payback. "The president of the republic... has decided to grant a humanitarian pardon to Mr Alberto Fujimori and seven other people in similar condition," the presidency said in a statement that did not name the other recipients. A medical team "determined that Mr Fujimori suffers from a progressive, degenerative and incurable illness and that prison conditions represent a grave risk to his life," the statement said. Kenji Fujimori hailed the decision. "On behalf of the Fujimori family, I would like to thank President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski for the noble and magnanimous gesture of giving my father Alberto the humanitarian pardon," he wrote on his Twitter account. His sister, Opposition leader Keiko Fujimori, also expressed her delight. "Today is a great day for my family and for Fujimorism. Finally my father is free. This will be a Christmas of hope and joy," she wrote on social media. But the decision sparked criticism from rights groups while in the capital Lima, young demonstrators clashed with riot police as they tried to march to the government palace. "I regret Fujimori's humanitarian pardon," Jose Miguel Vivanco, executive director of Human Rights Watch in the Americas, wrote on Twitter. "Instead of reaffirming that in a state of law there is no special treatment for anyone, the idea that his liberation was a vulgar political negotiation in exchange for Pedro Pablo Kuczynski maintaining power will remain forever," he added. Alberto Fujimori was transferred from his cell to a clinic on Saturday suffering from low blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat. The 79-year-old had a "sudden drop of pressure with marked arrhythmia," doctors said. "He is making adequate progress in the intensive care unit," said his physician Alejandro Aguinaga. Fujimori, in office from 1990 to 2000 and imprisoned since 2005, was admitted amid rumors that he could be pardoned this Christmas. He has been hospitalised on several previous occasions, the last time in September, and has had heart, back and stomach trouble as well as several operations to remove cancerous growths from his tongue. Despite his conviction for human rights abuses, Fujimori retains a level of popularity in Peru for having defeated guerillas and for stabilising the economy after a period of crisis. Under him and his hardline security chief Vladimiro Montesinos, state forces virtually wiped out the leftist Shining Path and Tupac Amaru rebels. Fujimori also clamped down hard on his political rivals. In 1992, he staged an internal coup, dissolving the legislature with the knowledge of only Montesinos and military chiefs. Speculation about a pardon arose after Kenji Fujimori broke ranks on Thursday with Keiko, who was pushing to impeach Kuczynski. Kenji, whose softer line has set him at odds with his sister recently, was followed by other deputies from the party whose votes were crucial to securing the impeachment. That allowed Kuczynski, who was accused of lying to cover up $5 million in payments received from disgraced Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht, to survive the vote. "Kenji is a sort of Santa Claus who appeared with his Christmas sleigh bringing 10 congressional votes," said political analyst Luis Benavente. Keiko lost to Kuczynski in last year's presidential election and is herself facing questioning linked to the sprawling Odebrecht graft investigation. Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav's family would be travelling immediately back to India in the evening after spending barely seven hours in the country, according to a media report. Jadhav's wife and mother arrived in Islamabad via Dubai. They would be spending around seven hours in the country before returning to India. There are very few non-stop flights from Islamabad to New Delhi with the fastest one-stop flight between Islamabad and New Delhi taking close to 10 hours. Jadhav's family would be immediately travelling back to India via Oman. They will travel to Muscat on Oman Air and then will board Air India flight to New Delhi, Dawn News reported. The Oman Air flight is scheduled to depart at 6.15 pm from Islamabad to Muscat, according to Islamabad airport authorities. According to Oman airport website, flight AI-974 is scheduled to depart for Delhi at 23.10 from Oman. Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is on death row in Pakistan for alleged spying, today met his wife and mother -- but separated by a glass screen -- in a carefully choreographed event that unfolded in tweets, photos and TV footage. The 40-minute meeting, which took place after many representations, took place at the heavily guarded Foreign Affairs Ministry building and came after the International Court of Justice asked Pakistan in May to stay his execution. It was the first time that Jadhav was meeting his family since his arrest in March, and Pakistan portrayed it as a humanitarian gesture to mark the birthday of the country's founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah. "Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted. The tween made it a point to identify Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, with his military title. Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav from its restive Balochistan province after he reportedly entered from Iran. It claims that he was in possession of an Indian passport that identified him as Hussein Mubarak Patel. India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy. Faisal also tweeted that the meeting was arranged in light of "Islamic traditions and based on purely humanitarian grounds." TV footage showed Jadhav's mother Avanti and wife Chetankul entering the ministry building's Agha Shahi Block, accompanied by India's Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh and a Pakistani woman official. After they went in, the door shut behind them. Pakistan Foreign Office later released pictures of Jadhav talking to his wife and mother from behind a glass screen. The communication between them was through an intercom device. The meeting started at around 1.35 pm and lasted about 45 minutes, after which the entire party re-emerged, and were driven away in a white SUV. The two women had arrived in Islamabad earlier today via Dubai on a commercial flight and spent about 30 minutes at the Indian Embassy before being driven to the Foreign Ministry. They are expected to stay at the Indian Embassy for a few hours before retracing their path back to India later this evening. Before the meeting, the security check of the family was performed. All the information about the meeting emerged through Pakistani Foreign Ministry tweets and images. "The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our commitments," Foreign Office Spokesperson Mohammad Faisal earlier tweeted along with a picture of the visitors. From Pakistan's side, Foreign Office Director for India, Dr Fareha Bugti, was present at the meeting. The wife and mother greeted media persons with a namaste after arriving at the ministry but did not respond to their questions. They also did not talk to the reporters while leaving the building, although journalists kept shouting questions. Jadhav was at the ministry before his family arrived. It was not known where he had been kept before being transported to the Foreign Ministry. TV footage showed a convoy of around seven vehicles escorting Jadhav's family in the city. Police and paramilitary security forces, including sharpshooters, were deployed at the ministry to deal with any untoward security situation, they said. Roads leading to the Constitution Avenue, on which the ministry is located, were closed for traffic. Special security passes were issued for those visiting the Foreign Office, the officials added. Pakistan on December 20 issued visas 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. It is expected to hold another hearing in March or April. Earlier today Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told a Pakistani media channel that Pakistan has granted India consular access to Jadhav since an Indian diplomat will be accompanying the prisoner's wife and mother. In India, officials downplayed the comments, maintaining that the Indian diplomat was only accompanying Jadhav's family and it cannot be construed as "consular access". By helping Grenada draft a national development strategy, China has demonstrated its soft power, as well as its willingness to offer experience in development and aid to other nations. Helping other nations to design a national development plan is a demonstration of our soft power. It is an equal and friendly gesture from China to [other developing countries], Chen Fengying, a research fellow at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told Peoples Daily Online. According to South China Morning Post, the Chinese foreign ministry noted in December that China Development Bank, at the request of the Grenadian government, is helping them draft a multibillion dollar national development strategy. The Grenadian government assumed the primary responsibility for the development of their own country, while China provided necessary assistance to their economic and social development upon request. China has already provided many development plans for several African and Southeastern Asian countries. Its important to notice that those plans were made upon request, not by Chinas initiative, said Chen. By requesting such a national plan from China, Grenada has acknowledged the success of Chinas development, believing that Chinas experience is suitable for their country. This doesnt mean that Grenada has to accept all Chinese concepts, but to extract what is suitable for their national situation, Chen added. Grenada has long showed its willingness to receive aid from China. According to information from Chinese embassy in Grenada, China signed a contract with Grenada in 2016, offering the latter non-reimbursable assistance and technological aid. And in 2017, the country accepted professional personnel training aid from China. Christmas was celebrated Monday across Kashmir with religious fervour as special prayers were held for peace and brotherhood across the churches in the Valley. The celebrations this time were more upbeat compared to last year. "Last year the celebrations were low-key due to the unrest and were restricted to the spiritual part only. This year also we did not make it so big, but colourful celebrations are taking place," said Father Roy at the Holy Family Catholic Church on MA Road in Srinagar. "We prayed for world peace and especially for peace in Kashmir. We wish peace to every brother and sister," he said. Hundreds of Christians, including women and children, assembled at the Holy Family Catholic Church to celebrate the festival and participated in special prayers. The chilly weather failed to deter people, especially children, from attending masses at churches. They were seen wearing new winter clothes on the occasion. Apart from the midnight mass, which is also known as vigil mass, Christmas Day mass was held on Monday. In ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir, the pastor of the Valley's oldest Protestant church, the St. Mary's church, along with other Christians prayed for the peace in the state i. "There is no peace in the world because we do not love one another. We do not care for each other and we do not have the courage to show humanity," the pastor said. Tourists from different parts of the country and world joined the locals on the auspicious day and prayed for peace and brotherhood as well. Similar functions were held at Anantnag town, 55 km south of Srinagar and Baramulla town, 52km northwest of Srinagar. The Shiv Sena in Goa has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking his intervention to stop Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar from taking the step of allowing Karnataka to divert the waters of the Mahadeyi river. In the letter, the party's Goa spokesperson Rakhi Prabhudesai Naik has termed the move by Parrikar on Christmas as that of being a "Bad Santa Claus" who is snatching the future of our children, which is river Mahadayi. "Santa Claus distributes gifts to bring smiles on the faces of children but our Parrikar, who is a "bad Santa Claus", has instead snatched the future of our children by agreeing to divert the water of River Mahadayi," the letter states. Naik in the letter said that the party wanted to express to the PM its displeasure over Parrikar's behaviour. "This is the festival to give joy to people. Birth of Lord Jesus Christ symbolises hope, but Parrikars action of agreeing to give Mahadeyi river water to Karnataka has resulted in the state losing its hope for a better future," said Naik. The spokesperson in the letter stated that "the river is a gift for us from nature and our forefathers have worshipped and preserved it. It is our duty to pass it on to our future generation, and not to use it for our petty political gains." The letter went on to request the office of the PM to act like a "real Santa Claus" by impressing upon "Bad Santa Claus" to take back his decision to allow Karnataka to divert the Mahadeyi river water. "You would spread a message of hope, love and peace if you do so on the occasion of Christmas," the letter told the PM. The Sena's letter is in response to the letter written by Parrikar recently to BJP's Karnataka president BS Yeddyurappa softening the former's stand on the water sharing issue. Jammu and Kashmir police chief S P Vaid today downplayed reports that there has been a sharp spike in the number of young Kashmiris joining militant groups this year, saying militancy was not on the rise and the situation in the state was fast returning to normal. PTI had reported yesterday that there has been a 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. According to the reports of security agencies, 117 youths from across the Valley joined terror groups till November 30 this year. Vaid, while responding to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, said, "It (the high number of youth joining militancy) is not based on facts. Militancy is not increasing and the reality is that the situation is fast returning to normal (in Kashmir)." He evaded a question on the number of youths joining militant ranks. Vaid said the parents of local militants are appealing to their wards to shun the path of violence and join the mainstream society. "There is no fear prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir. Ask these girls who have come here from other parts of the country," he said, referring to the women players who participated in the first ever Chief Minister's T20 premier league which concluded at Parade ground today. A senior security official had said yesterday that 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 the 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. Two Jaipur-based historians have received an invitation from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), to share their expert views on Sanjay Leela Bhansali's controversial film Padmavati. Prasoon Joshi, chairman of CBFC, called upon two Jaipur-based historians after receiving directions from the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry to appoint a panel of historians to review the authenticity of historical facts shown in the movie. Joshi called professor B L Gupta, former head of the history department, Rajasthan University (RU) and professor R S Khangarot, principal of Agrawal College to express their views on this issue. Khangarot told the media, "Yes I received the phone call and I will give my views before the CBFC. Being a historian, I personally believe that while making use of history in the film one should not distort the facts. It's not about creative expression only but its also about the presentation of facts." Gupta also confirmed having received a call from Joshi. "I am a historian and it's my job to help them. I am ready to share my views or attend a meeting if needed," said Gupta. Reacting to the development, leader of Karni Sena, Lokendra Singh Kalvi, who is leading protests against Bhansali said, "The Rajput community would not allow the release of Padmavati under any circumstances. We hope that these two historians give their best inputs. But at the same time the CBFC should put Karni Sena also on the panel." Pakistan today said that Kulbhushan Jadhav's meeting with his family in the presence of an Indian diplomat did not constitute "consular access" and repeated its old allegations against the Indian prisoner. Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal briefed the media after the meeting of Jadhav with his mother Avanti and wife Chetankul this afternoon. "This meeting was not consular access as we had told India that its diplomat would see the meeting but was not allowed to speak or participate in it," Faisal told reporters. India's Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh, who accompanied the visitors, was not allowed to speak or listen to the conversation of meeting and he knew it, Faisal added. "All decision on consular access will be taken on basis of law and interests of Pakistan," he said in response to a question about granting the consular access. Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies. The Foreign Office also issued a new video message of Jadhav in which he is seen thanking the Pakistan government for arranging a meeting with his wife and mother. The video played during the press conference was recorded before Jadhav's meeting with his family, officials said. "I requested a meeting with my wife and mother and I am thankful to Government of Pakistan for this gesture," Jadhav said in the brief video message. The Foreign Office earlier released pictures of Jadhav talking to his wife and mother from behind a glass screen. The communication between them was through an intercom device. "We promised 30 minutes of the meeting but Jadhav and his mother requested towards the end of meeting that it should be increased and we did it. The meeting went on for 40 minutes," the spokesperson said. He said that the meeting was positive and the two sides talked thoroughly. "It is not the last meeting. It should be categorically registered," he added. Faisal also said that the family was told several days before the meeting that there would not be any physical contact. The family and Indian government knew about it. He said the meeting was not connected to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case and Pakistan had already responded to the ICJ on December 13. "Jadhav is the face of Indian terrorism in Pakistan" but still his family was allowed to meet on humanitarian and Islamic grounds, Faisal claimed. Faisal said that since Pakistan has allowed Jadhav's family to meet him, India should also allow the families of detained Kashmiris to meet their relatives. He said Pakistan wanted that Jadhav's family should be allowed to meet the Pakistani and Indian media. But India requested that media should not be allowed to speak to his family. "We wanted to know why he was using a fake passport and use it to enter India at least 17 times. We also wanted to know about the family getting pension if he was retired as India says," the spokesman said. Faisal said that the wife and mother of Jadhav "thanked Pakistan, FO and our team for the meeting while going away." He alleged that Jadhav was sentenced to death due to his involvement in terrorism. In his mercy petition filed to the Army chief in June, Jadhav admitted his involvement in various militant activities in Balochistan and Sindh. He also showed a medical test of Jadhav conducted on December 22 that he was in fine health. Faisal said the details of 15 persons with whom Jadhav was in contact in India were sought from India but it has not responded. "We will vigorously pursue this," he added. Jadhav 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 claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province 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. Denouncing rumors of enraging a killer elephant by pulling its tail, several Chinese tourists have accused local authorities in Pattaya, Thailand, of not taking timely measures to save a Chinese tour guide who was trampled to death by an elephant on Dec.21. He Yongjie, a 34-year-old Chinese tour guide, was killed in the accident, while two other tourists who had been riding the elephant sustained injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital. According to Bangkok Post, Au Bamrung, the mahout and owner of the elephant, said a foreigner provoked Plai Uthen, a 17-year-old male elephant, by pulling its tail, making the beat lose control. The elephant became angry out of blue, chasing an old Chinese lady. The guide came to help her, but was trampled to death by the beast. No one pulled the elephants tail, a Chinese tourist, who did not reveal his name, told Beijing Morning Post. Some Chinese tourists have also criticized the owners of the elephants, noting that none of them came to help He when the accident took place. When they finally did, He was lying on the ground with injuries for at least half an hour, according to Beijing Morning Post. On Dec. 22, the Chinese embassy in Thailand urged Thai authorities to carry out a thorough investigation into the accident, while local authorities claimed that there was no clear evidence showing that the beast was enraged by tail pulling. The government is likely to convey to Parliament -- when it reconvenes after Christmas break -- that it holds former prime minister Manmohan Singh in "high esteem" to break the stalemate over PM Narendra Modi's remarks against his predecessor during his poll campaign in Gujarat. With a formula being worked to end the impasse, Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel has already met the former PM in this regard and conveyed the government's message that it never intended to disrespect him in any way, sources said. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is expected to make the statement about the government's "highest regards" for the ex-PM when the House meets on Wednesday. Ever since the winter session of Parliament commenced on December 15, it was marred by disruptions over Modi's remarks over a dinner hosted by Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar for Pakistani diplomats, which was attended by Manmohan Singh. Congress MPs trooped into the well forcing the Houses to adjourn without transacting major business. Initially, the Congress insisted on Modi tendering an apology to the former PM in Parliament. Last Friday after he adjouned the House, Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu asked the leaders of the treasury bench and the Congress to negotiate a solution. Jaitley, who is also leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, and leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad agreed to try and resolve the impasse. Naidu had already indicated that he could not ask the PM to clarify his remark, as demanded by the Opposition, as the incident happened in Gujarat and not inside the House. Naidu said he was "bound by House rules" and asked the two sides to resolve the issue. Both the Houses were adjourned on Friday till December 27 after the Congress refused to allow them function, insisting on a clarification on Modi's comment linking him with Pakistan. The Congress also asked the BJP to apologise for the charges it had made about the 2G spectrum scam also as ex-telecom minister A Raja and DMK leader Kanimozhi stood acquitted. The Anti-rowdy Squad sleuths arrested two more persons from an interstate gang who were involved in sale of banned drugs like LSD, MDMA, MDM tablets in Mangaluru on Monday. According to City Police Commissioner T R Suresh, the arrested are Carl D'Cunha (29), a resident of Hampankatta and Anoop D Almeida (26), a resident of Kulshekar Silver Gate. The police have seized 93 MDM pills, car, three mobile phones and Rs 30,850 cash. The police had recently arrested four other persons from the gang namely Nikhil K B, Shravan Poojary, Roshan Veigas and Basim Basheer. There are cases registered against Carl in Narcotics Control Bureau in Bengaluru in 2014 and 2015. UN, AFP: The UN General Assembly on Sunday urged Myanmar to end a military campaign against the 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. Charging that BJP leaders did nothing for the development of the twin cities when they were in power for five years, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah noted that there was no need for special grants if they had worked for the development. Speaking to media persons here on Monday, before leaving for Gadag district, he noted that without doing anything when B S Yeddyurappa, D V Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar were the chief ministers, BJP leaders are leveling baseless allegations now. Grants are needed, because they did nothing. We have already given Rs 200 crore special grants to the twin cities, he said. Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar is from North Karnataka, and what is his contribution? We brought special status for Hyderabad-Karnataka region under Article 371(J), and we extended Dr Nanjundappa Committee report implementation period for five more years. But, BJP leaders did nothing, he noted. In reply to BJP leaders' allegation, Mr Siddaramaiah said: "I am here to attend government programme, and it is not Congress convention. We are just replying to political allegations being made by BJP leaders during their Parivartana Yatre". Whose money Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent during his election campaigning, he asked. When asked about not displaying the prime minister's photograph during the foundation stone laying ceremony for Centrally-sponsored scheme, he said, State Government also has its share in the cost of such schemes. Why they did not mention my name at the inauguration of upgraded Hubballi Airport, though the State Government gave land for that, he asked. On Mahadayi Reiterating that Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Mr Yeddyurappa are staging a drama to cheat people in the background of forthcoming Assembly elections, Mr Siddaramaiah noted that Mr Parrikar should have written letter to him or should file an affidavit before Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal, to allow diversion of 7.56 TMC feet of water for drinking purpose. "I have worked as a lawyer, and I know that tribunal would not accept Mr Parrikar's letter to Mr Yeddyurappa. Mr Yeddyurappa and Mr Shettar do not know anything, and therefore, they are suggesting to submit that letter to seek interim relief from the tribunal. Mr Shettar has not worked as a lawyer," he added. Ticket aspirants During the chief minister's stay at the circuit house on Sunday night, Congress ticket aspirants for forthcoming Assembly elections were also there. Dharwad constituency ticket aspirants S R Morey and Deepak Chinchore, and Hubballi-Dharwad Central constituency ticket aspirants Dr Mahesh Nalwad and Nagaraj Chabbi were there to meet the chief minister. Mr Siddaramaiah reportedly advised the party leaders to strive for the victory of the party in the elections, and to tell people about the alleged divisive acts of the BJP. Congress workers should not lose any chance to criticise BJP for its errors, while the adverse effects of BJP's administration at the Centre should also be informed to the people, he reportedly said. 'Don't field Tahsildar' On Monday, Congress leaders from Hangal taluk in Haveri district, including a few Zilla Panchayat members, submitted a memorandum to the chief minister, urging him not to give the party ticket to sitting MLA Manohar Tahsildar or his son Raghavendra Tahsildar for Hangal constituency in Assembly elections. They also give a list of names of five leaders and sought ticket for one among them. Mr Siddaramaiah noted that a suitable candidate would be fielded after conducting another round of survey. Shri Sadguru Siddharooda Seva Samithi office-bearers submitted a memorandum, urging the chief minister to recommend the Union Government to name Hubballi Airport after Sri Siddharooda Swamiji. Formation of Hanumasagar taluk in Koppal district was also demanded. Members of various organisations, Congress Party workers, and others had gathered in large numbers. Members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) staged a protest here on Monday, demanding speedy implementation of the project to divert water from Mahadayi basin to Malaprabha river. "Though a continuous agitation is going on seeking drinking water for the people in this region, governments at the Centre did not work honestly in favour of Karnataka, and therefore, Mahadayi dispute is not yet resolved. Both Congress and BJP are engaged in drinking water politics. Without doing so, the project should be implemented fast," they said. State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa should apologise for insulting farmers asking them to stage protest in front of the chief minister's residence, without responding to their demand, they added. Mohammad Rafiq lashkar, Irshad Ahmed Attar, Abdul Hamid Bengali, and others led the protest. Expressing support for the call given by the Mahadayi & Kalasa-Banduri Horata Samanvaya Samiti to observe bandh on Wednesday (December 27) in Malaprabha command area, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) will take a out a protest rally from Durgadabail to Chennamma Circle in the City on Wednesday at 10:00 am. KRV taluk unit president Amruth Ijari told media persons here on Monday that all major political parties are playing mere politics in Mahadayi issue, while bandh would be observed seeking the prime minister's intervention to divert water from Mahadayi basin to Malaprabha river to meet the drinking water needs of the region. Various organisations in Dharwad, Gadag, Bagalkot and Belagavi districts, Karnatak Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), colleges, NWKRTC employees and others are requested to co-operate to make the bandh a success, he said. He condemned State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa for asking farmers protesting in front of BJP office in Bengaluru to stage protest in front of the chief minister's residence and for charging that Congress leaders are supporting the protesters. Water Resources Minister M B Patil should take steps to file a petition before the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal, seeking permission to complete remaining 471 metres of work on Kalasa canal, Mr Ijari added. Meanwhile, the Karnatak Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) has also expressed support for the bandh. "KCCI is supporting this agitation, keeping the interests of citizens and farmers in view," KCCI honorary secretary Vinay Javali said. Karnataka Sangrama Sene and other organisations have also expressed support for the bandh. The inaugural function of the 'Lingayata Samskruthika Samithi' at Nataraja Sabha Bhavana of the Hosamutt, in the city, on Monday, witnessed some tense moments as a section of the people circulated copies of reproduction of an advertisement published in a local newspaper. The circulation of the advertisement 'Lingayata Lanchanada Adiyalli Pratheyka Dharmakkagi Naveke Horata Maaduthiddeve' (Why are fighting for separate religion under Lingayat banner) and the presence of former minister and JD(S) MLC Basavaraja Horatti, also an advocate for minority religion status, angered a section of the audience. They demanded that Horatti should not speak about separate religion status for Veerashaiva-Lingayats. They urged the organisers that only the Vachanas should be discussed during the programme. Seer Chidananda Swami was manhandled by a few when he tried to pacify the agitators. The programme organisers pacified them. By then, police personnel had arrived and the situation eased. After the inauguration, Horatti invited the people to express their opinion on the issue. T S Lokesh, president of the Federation of Basava Balagas of the district, said, the issue of separate religion should not be raised in the programme. Puttanna, an activist, said, he has a doubt that Horatti would try to convince the audience in favour of a separate religion. Horatti said, "I do not gain anything by getting separate religion status. A section of youths of the community had suggested that problems would be solved, if the Lingayat community gets religious minority status as the youth are subject to injustice in several fileds. So, I am fighting for the cause. If somebody else get recognition for 'Veerashaiva Lingayat' as a minority religion, I would welcome it. If people find that our fight is genuine, they will support us," he said. Environment experts claim that the report on River Cauvery published by Anna University, Tamil Nadu, may be partially true, but, the river water is safe for consumption in Karnataka. S Srikantaswamy, professor in Environmental Science, University of Mysore (UoM), said, the pollution level at River Cauvery will be high during summer as water flow is less. The professor, who had conducted a study on River Cauvery two years back, said, "We cannot ignore the report, but, the pollution level in the river varies at different points in time." "It is true that the river, which has its origin at Talacauvery, in Kodagu district, receives wastewater from the starting point itself. The river flows amidst coffee plantations and the coffee pulped water is directly let into the river without any treatment. Similarly, the industries located along the river discharge wastewater (including toxic effluents) without treatment," he said. An official of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) said that he is unaware about the parameters of the study conducted by Anna University. "The water in Karnataka comes under 'C' grade, which means it is safe for drinking after treatment. The report might be true as the river might be more polluted in TN," he said. In TN, a large number of small and medium textile dyeing industries, paper and sugar mills are located besides the river, and this could be the reason for high pollution levels. The pollution level during summer will be high as self-purification is low due to less volume of water flow, he said. In Mysuru district, except sewage water in a few places, no industry releases wastewater into the river directly. The authorities monitor the quality of water every month at various places, commencing from Kodagu district up to the border of Karnataka, and the river water quality is good, he claimed. Claiming that the River Cauvery in Karnataka is not polluted as much as River Ganga, he said, as per the physical appearance itself, the river is not much polluted. In the past three months, the Chief Minister's office was flooded with at least 8,000 fake letters requesting not to ban the sale of loose cigarettes. These letters were written after the state government banned the sale of loose cigarettes on September 11. "The CM's office forwarded these letters to the Department of Health and Family Welfare for verification and further action, said Dr T S Prabhakar, joint director (medical). "The letters written by "petty shop owners" in Kannada and signed in English stated that the ban on the sale of loose cigarettes/beedis/chewing tobacco would affect their business and their families. The content of all the letters was the same while the same person appeared to have signed them with random names, addresses and phone numbers," an officer from the health department said. On verifying, the health department officials did not find any authenticity in the letters. They said a strong lobby was working behind this letter campaign. The National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) had recommended the ban on the sale of loose cigarettes. The objective behind this move was to educate smokers about the harmful effects of tobacco as a full packet will have a pictorial warning showcasing tobacco's harmful effects, the NTCP had said. HC verdict a setback The state tobacco cell officials said that the High Court of Karnataka's verdict on December 16 was a huge set back to their NTCP programmes. The court had struck down the Cigarette and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2014 that mandated 85% pictorial warnings on all tobacco products. "Most of the companies had 85% pictorial warning on their tobacco products and with the ban on the sale of loose cigarettes, the NTCP programmes were effectively being implemented. However, the court's order is a big blow to such programmes as now the tobacco companies will have only 40% pictorial warning on tobacco products packets," said Dr T S Prabhakar. Madrid, AFP: Ecuador has warned WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange not to interfere in Catalonia's separatist crisis, Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno said in an interview published on Sunday. Assange, who has been holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London for the past five years, has angered Madrid by using Twitter to pump out messages of support for Catalonia's independence drive and accuse Spain's central government of "repression". Spanish Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis has said there were signs that Assange was "trying to interfere and manipulate" amid the Catalan crisis after the outspoken Australian met last month with a prominent Catalan pro-independence figure. "We do not want to intervene under any circumstances with respect to Catalonia. We hope the problem is resolved as soon as possible for the benefit of all Spaniards," Moreno told top-selling Spanish daily El Pais. "We have reminded Mr Assange that he has no reason to interfere in Ecuadorian politics because his status does not allow it. Nor in that of nations that are our friends. He does not have the right to do so and he has committed himself to this." Last month Ecuador's foreign ministry said it had told Assange to avoid making statements "that could affect Ecuador's international relations" with Spain and other nations. Moreno begins a three-day official visit to Spain on Sunday with a meeting with Ecuadorian immigrants in Madrid. He is scheduled to hold talks with Spain's King Felipe VI and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Monday. Assange has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since June 2012 after seeking asylum to avoid extradition to Sweden to face a rape allegation. Although Swedish prosecutors dropped their rape probe in May, Assange -- who denied all allegations - still faces arrest by British police on a charge of skipping bail if he leaves the embassy. He fears he will be extradited to the United States and put on trial for WikiLeaks publishing leaked secret US military documents and diplomatic cables in 2010. Spain was plunged into its worst political crisis since a failed coup attempt in 1981 after the Catalan government pushed ahead with a banned independence referendum on October 1. Catalonia will vote Thursday in a knife-edge regional election that could chart the course of the secession crisis. Found only on one tropical island at the southern tip of China, Hainan gibbon, the worlds rarest and most vulnerable primate, have seen a rise in its population in recent years, with 27 of them living under governmental protection. The apes, which are confined to just two square kilometers of remnant rainforest in Bawangling National Nature Reserve on Hainan Island in the South China Sea, were once considered extinct due to illegal hunting and environmental destruction. According to statistics from Chinas State Forestry Bureau, they numbered over 2,000 in the 1950s, but plummeted swiftly to 13 in 2003. As of press time, the animals population has doubled in the past 14 years, rising to 27 gibbons and four social groups. Our nature reserve was established in 1980. Since then, no trace of illegal hunting or poaching of Hainan gibbons has been detected. Though the animals population is rising steadily, its still too early to say whether theyve escaped the fate of extinction, Hong Xiaojiang, vice director of Bawangling National Nature Reserve, told Beijing Youth Daily. According to Hong, over 5,000 acres of ecological forests are expected to be planted in the reserve, which will provide the gibbons enough food resources and shelters. Based on statistics collected by our scientists, a female gibbon has left her original social group this year. She's expected to establish her own tribe in the future and help breed more baby gibbons, said Hong. In September this year, Fortis Hospital in Gurgaon created news by excessively charging for the treatment of a six-year-old girl, who had Dengue and who unfortunately died. In November, Max Hospital in Delhi was in a big soup after it wrongly declared a baby as dead. In early December, Income Tax raids on several diagnostic centres in Bengaluru revealed that doctors were paid for referring patients. In the last week of November, villagers ransacked Holy Cross Hospital in Kalyan, when a 22-year-old youth died of chest pain. In Karnataka, some 30 patients died as thousands of doctors went on a strike against a law intended to curb malpractices in healthcare. These, and several other incidents, have rattled the entire community of doctors in the private sector. A few doctors were perplexed when most of their colleagues came down heavily on the proposed amendments to the KPME Act, despite the outrageous incidents that made them necessary. The medical fraternity claims that only a few doctors (2%) are black sheep. But there is enough evidence, from a public health point of view, for regulating the private sector. For example, the second major cause of debt in rural India is expenses towards healthcare. Data from the 60th round of the National Sample Survey, conducted in 2004, had shown that 70% of out-of-pocket expenditure is on medicines. The Health in India report shows that in rural India, 25% of patients relied on "borrowings" for hospitalisation expenses and 68% on household income and savings. The media did not support the medical fraternity, either. They blamed doctors for the death of several patients while the doctors were on strike. The politicians enjoyed their usual routine a with those in the ruling party insisting that they were trying to help consumers, and those in the opposition party trying to pacify doctors, claiming loudly that they would never allow the government to bring in such a law. In the midst of all this, the private doctors' lobby proclaimed that it was the government-run public health system that needed to be strengthened. This statement from the doctors was long overdue. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that 5% of GDP should be allotted for health, but the Indian government allots a meagre 1.2%, which is much less than what many poor countries spend on healthcare for their citizens. With the public health system becoming weak, the private healthcare sector has boomed. India now perhaps has the largest unregulated private healthcare sector whose main aim is profits. With this have come the corporate hospitals, with huge investments and, very often, political clout. Thus, healthcare has been hijacked by 'for profit', politically-connected corporates. Doctors had to either jump onto their bandwagon or be isolated. But there was indeed a third route. Unfortunately, they missed it. It is worth recalling that the word 'doctor' is derived from a Greek word that meant "to teach". One is not sure if this meant that doctors taught people to stay away from illnesses, but over the years, the word came to be used globally for one who treats the ill. So, it is time doctors reclaimed their lost glory, firstly by stating the urgent need to strengthen the government public health system as well as by campaigning for Universal Health Care (UHC). The UHC model has earned much attention from Thailand which has since 2002 provided healthcare access to over 48 million out of its 66 million population. The number of households falling under poverty line due to health impoverishment reduced from 2.36% in 2007 to 0.34% in 2015. Thus, a reduction has been seen in catastrophic health expenditures. It is mainly funded by tax revenue. There are also models of robust government public health systems in India itself in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu that could be emulated by other states. Secondly, private doctors should set up district redressal committees consisting of a few senior doctors amongst them, along with some eminent people from the community, and they should invite representation from aggrieved healthcare consumers. Thirdly, doctors should take the lead in promoting generic medicines. Globally, and in India, the 'pharma-doctor' nexus is well known. The medical fraternity should come forward to break this. No act or legislation can undo this nexus until and unless doctors themselves initiate the action. A beginning in this direction has been made by a few doctors under the banner 'Alliance of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare'. Fourthly, doctors should bring out treatment guidelines, especially for antibiotic usage. There are many more such initiatives that doctors can start to retrieve their moral standing and win back the confidence of people. The KPME Act may or may not help the consumer, but initiatives undertaken by doctors themselves will surely help the people at large. (The writer is president, Drug Action Forum, Karnataka) Harihar: State BJP president B S Yeddyurappa has challenged the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to dissolve the Legislative Assembly and declare elections. "The country is already seeing good days and Karnataka took will see it soon. The BJP is already in power in 19 states," Yeddyurappa said here on Monday. He was addressing a public meeting organised as part of Parivartana Yatra in Harihar. He said that corruption had become rampant during Congress rule and Bengaluru had turned into a rape city. More than 3,000 farmers have committeed suicide and 20 Hindu activists have been murdered during these years. "Still, the Congress is ruling the state with nonchalance," he said. Yeddyurappa declared as soon he becomes the chief minister he would implement irrigation projects by securing funds to the tune of Rs one lakh crore from the Centre. Lok Sabha member G M Siddeshwar called upon party workers to strive for BJP's victory in the upcoming Assembly elections. Bengaluru, dhns: Members of the public and the media do not discuss issues that are relevant for society but devote their time and energy to dwell on trivial matters, Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Anantkumar Hegde said on Monday. Speaking at an event titled 'Good Governance Day', organised to celebrate former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birthday, Hegde said public participation was essential for good and effective governance. "We have people who demand development but don't know what kind of development they want. Even our intellectuals think that awarding new contracts means development," he said. MLA C N Ashwath Narayan said technology can offer tools to bring about transparency and accountability in governance but it would not be of much use if people do not participate. "Bengaluru provides software solutions to the world but has failed to adopt the technology to improve the governance in the city," he said. Citing security concerns, the police on Monday refused permission to 'Sunny Night NYE 2018' where actor Sunny Leone was scheduled to perform. The government had earlier refused to give permission and the organisers then moved the Karnataka High Court. The court on December 21 asked the police to convey its decision to the organiser by December 25. Following the court directive, DCP (South-East) Girish S said that permission cannot be granted as there was no clarity on several issues, ranging from permission to be obtained from various departments to arrangements, including the dimension of the stage. Girish further said that the police had submitted before the high court that they will maintain law and order. The DCP said there will be celebrations everywhere in the city and law and order has to be maintained. There will be a huge gathering in and around M G Road and Brigade Road which needs special attention, he added. "Security cannot be given to Sunny Night NYE 2018 due to the shortage of personnel. Since New Year celebrations will be held throughout the state, personnel from outside the city also cannot be deployed," Girish said. The officer said though the organiser claims that they will sell only 8,000 tickets, inputs revealed that a much bigger crowd may turn up at the venue. "These are the main grounds for rejecting the permission," he said. "We have decided to postpone the event to February," said M S Harish, managing director of Time Creations, the organiser. After the government refused permission, Sunny tweeted that she would not perform as people's safety was more important. The New Year bash was scheduled to be held at White Orchid, Manyata Tech Park, on December 31. Eenam Gambhir, first secretary in India's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, was robbed off her mobile phone by two bike-borne miscreants in Delhi recently. Eenam, a 2005-batch IFS officer, was on a vacation. She was out for a walk with her mother on Saturday when miscreants snatched her mobile phone, sources in the police said. Eenam hogged the limelight on September 22 when she stated that Pakistan was hosting an "Ivy League of Terrorism". Exercising India's right to reply after Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi raked up the Kashmir issue at the UN General Assembly, Eenam had made a strong rebuttal by calling Pakistan "terroristan". Eenam told the police that her iPhone had a US-registered SIM card and some important files related to her work. A Sudanese national was stabbed by unidentified persons at Hennur Bande on Sunday night. The victim has been identified as Santo (32), a resident of Hennur. According to the police, the incident happened when he was returning home after attending mass on Christmas eve in Frazer Town. The assailants followed him, and stabbed him and fled from the scene of the crime, they said. Passersby found him lying in a pool of blood and called the police helpline. A patrolling Hoysala vehicle shifted him to hospital. The police said Santo was refusing to give out information about his attackers. "We have registered a case under IPC 307 (attempt to murder) and are investigating," an officer said. Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Kim Jong-un's government reminded the US that it claims to be able to drop a nuclear weapon on the mainland North Korea says that the UN's 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 Korea's 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 because of 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.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 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 on Nov. 29 said it successfully tested a new ICBM that put the U.S. mainland within range of its nuclear weapons.North Korea'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 U.S. 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."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 Sept. 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 leader 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 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 Egypt's Court of Cassation has overturned on Sunday prison sentences ranging from life to seven-to-ten years for 18 defendants convicted in the 2012 case commonly known as "Nasr City Terrorist cell," ordering a retrial. In its ruling on Sunday, the court overturned the defendants' 2014 convictions on a range of crimes, including forming an illegal group and orchestrating terrorist attacks against Christians, security forces and vital state institutions. Search Keywords: Short link: Two North is a story about a Christmas when I was in grade school during a period when my mom was spending time on the psychiatric ward of our towns hospital after trying to commit suicide to escape a physically-abusive husband. I was thirteen. It was a cataclysmic event in our lives but it brought us together into a two-person tribe like no other event ever has in my life. I offer this story each year to my friends here at Eclectablog on Christmas as a tribute to my mother, a woman who went from being a pregnant sixteen-year old to retiring as an executive for the Chrysler Corporation in the short span of thirty-five years. Much of who I am today is because of her and the lessons she taught me. This may be read as a sad story, one full of tragedy and unhappiness. But, at the end, its story about the power of love to fill our lives in the midst of unhappiness and the unbreakable bonds between family members, whether its your biological family or, as Armistead Maupin calls it, your logical family. Merry Christmas to all of you. Two North It was Christmas night and I was warm and felt very comfortable. Maybe the most comfortable I had felt in a long time. I wasnt in my own bed but that was okay because my mom was there and I hadnt seen her in awhile and it was nice to be with her. I was only thirteen but when I look back on it, it seems like I was older and I guess I was in some ways. Older than I should have needed to be, I suppose. I was laying in the darkness, mesmerized by a spacey lamp, the kind you find in head shops or at Spencers Gifts, designed especially for moments like this. Christmas was over and, although my memory of the day itself is lost in the fog of time, I have a vivid and distinct memory of the little bits of colored light going up and down and around and around the lamp. We had spent the day with my aunts and uncles at my grandparents house. My mom, Jacki, was pretty fragile and, although she was glad to be there with her mother and father and brothers and sister, she was just as glad when they all left and she could escape to the safety of the upstairs bedroom. We had gone up together and tucked into our beds, just single mattresses on the floor. My grandparents kept their house a sweaty 75 degrees and upstairs it was more like 80. But that night, the warmth felt good and comforting and safe. We laid there in the dark, unable to see each other in the dim light coming from the spacey lamp in the corner, and talked for what seemed like hours. It had been a crazy few months leading up to this night, for sure. That summer she had gotten married to John, her fourth husband. Shortly after the wedding, he proved that his tendency to become physically abusive when he was drinking wasnt just a passing phase. Although he had demonstrated this tendency while they were dating, Mom ignored all the warning signs and married him anyway. While it seems crazy that a strong-willed feminist could end up as a battered wife married to an unemployed hick, it is as much a testament to the power of manic-depressive illness as it is anything else. Its strong mania that makes a guy like that look irresistible. John had hit her a couple of times that summer and fall but each time we all somehow managed to convince ourselves that he wouldnt do it anymore. One afternoon in the fall, I had come home to our house on the lake to hear them shouting at each other inside. They were in the front room, their bedroom. It faced the lake and had windows all around on three sides. I heard her scream and could hear her crying but I was unable to do anything. I was thirteen and scared and was sure my Mom could handle this because I sure couldnt. I was paralyzed into inaction and to this day I think back about that time with some amount of shame, wondering why I didnt do something. Anything. Anything but just sit there while he beat her up. But I couldnt and I didnt and I just sat in a lawn chair in the yard for over an hour as they battled it out inside. Later, my mom noticed me and came out. She knelt in front of the chair and looked up at me. Her face was puffy and purple and bruised from being hit by the drunk monster we were living with. Her lip was bleeding. She was crying. Chris, Im so, so sorry. This redneck piece of shit has just beat the hell out of her and she was apologizing to me. Then she went inside and smashed out all ten windows in the front room with her bare hands. Looking back on that time, the thing that amazes me most is how normal we all acted. As if it were perfectly normal that my my mom would have a black eye periodically. Like there was nothing out of the ordinary that the cars would be smashed up from an altercation that ended up with John driving his car into the back of Moms car and holding down the gas as she held down her brake. It must have torn her up inside. After her third marriage, she had gone back to school and managed to get an undergraduate degree in political science while raising two school-aged boys. She had become very active in the feminist movement and had proven to herself, her friends and her family that she was smart, independent and capable. Given the paucity of jobs for political science graduates, she ended up as a district manager for a newspaper in Ypsilanti, Michigan and then decided to move back the tiny town of Michigan Center where her parents lived. Shortly after the move, my half-brother moved out to live with his dad so it was just the two of us in our new house in the little backwater town. It was there she met John, a regular at the Page One bar. When he was sober, John was a very engaging and charming man. He had a winning smile and a twinkle in his eye that certainly caught the eye of many of the women who hadnt been able to escape the small town life of Michigan Center. When my mother happened along, she noticed him and he most certainly noticed her. She was brassy. She shot pool. And, unlike many of the other barflies at the Page One, she was intelligent. They worked their charms on each other and soon were living together. Some people get sappy when they get drunk. Some people get overly jolly. Not John. John got mean. He got into fights at the bar. He argued with people. And, once he moved in with us, he hit my Mom. For Mom, his punches knocked her out of the ring. Nothing in her life prepared her for how to deal with this. While many battered women stay in abusive marriages for the sake of their kids and because they have no other alternatives, my mom had been on her own before meeting John and was perfectly capable of being on her own again. Yet something kept her from leaving him, even after he had hit her more than once. In completely foreign territory and in her manic state, she allowed herself to deny all the bad things that were happening and enjoy all of the good things that the new relationship had to offer. It was only later, after getting married and committing herself to the relationship, that she woke up and realized the situation she was in. After spending many years becoming independent and proving to herself that she could do whatever she wanted, she was now married to a wife-beater, had what seemed to be very limited options and had compromised nearly everything she had come to believe in. To add insult to injury, she had given her teen-aged son front row seats to the entire thing. It must have been a very difficult moment of realization for her and it happened right before Christmas. I was very close to both my grandmother and my great-grandmother and spent quite a bit of time with them. In fact, even as a young teen in eighth grade, I would pedal my bicycle to their house every day after school and spend an hour or so visiting with the two of them. My visits were an excuse for them to start cocktail hour and when I got there, they would each make a large tumbler of Kesslers whiskey and Squirt and wed look at magazines and catalogs, hook rugs and watch Match Game and Family Feud. As Christmastime approached that year, I began to spend more and more time at my grandparents house. Things at my own house were not that great and the familiarity of their home was comforting and safe for me. One afternoon a few days before Christmas, my grandmother came home from the grocery store and found a note on the counter: Im going to be gone for awhile. Please take good care of Chris. Dear Mom,Im going to be gone for awhile. Please take good care of Chris. Love, Jacki My grandmothers face faltered for only a moment then she said, Okay, looks like youre having dinner with us tonight. Lets go out to eat! Where would you like to go? But her breezy words couldnt hide from me what I knew in the pit of my stomach was obvious. My Mom was not going to be back that night and, given her past, this note did not bode well for her mental state. For a while I pretended not to notice the hidden message I couldnt miss in my Moms note. My grandmas behavior made it clear to me that she hadnt missed it either. Finally, it was too much for me and I went back to my Grandma with the note in my hand. What does she mean take good care of Chris, Grandma? I asked her, not wanting to know the answer. Grandma was quiet. Shes going to commit suicide, isnt she? I asked. Grandma moved next to me and then hugged me tight against her chest, rocking gently back and forth. Tears trickled down her cheeks. I dont know, Chris. I just dont know Later that night, right before bed, the phone rang. My heart leaped as I eavesdropped on my Grandmas end of the conversation. Hello? Oh, dear. I see. Where is she now? How is she? Is she going to be okay? When can we visit? Okay. Thank you. She hung up the phone, her face pale and sad. Your mother took a bottleful of sleeping pills then drove to her therapists office. They took her to the hospital to have her stomach pumped. Now shes on Two North. We can visit her tomorrow. Two North. Even as a kid, I had heard of Two North. Two North was the Loony Bin at Foote Hospital in Jackson. It was the ward where people with mental problems were taken, the crazy people. And my mom was there. On Two North. She had tried to kill herself and now she was on Two North. Merry Fucking Christmas. The next day after breakfast, my Grandma took me up to the hospital. We took the elevator to the second floor then followed the signs to the Psychiatric Wing. We came to a set of swinging doors that were locked tight. Over the door was a small plaque that read 2 North. My grandmother pushed a button on the wall that rang a buzzer somewhere behind the door. Shortly thereafter, a nurse came out, spoke briefly to my grandmother then allowed us to enter. The doors swung closed behind us and I could hear the click as the doors locked automatically. The locks on these doors were meant to keep the patients in as much as it was to keep unwanted visitors out. The nurse led us to a room with a television blaring and people in bathrobes sitting in groups or alone, some smoking cigarettes, some staring vacantly into space, others talking to people that werent there. My mom was sitting on her own, quietly smoking a cigarette and looking out the window. Hi, Mom. How ya doin? I asked her. She gave a small sob and grabbed me, hugging me close. Chris, Im sorry. Im so, so sorry. I didnt mean to scare you. Oh, Im so sorry It was hard seeing her there, so scared and alone. This wasnt like my Mom at all. My Mom was strong and normal. She was happy, not sad and scared. I looked around at the room we were in. Many of the other patients on Two North were quite mentally ill and they frightened me. I wanted her to come home with us in the worst way. I told her that. Honey, I need some time to figure things out. I can get help here and its safe. Ill be home soon, I promise. I might even get to come home for Christmas. We didnt stay long. What do you talk about in a situation like that? My Grandma gave her a few things she had brought along, cigarettes, toothbrush and toothpaste, some stuff for her hair. Then I hugged her and we left. I didnt cry. It seems like I never cry. Over the next few days before Christmas, I stayed with my grandparents. I avoided my friends. What could I tell them? That my Mom was on Two North? Everyone knew what that meant. It meant my Mom was crazy. Nuts. Mentally ill. I really didnt want to talk to them about it. On Christmas morning, my Grandpa went up and picked my Mom up from the hospital. I dont know what gifts I got that year although Im sure my Grandma was the one who bought them. But the best gift I got that year was my Mom being home on Christmas day. Somehow we made it through the day. We all knew my Mom and I had to get away from John but that discussion was for another day. We were just glad to be there together as a family, making small talk and pretending everything was normal. Thats how my family deals with things. Were pretty good at it, too. Later that night, in our snuggly cocoon upstairs, my Mom and I talked. We talked and talked and talked. We talked about my dad who I had never met. We talked about what we were going to have to do next. We talked for hours. The next morning I woke up late. My Mom was gone. She had gotten up early and had my Grandpa drive her back to the hospital. Back to Two North. She wasnt ready yet for the real world. She needed some time, some space, to get her head together. Over the next year my Mom would leave John and we would find a small apartment in town where we hid out, afraid of violent retribution after the divorce papers were served to him. The apartment was small, cozy, and warm. I started a new school and my mom started a new job as a paralegal, helping people work their way through the legal system. Typical of her, she did her own divorce without a lawyer. The apartment was a haven and the two of us grew closer than ever there. It was strange place for both of us but it was safe and gave us time and space to get our heads together. And the only crazy people there were me and my Mom. (Screenshot from BBC)Pope Francis delivering his 2017 "urbi et orbi" address on East Sunday, April16, 2017. Pope Francis reaffirmed his commitment to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process on Christmas Day, 2017, and called for an end to war and injustice everywhere, in the name of Our Lord, "Prince of Peace." The Pope made his remarks ahead of his "urbi et orbi" benediction the traditional blessing given "the city and to the world" on Christmas Day and on other special days throughout the year, Vatican News reported. "We see Jesus in the children of the Middle East who continue to suffer because of growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians," Francis said in the comments which deal with the state of the world. "On this festive day, let us ask the Lord for peace for Jerusalem and for all the Holy Land." Pope Francis also called for resumption of good-faith negotiations and renewed international commitment to peace. "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 recognized borders," he said. "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 also prayed specifically for children suffering the ravages of war and the vagaries of political and economic turmoil in several countries around the world as he spoke to many thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. "Today, as the winds of war are blowing in our world and an outdated model of development continues to produce human, societal and environmental decline, Christmas invites us to focus on the sign of the Child and to recognize him in the faces of little children, especially those for whom, like Jesus, 'there is no place in the inn' (Lk 2:7)." Among those for whom Francis prayed were children in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, which he called, a "largely forgotten" conflict "with serious humanitarian implications for its people, who suffer from hunger and the spread of diseases." The Pope was referring to the vicious civil war in Yemen, which drastically disrupted the lives of more than 22 million people, and brought as many as 8 million people to the brink of starvation, most of them women and children. PRAYERS FOR CHILDREN OF AFRICA "We see Jesus in the children of Africa," he said, "especially those who are suffering in South Sudan, Somalia, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic and Nigeria." "We see Jesus in the children worldwide wherever peace and security are threatened by the danger of tensions and new conflicts," Pope Francis continued, making special mention of the situation on the Korean peninsula." There the communist dictatorship in North Korea continues to seek to expand its nuclear arsenal and the international community struggles to adopt an approach apt to reach a peaceful resolution to the crisis. "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," Pope Francis said. He also alluded to the ongoing crisis in Venezuela, where political stalemate and economic collapse have stressed Venezuelan society almost to the breaking point. "To the Baby Jesus we entrust Venezuela," Pope Francis prayed, "that it may resume a serene dialogue among the various elements of society for the benefit of all the beloved Venezuelan people." UKRAINE CONFLICT The ongoing violent conflict in Ukraine was also on Pope Francis' mind. "We see Jesus in children who, together with their families, suffer from the violence of the conflict in Ukraine and its grave humanitarian repercussions," he went on to say. "We pray that the Lord may soon grant peace to this dear country." The Pope then spoke of "the children of unemployed parents who struggle to offer their children a secure and peaceful future. And in those whose childhood has been robbed and who, from a very young age, have been forced to work or to be enrolled as soldiers by unscrupulous mercenaries." He prayed for children who are victims of forced migration, saying, "We see Jesus in the many children forced to leave their countries to travel alone in inhuman conditions and who become an easy target for human traffickers. "Through their eyes we see the drama of all those forced to emigrate and risk their lives to face exhausting journeys that end at times in tragedy." Francis also spoke of the children he met during his recent visit to Myanmar and Bangladesh. "The sign of Christmas has also been revealed to us," he said. "'a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes' (Lk 2:12). Like the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, like the shepherds of Bethlehem, may we welcome in the Baby Jesus the love of God made man for us. "And may we commit ourselves, with the help of his grace, to making our world more human and more worthy for the children of today and of the future." News Details India needs leader engineers not followers, Semiconductor expert turned faculty at IISc shares his views Date: 25/12/2017Engineering education is a strategic foundation for the future of nation and so is also the electronics engineering education. The emerging market trends such as smart villages/cities, smart factory, e-farming and smart-everything need lot more technology innovation in electronics engineering. Not only market-wise, electronics is becoming important strategically too, both for the security of the nation and its digital infrastructure. Cybersecurity in our AADHAR powered digital-India systems including voting machines can be more trust-worthier using domestically designed and produced hardware and software components, more specifically semiconductor chips and operating system. For that to happen we need to build the complete electronics design and manufacturing eco and requires authentic innovative brains in this domain, not the copycats of what's already taken shape in other parts of the world. Electronics also has potential to create jobs in the skilled labour area. Irrespective of the automation happening in the smart factories you need smart people to operate them. That requires human resources of not only higher-educated but also skilled people who need to be innovative and smarter than the robot machines. India has a huge growing population in the age group of 10 to 20, who need to be taught leadership qualities to innovate smart solutions. This requires significant effort to improve quality of education all the way from school level to higher studies.This writer sat with Dr. Mayank Shrivastava, a nanoelectronics/semiconductor expert turned faculty in the premier Indian Institute of Science(IISc), Bengaluru to learn his views on Indian education systems, with a focus on engineering education. Dr. Mayank Shrivastava is a researcher and faculty in the Department of Electronic Systems Engineering at IISc. His areas of interest cover nano-scale power-semiconductor devices for future electronics technologies. He is the first Indian to win IEEE EDS Early Career Award, one of the highest honours given by IEEE Electron Device Society (EDS). He is also among the first recipient to receive Indian edition of American TR35 award. The latest award received by Prof. Shrivastava is INAE Young Engineer awards for the year 2017. His research covers most of the semiconductor material landscape including graphene. He has published over 85 articles in peer reviewed international journals and conferences, besides having over 40 patents on his name. He has worked in world's leading semiconductor companies before moving to academia.On what should be the syllabus and curriculum:Dr. Mayank: This question has two parts, definition of syllabus and curriculum. Let's me start with syllabus, by taking examples of some of the best places in world (including IITs and IISc), to give you a feel for how syllabus is defined or should be defined. In principle, there is no fixed syllabus, which must be taught precisely for years and years. Whatever is taught is often state-of-the-art, current in time and that is what becomes the syllabus. In such a case whatever is taught often comes from the past teaching and research experiences of the faculty or course instructor. Typically, the faculty who is teaching would be well experienced in that area. So, it is not that a person going to teach something only from the textbook or is going to dictate the textbook in the classroom. The course content keep on changing (upgrading) depending on the time and need. Most importantly, we always try to link our teaching with the research (or state-of-the-art technologies), so that students can a feel for the application of what is being taught in the classroom. The same however is different when you teach a fundamental course, like basic sciences. In this case the content may be fixed, but you need to keep on working on the teaching style such that students understand where all this fundamental knowledge is going to be used. I teach subjects having both the natures, applied as well as fundamental and the syllabus as well as teaching style varies accordingly.The 2nd aspect of the question is related to the curriculum of a program. The best institutes in the world keep the curriculum flexible and allow students to decide the path they want to choose. The focus is often on building fundamentals in form of core courses, which students must credit. The fundamentals are reinforced to make strong foundation. In laymen terms, if the foundation is strong, one can build all kind of structures around it, be it a tall building or a wide one or what not! The foundation need to be deep and strong. That's exactly what Indias education stakeholders, who define the curriculum or syllabus for a given university or board, should focus on.In autonomous institutions curriculum is not a challenge, however in university system, both curriculum and syllabus are a tricky problem to solve, often difficult to regulate when flexibility is offered at the same time. The stakeholders need to think in this direction. However, the bottom-line is that the focus must shift from syllabus based teaching and grade based evaluation to developing strong foundation and love for fundamentals. What I'm observing since last 10-15 years is that there is some kind of rush/hurry towards professional subjects which can potentially offer professional training and hence quick jobs. The interest towards learning, developing foundations and getting into basic sciences is missing. What students often miss is any applied knowledge comes from basic science If basic science or the foundation is not strong, you cant become a good engineer or professional. The fundamentals has to be very strong, be it science, engineering, medical or even humanity.I will give you a layman example, by considering humanity as a field of expertise. In humanity (what is also called Arts in India) one may read all kind of big authors, but if you don't understand the very basic nature of human science, environment and the environment around us, then you cant study them. Note that reading someone and studying their views are entirely different. For example you cannot understand Tagore (Ravindra Nath Tagore) or Sadhguru (Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev), if you not developed a very deep sense for the system around us and within us. Same approach is needed for technical or scientific education, if you want to become a good engineer, you first need to have a deeper feel for the subject, and to feel the subject you need to have strong foundation. Whether you study basic science like graduation level physics, chemistry, mathematics, or take-up applied or advanced topics like materials science, advanced chemistry, quantum physics, etc, if you don't develop a feel for the subject you wont be able to use the knowledge acquired. You may get well trained as you will learn the miniscule, but you won't be able to innovate.If you want to innovate you need to have deeper sense and deeper understanding of what you're dealing with. I'll give you another example: Anyone can learn how to cook (at least simple food), but not everyone can invent their own recipe. To invent your own recipe you need to have deeper understanding of how a combination of certain ingredients will change the taste or add to the taste. So, you can become a cook, not a chef! What is happening these days is, there is lot more focus on training for skills so that people get jobs. What people are missing is that if you understand the very fundamentals, skills will follow on its own. If you innovate, you can generate jobs.How to ensure good quality faculty:Dr. Mayank: You need a sound understanding of the subject, the sound understanding can come from industry experience or your own researching of the subject. At least you (faculty) should know 5 to10 times more than what you are asked to teach. If you only know what is there in the textbook, and you're going to just teach the same thing, for a number of engineering subjects engineering students can learn textbooks on their own. If the faculty know more than what is there in the textbook, the teaching becomes efficient.This was one aspect, the other aspect is how do you teach. What I'm doing in my class is, I teach students more from my own research experiences. Every small or big concepts that I teach, I try to connect it with the real world. I try to give a layman pictures or example even while teaching subjects like quantum mechanics. This to ensure that the students can visualise the concepts and secondly, I connect it with application of the subject. Without such an approach that, you end up teaching just what is there in the textbook, which becomes boring and useless for students. Unfortunately, this is a problem I see in 80-90% of the Tier II and Tier III engineering colleges. We are producing tons of engineers, but majority of them are not true engineers.How to streamline teaching in Tier III engineering colleges, which are mushrooming these days:Dr. Mayank: To streamline teaching I would have done the following (though it is just a quick thought, a detailed brainstorming would be needed to have a robust plan): I feel there should be a regulatory body, which enforces certain level of quality in teaching and the level of subject matter expertise. This should however be not in terms of grades students get in certain university examination. The quality should be judged in terms of what is being taught. This can be enforced by testing teachers who are teaching a given course, through a national level test after every 2nd or 3rd year. The test must judge the scientific aptitude and depth of theoretical as well as practical knowledge of the teacher in the subjects which she/he is teaching. The teacher should be disqualified from teaching services if she/he is not able to outperform in such a test. Naturally, if the teacher himself is not up to date and on par, she/he must not be allowed to teach. It would not be very difficult to setup this kind of of test. Help of faculties or subject experts in IITs/IISc can be taken. They are already doing it for several national level entrance tests, why not one for teachers in private institutions. Moreover, government is helping such teachers and their students to learn as much as possible by offering online courses through IITs/IISc (eg. NPTEL) and TV channels. However, I dont see any regulation which enforces efficient use of such great national resources by Tier 3 colleges. If it is missing, the loop is not completed.Moreover, the way teachers are evaluated these days must change. What is happening is government bodies earlier came-up with evaluation mechanism which has parameters like number of publications, conference attendance, etc. Though government intention was to enforce quality, however unfortunately, people have found a way out to fool the government evaluation mechanism by indulging into publishing in predatory journals and organizing useless conferences. Now a days majority of well-funded private engineering colleges have their own International Conferences and Journals! Recently there was an article which highlights that India is top in the predatory open access journals. This must stop. If a teacher is found indulging into predatory activities, he must be disqualified from teaching services.There is another way of solving this problem, which is by breaking demand and supply chain. There are predatory journal and similar academically unethical activities because specially in teaching institutes a bit of impractical promotion norms are enforced. In teaching institutes, I simply don't believe in any of these matrices where you asked teachers to write papers and ask them to attend conferences. This is simply not going to help. Even in top Institutes, there are great textbook authors and teachers (like H. C. Verma from IIT Kanpur) who have focused majorly on teaching. Government and the administration has to give credit for teaching.On the question of isn't the publication of papers required:Dr. Mayank: Publishing papers should not be the motivation to peruse a research path. If you're interested in science and engineering, you will end up building something new and novel, and if you have done something new, you will any way communicate it in form of research articles. It should not be imposed on you that you have to publish some number of paper. It should not be told in that sense. It should be as, you focus on teaching and at grassroots level you nurture the talent to emerge. Beyond that if you have interest in research - you do whatever you want to do and if you have done something interesting research- you will anyway publish. If you consider the biography of great scientists and engineers/inventors, you will realize that whatever they invented/discovered what just because of their love for science/technology, publications were merely a biproduct of what they did. It should not be the other way around.If you remove this criteria (compulsion of some number of publications), naturally all the open access journals, predatory publications will go away. The interest in science and research must come from within, it must not be enforced. Research is exploration of new knowledge. The exploration of new knowledge should not be imposed, it has to come from within, publication of research papers is a consequence of research, it's a natural process. You give freedom to teachers, whatever research they wanted to do, but regulate teaching.On practical training in teaching:Dr. Mayank: For every subject taught there is need to have practical training so that students can connect. I understand that for Tier 2 and Tier 3 colleges, it is very difficult to offer everything practically such as semiconductor fabrication, as even in the premier institutes like IITs only few places have such facilities. However, the kind of lab infrastructure required for undergraduate level experimental training is not that significant. Most of the institutes due to the norms must have certain level of labs. The question is whether the labs are operated in a way that it can offer practical training to students. This is where government can play key role. Government funded departments have started online courses where IIT teachers have taught UG level courses, which are accessable to private colleges. Similar things can be done for lab training and associated module. Govt. together with premier institutes can work on standardising the lab training modules. Govt. can also think of having city level (at least in major cities) central laboratories which are mandated to train engineering students in certain lab courses.Moreover, what Government can do together with premier institutions is, there can be online lab courses and modules so that the teachers can understand how to basically plan a lab course. These lab courses are very important for the students to understand the practical aspect of chosen subject. Once this is done, then you need a scientific evaluation method to evaluate whether the colleges are doing what they're supposed to do or not. This is also something which has to be enforced and evaluated by experts in a given field.How to motivate students and faculty to use these courses:Dr. Mayank: I believe that everything will not happen by motivation, something we have to enforce. To those who are self-motivated we don't need to tell all this. Those who are motivated are already using these courses, but they are very few, may be less than 1%. When it comes to streamlining the mass and bringing societal changes, in national interest, I believe some level of enforcement is needed. The enforcement may not be direct, but certainly a demand and supply eco-system can be created by the govt. which will enforce people to maintain a certain level of quality. Teachers must not opt for teaching profession just as a (last) option.On Action and Consolidation:Dr. Mayank: Then comes how to consolidate. To consolidate you have to simply cancel the licences of engineering colleges if they are not following strict norms. It is very simple and very similar to medical stream. If a hospital does not follow strict norms its license is immediately cancelled. Education/ teaching is just the same thing. These institutions and their teachers are expected to nurture the future (talent) of the country. If you don't focus on that, you're going to ruin the entire generation of the country. Therefore, consolidation and action mechanism are very important.Regulations apart mindset of the students and teachers must change:Dr. Mayank: Also, the mindset of teachers and students also must change. The teaching focus of most of the teachers is in the direction of training students to get grades. The same is among majority of students, the worry is always to get better and better grades. What's the point in learning a subject, where the student end up vomiting concepts in exams and forgetting everything after that. So, unfortunately, an entire eco-system requires a reset. Premier institutes certainly have taken care of such things from the very beginning and hence have a vibrant learning eco-system. The same needs to be learned by the masses.Seeding innovative thought at school level:Dr. Mayank:This is very important. I would say the first step is regulate, if not block, the private coaching system. The coaching culture in the country, is killing innovation at the very early stage, by promoting a worry for getting higher and higher grades. This is taking the attention away from developing strong foundations and a scientific approach towards learning new concepts. In India, because of coaching tradition, kids learn concepts first, before learning - "how to learn". Due to which they are always dependent on someone other to train them, independent of their age. Our neural network, which is the most advanced processing unit, is designed to learn "how to train yourself". However, these coaching institutes are blocking our kids to exploit such great capabilities of humans. If we look around, we will notice that majority of people dont explore on their own. Neither majority of people carry critical thinking. They are just doing what majority of people prefer to do. They tend to depend on others for everything. Government can play a key role in this direction. Schools should also focus on practical ways of teaching, rather just dictating concepts from text books (spoon feeding). Teachers at schools should be trained on how to teach in a scientific fashion, rather doing spoon feeding. Moreover, students should be encouraged to think beyond their imaginations. For instance, students should be encouraged to think big example, by asking them to find solutions to the fundamental future challenges like water, energy, pollution, cleanliness, mobility, etc, to name a few. If students are given such assignments and encouragement to think big at a very early stage of their development, their scientific aptitude and attitude will develop quickly. If you look beyond India, you will realize that countries like Japan, Germany (which are quite advanced in their technologies) put a lot of focus on nurturing talent at the school level. India having a fantastic (ancient) gurukul tradition can impact the same again, as we have it in our DNA.Immbg content_mayankiisc.png In a heated parliamentary debate on Sunday, Minister of Investment and International Cooperation Sahar Nasr was grilled over Egypt's growing reliance on foreign loans, defending the policy as necessary for the economy In a heated debate on Sunday, Egypt's MPs accused Minister of Investment and International Cooperation Sahar Nasr of drowning the country in an excess of foreign loans, but the minister fired back, saying that loans are still necessary for Egypt's economic development and most recent loans had been obtained by the private sector. MP Alaa Abed, head of parliament's human rights committee and the spokesperson of the Free Egyptians Party, asked Nasr, "Are you a minister for boosting investments or a minister for obtaining too many loans and plunging Egypt into debt?" Abed argued that, "The foreign-borrowing policies of the ministry of investment are very bad and will leave future generations in Egypt burdened with huge debts." Abed wondered why the Ministry of Investment has so far refrained from using a German grant valued at 500 million euros. "It is a grant that will expire at the end of this year, and in spite of this fact, the ministry opted to resort to obtaining loans again," said Abed. Nasr disputed Abed's claim that Germany has decided to offer Egypt 500 million euros in a grant. "This is a loan and not a grant, and it was used to support Egypt's economic reform programme with the IMF," said Nasr. At one point in the debate, Speaker of Parliament Ali Abdel-Aal intervened to support Nasr, indicating that the government and parliament are both responsible for deciding whether or not the country should obtain foreign loans. "According to the Constitution, the president and the government are the ones authorized to sign foreign-loan agreements, and it is the responsibility of parliament to discuss these agreements and vote on them," said Abdel-Aal. "So it is a joint responsibility, and nobody can claim that a certain minister has pushed Egypt into taking too many foreign loans," he added. The debate on foreign loans comes as parliament discusses proposed amendments to the 1981 law on joint-venture companies. The amendments aim to help the country attract greater volumes of foreign direct investment by eliminating many of the obstacles faced by investors. A parliamentary report concluded that the proposed amendments are in line with recommendations issued by the World Bank and the World Economic Forum on investment and competitiveness. "The amendments also help small-scale investors form the one-person companies or the limited-responsibility companies that have become a big success in many countries," the report said. Abed said it is regrettable that "it has almost become a daily routine that citizens in Egypt read in newspapers that the country's foreign debts have ballooned so much. They say the debts have become too big thanks to the minister of investment and that she should rather be called 'the minister of debts and loans'," said Abed. Leftist MP Abdel-Hamid Kamal also asked Nasr to provide parliament with a detailed statement on Egypt's foreign debts. "This statement should lay out in clear words how much Egypt's foreign debts have increased in recent years," said Kamal. "I believe that foreign debts increased from $28 billion in 2011 to around $80 billion at present," he said. "This should ring alarm bells, because no country can live on loans all the time, and the ministry's job is to attract investments, not borrow from foreign banks and governments," said Kamal. In response, Nasr said that the foreign loans that the Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation has obtained since she took office in September 2015 represent just 7 per cent of the country's total loans. "And even 40 per cent of these loans have become grants," said Nasr. She also said that most of Egypt's debts are owed by the private sector. "Please, MPs you should have the correct figures before you raise questions on Egypt's foreign debts," said Nasr. "What many do not know is that the private sector is the largest recipient of foreign loans," Nasr explained. "In a recent conference on banking in Africa in Sharm El-Sheikh, you should have noticed that most of the foreign loan agreements were signed with banks to give the money to the private sector," said Nasr. However, the minister said foreign loans are still necessary because Egypt does not have the funds required to develop infrastructure projects. "In this respect, I think that MPs should direct their questions to ministers who took loans to develop infrastructure in their sectors," said Nasr. "For example," she added, "you should ask the minister of housing if he took a loan for improving sanitary drainage projects in Upper Egypt." Nasr said the minister of finance and the governor of the Central Bank of Egypt are the ones who can provide a detailed statement to parliament on foreign loans and how they are being used. Abdel-Aal said, "It is not bad that governments borrow foreign money to build projects. International relations dictate that countries borrow from each other." He added, "Just as it obtains loans from foreign governments and banks, Egypt also gives loans and assistance to some foreign governments. It is a two-way direction, and not one way as some think." Search Keywords: Short link: Overview 4820 2D imager from Honeywell offers an ideal solution for light industrial mobile barcode reading applications. It features Bluetooth v1.2 radio wireless communications for freedom of movement in retail, warehouse and distribution. This enables movement up to 33 feet (10m) from the base while its Adaptive Frequency Hopping (AFH) feature eliminates interference with other wireless systems. The field-replaceable lithium-ion battery enables up to 57,000 reads per full charge. The 4820's small footprint enables hands-free presentation scanning when docked in the base. The host-powered interface and RF link extends the mobile capabilities of the 4820 by drawing power from a portable device for radio and host communications. Specifications Mfr Part Number: 4820SR0C1CBE Brand: Honeywell Model Number: 4820SR0C1CBE Type: Barcode Scanner Technical Description Brand: Honeywell Model: 4820SR0C1CBE Scan Pattern: Area Image (752 x 480 pixel array) Motion Tolerance Standard: 10 cm/s (4 in/s) Streaming Presentation: 50 cm/s (20 in/s) with 13 mil UPC at optimal focus Scan Angle: Horizontal - 42 Degree; Vertical - 27 Degree Print Contrast: 20 Percent minimum reflectance difference Decode Capabilities: Reads standard 1D, stacked, 2D and postal symbologies; limited OCR font reading Radio/Range: 2.4 to 2.5 GHz (ISM Band) Adaptive Frequency - Hopping Bluetooth v2.0; Class 2: 10 m (33) line of sight Data Rate: (Transmission Rate) 3 Mbit/s (2.1 Mbit/s) Battery: 1,800 mAh Li-ion (minimum) Number of Scans: 50,000 scans Expected Hours of Operation: 16 hours Expected Charge Time: 4 hours Environmental Sealing: IP41 Light Levels: 100,000 Lux Host System Interfaces: USB, TTL level RS232, Keyboard Wedge, IBM 46xx (RS485), Light Pen (Wand) Emulation Humidity: 0 to 95 Percent relative humidity, non-condensing Drop: Designed to withstand 1.8 m drops Dimensions (LxWxH): 135 mm x 81 mm x 163 mm Features Built for Light Industrial Applications High Performance and Versatile Data Collection Wireless Connectivity Advanced Illumination Technology Long-Lasting Lithium-Ion Battery Simplified Device Configuration FIPS 140-2 Certified Encryption Bluetooth Interface Module Option Disinfectant-Ready Housing * Product descriptions and part numbers are subject to change, and may not reflect manufacturer product changes. Please check the manufacturer's website and use the item's manufacturer part number to find the most up to date product description. Programs only open to Canadian citizens? Can you give us some examples? Or are you talking about getting (study)loans, that those are only for citizens? How you can get your money? Well, you already said it: loans (from back home), scholarships (from back home, or maybe here because you have great grades), and cash (savings, family money, winning the lottery, ...). It's the same for getting a visa to the US. By the way, on her visa application, they will ask if she's ever been refused a visa for another country, so she will have to declare she's been refused multiple times to get access to the US... Hi All, I need help filling in the education section in my EE profile. My assessment for WES is as follows: Canadian equivalence Summary: Bachelor's Degree(Four years) and post graduate diploma (one year) My question is what option do I need to choose in "LEVEL OF EDUCATION" while filling up my Education history. Thanks Hi I was trying before to study abroad and getting jobs visa too. then i was busy doing some online and 1/2 months part time jobs. now i am free and my certificate age became 35. Is there any chance if i want to study in any subjects in canada and other rich countries to get involved in jobs later there? FYI i completed bachelor of science in computer science degree from local national university before. I also have no job experience to try for job overseas. IF there are training-then-job type of opportunity available let me know with details. mogo51 said: We are staring down the barrel of war and my country will of course be involved if it does happen - I hope does not though North Korea has to be de nuked for the sake of world safety IMO. Click to expand... I want to thank Mogo51 for bringing this up, I have had the pleasure of working with Aussies and liked every one of them. Indeed Australia has fought with America in every conflict since the Boxer Rebellion so no doubt they would be with us against North Korea.I agree that something has to be done and soon. Not only is Lil Kim unstable and a threat to the world militarily, but we could also see athat could have catastrophic results as he keeps trying to perfect his nuclear arsenal.North Korea spends more than 20 per cent of its annual GDP on the military despite millions of citizens suffering blackouts and a lack of adequate food. The size of their children at birth is significantly lower than even South Korea due to malnutrition as well as childhood blindness.Trump told UN representatives North Korea was a global problem they had to work together to solve as the country rolled out its THAAD missile defence system in South Korea. Trump is also leaning on North Koreas closest ally, China, to try and exert pressure on the country economically.An unidentified North Korean foreign minister said the US strategy was little short of lighting the fuse of total war, the state news agency reported. However the military escalation is likely at odds with the situation on the ground for many North Koreans who live under a total information blackout with lack of access to independent media.The fuse has already been lit by their leader who continues to do testing of missiles and nuclear weapons in spite of worldwide agreements. Somebody has to do something and we are the ones who will get the job.I agree that we have to de nuke them for the sake of world safety, the only problem is getting China on board. With the huge trade going on between the US and China, I think it would be in China's best interest to just step aside and let us go to it, what is North Korea adding to the Chinese economy compared to the US?Another problem is even though Kim is mainly posturing and in reality is scared chitless of the USA, if he was attacked and not annihilated in one swift strike, he would probably nuke South Korea or Japan as he went down in flames. He is also working on submarine launched nuclear missiles.Nuking North Korea is out of the question, the fallout would kill too many of our allies and innocents. Mad Dog Mattis dropped a Massive Ordinance Air Blast or MOAB, the mother of all bombs in Afghanistan, a 21,000 pound bomb.With a combination of swift night HALO insertions of special forces deployed to disable nuclear sites, air strikes on communications and radar sites as in Iraq, MOABS directed at troops, Cruise missile attacks on critical infrastructure and a coordinated massive air campaign, a coalition conventional strike could easily defeat North Korea before boots were put on the ground.Saddam Hussein said the invasion of Iraq would be "the mother of all wars", but after just the air campaign his starving troops were surrendering by the hundreds as supplies were cut off.Their ballistic missile submarines are vastly technologically inferior to their rivals in the region and should be relatively easy to track and neutralize, before he invests more millions into this program which if allowed to be perfected would be the biggest threat.I agree it's time to take them out before they perfect their nuclear capability, all we have to do is convince China to step aside. In response to the extraordinary needs of their city after Hurricane Harvey, Houston philanthropists John and Laura Arnold first gave $5 million to the Greater Houston Community Foundations Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, aka the Mayors Fund. Following that gift, the couple made a second $5 million donation to an atypical organization named GiveDirectly an international organization with no experience in the U.S. or working with natural disasters. Through their philanthropy, the Arnolds are posing an important question whats the best way to deliver resources to a hard-hit community after a natural disaster like Hurricane Harvey? We wont necessarily all agree, nor is there just one way, but its an important question to keep asking. Before Harvey, GiveDirectly had only worked in East Africa. Their mission is to give money, unconditionally, to the most poverty-stricken people in the world. They dont do development work the regular way by building clean-water wells, or houses, or hospitals, or give goats or chickens or food or clothing or solar-powered generators. They do unconditional cash transfers, and they trust the recipients know best how to use it to alleviate their own poverty. GiveDirectlys operation in Texas following Harvey is a test of whether that theory of unconditional cash only, not stuff could apply to disaster-relief in the U.S. As John Arnold explained to me, he and his wifes thought process for supporting GiveDirectly was as follows: First, he said the private sector does a great job with the logistics of delivering needed goods and services to Texans, even in the face of catastrophic flooding, as occurred following Harvey. He marveled at watching ten fully-stocked Walmart tractor trailers arriving early after the rains, ready to supply Houstonians. Second, the missing piece for many people hurt by the storm is simply money. Walmart, Arnold reasoned, will figure out how to provide the right stuff, as long as people have money in their hands to pay for it. Third, the best relief is probably a group that can just deliver money into the hands of people who need it. Everybodys highest priority is different, Arnold told me. Some peoples car was damaged and they cant get to work. Others had their work interrupted and they just need temporarily help to cover next months rent. So the Arnolds chose GiveDirectly for their $5 million. Funded by the Arnolds and other donors, GiveDirectly set up a plan to deliver pre-loaded Visa debit-cards with a $1,500 value to impacted households in Texas. In Rose City, a badly-flooded town next to Beaumont that I wrote about last week, GiveDirectly arrived in October to deliver $1,500 to each of the towns estimated 210 households, without conditions. Rose City Mayor Bonnie Stephenson confirmed working with GiveDirectly to reach substantially all households in her town, holding town meetings and community gatherings to help get the word out. GiveDirectly reports successfully distributing 180 cards to the intended 210 households, according spokeswoman Catherine Diao. In a few households, says Diao, they simply couldnt locate eligible recipients despite multiple attempts. GiveDirectly next expanded its giving to the Lakewood area of Northeast Houston. As of now theyve handed out about 1,200 pre-loaded cards of $1,500 each, with the intention of distributing up to 3,000 total. Their methods are still evolving. In Rose City, the cards were meant to be universal, meaning that everyone with a household address in town qualified for the funds. In the Northeast section of Houston, GiveDirectly is attempting to target the $1,500 pre-paid Visa cards to only those who have demonstrated property losses. As John Arnold explained, a classic problem of relief is to design a system that is restrictive enough to prevent fraud, but not overly restrictive that it prevents delivery of resources. Its safe to say no system is perfect. The normal model of disaster relief is that a combination of the federal government (primarily FEMA), big organizations like the Red Cross, and state and local officials coordinate major resources, while more locally-focused groups fill in the gaps with stuff at hand, like food, water and blankets. Problems plague each of these responses, of course. One recurring problem with the smaller stuff at hand solution is that the stuff may not reflect what people actually need most, at any given time. The appeal of UCT is that recipients decide exactly what they need, not donors. At the larger scale, FEMA and Red Cross have far more capacity than local groups to deliver resources. But one recurring complaint about the bigger organizations is whether the big infrastructure and big dollars are efficiently used. In addition, qualifying for substantial FEMA grants, or even $400 Red Cross payments, involves engaging with a bureaucracy that may seem confusing or overly strict, a bundle of red tape, to use a word I heard repeatedly from folks in Rose City, including Mayor Bonnie Stephenson. GiveDirectlys attempt with UCT is to make delivery simple. GiveDirectly, by their own estimation, regards their efforts in Texas as exploratory, but in line with their dual purpose of giving relief and pushing for more efficiency among relief organizations. As president and co-founder of GiveDirectly, Michael Faye said: Recipients prefer cash and are frustrated with the opacity and efficiency of the traditional options, and want a direct giving alternative. With donors wanting it, and recipients preferring it, why shouldnt it exist? At worst, itll help people rebuild their lives, and at best, it will force a conversation and potentially shift the (philanthropic) sector. Bill Harrison wasnt keen on the idea of wrapping presents for the Elf Louise Christmas Project when his then-wife pointed out an ad for the charitable organization in the newspaper. But Harrison relented and trailed his wife to an Elf Louise meeting where he met Louise Locker, who founded the organization while she was a Trinity University student in 1968 to provide toys for needy children during the holiday season. Harrison, a retired U.S. Air Force personnel officer, then ran into a friend from his Air Force days who was involved with the organization. The friend implored Harrison to take over for a volunteer who had hurt her back. Two years later in 1992, Harrison became executive director for the Elf Louise Christmas Project. The Air Force veteran, who also served as the projects board chairman for roughly 15 years, oversees a group of about 30 core volunteers that work year-round to raise funds, find a spot for the project to operate out of and secure a supply of toys large enough to serve thousands of impoverished families in the San Antonio area who cant afford holiday gifts. This year, the project has raised more than $200,000. Harrison, 78, sat down with the Express-News on Dec. 6 at Elf Louises temporary warehouse at Port San Antonio. Here is an edited transcript of the interview. Q: Walk me through how Elf Louise prepares for the holiday season. A: First, we start out with our budget for the year. Past experience tells us that X number of families is going to equal X number of toys needed. Its going to cost us X number of dollars. Now Playing: Business reporter Joshua Fechter sat down to talk with Bill Harrison, the executive director of the Elf Louise Christmas Project. Video: San Antonio Express-News Then, we have to find the toys. Our first source for that is the people at H-E-B let us use their purchasing power to buy toys at a greatly reduced wholesale rate. They actually purchase them for us, they bring them over from China as most toys do. To house the operation, we need about 50,000 square feet, at a minimum. Thats one of the things were starting to look at, even back in March and April of the next year, were looking for a home. In about April or May, the way we get our applications from the families is through 193 social service agencies, schools, San Antonio Housing Authority, hospitals, clinics. They actually know who the less fortunate families are. By Oct. 2 of this year, we had over 7,000 applications, which in the final analysis will work its way down to about 5,700 families that we will actually be serving presents to. Then, were at this point where we are wrapping gifts this week. Well have 449 Santa routes. Some of the Santas come back year after year, some of them come back every night to help us do the deliveries. And well work our way up to Dec. 23, which is our last day of deliveries. Then well start breaking everything down so that we can get out of here. We have to be out of here by Jan. 15. And by that time, its ready to start 2018. More Information Quick facts about Harrison How do you start your day: First things first, I gotta answer all our emails. We get between 50 and 60 emails every day. Things like requesting a Santa route so that they can deliver presents, or that they want a reservation for the rec room, or the client wants to change their address. There's a lot of important things going on at this particular time of the season. I get up at about 5:00, 5:30, something like that, have breakfast, head for the post office to pick up our mail because that is another very important aspect of the operation at this time of year. Then I come on down here to the office. That all takes about two hours from the time I get up to have breakfast and then get down here. What book are you reading right now: "Red Storm Rising" by Tom Clancy Favorite restaurant: Maggiano's Little Italy First job with paycheck: I went right from college after I graduated from ROTC right into the Air Force and spent 28 years as a personnel officer in the United States Air Force. Passion/hobby outside of work: I'm the chorus manager for the San Antonio Symphony Mastersingers. Singing is a big passion of mine and my wife's. If you had to choose an entirely different career in an entirely different industry, what would it be: I think I would have liked to have been a choral director and gone through the education of becoming a director of chorus. See More Collapse Q: Youre serving about 5,700 families this year. How many volunteers and toys does that translate to? A: Thats about 60,000 toys to serve, what it boils down to, over the years, we find out that the average San Antonio less fortunate family has 3.2 children. And thats how we do the math to figure out what our needs out. Youll see 100 volunteers in here, right now, wrapping. And every two hours, we replenish that 100 people. Over the period of this week, well have about 2,000 to 2,500 people that wrap the gifts. Then, a Santa team can be anything from a minimum of three people to however many elves you want. When its all said and done, well have about 4,500 to 5,000 volunteers walk through this door right over here behind you, this year, to work this project. Q: How would you say your experience in the Air Force prepared you for the Elf Louise position? A: I think the two keys are management and organizing. And leadership, certainly. Being an Air Force officer, I learned an awful lot about leading people doing their jobs. Actually, in many respects, its easier and better to have all volunteers because we all want to do the same thing to make Elf Louise a success and to serve less fortunate families in the community. Q: Over the course of your tenure here, what observations do you have about poverty in San Antonio? A: I wish I could say the poverty situation has improved. I wish I could say that each of the clients that we have served over the years would pull themselves out of the predicaments theyre in. But, the sad story is that we see just an awful lot of return clients each year. We work with some other agencies within the city. But, I dont think we come close to serving all of the families that really wont have a Christmas without some help. Q: Have you ever had to fire or lay someone off? A: Yep. We had a lady who was just the nicest lady that we could possibly have. She would bring food in for us for lunches for the elves as they were in the office. Each day shed bring some nice little goodie, soup or sandwiches. And somebody came up to me and said, You need to go watch, whatever her name was, as she leaves. What was happening was that she was bringing in food in these bags and things like that, and then she was filling up the bags with toys and gifts, and taking them out. Come to find out, she had three daughters, and what they were doing was they were taking the children from all three of the daughters and putting them in four applications. In other words, grandmother and the three daughters all had an application, and all 12 children were on that application, all four applications. We had to kind of ask her to never see us again. There are people that are trying to take advantage of us, but it doesnt happen very often. But when it does, were having to take that kind of action. Q: How do you deal with that personally? A: Not well. That is always a tough one, particularly when were all volunteering, were all trying to help other people, and then heres one thats trying to just help herself. I hate to say this, but Im afraid its almost a part of the social structure of our community where people grow up with an attitude of not necessarily making it on their own, but getting whatever they can from somebody else, or from some other agency, or from whatevers free and easy, but not necessarily earning that themselves. Q: Have you ever had a project that completely bombed? If so, how did you recover and what lessons did you learn? A: One day I came to the office and found out that somebody had rifled all of the checks out of our desk drawers. Luckily, we had removed all the cash but we had all these checks. We found them two months later down in Leon Creek. Somebody found them and realized that somebody had just discarded them because it was no good to anybody to have a check made out to Elf Louise. That was a disaster, but you guys handled that beautifully in the paper, and it really helped us because a lot of the people came back to us and said, Well, I gave you a check around that time, and my check hasnt cleared the bank, and so heres another one. Another incident was when we were working out of a store front or group of store fronts over on Austin Highway. We had a gentleman come check out a Santa suit and his 10 bags of presents for his families. About three hours later, we had the police notify us that one of our Santas had just robbed a bank over on Broadway. He took the suit and presents and everything, and robbed the bank. We had to reconstitute the entire route. We knew exactly all the families that he had stolen the presents for so we were able to really quickly rewrap all the presents, make up an entire new route, and then one of our core volunteers dressed up as Santa Claus and took that route out. Never did recover any of that. I think if you organize properly, plan properly, you can prevent that kind of thing. Q: What qualities are you looking for when youre interviewing people or when youre trying to find volunteers? A: With the volunteers, or for anybody that is looking to be a core volunteer or have one of the functions like running the wrap room, or running our routes, or dressing our Santas and things like that, is a love of the project and wanting to serve people without remuneration or without any kind of feedback, necessarily. Because we have some nasty jobs, like just nothing but data entering. Yet we have some people that just jump all over that kind of stuff and it takes a certain personality to do that type of work. Q: Anything you want to add about the organization? A: It means so much to children that you would think, in todays age, that most of the children would not even have any idea about Santa Claus at all; that since their parents werent going to be able to do anything about it, then they probably wouldnt be advertising that Santa Claus is going to come down your chimney. Yet here comes Santa Claus. We know weve changed a lot of lives. I dont know how many years ago it was, but we were at a Builders Square store over off of Walzem Road. A lady came in and she said, I need some help bringing some toys in. I took one of the carts out to the car. We filled that, and I said, Boy, theres still some more. Do we need another cart? I took out the second cart. We filled that, and finally, we were down to the point where we could just carry the rest of the toys in, and I happened to notice a bill or a receipt that had fallen down into the toys. It was for over $800 from Walmart. I said, Any particular reason or group that youre representing here? And she says, No, I got my first Christmas from Elf Louise, and Im trying to pay back. That was one of the most moving experiences that Ive ever had. It changes everything in your perspective each year when we have something like that happen and we always do. Joshua Fechter is a staff writer for the San Antonio Express-News. Read more of his stories here. | jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFreports This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Growing up in poverty, living with 43 other kids in an orphanage run by his family, coming to the United States undocumented, struggling to learn English in America some come of age with some of these challenges. Jaciel Castro faced all of them. It was from that background, and with mixed feelings of anger and opportunity, that the University of Texas at San Antonio graduate student applied to serve on the UT Systems Board of Regents. In June, he became the 11th student regent and the first from UTSA to be appointed to the board. I dont think they were happy with how strong I was, Castro, 30, said of the interviews that led to his appointment. But its just that nobody needed to explain to me our challenges I know them. I lived them. Bureaucratic hangups in planning his masters program at UTSA sparked his desire to apply that, and the universitys 18 percent four-year graduation rate at the time (now its at 22 percent) weighed on his mind. After he added his application to 16 others, Castro and one other student were picked by UT System Chancellor William McRaven as finalists. McRaven interviewed both and sent them to Gov. Greg Abbotts office for a final interview. In March, Castro received the call letting him know he was selected to be a student regent: a nonvoting, yearlong position in the governing body that oversees the UT System. Ecstatic, was how he felt, he said, adding, How many first generation kids from the slums get to sit at a table with billionaires every month? Castro is not just a first generation college student. He is a certified Engineer in Training, or EIT, on the Texas Board of Professional Engineers. He has two bachelors degrees one in structural engineering from the University of Houston and another in organizational development from Texas A&M University. He started his own dance company in Houston it has since closed and is working toward a masters degree in finance at UTSA with a concentration in real estate finance and development. Next fall Castro will begin pursuing another masters in urban and regional planning. Along the way, he married his wife, Amanda, in April 2013, the same month he moved to San Antonio. Their second child, a daughter, arrived weeks ago. The marriage allowed Castro to become a permanent legal resident in 2015 after two years in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, which gives temporary protection to residents like himself who entered the United States illegally as children. If Castro becomes a U.S. citizen, hell be able to clear up his parents immigration status as well. The regent job is nonpaying, but it allows him to represent every student in the UT System, bring up new topics and offer opinions on how its 14 universities and health institutions should be run. Castro reads copiously sometimes 1,000 pages a month, he said to prepare for the meetings, and regularly weighs in on controversial subjects. Regent Castro has a very inspiring personal journey, said Francie Frederick, the boards general counsel, in a statement provided by the UT System. And his life experience is shared by many other students who work to effectively balance study, employment, and family. Castro is performing a public service by bringing to the board his interest in and insights about higher education, Frederick added. His hard work, intense preparation for meetings, and opinions are valued and respected by others on the Board of Regents. Other Student Regents have had personal and academic milestones during their Board service, but Regent Castro is the first to welcome a new baby during his term. Castro said he had his reservations about joining the board and was actually very worried when he took his seat on June 1. I (used to be) undocumented, and I thought I wouldnt be able to represent my community well, that I wouldnt be able to speak out with confidence for DACA students in the pipeline, Castro said. He said he was concerned about my responsibility, for my ability within a year to actually push initiatives, and he had to deal with the lingering fears of exposing people you love, referring to his parents, who are both still undocumented. Castro has lived with those fears a long time. His family moved from Morelia, Mexico to Houston without legal papers in 1998 when he was 10. In school, he struggled to learn English and keep up with his peers. By eighth grade, he still tested at a fifth-grade level. A mentor at his KIPP charter school campus helped him through high school and into the University of Houston. There, he joined a ballet club, where he discovered a passion for the arts. But he still had difficulties academically, flunked some classes and soon dropped out. Wracked with guilt, he didnt tell his parents. My mom always said the things that will change (kids) lives around is the relationships they build around their life and the education they get. No matter what happens in your life, you have to get an education. I dont care what you do or how long it takes you. Those words weighed on him for the six months he was out of school. He started a contracting business for engineering firms the best work he could find considering he was undocumented and could not get an internship or steady job and re-enrolled at UH. I needed to create my future, he said. Now, hes on a mission to open peoples minds to his community and others who have had obstacles in their paths. Hes an administrator at KIPPs San Antonio network, doing community outreach. Hes involved with UTSAs folkloric dance group, and he wants to start a nonprofit to help low-income and underprivileged students become industry leaders. He wants to break down the barriers that separate people, by bringing them art and music and also, just by listening. Now, theres many things I could give I could tutor, give money to charities. But if you ask, How do you receive? How do people love you? That list gets small, he said. That, to me, is the most valuable to giving back to receive from others their love and care. To listen to them and hear their voices. sfosterfrau@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate An expansive pilot program is offering help to West Side residents on a wide range of housing issues, from home ownership to property rehabilitation and more. The Mexican American Unity Council, one of the key partners in the pilot program, will house many of the services at its West Commerce Street headquarters. The pilot goal is to establish a network of resources for residents, providers and investors to encourage equitable investment in housing that allows longtime residents of District 5 to stay in place, encourages many others to return to their roots and attracts new residents to a revitalized urban core, District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales said at the programs unveiling. MAUC is creating a housing center at its headquarters, where residents can get counseling services certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, along with help on title issues through a partnership with the University of Texas at San Antonios College of Public Policy. Officials say homeowners who want to rehabilitate their homes often find that theres a lien on the property of which they were unaware. Before they can obtain loans to do work, they must remedy the title issues and theyll be able to get help navigating the process from the UTSA partnership. Fernando Godinez, president and CEO of MAUC, said the agency already assists residents in such matters, though it has traditionally served as a hub for referrals. Through the pilot program, residents will be able to access many of the services directly at the new housing center. The pilot will educate, empower and link clients to community partners to increase economic development opportunities, enhance financial empowerment and wealth-building for low- to moderate-income families, Godinez said. Housing is a foundational issue for long-term goals such as increasing economic mobility for families and to achieve neighborhood-scale revitalization. As part of the program, nonprofit lender LiftFund plans to launch the San Antonio Housing Revitalization Fund, Gonzales said, which will lend to Community Reinvestment Act-eligible contractors who have under $1 million in annual revenues. Gonzales said the fund will also partner with other lenders to create loan products that are accessible to a wide range of customers. In collaboration with financial institution-partners, LiftFund also plans to develop products that allow average residents sales clerks, nursing assistants, child care workers, etc., to participate more fully in quality housing opportunities, the councilwoman said. LiftFund seeks to pilot this effort in District 5 as a step toward serving the entire San Antonio housing market by creating a bridge for borrowers to access capital from mainstream financial institutions. The city has also set aside $25,000 in a partnership with the National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders for housing seminars and a housing fair for developers, investors, contractors and residents. Noting that government cant address the systemic housing problems alone, Gonzales applauded the private-sector partnerships. I greatly appreciate the role of the private and public partners in this housing pilot MAUC, LiftFund, UTSA, NALCAB and the citys Neighborhood and Housing Services Department, she said. These are proven organizations with impressive records of success that are leveraging additional resources to make a strong effort addressing generational inequities that have led to San Antonios distinction as the countrys most economically segregated city. jbaugh@express-news.net | Twitter: @jbaugh Egypt's Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Lieutenant-General Mohamed Farid Hegazi, met on Sunday with a number of army officers who have been nominated to hold various leadership posts, a statement by the armed forces spokesman read. Egyptian armed forces spokesman Tamer El-Refaie said the chief-of-staff stressed that the military is executing with full force a comprehensive confrontation to extract the roots of terrorism from Sinai and establish a suitable atmosphere for stability and development, saying this is the responsibility of every member of the armed forces. Hegazi said that the circumstances and challenges faced by Egypt impose a need to maintain high levels of vigilance, readiness, and good training for army fighters, scientifically, physically, and psychologically, as well as the need for continuous communication with army personnel. He said the general command is keen on preparing and selecting leaders at all levels so they can execute missions through developed thinking and in accordance with accurate scientific methods that can accomplish mandated missions and responsibilities. The chief of staff called on the officers to continue their research in military and civil fields, uphold military discipline, principles and the high ideals of the Egyptian military in order for the forces to fulfill their commitment for Egypt and its people. Search Keywords: Short link: This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HOUSTON The cost of Hurricane Harveys wrath on the states prison system has crossed the $8 million mark, with damage more widespread than initially reported. Five units evacuated, at least 25 more lost power and some had roof damage, including the facility in Rosharon, where the Ramsey Unit alone needed more than $600,000 in repairs. The rising waters of the Brazos River forced the relocation of nearly 7,000 prisoners and parolees, requiring the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to shell out close to $2.7 million in overtime pay to move prisoners. Hurricane Harvey was a terrible natural disaster which presented the agency with a monumental challenge, TDCJ Executive Director Bryan Collier wrote in an employee newsletter after the storm. Only through the Herculean effort of our employees was success made possible. But three months later, theres still dispute about what really happened during the storm, with the National Lawyers Guild taking preliminary steps toward a lawsuit after some inmates described brutal conditions, as others including TDCJ offered less dire accounts. Rising to challenge The day before Harvey made landfall, TDCJ started staging transport buses and staff in Huntsville and Beeville in anticipation of possible evacuations. Prisoners in Garza East and West, Torres and Ferguson units made sandbags, according to a TDCJ cost survey report obtained through an open records request. To move thousands of prisoners with such scant notice, TDCJ called in most of its transport fleet and packed prisoners onto 77 buses and other transport vans. They shipped emergency supplies, bottled water, ice and sandbags to affected areas. Early on, the department evacuated Stringfellow, Terrell and Ramsey prisons, and days later they cleared out the Jester III and Vance units as well. The department also moved more than 5,700 heads of cattle, 629 swine and 54 horses to higher ground. Crops werent as easy to save, however, and the agribusiness division ended up losing some $500,000 in cotton alone, roughly 40 percent of the years yield. And 300 acres of unharvested corn and other vegetables also was ruined by floodwaters. Even though Harvey dumped far more rain than Hurricane Rita, it netted less damage to the prison system, according to TDCJ spokesman Jason Clark. The 2005 storm caused around $10 million in damage, primarily at the Stiles Unit in Beaumont. Harvey totaled just over $800,000 in damage to facilities, primarily at the Ramsey Unit in Rosharon, where the maintenance shop required more than $400,000 in repairs. Garza East and West in Beeville had minor roof damage, while Luther Unit in Navasota sustained minor ceiling damage. Terrell Unit in Rosharon lost two transformers to the storm, while the North Houston parole building needed roof and ceiling repairs, along with tile replacement for the flooded floor. Flood of complaints The costs of the storm could continue to rise, however, if any of the slew of inmate claims coalesce into credible legal cases. Although complaints of waterlogged cells and no water for inmates first surfaced in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, a growing number of similar claims have since flooded activist and legal groups tracking the post-storm conditions. Because prisoners have to exhaust the internal grievance process before filing suit, it could be months before most Harvey-related litigation starts hitting the federal docket, but the National Lawyers Guilds Prisoners Legal Advocacy Network said its gathering complaints for possible legal action. Ive heard from so many prisoners in Texas, PLAN attorney Stanley Holdorf said. Ive never seen this volume of letters from inmates. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike in 2008, more than 130 Beaumont-area prisoners filed suits, alleging they should have been evacuated and that the post-storm living conditions violated their civil rights. Most of the suits appear to have been dismissed, according to Holdorf, who attributed it primarily to the lack of legal representation. In September, the advocacy network posted online a strongly worded letter to TDCJ outlining inmate complaints. The stark claims include everything from mail service disruptions to lack of food to inmates living in their own waste without water in the Beaumont-area facilities that didnt evacuate. In addition to the more than 100 inmate letters collected by the NLG, the Austin Anarchist Black Cross has also fielded a slew of prisoner complaints, offering a similar stream of allegations. A striking pattern was the lack of water distribution in Stiles Unit, said Marissa Levy with the Austin-based collective. Some reported getting two water bottles a day. We even got reports of some people saying it was so bad they were vomiting. The reports came in response to roughly 100 surveys the activist group sent to prisoners from Beaumont to Huntsville to Rosharon. About 30 responded. Although some reported water flooding and pooling in their cells, others denied it. No flooding in my cell or unit to my knowledge, one Stiles prisoner wrote. Looking ahead Clark challenged the prisoners claims, pointing out that many of those who responded didnt live on the ground floor where flooding would have occurred. Previously, Clark pushed back against claims about food and water shortages and insufficient toilet access. Lance Lowry, then-president of the Texas Correctional Employees union in Huntsville, concurred with Clarks statements debunking unit flooding. I visited the Stiles Unit shortly afterward, he said. There may have been some leaky roofs and stuff like that, but actual floodwaters getting inside that didnt happen. Even so, Lowry said, prisoners should have been moved, given the unpredictable nature of storms and storm surge. The big cover-up is they didnt have the staff to move them, he said. In early September, Lowry said several hundred officers were unable to make it into work at Beaumont-area facilities during the storm because of road flooding. A few absences, Lowry said, can create a dire situation at units that already are understaffed. Right after the storm, Clark said Lowrys estimate on the number of absences seemed inflated, pointing out that TDCJ shipped in more than 90 officers from across the state to help. But Lowry insisted, citing Google Earth images showing nearly empty parking lots during the storm. We definitely need a better contingency plan in the future, he said. Were playing Russian roulette. Its just a matter of time till we have the right combination of events and have a catastrophe. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate If anyone thought the reinterment of human remains on the grounds of the Childrens Hospital of San Antonio was over, theyd be, at very least, premature. Earlier this month, more bone fragments were unearthed by construction crews, making the gruesome incident about the fourth in recent history. The episode caps off a year of sometimes tense negotiations between hospital officials and descendants of those buried at the cemetery. Also involved have been the groups representing descendants and the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, which runs the hospital built atop a 19th-century campo santo. When the cemetery closed, it contained the graves of almost 3,000 San Antonians who helped build a city thats now the nations seventh-largest and about to celebrate its tricentennial. For all they did, theyve never been left to rest in peace. Eventually, the latest remains to turn up will be reburied near where they were found. In September, the remains of more than 10 people were reburied. The bones of 70 more people also were uncovered in an archaeological survey prompted by a discovery during landscaping work last year, but they were left in place and covered up. Descendants long troubled by the areas painful history worked with hospital officials to ensure transparency and a plan to keep University of Texas at San Antonio archaeologists on site while construction continued. A hospital memo to descendants this month reported several unfortunate events. It said bone fragments were discovered Dec. 8, when no representative from the UTSA Center for Archaeological Research was on hand. In subsequent days, with an archaeologist present, additional fragments were uncovered, bringing the total to 20. On Dec. 13, the center confirmed that they were human. The memo blamed a breakdown in communication between our contractor and subcontractors for the problem. Officials wouldnt identify them. Ramon Vasquez of the American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions is frustrated. He was tipped off that more remains were found, went to the site and then fired off an email, he said. I told them basically that were going backwards in the spirit of transparency, Vasquez said. We were told that there would be no more digging in that area and that total care would be in place to prevent anything like this from happening. I dont know what to believe, now, he said. Rudi Rodriguez, whose Tejano ancestors are buried in the cemetery, said, We move a step or two forward, and then two steps back. He doubts that this will be the last time human remains are found. This reinforces the idea that the bodies of our ancestors were not removed, he said referring to long-held claims by Catholic officials that graves were relocated before the hospital expanded in the early 20th century. It was lip service at best, he said. Obviously, there are still bodies throughout the footprint of the hospital. The campo santo was adjacent to a Protestant cemetery, now Milam Park, whose graves also allegedly were moved to San Fernando Cemetery No. 1 on the West Side. When the question blew up this year, however, the Archdiocese of San Antonio could find no records of graves being moved. A search of newspaper archives also turned up nothing. Archdiocese officials said earlier this year that a marker would be erected to recognize those buried there. Rodriguez believes other remains have been disturbed through the years as San Antonians have reported anecdotally but never officially reported. Ultimately, he thinks descendants will need to hire a consultant to assist them in future dealings with the hospital and noted the sensitivity for a lawsuit is knocking on their front door. Rodriguez and Vasquez are quick to point out, however, that the hospital did deliver on several promises this year. It halted construction several times and went back to court to retain the lands designation as a cemetery, undoing an order it had obtained months earlier. That was critical to descendants who wanted to ensure that remains would be reburied on site. The hospital also agreed to produce a cultural and historical report of the site and has received two proposals that executives will review in January. Some descendants worry that the hospital is getting squirrelly about funding the report. All this doesnt inspire a lot of confidence among descendants, who remember all too well how the hospital began its handling of remains: It put a legal notice in the paper about them and alleged there was no way to locate descendants. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When Jovita Idar died at her San Antonio home in June 1946 of a massive pulmonary hemorrhage, few people knew of her stellar history as a journalist, civil and human rights activism and work during the Mexican Revolution. The Laredo native was 60 when she died. According to her death certificate, she also suffered from advanced tuberculosis. She and her husband Bartolo Juarez, a plumber and tinsmith, had moved to San Antonio from Laredo in 1921. During a quarter-century of living in San Antonio, Idar founded a free nursery school, was an interpreter at the Robert B. Green Memorial Hospital, organized El Club Democrata within the local Democratic Party, was a leader at La Trinidad United Methodist Church and co-edited and wrote for El Heraldo Cristiano, a publication of the Rio Grande Conference of the Methodist Church. Jovita worked toward the creation of a better world where women and men of all backgrounds would be able to thrive and contribute to their communities, said Gabriela Gonzalez, an associate professor in the history department at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She labored for social justice, for an end to racism and segregation, for womens rights and for the rights of children to have an education and therefore greater opportunities, Gonzalez added. Born in 1885 in Laredo, Idar was the granddaughter of a Mexican Methodist preacher. She was educated at the Laredo Seminary founded in 1882 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The school later was renamed Holding Institute, after longtime teacher and superintendent Nannie Emory Holding. After graduating in 1903 and obtaining a teaching certificate, Idar got a job teaching at Los Ojuelos, a hamlet in southeastern Webb County that by 1904 had only 178 residents, according to the Handbook of Texas Online. Unhappy with the conditions in the tiny school, she resigned and joined her brothers Clemente and Eduardo in writing for their father Nicasio Idars Spanish-language newspaper, La Cronica. The newspaper, Nicasio Idar emphasized, would work for the progress and the industrial, moral and intellectual development of the Mexican inhabitants of Texas. Through their newspaper, noted Zaragosa Vargas in Crucible of Struggle, the Idar family sounded off against separatist and inferior housing and schools, the abysmal conditions faced by Tejano workers that took on the visage of peonage and the gross violations of Tejano civil rights. Jovita Idar frequently wrote about the challenges Mexican Americans faced in Texas, where signs that announced No Negroes, Mexicans or dogs allowed were all too common in shops, restaurants and other public places. A great part of the scorn with which the foreigners (Americans) around us see us results from the lack of education, and, moreover, because of the gross ignorance of an immense majority of our compatriots and because it is no longer easy to educate those great masses of workers, we can endeavor, even to the point of sacrifice, if necessary, to enlighten our children so that at least we can avert this evil in the future, Idar wrote in August 1911 in La Cronica. What Idar believed was that if Mexicans could become more educated, they would no longer be marginalized in the United States, Gonzalez wrote in an essay on Texas Women: Their Histories, Their Lives. In an effort to organize Mexican American activists, the Idars convened the First Mexicanist Congress. Held in Laredo in September 1911, it led to two new organizations, the Great Mexican League for Beneficence and Protection and the League of Mexican Women. As president of the League of Mexican Women, Jovita Idar focused on education and helping the poor. But she also was keeping an eye on what was happening in Mexico as the 1910 Revolution raged closer to the Texas-Mexico border. In 1913, Idar and several other women from Laredo joined the Cruz Blanca founded in 1913 by Leonor Villegas de Magnon, born in Mexico but by then living in the border city. The women crossed into Mexico and began tending to wounded soldiers. Eventually, they became part of the Constitutionalist force led by Gen. Venustiano Carranza. After La Cronica folded following Nicasio Idars death in 1914, Jovita Idar began writing for El Progreso, published in Laredo by Villegas de Magnons brother. One day in 1914, Texas Rangers arrived at El Progreso following the publication of an editorial critical of the U.S. occupation of Veracruz. They were met at the front door by Jovita Idar, who stood her ground and denied them entry. The Rangers, known for their violent attacks against ethnic Mexicans in the early 20th century, left. Undeterred by the spunky Idar, they returned the following day when she wasnt there, sacked the office and smashed the printing press. In Laredo, Idar continued with her writing and work with various organizations. During World War I, she served as a volunteer nurse with the American Red Cross. She and her husband, who died in 1958 and is buried at San Fernando Cemetery No. 2, did not have children. Idar helped raise the children left by Elvira, a sister who died in childbirth. That Jovita Idar has been relegated to obscurity has not escaped historians. I have always found it absolutely incredible that an individual of such historical significance has yet to receive a serious, in-depth scholarly study, said Jerry D. Thompson, an award-winning writer and Regents and Piper professor of history at Texas A&M International University in Laredo. She is most deserving of a first-rate biography. That is in the offing. Gonzalez, a native Laredoan who wrote about Idar and other activists for her Ph.D. dissertation in history from Stanford University, has a political family biography on the Idar family coming out in 2018. In Laredo, people walking around St. Peters Plaza near downtown can finally learn more about Idar, who is buried in San Antonios San Jose Burial Park, by reading a historical marker that was installed with the work of Refusing to Forget, an organization started by a group of educators. And Eric Idar Mendoza, a San Antonio-based cinematographer-editor and a great-great-grandson of Federico Idar, Jovita Idars brother, expects to resume production in February on a documentary he is filming about her. COMING WEDNESDAY: Making memories when the rare snowfalls come. Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer, Mark Wahlberg, Romain Duris, Charlie Plummer and Timothy Hutton make up the all-star cast for upcoming 2018 release All The Money In the World, focusing on the real-life story of the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III (Plummer). This past week, a brilliant new clip and featurette from the film have been revealed, with both of them now available to watch below: Inspired by true events, but of course with some fictionalisation for dramatic purposes, All The Money In The World follows the desperate attempts by John Paul Getty IIIs mother Gail (Williams) in convincing the teens billionaire grandfather (Plummer) to part with some of his wealth, paying her sons captors before they become increasingly violent and brutal. With the life of her child hanging in the balance, Gail becomes unlikely friends with Gettys advisor (Mark Wahlberg), racing against time in a journey that exposes the truth behind how valued love really is when put against the incomparable lure of money. The film isnt one that has been smooth sailing since it got off the ground, and unfortunately became embroiled in the scandals making their way through Hollywood right now when former lead star, Kevin Spacey was accused of a string of sexual assaults and misconduct. Following the accusations, the decision was made to scrub Spacey from the movie entirely and bring the great Christopher Plummer into the fold, taking over the role and becoming a part of some of the quickest organised reshoots the movie world has ever seen. Now though, the film looks set to impress and leave that controversy behind upon its debut in January. We cant wait to see it! All The Money In The World comes to cinemas across the UK on January 5, 2018. by Daniel Falconer for www.femalefirst.co.uk find me on and follow me on HE PRESIDENT JIOJI KONROTE'S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE Ni sa bula vinaka, Namaste, Asalaamu Alaykum, Ni Hao, Noaia e Mauri and greetings to all my fellow Fijians. As Christians around the world gather to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, I extend on behalf of my wife Sarote and our family our warmest wishes that all Fijians find the real meaning of Christmas this season and share in the joy of peace, love and compassion. The Year 2017 has brought its fair share of accomplishments and challenges, but I strongly believe that as a nation, we have stood united and remained firm in our faith in God Almighty. And we should rejoice this Christmas because this is the foundation of the birth of Christ over two thousand years ago in the small town of Bethlehem to save the troubled world, to give hope to the poor and vulnerable, and to allow for all individuals to reflect on their journey in life. Last year, I spoke on the great responsibilities Fiji had undertaken to lead the worlds climate change negotiations and to push the global agenda to combat pollution and overfishing in the worlds oceans. We can proudly say that we have met the great expectations placed on us by the world. We successfully co-chaired the first ever United Nations Oceans Conference, and we successfully presided over the COP23 meeting in Bonn, Germany. We have also passed on the baton as President of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. And we continue to serve the international community and our Pacific Islands neighbours through peacekeeping services and through education and health support, among others. Every Fijian can be proud that Fiji stands the tallest it ever has in the world today, and we have put our nation on the world map like never before. On the home front, we have continued to work towards the development and well-being of every Fijian firstly by growing the national economy. This in turn is helping us provide the basic necessities of life such as a decent income, affordable housing, and improved infrastructure. We are also able to assist more young people to get a better head start in life through improved access to education, and to assist young families and rural dwellers with their small businesses to support their livelihoods. We also continue to promote a safe and inclusive Fiji through the celebration of religious festivals and arts, and promote a healthier society. We can therefore take comfort in the message of Christmas that Jesus was sent to the world to carry out His mission to educate, to sow compassion and most importantly, to save humanity and the world. It is now in our own hands to sow the same values as individuals, with our families, in our communities and throughout our nation. A God-given trait that we as Fijians are blessed with is the heart of caring. Despite our differences, we are united in our love for our evolved Fiji and in our work to build an even better nation. This Christmas, I remind all of us of Jesus words in the Book of John, and I quote: These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. Unquote. Let us all come together in the spirit of the Christmas tradition to love one another and express our gratitude for the blessings we have received this past year, and for the strength to overcome whatever challenges we face. Let us also lead by example in our daily lives by promoting a healthy lifestyle so that we can live longer and happier. I also ask that we show more care for the environment to help reduce the impacts of climate change. Importantly, I ask that we strongly denounce any hatred shown against our brothers and sisters of other religions. I also ask that we strongly denounce all of societys ills, including violence against women, children and the vulnerable. Although we cannot forecast what is in store for us in the New Year, we certainly can place trust in God Almighty for His guidance, protection and providence. To all my fellow Fijians, May this Christmas bring to your families greater understanding, tolerance and peace. It is my prayer that God Almighty will bless all our families, communities and our beloved nation Fiji on this Christmas day. Vinaka Vakalevu, Dhanyavaad, Sukria, Xie Xie, Faieksia and Thank you. HON PM BAINIMARAMA AT THE OPENING OF THE NASAUTOKA RURAL ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT IN TAILEVU Bula vinaka and a very good morning to you all. Im delighted to be here today at this official commissioning of the electrification project here in Nasautoka and also to open electricity projects in many of our surrounding villages and settlements. Im very glad to be back in Fiji to spend time with your community at such an exciting time, as you welcome for the first time the immense benefits of electric power. The past two months have been a very busy time for us, as the world looked to Fiji to take the lead in confronting one of the great challenges of our time climate change. And Ive had to spend many long days and nights away from our shores, and far too much time up in the air, in my role as COP23 President. Im sure that many of you saw the headlines, as Fiji assumed the Presidency of the global negotiations on climate change last month in Bonn, Germany. We became the first small island nation to ever preside over the negotiations, and we used our platform to make real progress in the global struggle to address the disastrous impacts of climate change. Your community saw the full brunt of Cyclone Winston last year, so I know I dont need to spend much time telling any of you about the threat from climate change that we face, because you know climate impacts are already upon us. That is why Im so proud to say that we succeeded in our mission in Germany this November to move forward the Paris Agreement and work to reduce the harmful emissions that are causing climate change. On top of that, we marked a number of major victories that will help protect climate-vulnerable people from the worsening effects of climate change, including the expansion of access to critical finance that we, and other vulnerable nations, need to adapt our economies to the reality of climate change. At the COP itself, one of the very best moments was owed to one true son of Wainibuka, Timoci Naulusala, who bravely took centre stage during COP23 to speak on his own experience during Cyclone Winston, and the need for action in addressing climate change. And I would like to thank all you for lending him to us in Bonn, and helping create one of most special moments Ive had the chance to experience as your Prime Minister. Ive said many times that, while the threat is great, we cannot allow the reality of climate change to stall our development. We have to keep Fiji moving forward, and we have to keep up our work to make life better for every Fijian, everywhere in Fiji, by delivering real improvements that hold real benefits for ordinary men and women. Over the last ten years, weve followed a simple strategy for success; invest in development, expand access to services and give all Fijians the chance to realise their full potential, as citizens, as students, as parents and as providers. Village by village and community by community weve unleashed a wave of progress across Fiji, and combined with our sound financial management, weve carried our economy to eight straight years of economic growth. And what have we done as weve welcomed economic prosperity? Weve done our duty as mandated by the Fijian Constitution and weve spread the benefits of our success far and wide across the country, including here in Nasautoka. In our rural communities, we are putting in place a solid foundation of essential services so that ordinary men and women can go about their lives without worrying about finding water, keeping the lights on at night or staying connected with the rest of our nation. This project is part of that vision. Now that youve received access to electric power, this community has not only been made safer at all hours of the day, you now have access to an entire world of new possibilities. Your community can stay active long after the sun has set, your children can study into the night, you can spend time with your families and loved ones and you no longer must depend on inefficient diesel generators or lantern lamps to keep the lights on. This project is part of a massive programme of rural electrification my Government is funding throughout the country, this year alone weve allocated 42.6 million dollars to electrify more than 6,000 homes in rural areas across Fiji. This grid extension project will provide a reliable power supply to 289 families by connecting five villages and three settlements to our grid, 24 hours a day seven days a week, and has been completed at a cost of just over 1.7 million dollars. And this is only one part of our larger Korovou to Rakiraki Grid Extension under development by my Government. My fellow Fijians, our work isnt only about making services available, its about making those services accessible and affordable. My Government has a network of support in place to assist Fijian families earning less than 30,000 dollars a year and using 100 kilowatt hours or less electricity a month. Such households are entitled to a fifty per cent subsidy on their electricity bills. If you qualify for this subsidy programme, please apply at any office of our national electricity provider, the Fiji Electricity Authority. As part of our national grid, your economic prospects are brimming like never before. But it is up to all of you to realise that opportunity. Access to power is an enormous advantage, it allows you to become more productive and accomplish far more on a daily basis. Dont let this chance go to waste. Apply yourselves, continue making your valuable contributions to our national development, and together, lets carry Fiji into an even brighter future. This project has been made possible by Fijis prosperity, and only through greater prosperity can more development take place in our beloved Fiji. Weve achieved much over the last decade, with bold leadership from my Government and unrelenting effort from ordinary Fijians. That must continue, we must keep Fiji on the path of progress and the fast track of development, and we must keep building up Nasautoka and every city, town and community in Fiji. With those few words, I now have great pleasure in declaring these electrification projects open. Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - CSX Corporation (CSX) said that it appointed James Foote as its president and chief executive officer, effective immediately. Foote was named acting CEO on December 14, 2017 after Hunter Harrison was placed on medical leave. Mr. Foote will also join the Company's Board of Directors. CSX Chairman Edward J. Kelly III said, 'While we continue to mourn the loss of Hunter Harrison, the Board of Directors is pleased to announce Jim Foote as his successor. Jim has decades of railroading experience and the Board is confident of his ability to lead the company.' Mr. Foote, a senior executive with over 40 years of railroad industry experience in finance, operations and sales and marketing, was named executive vice president and chief operating officer of CSX in October 2017. Prior to joining CSX, Mr. Foote was president and chief executive officer of Bright Rail Energy, a technology company formed in 2012 to design, develop and sell products that allow railroads to switch locomotives to natural gas power. Before heading Bright Rail, Mr. Foote was executive vice president of sales and marketing with Canadian National Railway Company. Mr. Foote joined Canadian National in 1995 as vice president of investor relations to assist the company's privatization. He also served as vice president of sales and marketing merchandise. Jim began his career in the railroad industry in 1972 as a laborer in the mechanical department with the Soo Line Railroad in Superior, Wisconsin. On 16th December 2017, CSX Corp. said that its President and Chief Executive Officer Hunter Harrison, 73, died in Wellington, Fla., due to unexpectedly severe complications from a recent illness. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. HONG KONG, 2017-12-25 19:51 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OLISOL Petroleum (hereinafter - Olisol) today announces that Great Wall, a company from China, filed a claim against TethysAralGas (hereinafter - TAG) on payment for drilling of $2, 726, 413. With court order dated December 6, 2017 Specialized Interdistrict Economic Court of Aktubinsk region claimed from TAG $2, 726, 413 for the work performed and $40, 896 as court fees. Taking into account that this court order was affecting the rights of Olisol, Olisol appealed to the court asking to cancel this court order. On December 14, 2017 Specialized Interdistrict Economic Court of Aktubinsk region canceled court order on Great Wall's claim. Great Wall may lay its claims to TAG by means of ordinary court proceedings. Also, after having analyzed alternative offers on gas wells drilling Olisol believes that the contract price of Great Wall was overstated and requires auditing within the scope of interests of all Tethys Petroleum shareholders. Olisol shall insist that TAG's management makes a full disclosure of information on gas wells drilling contract and cost of expenses on this contract. Previously, TAG brought a complaint against actions of enforcement agent to the court of Aktobe city regarding enforcement proceedings dated October 30, 2017 on debt collection from TAG in the amount claimed by EGG. On December 20 and 25, 2017 the court of Aktobe city passed Judgment and legitimized the actions of enforcement agent. Both complaints from TAG were rejected. About Olisol Olisol is headquartered in Almaty, Kazakhstan and its subsidiaries and affiliates have investments in energy and oil and gas operations in the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan. Olisol has worked with Tethys in Kazakhstan for over seven years, is a joint owner of Aral Oil Terminal with Tethys and has its own fleet of special oil trucks involved in oil transportation from Tethys' oil fields. Olisol, through its affiliates, is engaged in railroad transportation, processing of oil, storage and sale of oil products. Disclaimer Some of the statements in this press release are forward-looking. When used in this document, the words "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "may," "will," "intends", "should" and similar expressions, and the negatives thereof, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are not promises or guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those suggested by any such statements including risks and uncertainties with respect to the foregoing. No part of this announcement constitutes, or shall be taken to constitute, an invitation or inducement to invest in the Olisol, Tethys or any other entity, and shareholders of Tethys are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Save as required by applicable law, Olisol does not undertake to update or change any forward-looking statements to reflect events occurring after the date of this announcement. Authorized Point of Contact: Darya Klimova Authorized Representative, OLISOL Petroleum Limited Tel.: +34 64 515 08 69 d.klimova@olisol.ch Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi delegated a number of presidential representatives on Monday to congratulate Christian denominations which celebrate Christmas on 25 December. The representatives were sent to deliver messages of congratulation to the Coptic Catholic, Syriac Orthodox, Roman Catholic and the Episcopal Churches. El-Sisi also sent delegations to the heads of the Maronite, Chaldean and Latin Catholic communities. While Coptic Orthodox Egyptians, who make up 90 percent of all Christians in the country, celebrate Christmas on 7 January, a minority of Christian Egyptians observe the holiday on 25 December. The Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church also sent delegates to congratulate other Christian communities on Christmas on Monday. Egypt's interior ministry is implementing a high-security plan involving 230,000 police personnel to secure the country's Christmas celebrations. The security plans includes churches, public parks, vital state institutions and touristic sites. Search Keywords: Short link: Netflix just made the best surprise announcement for Dave Chappelle fans. The comic will now have, not one, but two specials releasing on 31 December. Apart from Equanimity, which was originally the only special releasing on New Year's Eve, his fans will also be able to see Dave Chappelle: The Bird Revelation, which is the surprise special. The shooting for the second special was completed at The Comedy Store in LA, reports Esquire. The streaming giant made the announcement with a trailer. In the clip, the comedian talks about his experiences growing up black and having white friends. He recounts his first sleepover at a white friend's house and is left amazed at how "poor" he is, and so, he goes back to his house and asks his parents to "step up" their game. This move makes it pretty evident that Netflix is trying to outdo itself in terms of content creation. According to several reports, Chappelle is being paid a whopping $20 million for each special. The Business Insider states that right now, more than worrying about the money, Netflix is invested in getting more subscribers and with someone like Chappelle on board, both users and the press will be more involved than ever. Watch the trailer here: Noted Kannada filmmaker AMR Ramesh, known for controversial films such as Cyanide and Attahasa, had announced not long ago a film on the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and it was titled Asphota The Human Bomb. The latest development on that front is that Ramesh has decided to make the film into a multi-lingual web series and has roped in actors Venkatesh and his nephew Rana Daggubati to play crucial roles. Since the story requires more screen time for narration, Ramesh felt itd make sense to make it into a web series that spans a few seasons. It was Ranas idea to turn this tale into a web series and it will be called LTTE. While the first season will focus on Rajiv Gandhis assassination, the subsequent ones will be about the rise of LTTE and its late chief V Prabhakaran, a source in the know told Firstpost. The source further added that Venkatesh has given his nod in principal, but he is yet to officially sign on the dotted line. He is most likely to play IPS officer DR Karthikeyan (who played a key role in cracking the assassination case). Ranas role is being kept a secret but he will be seen in a pivotal character. The team is planning to rope in some popular actors across the country to make the web series nationally appealing. The shoot will commence early next year. The pre-production work is already going on in full swing. Ramesh has two more interesting projects in the pipeline. These include a film on the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, and he is also said to be working on a script based on the story of IPS officer D Roopa. It is through this web series Rana and his uncle Venkatesh are set to share screen space for the first time. Interestingly, they are likely to join hands for the Telugu remake of Tamil blockbuster Vikram Vedha but the project is yet to be officially announced and the process might take a while. Meanwhile, Rana will wrap up work on upcoming bilingual period war drama, 1945, being directed by Sathya Siva in Tamil and Telugu. In the film, he plays a soldier in Netaji Subhash Chandra Boses Indian National Army. He also has another period film in which he will play Travancore king Marthanda Varma. Next year, he will also be seen in the modern-day adaptation of Haathi Mere Saathi. Venkatesh, on the other hand, will work with director Teja on a yet-untitled Telugu film. Im the kind of person who waits for TV series to run their course over seasons and then binge-watch them, so dont ask me why Im talking about The Newsroom now. I just got done, and am still basking in that warm, soapboxy glow that you get only from an Aaron Sorkin drama on issues of Great Cultural Importance. (I hear Steven Spielbergs The Post is a little like this, but well have to wait a while to know that for sure.) One of the key motifs of The Newsroom is that of an idealistic knight-crusader going all out against those that threaten the fabric of democracy (free speech, et cetera) hence the frequent shout-out to Don Quixote. And that brought back movie memories. For one, Arthur Hillers iffy film version of the Broadway play, Man of La Mancha, with Peter OToole as Don Quixote, belting out that swelling inspirational anthem The Impossible Dream in the way only a good film actor can. (He treats it like thoughtful dialogue set to music.) And then, another version of the same song, in another Sorkin-esque drama (though a cheesier one) set in a newsroom Up Close & Personal, with Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert Redford. And then, the toughest watch of all Quixote-based films: Quxiotic/Honor de Cavalleria (Honor of the Knights), in which the Catalan filmmaker, Albert Serra, jettisoned plot in favour of a series of Terrence Malick-esque reveries on nature. He said he wanted to focus on atmosphere, on details, on things I love better than just showing the plot or trying to give information about the characters. I did some Googling and discovered that the first talkie version of the Cervantes novel was (appropriately) in Spanish, Don Quijote de la Mancha (1947), by Rafael Gil. (A name that popped out from the cast was Fernando Rey, known for his Bunuel collaborations and for playing the villain in The French Connection.) I couldnt find the movie (there seems to be a German-dubbed version, put up in parts), but I did find this spectacular clip (below) that captures the bit about tilting at windmills. Note how a shift in camera angle changes the way we regard the windmills, which are so unthreatening early on. Around the 1:41 mark, we get a low-angle shot, and the vanes transform into scimitars, slicing through us. So far, this scene from the novel was to me a combination of funny and pitiful a delusional old man attacking a harmless, motionless thing. But the magic of cinema transforms this thing into the fearsome enemy inside Don Quixotes head: an imaginary enemy, to be sure, but no less dangerous. This is what The Newsroom is getting at, but with enemies who are very real. In a way, its about the high cost of idealism, the (noble) foolhardiness of this pursuit of an impossible dream. A different kind of dream a different kind of windmill-tilting pursuit is glimpsed in this article by writer Anosh Irani, who talks about Werner Herzogs Fitzcarraldo, the story of a dreamers attempt to build an opera house in the middle of a South American jungle. Irani writes, While I watched this marvelous film, I thought to myself, This is what its like to write a novel. You start out as a pathetic dreamer; you take off on an adventure where the odds are stacked against you... You embark on this journey with hope, a song perhaps... A year or so later, the song starts to fade away, in surprising correlation with the money, and you realize that youre faced with transporting a massive ship over a mountain. Herzog did this scene (above) without special effects, which means he actually did what his protagonist did in the movie he transported a steamship over a hill. Roger Ebert marvels, And it is here that we arrive at the thing about Fitzcarraldo that transcends all understanding: Werner Herzog determined to literally drag a real steamship up a real hill, using real tackle and hiring the local Indians! The difference between Herzog and Irani is that the latters profession doesnt leave him with a choice: there are no special effects, no substitutes in writing, whereas Herzog could have made his life easier. But the ordeal is similar, and it made me wonder why Aaron Sorkin hasnt attempted something about the writing life yet. If theres anyone who can make thrilling drama out of staring at a computer screen, it is he. Troubled productions somehow end up with documentaries about their making. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmakers Apocalypse chronicled Francis Ford Coppolas trials during the production of his Vietnam-war phantasmagoria, Apocalypse Now. Then we had Lost Soul, about the making of The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996), and Lost in La Mancha, about Terry Gilliams aborted project, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote. Fitzcarraldo got one too, and the title of the documentary is unsurprising: Burden of Dreams. Auto refresh feeds Twenty-two months after Kulbhushan Jadhav was taken into illegal detention in Pakistan, his family will get a glimpse of him on Monday. It will be an emotional journey for his wife and mother who are travelling to Pakistan for a brief meeting an official from the Ministry of External Affairs has accompanied them on a commercial flight from Delhi. After 22 requests for consular access were denied to India, Pakistan made a sudden offer to allow Jadhavs wife a meeting with him on what they claimed, humanitarian grounds. 22 months after being taken into detention, Jadhav will meet his family for the first time Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif has claimed that Kulbhushan Jadhav's meeting with his family has been sanctioned on humanitarian grounds. He has said that Pakistan's security is paramount adding that India would not have shown such magnanimity in a similar situation. After these demands were met, modalities for their travel were decided by India. Pakistan's foreign ministry spokesperson tweeted on Sunday that India's Deputy High Commissioner to Islamabad will be accompanying Jadhav's wife and mother in Pakistan. On Pakistan issuing visa for Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife, India told its neighbour that she will be accompanied by her mother-in-law and sought a sovereign guarantee for their safety and security while in Pakistan. India has clarified that he was a former Navy personnel who was doing legitimate business at Chabahar port in Iran. In fact, India has been seeking answers as to how he landed up in Balochistan from where he was apparently arrested. India believes he was kidnapped and false charges were foisted on him. A fortnight ago, Pakistan made a written submission to the International Court of Justice where it once again made the same charges of espionage and subversive activities against Jadhav. After rejecting consular access 22 times since his illegal detention, Pakistan grants India consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav. Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has reportedly informed Geo News about the latest development on a day when his wife and mother are visiting him in Islamabad. Noting that Jadhav's case is sub judice in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the minister said they were also advised to allow the meeting. "We didn't want any weakness in our case in the ICJ over the meeting." "Had India been in place of us, it would not have given us this concession." He, however, said that Pakistan allowed Jadhav's meeting with his mother and wife purely on "humanitarian grounds." Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, on Geo News' programme 'Naya Pakistan', "confirmed that India has been given consular access to the convicted spy, describing it as a "concession," Geo News reported. Had India been in place of us, it would not have given us this concession: Asif on granting consular access to India Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh, who is accompanying Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother will not be allowed to meet him, reports News18. "The bike rally and a human chain we formed are in support of our friend Kulbhushan Jadhav," said Subrato Mukherji, one of the hundreds who participated in the rally. Organisers told PTI that the rally started from Arthur Road and culminated at Currey Road in Central Mumbai and drew a very good response. Friends and family of former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav organised a bike rally in his support in Mumbai on Sunday, a day before his mother and wife are scheduled to meet him in a Pakistani prison. News 18 quoted The Dawn as saying that Jadhav's family will be reaching Islamabad via Dubai in a commercial flight. However, the report added that the flight has been delayed by an hour. This could further delay the meeting that was supposed to end before 4pm. The Pakistani publication was also quoted by News18 as saying that the flight from Dubai was supposed to reach Pakistan around 11am. Indian officials have downplayed the comments by Pakistani minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, reports News18, adding that they have been maintaining that the concerned Indian diplomat (JP Singh) was only accompanying Jadhav's family and it cannot be considered "consular access". Pakistan on 20 December issued visa to Jadhav's wife and mother to visit Islamabad to meet him. The development came after his family had applied for visas last week.Pakistan had agreed that a diplomat from the Indian high commission in Islamabad would accompany the visitors. "The MEA has taken a position that it this not a consular access. There is a chance that Pakistan might say that they have granted consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav but our position is clear regarding the same because the consular officer is not interviewing the detainee," former ambassador Yogendra Kumar told News18. India's deputy high commissioner in Pakistan, JP Singh, to accompany Kulbhushan Jhadav's wife and mother in their meeting with the Indian national, ANI quoted Pakistan media reports as saying. 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. 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. Geo News reports, all roads leading to the office of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Islamabad have been sealed. The flight carrying Kulbhushan Jadhavs wife and mother will land within 20 minutes. All roads leading to the MOFA have been sealed Pakistani authorities said they have deployed sharpshooters at the foreign ministry's office where Kulbhushan Jadhav will meet his wife and mother, News18 reported. Jadhav would be meeting his family at the foreign office in Islamabad. The exact time of the meeting is not immediately known but officials said it would be around midday or early afternoon. Flight carrying Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother lands in Islamabad amid heightened security arrangements all around the city and roads leading to the meeting venue Jadhav's family is flying to Islamabad via the UAE and strict security measures have been put in place around the meeting venue at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, officials said. Police and paramilitary security forces including sharpshooters have been deployed at the MOFA to deal with any untoward security situation. Duration of the meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav and his family members has not been confirmed yet but it may last an hour, says sources in the Pakistan Foreign Office. "Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the father of the nation, Quaid E Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah," Pakistan's foreign office says in a statement on Twitter In addition to the Indian official, a couple of Ministry of Foreign Office officials will also be present during the meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav and his family members, which could last between 15 minutes and one hour, according to sources Some local and international media outlets have been allowed to enter the Foreign Office premises, reports say It was also not clear if Singh would be allowed to interact with Jadhav during the meeting with his family or he would be a silent spectator. The Pakistan Foreign Office has not officially confirmed if Indian Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan, JP Singh's presence in the meeting would be treated equivalent to providing "consular access". Kulbhushan Jadhav's family would be travelling immediately back to India in the evening after spending barely seven hour in the country, according to reports. Jadhav's wife and mother arrived in Islamabad via Dubai. They would be spending around seven hours in the country before returning to India. Pakistan authorities granted visas to Jadhav's wife and mother while denying consular access to India 22 times in a row since his arrest last year. This is the first access anyone from India will have access to former Indian Naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was allegedly illegally detained by Pakistani officials in March 2016. Roads leading to the Constitution Avenue, on which Ministry Of Foreign Affairs is located, have been closed for traffic. Special security passes have been issued for those visiting the Foreign Office, officials said. Pakistan has announced it would issue photos and a video of the meeting and also allow the family to interact with media, if India agrees. Officials also said Jadhav's family would not interact with the media. Pakistani media reports Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother have left for the foreign office in Islamabad after paying a visit at the Indian High Commission Reports suggest Kulbhushan Jadhav will be allowed to see his wife and mother only for a short duration of 30 minutes. This much-awaited meeting comes 22 months after Jadhav was allegedly illegally detained by the Pakistani authorities in March 2016. Reports from Pakistan say the family members of Kulbhushan Jadhav has met him at the Pakistan Foreign Office in Islamabad. This is the first time Jadhav has been allowed to meet anyone from India since his detention in March 2016. Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif earlier had said that India had been given consular access to the Jadhav, describing it as a "concession". Foreign Office spokesperson Muhammad Faisal said the presence of an Indian diplomat during the scheduled meeting between Jadhav and his family does not mean India has been given consular access to Jadhav, on death row in Pakistan. The Pakistan Foreign Office on Monday clarified that India has not been given consular access to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, ahead of his meeting with his wife and mother here. According to CNN-News18 Jadhavs wife and mother will not be speak to the media but officials of the Pakistan foreign office will brief the media persons present at the venue after the meeting. Speaking to India Today, Dalbir Kaur, sister of Sarabjit Singh, said that she can understand what Jadhav's family is going through. "I know very well what they are going through right now... I remember even I was given half an hour 20 minutes to meet my brother but I couldn't stop crying after seeing him. There was very little time given and I spent most of it crying." Can understand what they are going through, says Sarabjit's sister Dalbir Kaur Sarabjit's sister Dalbir Kaur, recalling her own experience of meeting her brother Sarabjit in Pakistan, told India Today that it was a difficult time. She said that there is no question of talking normally because of the constant and strict vigil of the officials. She also added that it is a very emotionally overwhelming moment and before she could control her emotions the meeting was already over and she was being ushered out by the Pakistani officials. It is very difficult to talk under strict security vigil and overwhelming emotions: Sarabjit's sister recalls her experience After 30 minutes of time, the meeting time has been extended: Ary News Jadhav's mother and wife will leave for India today only. The family is expected to take a flight to New Delhi via Oman. They are expected to leave around 5 pm. "I am very thankful to the government of Pakistan for the humanitarian gesture," Jadhav is heard saying in the video. Pakistan foreign office will address the media shortly. The press meet started with a recorded video statement by Jadhav, wherein he thanks the Pakistani government for allowing him to meet his family on humanitarian grounds. He is once again seen repeating his so called confession. The video statement, wherein he was seen briefly recounting the so-called confession, is apparently recorded sometime before he met his family. At least someone was able to see him finally, but overall meeting unsatisfactory, says Shashi Tharoor "Commander Jadhav is the face of Indian terrorism in Paksitan," said Mohammed Faisal, spokesperson of Pakistan's foreign ministry. "Paksitan permitted the Indian request purely on humanitarian ground as in accordance with Islamic morals and teachings," he said while adding that "many mothers have lost their sons" due to "Commander Jadhav's action on the Indian behest." Jadhav has been kept in comfort here and is in excellent health. We dont have anything to hide. This is a positive gesture from Pakistans side, Pakistan foreign office spokesperson said. Pakistan foreign office spokesperson reiterated that the meeting does not mean any change in Pakistans stance regarding Jadhav. Jadhav is a spy and terrorist. He has been sentenced to death by Pakistan, he said. "Pakistan has honoured all its commitment. The Indian consular was told beforehand that he will be able to see the meeting and so he was allowed. If we had allowed him to speak or listen to Jadhav, it would have come under the issue of consular access. We will decide about it in due course," Foreign Ofiice spokesperson said. "Jadhav is the face of Indian terror in Pakistan. He has confessed to killing Aslam Chaudhary. He expressed remorse for taking Pakistani lives. Jadhav, who is a serving naval officer, has confessed to being a R&AW agent," Pakistan foreign office spokesperson said. "This was only a humanitarian meeting and it is not going to impact the case in International Court of Justice," Pakistan foreign office said. Pakistan should have allowed one-on-one contact to Jadhav's family, meeting should have been private, says Subramanian Swamy Watch: Jadhav's latest medical report say he is 'alert' and in 'good health' In one sense, it is a step forward because 22 months after they arrested this poor man, finally somebody is able to see him. On the other hand, the way in which role unfolded was deeply unsatisfactory: Shashi Tharoor, Congress on #KulbhushanJadhav 's meeting with his family pic.twitter.com/UfKDVSrKdW At least someone was able to see him finally, but overall meeting unsatisfactory, says Shashi Tharoor "Commander Jadhav is the face of Indian terrorism in Paksitan," said Mohammed Faisal, spokesperson of Pakistan's foreign ministry. "Paksitan permitted the Indian request purely on humanitarian ground as in accordance with Islamic morals and teachings," he said while adding that "many mothers have lost their sons" due to "Commander Jadhav's action on the Indian behest." Jadhav has been kept in comfort here and is in excellent health. We dont have anything to hide. This is a positive gesture from Pakistans side, Pakistan foreign office spokesperson said. Pakistan foreign office spokesperson reiterated that the meeting does not mean any change in Pakistans stance regarding Jadhav. Jadhav is a spy and terrorist. He has been sentenced to death by Pakistan, he said. "Pakistan has honoured all its commitment. The Indian consular was told beforehand that he will be able to see the meeting and so he was allowed. If we had allowed him to speak or listen to Jadhav, it would have come under the issue of consular access. We will decide about it in due course," Foreign Ofiice spokesperson said. "Jadhav is the face of Indian terror in Pakistan. He has confessed to killing Aslam Chaudhary. He expressed remorse for taking Pakistani lives. Jadhav, who is a serving naval officer, has confessed to being a R&AW agent," Pakistan foreign office spokesperson said. "This was only a humanitarian meeting and it is not going to impact the case in International Court of Justice," Pakistan foreign office said. Pakistan should have allowed one-on-one contact to Jadhav's family, meeting should have been private, says Subramanian Swamy #BringBackJadhav -- #KulbhushanJadhav 's medical report states that he is alert and in excellent health condition. The report was prepared on 22 December, 2017. pic.twitter.com/85CubUSE7p Watch: Jadhav's latest medical report say he is 'alert' and in 'good health' At a press briefing in Islamabad, the Pakistan foreign office released a new video featuring Kulbhushan Jadhav in which he thanks the government of Pakistan for allowing him to meet his wife and his mother. Their spokesperson Mohammed Faisal called Jadhav the "face of Indian terrorism" adding that allowing the meeting in no way means that Pakistan's stance on Jadhav has changed. He also repeated the charges levelled against Jadhav, reasserting that he has accepted all of them, showing remorse for the death of innocent people. He also said that Jadhav was allowed to meet his family, in accordance with the tenets of Islam, on the birth anniversary of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother met him for the first time after his detention in March 2016, but they were seated across a glass partition at the Pakistan Foreign Office. The meeting lasted around 35 minutes and Indian envoy was not allowed inside the room. The conversation was video recorded by the Pakistani authorities, however, media coverage of the same was barred. In some of the pictures released by the foriegn office shows Jadhav sitting dressed in a blue suit in a glass box. He was allowed to talk to his family via a phone. The Pakistan Foreign Office on Monday clarified that India has not been given consular access to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, ahead of his meeting with his wife and mother here. Foreign Office spokesperson Muhammad Faisal said the presence of an Indian diplomat during the scheduled meeting between Jadhav and his family does not mean India has been given consular access to Jadhav, on death row in Pakistan. Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif earlier had said that India had been given consular access to the Jadhav, describing it as a "concession". Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav's family travelled to Pakistan on Monday morning, and are scheduled to India on the same day's evening after spending barely seven hour in the country, according to a media report. There are very few non-stop flights from Islamabad to New Delhi with fastest one-stop flight between Islamabad and New Delhi taking close to 10 hours. Jadhav's family would be immediately travelling back to India via Oman. They will travel to Muscat on Oman Air an then will board Air India flight to New Delhi, Dawn News reported. The Oman Air flight is scheduled to depart at 6.15 p from Islamabad to Muscat, according to Islamabad airport authorities. 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. With inputs from agencies Ballia: Uttar Pradesh minister of state (independent charge) for water supply and water resources Upendra Tiwari on Sunday 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. 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. New Delhi: Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday condemned the sealing of 51 premises in a posh south Delhi locality by officials of BJP-run MCDs and dubbed the party as pro-industrialists and against small businessmen. "The sealing of shops in defence colony and the way the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi run by the Bharatiya Janata Party have been conducting similar operations across the city shows that the party wishes to help big industrialists," AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj told the media in New Delhi. "First the BJP destroyed their (small businessmen's) business through demonetisation, then their back was broken by the GST and now the BJP wants to destroy the markets by sealing these shops to help big industrialists open their shopping malls," he said. The South Delhi Municipal Corporation on Friday sealed 51 commercial units in the Defence Colony market on the charge of non-payment of conversion charges under the Master Plan Delhi 2021. A Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee headed by Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority Chairman Bhure Lal inspected the market on Sunday morning and directed the corporation to seal the floors above the commercial units. Bharadwaj said there were reports that similar operations are to be conducted in other big markets across the city like South Extension and Green Park. "Businessmen are being misguided and intimidated by BJP leaders under the Master Plan 2021 to pay huge amounts as conversion charges. Shops of those who have paid these charges have also been sealed," he claimed. The AAP leader said there was a simple solution to this problem. "If the MCDs spare them of conversion charges, the problem can be solved very easily but the BJP doesn't have the intention to work for small businessmen." Jammu: The army on Sunday bid farewell to four soldiers who were killed in Saturday's ceasefire violation in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. General Officer Commanding of White Knight Corps Lieutenant General 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. Saranjeet 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 Lieutenant General 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. Governments come and go and parties are born and disappear. Above it all, the country must stay shining, its democracy immortal. Former prime minster Atal Bihari Vajpayee said this while speaking at the Confidence Motion in Parliament on 28 May, 1996. The government that was formed that day ran for only thirteen days as he was not ready for horse-trading of MPs. In the course of his long political journey, Vajpayee's personal integrity did not receive a single stain and his political chastity and credibility remained impeccable. Better known as Atalji, he could easily make space among people through his mild manners, gentle humour and poetic lilt. After Jawaharlal Nehru, he is the only Indian political leader under whose direction a party won three general elections in a row. At a time when caste, religion and political instability were the key players in Indian politics, Vajpayee's six years in government - from 1998 to 2004 - saw governance and development enter political agenda. It was Vajpayee who set the wheels in motion for development and governance to become a primary issues in Indian politics as we see today. Vajpayee was conferred the Padma Vibhushan in 1992 and in 1994 he was named the best parliamentarian. At the BJP convention in November, 1995, he was declared the prime ministerial candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. In 1996, BJP emerged as the single largest party and Vajpayee took oath as the prime minister. This government , however, did not last long. In his historical speech in Parliament during the floor test he said that he will not touch corruption even with a kitchen tong (chimta). The government fell one by one. Politics of Governance The six years during which Vajpayee led the country, redefined Indian politics. BJP contested the elections with the slogan of Able leadership, Stable Government and Vajpayee gave the country a much-needed stable government. During his term as the prime minster, Vajpayee took several new initiatives. In 1998, showing great political dynamism and gusto, he green-signalled the nuclear tests that made India a full nuclear power. The USA and other countries put India under sanctions which failed to have an impact. Within one-and-a-half year, first President Bill Clinton and then other world leaders visited India and signed partnership agreements. For the first time India was beginning to make its foray as an emerging world power. The reforms pushed by the Vajpayee government, improved the country's economic growth rate which reached 6-7 percent and the benefits of this percolated to the grassroots. Employment was generated, record foreign investment was registered and infrastructure improved like never before. India emerged as an IT super power in the world. People felt development work around them. Vajpayee started an ambitious project to connect four ends of India with a four-lane road. It was a herculean task given the sheer volume of the project. The Golden Quadrilateral project started to became a reality with an average of 15-km road being laid each day. This project helped in putting economy on growth track. Another related project was the Prime Minster Gram Sadak Yojana whose target was to connect all the villages with the city roads. At a BJP national executive held on 15th April, 2000, he wondered 'What after political success'. He also answered his own question saying now that the party had governments in centre and many states, its leaders should make efforts to improve the quality of governance. National interest and people s service should be our top priority while doing politics of governance, he said. Vajpayee declared his long-time associate and Union Home Minster LK advani as the Deputy Prime Minster. The then BJP president Venkaiah Naidu termed Vajpayee as Vikas Purursh (Man of Development) and Advani as Lauh Purursh (Iron Man) in 2002. On 12 January, 2004 at the Hyderabad BJP national executive, Vajpayee announced the decision to go in for elections. He said, the BJP is not just a political party but a movement of social transformation. "Different sections of the society are coming to our fold. We should again take verdict of the people and try to fulfil their aspiration. We should make all our efforts to make India a develop country by 2020," he said. BJP lost 2004 general elections by a few seats. Atalji said after the results, "We have lost the government but we have not lost sight of our commitment to national service. We have lost elections not the determination. Victory or loss are integral parts of life, we accept them with equanimity." Atalji gave up political life in 2005. In 2015, President Pranab Mukherjee visited Vajpayee at his house in a special gesture and conferred the highest civilian honour - the Bharat Ratna - to him. Observing his commitment to governance and development, the central government has decided to celebrate his birthday as Good Governance Day. Besides being a man of masses, an author, journalist and thinker, Atalji also was a great administrator and statesman. He set the new standard of politics - one of governance and development - inspiring millions who contribute to the country's social and political life. The author teaches Political Science in Satyawati College of Delhi University Bengaluru: Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday rapped the Congress for its 'double-speak' on Mahadayi river water dispute with Goa, and blamed Sonia Gandhi for the stalemate. "Here is a Goa Chief Minister, with magnanimity he says, he is ready to solve the issue and give drinking water required to the drought affected Karnataka. Instead of welcoming it, Congress is opposing in Goa, but raising questions against BJP in Karnataka." They cannot indulge in double-speak. People are not fools," Javadekar, the minister for Human Resource Development, told reporters in Bengaluru. The Congress was instigating people when they have welcomed Manohar Parrikar's gesture, Javadekar said. People were sure that when BS Yeddyurappa (BJP Karnataka state president) would don chief minister's mantle things would move fast, not like it was happening during Siddaramaiah's rule, Javadekar, BJP's election in-charge for Karnatakaassembly polls due early next year, said. Parrikar, in a letter to Yeddyurappa on 21 December, had said, in principle, Goa would not oppose the "reasonable" and "justified" quantum of water meant to be utilised for drinking while pointing out that the matter was pending before the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal. Karnataka is seeking water from the river for meeting drinking water requirements in northern parts of the state where it has become an emotive political issue. Javadekar blamed the Congress by labelling them as "culprits and villain" for not solving the dispute when they were ruling in both Goa and at the Centre. It was during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's rule that Mahadayi project got in-principle approval in 2001, he said. Congress had been betraying Karnataka over the issue which was also reflected in Sonia Gandhi's statement of not letting a single drop of water to Karnataka during Goa elections in 2012, he said. In fact, it was during BS Yeddyurappa-led regime work on Mahadayi project began in 2007, he said. In a counter attack, Siddaramaiah on Sunday had accused Parrikar and Yeddyurappa of trying to play out a 'drama' on the issue, keeping upcoming assembly elections in the state in mind. Karnataka is seeking release of 7.56 tmcft water by Goa from the river for the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project, being undertaken to improve drinking water supply to the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and districts of Belagavi and Gadag in the state's northern region. The project involves building barrages across Kalasa and Banduri, tributaries of Mahadayi river, to divert this amount of water to the Malaprabha which meets drinking water needs of the region. Goa had earlier expressed its opposition to the out of court settlement of the dispute, and had not responded positively for the proposed meeting of chief ministers. Goa's willingness to consider an amicable settlement to the issue now has come after Shah mediated a meeting between BJP leaders from Karnataka and the party ruled western state. Besides Karnataka and Goa, Maharashtra is also a riparian state sharing the Mahadayi river waters. A move by the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala to open an Islamic bank did not take off due to objections from several quarters, especially the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). However, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) that heads the ruling coalition has found a way out to overcome the objectionsopen a bank outside the purview of the bank regulator. The central bank had initially opposed the move stating that it was against the current banking laws. Last month, the RBI passed its final verdict on Islamic banking, saying that it was against the principle of providing wider and equal opportunities to all the citizens to access banking and financial services. The CPM has bypassed the RBI by launching the Sharia-compliant bank as a society in the primary co-operative sector, which is not governed by the apex bank regulations. The bank called Halal Fayida Co-operative Society was inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Kannur, the cradle of the Communist movement in the state, on 24 December. Kerala has a large network of primary co-operative societies spread across the state. A large number of these societies function as banks by receiving deposits from public and lending money. Halal Fadiya will be one such institution. The primary cooperative banks had come under the scanner of RBI and the Income Tax department during demonetisation. A tussle to make them accountable to the IT department has been going on for years, but the state government staunchly opposed such moves saying that the sector was playing an important role in the development of the state. B Unnikrishnan, former general manager of State Cooperative Bank, said the primary cooperative banks are not being monitored by the RBI since they are being operated under a state Act. They function in Kerala under the State Co-operative Societies Act, 1969. All powers under the Act are vested with the Registrar of State Cooperatives, who comes under the administrative control of the state government. The previous LDF government led by VS Achuthanandan had proposed the Islamic bank in 2009 under the aegis of Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), the industrial and investment promotion agency of the state government, with the objective of attracting investments into the cash-strapped state. The brain behind the move was Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, a neo-liberalist who found the huge sums of money kept outside the formal interest-based banking system by devout Muslims as an alternative to the private capital that the hardliners in his party, including the then chief minister, opposed. Isaac had targeted mainly Muslims from Kerala working in the Middle East, who are familiar with Islamic banking. According to Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Thiruvananthapuram, Muslims accounted for over 40 percent of the estimated 2.4 million non-resident Keralites and about 45 percent of over Rs.1 lakh foreign remittances the state receives a year now. After the Islamic bank project hit a roadblock, Isaac mooted Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) to mobilise funds for infrastructure development outside the state budget. However, the CPM was not ready to abandon the Islamic banking project. The party found the concept financially and political rewarding. The party saw huge potential for Islamic bank in the state since 27 percent of the population is Muslim. A major section of this population has been keeping away the formal banking system in the absence of Sharia-compliant banking institutions. M Shajir, president of Kannur district Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the party, who is the chief promoter of Halal Fayida, said they had mooted the idea after it was found that a large section of the Muslim community in the district did not have a bank account. A large number of the community keep their money at home. Many lost their savings during the demonetisation period since they could not produce proper documents to show the source of their income. Hence, we decided to come up with a solution to address the issue, Shajir said. The CPM found the co-operative sector ideal for the foray into Islamic banking since it has high stakes in the sector. More than 90 percent of the cooperative banks in Kerala are controlled by political parties, according to Unnikrishnan. Of this, 75 per cent are under the control of the CPM. Unnikrishnan told Firstpost that co-operative banks in Kerala were flush with money unlike in other states. The total deposit base of cooperative banks in Kerala crossed Rs 1.40 lakh crore in 2016, according to the state level bankers committee. Apart from banks, the CPM has also launched several other commercial ventures such as amusement parks, hospitals, schools, colleges and even manufacturing units in the co-operative sector. Most of these ventures were developed with funds ploughed in from its cooperative institutions. The biggest benefit of the Islamic bank, however, is the Muslim support. The CPM was finding it difficult to make inroads into the community due to its atheist tag. The party, therefore, has been trying to reach out to the minority community through intermediaries. The party was able to win a few seats in the Muslim heartland of Malappuram in the last Assembly election by fielding independents. The party leadership believe that initiatives such as Islamic banking will take the party close to the community. The promoters of the society have secured the support of 21 minority organisations. Shajar said these organisations had bought shares and were spreading the word about the initiative. He hopes that others will also join the society as it will function strictly according to Sharia law. Like any other Islamic institution, the society will not pay interest on deposits or charge interest on loans. It will also follow ethical financing practices and refrain from lending money for industries like gambling, pornography and liquor, which are considered forbidden in Islam, he added. Shajar said that the bank will invest only in Halal business ventures. It will initially invest the funds in meat processing units, construction and contracting businesses, he added. Shajar has denied any political motive behind the initiative. He said that it was not aimed at making electoral gains. The CPM is against identity politics and it will never promote it. He said that the bank was open to all. Since it is a cooperative society anybody can buy shares and avail its services. However, the Hindu organisations see red in the initiative. The Hindu Aikyavedi has viewed it as a communal move aimed at wooing the Muslims. State Bharatiya Janaty Party spokesman, J Padmakumar termed the initiative unconstitutional. He told Firstpost that the Islamic bank will divide the people on religious lines. He said that the RBI had rejected the concept of Islamic bank as it was against the secular traditions of the state. The CPM is trying to introduce it through the backdoor. We fear that the Islamic bank may encourage hawala business and help divisive forces to pump money into the state. This is a very dangerous move. Our party would oppose it, he added. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that Moscow supports Egypt's "firmness" in facing terrorism, indicating that strategic relations between the two countries are developing by the day. Lavrov said in an interview with Russia Today that consultations are ongoing between military experts in both countries in light of the increasing terror threat in the region. The Russian minister also mentioned strategic cooperation projects between Egypt and Russia, such as the construction of Egypt's first-ever nuclear power plant at Dabaa on the north coast and plans to establish the Russian industrial zone in Egypt's Suez Gulf area. Earlier this month, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin attended the signing of an agreement officially launching work on the Dabaa plant. Days after the visit, the transport ministers of both countries signed in Moscow protocols for resuming commercial flights between Moscow and Cairo in the first half of February 2018. Flights between Russia and Egypt were halted in 2015 following the crash of a Russian passenger jet in Sinai that killed all 224 people on board. Search Keywords: Short link: Muzaffarnagar: Three persons have been arrested in connection with the alleged murder of a 22-year-old Dalit woman and her nephew, following an encounter in Muzaffarnagar, police said on Monday. Hacked bodies of the Dalit woman and her 5-year-old nephew were found in Luhari Khurd village on December 20. According to the police, three persons have been arrested and the accused have confessed to the crime. "Two accused and one police constable sustained bullet injuries during the encounter," Superintendent of Police (City) Ombir Singh said. He added that two pistols, large number of cartridges and a bike was recovered from the accused. Notably, the police had formed three special teams to trace the killers after the villagers staged a protest over the incident. Mumbai: A fire broke out at a duplex flat in a 32-storey residential building in the upscale Walkeshwar area of South Mumbai on Monday afternoon, a fire brigade official said. "Our control room received a call at 4.17 pm. Our team reached the high-rise, Regal Tower, at 4.26 p.m and is busy dousing the fire," the official said. The fire broke out in a duplex flat on the 17th and 18th floors, he said. Fire Brigade chief PS Rahangdale said, "The fire is confined to a residential flat on 17th and 18th floors of this ground-plus-31 storey building. Fire-fighting and rescue operation is in progress." 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. New Delhi: Indian airlines are likely to induct more than 900 aircraft in the coming years, with IndiGo alone expected to add 448 planes, according to official data. India is one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world and most airlines have ambitious expansion plans, especially to tap the potential on regional routes. As per data available with the civil aviation ministry, budget airlines IndiGo, SpiceJet, GoAir and AirAsia are set to significantly expand their respective fleet sizes. Along with other carriers, the total number of aircraft to be inducted by the domestic players would be more than 900. With an existing fleet of 150 planes, IndiGo is readying to add another 448 aircraft - 399 A320s and 49 ATRs - in the next seven to eight years. Competitor SpiceJet too is in the process of expanding its current fleet of 57 aircraft. The no-frills airline would be adding 107 B737-800s and 50 Bombardier Q400s during the 2018-2023 period. Another budget carrier GoAir, which is yet to take off on overseas routes, would induct 119 A320 planes during the period from 2018-2022. At present, its fleet size is 34. According to the data, which was recently submitted to Parliament as part of a Lok Sabha written reply, AirAsia India would induct 60 planes in the next five years. Currently, the budget carrier has 14 aircraft. Legacy carrier Jet Airways - which has 107 aircraft -would take 81 B737-8 MAX planes during 2018-2024 period. It would also add five B737-800s this fiscal ending March 2018, as per the data. Disinvestment-bound Air India would induct three B777- 300ER and 16 A320 planes between December this year and March 2019. The national carrier has 155 aircraft at present. Among others, full service carrier Vistara would induct five aircraft next year that would expand its current fleet of 17 planes. TruJet, which now has four planes, would add six aircraft each year from 2018-2022. These would be ATR72-500/600, the ministry data showed. After starting services this year, Zoom Air has placed orders for five CRJ-200 and 14 CRJ-900 planes. At present, it has two planes. New Delhi: Eminent senior counsel Harish Salve, who argued Kulbhushan Jadhav's case in the International Court of Justice, on Monday said he was disappointed at the meeting between Jadhav and and his mother and wife in Islamabad, and was concerned about his mental well-being. "What we see today is disappointing. As humans, we should rise above scoring geopolitical brownie points. I am concerned about what happened during the meeting, as it was not only the glass between them (Jadhav and his mother and wife), but also because of the way he talked to them," Salve told Republic TV. "It was as if he was making scripted comments... The language that he spoke. Usually, when a man is emotional or angry, he speaks and abuses in his mother tongue. Here, he spoke in English. Why did he speak in English? "It was as if he was inviting people to come and hang him, saying he deserved to be shot and asking them to speed up the process. I am seriously concerned about his mental well-being and the state of mind he is in today," he said. Salve said Jadhav's mother must have gone through something worse than a death penalty having travelled all the way to meet her son and not being able to even speak to him properly, touch him, feel him. Srinagar: The Centre's Special Representative Dineshwar Sharma on Monday visited the border district of Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said. It is the third visit of Sharma - a former head of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) - to the state after his appointment by the Centre to start a multilayered, sustained dialogue to address the Kashmir problem. After landing in Srinagar, Sharma went in a cavalcade to Kupwara district where, authorities said, around 40 delegations were scheduled to meet him at the Kupwara Dak Bungalow. Local journalists said authorities did not allow them to enter the Dak Bungalow where Sharma's meetings were being held. "Delegations from border towns of Machil and Karnah are also meeting the Special Representative during his visit," informed sources said here. A 1979-batch former Indian Police Service officer, Sharma is believed to have a clear understanding of the problems faced by the people in Kashmir, thanks to his stint in the IB. He has so far not directly engaged with separatist leaders, although some media reports said Sharma met senior separatist leader Abdul Gani Bhat during his last visit to the Valley. Bhat, however, denied the reports. Senior separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik have dismissed the possibility of engaging in a dialogue with Sharma, describing the entire process as an "eyewash by the Indian government". Mumbai: Friends and family of former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav organised a bike rally in his support in Mumbai on Sunday, a day before his mother and wife are scheduled to meet him in a Pakistani prison. Organisers told PTI that the rally started from Arthur Road and culminated at Currey Road in Central Mumbai and drew a very good response. "The bike rally and a human chain we formed are in support of our friend Kulbhushan Jadhav," said Subrato Mukherji, one of the hundreds who participated in the rally. "As there is no evidence against Kulbhushan, the Pakistan government should release him immediately," said Tulshidas Pawar, a friend of Jadhav and another rally participant. Kulbhushan has been in a Pakistan prison since March last year and has been sentenced to death on charges of espionage by a miltary court in Pakistan. India challenged the sentence in the International Court of Justice in May this year following which the ICJ halted his execution pending a final verdict by it. Jadhav's family members who had demanded that they be allowed to meet Jadhav were granted permission recently. Pakistan on 20 December issued visas to Jadhav's wife and mother to visit Islamabad and meet him on 25 December. Mumbai: The relatives of Kulbhushan Jadhav will reach Islamabad on Monday for a scheduled meeting with the death row prisoner, according to an activist. "His mother, Avanti Jadhav, and his wife are expected to fly from Dubai to Islamabad for their first ever interaction later in the day. According to available information, Kulbhushan Jadhav will be brought to the Pakistani capital for the meeting," Jatin Desai, spokesperson for Pakistan India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD) told IANS. The Pakistan Foreign Office (PFO) has already confirmed that the Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh, will be allowed to remain present at the meeting at the Foreign Affairs Ministry. However, Desai said the family will not speak with the media in Pakistan, though the PFO will provide photos and videos of the meeting. "After this meeting, the first since Jadhav's arrest 21 months ago, his mother and wife are expected to leave Pakistan on Monday evening," the activist said. He added the PIPFPD has been keenly monitoring the progress of the matter and termed the meeting as "a positive confidence-building measure by Pakistan" which will help further improve the relations between the two neighbouring countries. A Mumbai-based former naval officer-turned-businessman, Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested on 3 March, 2016, and was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism. After persistent demands by New Delhi, the Pakistan government finally permitted the meeting terming it as "purely on humanitarian grounds". India has maintained Jadhav's innocence and said he was kidnapped from Iran where he had gone for handling his businesses after superannuation from the Indian Navy. Despite the death verdict, Pakistan last week reiterated that he was not under a threat of an immediate execution as his mercy petitions were still pending. Meanwhile, several organisations, groups and individuals in Mumbai welcomed the "reunion". Islamabad: Pakistani authorities said on Monday that they have deployed sharpshooters at the foreign ministry's office where Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav will meet his wife and mother. Jadhav, 47, would be meeting his family on Monday at the foreign office in Islamabad. The exact time of the meeting is not immediately known but officials said it would be around midday or early afternoon. The duration has also not been confirmed but it may last for an hour, according to sources in the Foreign Office. Jadhav's family is flying to Islamabad via the UAE. Strict security measures have been taken on the occasion of Jadhav meeting his family at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), officials said. Police and paramilitary security forces including sharpshooters have been deployed at the MOFA to deal with any untoward security situation, they said. Roads leading to the Constitution Avenue, on which MOFA is located, have been closed for traffic. Special security passes have been issued for those visiting the Foreign Office, the officials added. Pakistan has announced it would issue photos and a video of the meeting and also allow the family to interact with media, if India agrees. Officials also said Jadhav's family would not interact with the media. Jadhav 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 India's appeal pending the final verdict by it. 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. Click here to follow LIVE updates on the meeting Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry is set to arrive in Ethiopia on Tuesday for talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Workneh Gebeyehu to "break the deadlock" regarding the work of the tripartite technical committee of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan, which is studying the effects of construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on downstream countries. The committee will be seeking to reach consensus on ways to avoid harm to all three parties. In an official statement on Monday, Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said Shoukry's visit comes as an effort by Cairo to resolve disagreements, based on Egypt's full commitment to the framework of the March 2015 trilateral agreement known as the Declaration of Principles signed by Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. The statement stressed that the declaration requires all parties to adhere to the findings of independent foreign consultancy firms on the number of years Ethiopia could fill the dam without harming the water share of downstream countries. The ministry said Egypt has good will and a desire to build trust with the other parties, but is keen on the preservation of Egypts legitimate water interests. According to Abu Zeid, Shoukry is set to offer suggestions and ideas to other parties with the aim of helping them promptly adopt the finding of the initial report prepared by the foreign consultancy firms. Egypt is concerned because of the delay in adopting the findings of the technical studies since they will determine the impact of the construction of the dam on Egypt's water share, the statement read. Shoukry, however, hopes that both Egyptian and Ethiopian negotiators will be able to reach a consensus that would break the current deadlock, in consultation and agreement with Sudan, the statement explained. The Egyptian foreign minister is expected during the visit to prepare with his Ethiopian counterpart for the upcoming visit by Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn to Egypt in January, according to the spokesman. The statement by Abu Zeid comes one day after Egypt's presidency spokesman Bassam Rady said that Cairo is committed to a peaceful course in negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), yet reiterating that Egypts supply of Nile water is "a matter of life or death for the country, a statement often restated by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in talks over the dam. Last November, negotiations between the three countries broke down over how to conduct technical studies of the dam's potential impact on downstream countries, where Egypt approved of the initial report by the European consultancy firms, though Ethiopia and Sudan demanded major amendments to the proposed studies. It is unclear what kind of amendments were pushed by both Ethiopia and Sudan. The dam, situated near Ethiopia's border with Sudan, is slated for completion this year and expected to generate 6,000 megawatts of electricity. Ethiopia hopes to be able to export electricity generated by the dam, which will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa. Egypt, however, has expressed concerns that the dam might reduce its share of Nile water. Ethiopia maintains that the dam will not have any negative impact on Egypt or Sudan. Search Keywords: Short link: Mumbai: As news channels played out images of Kulbhushan Jadhav meeting his mother and wife - separated by a glass wall - a childhood friend of the former Indian Navy officer expressed his frustration on the Pakistani authorities not allowing the family members to hug him. Jadhav, who is on death row in Pakistan for alleged spying, met his wife and mother in Islamabad in a carefully choreographed event that unfolded in tweets, photos and TV footage. The 40-minute meeting, which took place after many representations, at the heavily guarded Foreign Affairs Ministry building came after the International Court of Justice asked Pakistan in May to stay his execution. Tulshidas Pawar is Jadhav's childhood friend and lives in Mumbai's Parel area. He watched images of Jadhav's mother Avantika and wife Chetna sitting across a glass screen flicker on the TV set at his home. "Can you imagine what a mother who last saw her son two years ago must have felt when allowed to meet him from across a glass partition and was unable to touch him," Pawar told PTI. "The Pakistan authorities should have allowed the mother to hug her son," he said. "This carefully choreographed meeting was a sham." He said, "What Pakistan did (allowing Jadhav's mother and wife to meet him) is just a spectacle for the global community," Pawar said. For him, the treatment meted out to Jadhav's mother and wife by the Pakistan authorities was "unacceptable". "The next hearing in Jadhav's case in the International Court of Justice is scheduled soon. Pakistan mere completed a formality by arranging the meeting in such a manner," he said. "Pakistan should be condemned for not having the decency to allow a mother to hug her son, for disallowing a wife to touch her husband," Pawar said. "One can only imagine the plight of Jadhav's mother." Pawar said he and Kulbhushan's other friends would request Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to bring Jadhav back home at the earliest, he said. It was the fist time Jadhav was meeting his family since his arrest in March last year. The 47-year-old 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. It is expected to hold another hearing in March or April. Kolkata: Former President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday called on Indian academic institutions to lay emphasis on quality research work to earn global recognition and build "an educational eco-system comparable with the best in world". "There has to be sincere deliberations on various forms towards an educational eco-system comparable with the best in world and the higher education sector must align itself with the global education sectors. 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," Mukherjee said while addressing students at 62nd annual convocation of Jadavpur University. The university conferred a Degree of Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) on Mukherjee and former University Grants Commission chairman Ved Prakash. West Bengal governor and the University's Chancellor Keshari Nath Tripathi presided over the convocation. Pranab also said that free thinking and exchange of ideas can create a scientific temper and cultivate a spirit of curiosity in young minds. "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. A good education system is one that empowers and enables an individual with social responsiveness," he said. Alleging that the UGC was discriminating between central and state universities in terms of funds allocations, Jadavpur University vice chancellor Suranjan Das said such discriminatory nature of the commission was causing financial constraints to his institution. "The nature of UGC funding mechanism - 65 per cent allocation of its annual budget for only 47 central universities and 35 per cent funding for 375 state universities - is a reflection of the discriminatory nature," he said. According to him, out of the university's annual receipts of Rs 291.56 crore in 2016-17, the state government's contribution was 67.6 per cent while the UGC's contribution was 19.5 percent. "Fortunately in the same period the university itself was able to generate an amount of Rs 15.95 crore, or 5.47 per cent of the total budget outlay of the university. So we could carry on our pursuit for excellence in research and academics," Das added. BJP MLA from Rajasthan, Gyan Dev Ahuja, responding to the incident of an alleged cattle smuggler reportedly getting thrashed by a mob in Rajasthans Alwar district, said that if one engages in cow smuggling or slaughters a cow, he will be killed, said media reports. "Gau taskari, Gaukashi karoge to yun hi maroge" says BJP MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja on the incident of alleged beating up of cow smugglers in Alwar, Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/DpQAdqwSIT ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 On Saturday, when a truck carrying bovines was intercepted by Rajasthan police on information that cow smugglers were trying to transport bovines to Haryana, The Indian Express reported, the people in the truck opened fire at the police. Out of the three men in the truck, two escaped and one was detained, who was later identified as Zakir. Meanwhile, a mob assembled at the spot after hearing the shots and thrashed the alleged cow smuggler, added the report. Ahuja has refuted allegations that Zakir was beaten up by the mob claiming that he was injured because the vehicle overturned. Use janta ne nahin peeta, wo bahana kar raha hai: BJP MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja on the incident of alleged beating up of cow smugglers in Alwar, Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/zbyJXJXqX7 ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 "As people were following the truck, it overturned, resulting in the injuries. The people didn't beat him... he was injured because the vehicle overturned," Ahuja was quoted as saying by NDTV. Ahuja said that "People do get angry, do get filled with angst because in India, the cow is seen as a mother." "That is why, these incidents, these actions are taken. On that also, you fire shots and you wield lathis or throw stones, then people get filled with more angst... I have taken the entire detailed information from the SHO of Ramgarh now," India Today quoted Ahuja as saying. The BJP legislator in July this year had accused the Rajasthan police of "letting love jihad, illegal mining and other crimes flourish". Ahuja, in May last year, had stirred controversy by claiming that rapes happen in JNU every day. Ahuja, who became an MLA, in 1998, earned the sobriquet of Lankesh from then chief minister Ashok Gehlot due to his unruly behaviour resembling that of a mythological character. In February last year, Ahuja had alleged that Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi was a hub of sex and drugs where over 3,000 used condoms and 2,000 liquor bottles are daily found, The Hindu had reported. With inputs from agencies. Jaipur: A farmer in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, has been struggling hard to free his daughter from the fortified walls of molestation-accused 'godman' Baba Virendra Dev Dixit's Ashram in Delhi. The girl, named Tika, went missing from her house on 9 November, 2017. The family alleges that one Anand who was from Pilani and who works as an "agent" brought the girl to the Delhi ashram in Vijay Vihar. On the basis of an FIR lodged, a search warrant was issued on 24 November, and Rajasthan Police came to Delhi to bring the girl back. However, Delhi Police allegedly made the team return on the ground that the warrant was not applicable in Delhi. A second warrant was issued and the Rajasthan Police was again in Delhi. This warrant clearly said that the girl should be produced in the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) court and the police should work to bring her out. However, the girl could not be brought out from the clutches of the ashram. The hapless father, Vijay Singh, speaking to IANS, said that when the Rajasthan Police went for the second time to Delhi with a new search warrant they were kept waiting for two days to meet his daughter. This time again, police teams from Delhi and Mandrella, in Jhunjhunu, went inside the ashram, met the girl and came out saying she doesn't want to return. According to the norms, once search warrants are issued, the person has to be produced in the SDM court where his/her statements are taken. Despite the second warrant being sanctioned by the Delhi-based SDM, the warrant rules were not followed. The father complained that both times "norms were flouted as my daughter wasn't produced in court either time". Vijay Singh alleged that his daughter has been "hypnotised, drugged and injected with certain medicines to the extent that her emotional quotient has turned zero. She doesn't reflect any emotions". "Initially, I and my son, went to meet her. After making us wait for around one and a half hours, my daughter came, along with five more females, and just uttered one sentence, 'I want to be here'. Then she went inside. Her brother told her that her mother is unwell and she misses her a lot, but to no avail," Singh recounted to IANS. Vijay Singh said his daughter used to visit the Jaipur-situated ashram with her aunt and cousin. "And one fine day, when we started her marriage discussion, she left her house and came to Delhi to the Rohini-situated ashram of Virendra Dev." The father lodged a missing complaint. However, in the next few days, they received speed post letters from the daughter which were addressed to SP Jhunjhunu. The letter had a sheet attached and said that the girl "had left home on her own wish and will". A mail was also sent to the SP. "My daughter is not that sharp to do all these things. She has been made to do all these things under someone's influence," the father said. Even police officials who went with Vijay Singh to the Delhi-based ashram "confirmed that the girls there are being hypnotised", he said. "When we went to the Delhi ashram, they closed the first door as we entered inside, then they closed the second door, then the third door and so on. When we went inside, there was a circular iron staircase which made me feel as if I am packed in some kind of 'bhoolbhulaiya' (maze)," a senior police official told IANS. Meanwhile, a senior CBI officer, who is Tika's relative, said that the search warrant clearly said that police officials should go to the ashram, search for the girl and use all their power to bring her to the SDM court. However, since Delhi Police has its own work method, the Rajasthan Police could not work independently to bring the girl out. Going with the warrant, the girl should have been given police protection and produced in the Surajgarh SDM court," said advocate Satyendra Singh Rathore, who represents the victim's case. According to senior officials, the girl can "open a can of worms" once she is out. They confirmed that the girl went missing on 9 November. Her phone calls were traced and her phone was found switched off in Rewari. Then they started an inquiry which took them to the Jhotwara-based ashram in Jaipur. A woman constable in mufti went to the ashram and asked for details about other branches. The females gave her a booklet in which the Vijay Vihar address was specified. Police sources claimed that a Hyderabad-based scientist's daughter is inside for the last 10 years. This girl was in America for many years. Similarly, there are daughters of senior police officials too. The Jhotwara-situated ashram of Virendra Dev Dixit follows the same parameters as that of his Delhi ashram, which was raided recently. The ashram with fortified walls, closed doors and windows doesn't allow any outsider to enter inside. Those staying in the neighbourhood can't see what's happening inside. Police officials reached this ashram on Friday and were surprised to see the closed fortified walls. A police official, who had recently been to the Delhi-based ashram said there is a strong resemblance between the two. The five females staying here are in the age group of 22-55. The Jhotwara ashram is being run on rented accommodation and the rent is paid from Delhi. The females inside were reluctant to open the door to policemen. Asked why they delayed opening the door, they said that "beheno ki suraksha ke liye darwaze khirkiyan band rakhte hai" (we keep the doors-windows shut for the safety of our sisters). A senior Maoist leader, who was carrying a reward of Rs 25 lakh on his head, surrendered before the Telangana Police on Monday, a top official said. Ginugu Narsimha Reddy alias Jampanna (55), a central committee member of the CPI (Maoist), and his wife Anitha alias Rajitha (37), also a member of the banned outfit, surrendered following ideological differences with the organisation, Telangana's Director General of Police M Mahender Reddy told reporters in Hyderabad. He was working in the CPI (Maoist) for the last 33 years and was involved in more than 100 cases of various offences across the country, including 51 in Telangana. He was allegedly involved in the killing of Chhattisgarh Congress leader Nitin Patel in July 2011. The GreyHounds team in Telangana had been trying to nab Jampanna for years, Reddy added. "The reason for his surrender, in his own words, he says that he has ideological differences with the party. That's why he decided to surrender along with his wife...," the DGP said. Sources say that in February this year, the CPI (Maoist) group called its 5th meeting of the Central Committee members inside the forest at Kandhamal in Odisha. The committee levelled charges against Jampanna of working against the party's ideology. They also alleged that due to Jampanna, the party lost its grassroots connection with farmers, labourers and students. Infuriated by this charge against him, Jampanna decided to surrender before the Telangana Police. His wife then followed suit. Anitha, who carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh on her head, was working with the outfit for 13 years and took part in many offences, he said. The reward amounts would be given to them as part of the rehabilitation, the DGP said. Reddy was also serving as the member of the outfit's central regional bureau, central military commission and was looking after the Odisha state committee when he surrendered, the official said. The rebel, who hails from Telangana's Warangal district, was influenced by the CPI (Maoist) ideology while studying in Hyderabad and joined the then People's War Group (PWG) in 1984, he said. Subsequently, he rose higher in the organisation and also played a critical role in the merger of the PWG and the Maoist Communist Centre of India (MCCI) to form the CPI (Maoist), the DGP said. He was involved in blowing up a police vehicle when the security personnel on election duty were returning on 15 June, 1991 at the Eturnagaram police station. Several policemen were killed in the incident, he said. He also played a key role in the formation of the new Kalahandi-Kandhamal-Boudh-Nayagarh divisional committee. "Since Jampanna has surrendered, now there are 18 other central committee members left in the organisation. We, from Telangana Police, appeal to all the central committee members to surrender before the police and then get rehabilitated as part of the rehabilitation policy undertaken by the government," the DGP said. There are 135 'underground' cadres from Telangana working in the CPI (Maoist) across the country at present and they can directly approach the police and through kith and kin and others for surrender, a press release by the police said. Reddy, who was present at the press conference along with his wife, said he decided to lead a normal life in view of many social changes that have taken place in the country in the last 15 years. "I sent a detailed draft on the prevailing conditions in India today to the leadership before coming out," he said. "Before I came out, I met some central committee comrades. They told me that it would be better to try to change the party by remaining in the party and to discuss at different fora... But, I came out to lead a normal life after deciding that it is not possible for me to do," he added. With inputs from agencies New Delhi: Bike-borne men snatched the mobile of Eenam Gambhir, the first Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, police said on Monday. The incident occurred on Saturday when Gambhir had gone for a walk in Rohini with her mother, they added. The accused snatched the phone from her on the pretext of asking for directions, the police said. Since it was evening, she could not note down the vehicle's registration number, they said. In her complaint, the diplomat said that the accused asked her for directions to Hanuman Mandir. When she started pointing towards the temple while holding her phone, they snatched the phone and fled, the police said. Gambhir stated that the iPhone had a US-registered SIM card and some important files related to her work, they said. In September this year, exercising India's right to reply after Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi raked up the Kashmir issue at the UN General Assembly, Gambhir had made a strong rebuttal by calling Pakistan a "terroristan". Ukrainian Ambassador Igor Polikha's mobile phone was snatched in September while he was taking pictures of the Red Fort, following which one person was arrested. Delhi Police has registered as many as 7,870 cases of snatching this year till 30 November. Lucknow: A village head was shot dead allegedly two men over electoral enmity in Sant Kabir Nagar district, police said on Monday. The incident took place on Monday on Ramcharitra Chauhan, the pradhan (head) of Chanua Maharil village, was going somewhere with his wife on a motorcycle, according to an official statement by the Uttar Pradesh DGP's office. When Chauhan reached Siktaha village, he was shot dead by bike-borne Rajdev Chaudhary and Dhanpat, it said. Police said the cause of the incident seems to be fall out of an electoral animosity. A case has been registered and efforts are on to arrest the accused, the statement said. Noida: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday announced new metro projects for Agra and Kanpur in the state and said that the work for setting up an airport at Jewar also had been expedited. Two major expressways are also being planned in the state, he said. Referring to issue of real estate developers leaving projects unfinished much to agony of home-buyers, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said that builders had promised to handover 80,000 apartments to consumers in the next six months. He was addressing his first public meeting at Noida after the inauguration of the Metro's Magenta Line by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is an achievement to have prime minister in the state, Adityanath said as he welcomed Modi. The prime minister, Adityanath said had given a new direction to politics and added that till even a single individual remained downtrodden, we should make efforts to solve his problem. Attacking the previous regimes in the state, Adityanath claimed that under their rule, Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway region was a money minting machine. Adityanath said that his govt was taking public welfare projects on a priority basis. Referring to the inauguration of the metro line, Adityanath said the event was the "foundation stone of the development of Noida and state". The Uttar Pradesh chief minister said that as per Modi's directions, he was working on the basis of participation of all and development for all (Sabka saath, sabka vikas) principle. Adityanath said that in the nine months of his rule, he was taking decisions without any partisan attitude or self interest. All decisions are in public interest, he added. The Uttar Pradesh chief minister referred to agriculture in the state and claimed that sugarcane farmers' dues were being paid on time while the power supply too had improved. Adityanath said his govt was tough on criminals as well. Lucknow: The birthday of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Monday 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. "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. Chennai: The ruling AIADMK on Sunday alleged there was a 'tacit understanding' between TTV Dhinakaran (also spelt as Dinakaran) and the Opposition DMK to defeat it in the RK Nagar bypoll, in which the sidelined party leader emerged victorious. The party is also likely to brainstorm on Sunday's defeat at a meeting to be held in Chennai on Monday, party sources said. Asserting that the win achieved by "conspiracy" by Stalin and Dhinakaran will not affect AIADMK, party coordinator O Panneerselvam and co-coordinator K Palaniswamy said DMK, their party's arch rival, faced its "worst defeat" in an election to any Assembly segment in Tamil Nadu so far. Dhinakaran won the bypoll by a thumping margin of over 40,000 votes while DMK candidate N Maruthu Ganesh finished third, garnering 24,651 votes, in the process losing deposit. AIADMKs' E Madhusudanan came second. The bypoll was held to fill the vacancy caused by the death of sitting MLA and then chief minister J Jayalalithaa. "The result of the RK Nagar bypoll is an outcome of the tacit understanding between DMK Working President MK Stalin and Dhinakaran," Panneerselvam and Palaniswamy said in a joint statement on Sunday. Rejecting the charge, Stalin alleged it was the state ministers under the charge of Palaniswamy and Panneerselvam who aided the Dhinakaran camp in distributing money to the voters. Responding to reporters's query on the charge by AIADMK, he asserted that the DMK faced the poll only in "alliance with democracy". "Hence this poll is not a loss for DMK. It is a huge defeat for the Election Commission," Stalin claimed. The joint statement said the bypoll result showed how Stalin and Dhinakaran "planned to defame" party founder, the late MG Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa by "joining hands to defeat" Two leaves, the AIADMK's symbol. "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 expelled from the party 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 response 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. In Coimbatore, senior BJP leader L Ganesan said this was a victory of Jayalalithaa and AIADMK should introspect about the results, which would have been different had it remained a single entity. On his party's performance, Ganesan said people had not not taken into considering the BJP's presence in the contest. This was a factor to be thought about, he added. Senior AIADMK leader and Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha M Thambidurai said the result proved that DMK was not able to break the Jayalalithaa citadel and its campaign had no impact on the people. Egypts Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar told MPs on Monday that with the help of Japan and China, Egypt will be able to launch its first satellite for scientific research in July 2018, meanwhile the House of Representatives approved in a following session a law to establish Egypt's first space agency. Abdel-Ghaffar revealed that 70 percent of the components of Egypts first satellite will be manufactured locally. The manufacturing will come in cooperation with China and is expected to be complete in the year 2020, added Abdel-Ghaffar. Abdel-Ghaffar, who showed MPs a photo and maquette of Egypts first satellite, said that the dream has come true, and Egypt is about to join the worlds space club in just one year. The minister revealed that the satellites control unit and three-metre-wide camera will be locally manufactured after the countrys space agency law has been approved by parliament. The Egyptian Space Agency will be set up on Cairo-Suez Road and will be mainly devoted to manufacturing the components of the countrys first satellite and attracting all Egyptian space scientists to Egypts space and satellite city on Cairo Suez Road, said Abdel-Ghaffar, adding that China will help Egypt build this city and manufacture the satellite components. This is a preliminary estimate, but we hope that in seven years Egypts space and satellite technology city will contribute at least 10 percent to the national income, said Abdel-Ghaffar, adding that in some countries like England, the space agency contributes 16 percent to GDP. Gamal Shiha, the head of parliaments education committee, told MPs that the decision to set up an Egyptian Space Agency comes too late. But it is wonderful that it has come at last in order for Egypt to become a member of the world space club, said Shiha, adding that as a result, the committee members were keen to finish debating the law drafted by the government on establishing the countrys first space agency as soon as possible. The debate took place on Monday after parliament approved the 16-article law on establishing the Egyptian Space Agency. Mohamed El-Sewedi, head of the pro-government Support Egypt parliamentary bloc, said it is wonderful that the government will do its best to attract Egyptian space and satellite scientists and engineers to operate the countrys first space agency. As far as I know, we have 118 Egyptian scientists in this field, but more than 100 left the country in past years to join space projects in other countries, said El-Sewedi. Just like Egypt decided to join the nuclear club by establishing the first nuclear station at Dabaa, west of Alexandria, we are happy that Egypt has at last decided to join the world space club. Shiha said just like Pakistan and India were able to attract their native scientists working in the nuclear field to build local nuclear projects, Egypt will be also be able to join the worlds space and nuclear clubs very soon. Parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Aal said Indias famous nuclear scientist Abu Al-Kalam Azad has become a president of India. He was the third Muslim president of India and he did his country a big favour building its ambitious nuclear and rocket-manufacturing programme, said Abdel-Aal MP Ahmed Khalil, a member of the Salafist Nour Party, said Egypts decision to tap nuclear and space technology should be viewed as a response to US President Donald Trumps threat not to give any economic or military assistance to countries that voted against his decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. I think the best response to these arrogant threats is to step up technological cooperation with countries like Japan and China to build locally-based industries and technologies, said Khalil. A 25-page report prepared by parliament's education and scientific research committee said the law aims to push Egypt forward in the vital area of space and satellite technology in a way that should serve the country's national security and development objectives. "The agency will also seek to build Egypt's capabilities in the area of space technology and help the country autonomously launch satellites from Egyptian land," said the report. The report which was also prepared by parliaments committees on telecommunications and information technology, defence and national security, the budget, and legislative and constitutional affairs says that the Egyptian Space Agency (ESA) will be a Cairo-based public organisation that will have branches in different parts of Egypt. "[The agency] will be affiliated with the president of the republic, having financial, administrative and technical independence to be able to do its job in a professional way," said the report. The report also indicated that the agency will be mainly responsible for drawing up a national space technology programme within the next few years. "It will be primarily focused on launching self-made satellites that should serve the development and national security objectives, said the report. Search Keywords: Short link: Bengaluru: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday accused his Goa counterpart Manohar Parrikar and state BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa of trying to play out a 'drama' on the issue Mahadayi river water issue, keeping the coming assembly elections in mind. "Parrikar and Yeddyurappa both tried to play out a drama for the sake of elections (due in Karnataka early next year), he told reporters in Haveri. He was responding to a question regarding Parrikar's letter to Yeddyurappa on the inter-state river water issue after mediation by BJP national President Amit Shah. Karnataka is seeking water from the river for meeting drinking water requirements in northern parts of the state where it has become an emotive political issue. Parrikar, in a letter to Yeddyurappa on Thursday, had said, in principle, Goa would not oppose the "reasonable" and "justified" quantum of water meant to be utilised for drinking while pointing out that the matter is pending before the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal. The Karnataka government which had expressed its readiness for talks at "any place and date" to work out an amicable settlement, however, took exception to Parrikar not following "protocol by communicating his government s stand to Yeddyurappa instead of his Karnataka counterpart. Meanwhile, a group of protesters, including women from north Karnataka districts, have camped near the BJP state office here since yesterday demanding immediate resolution to the issue from Yeddyurappa who had last month promised to get a written agreement in this regard by 15 December. Commenting on the protest, Siddaramaiah said Yeddyurappa is caught as he lied. He tried to play drama with farmers on the issue, and has now got caught. In Haveri, hitting back at Siddaramaiah, Yeddyurappa asked those protesting in front of BJP office to immediately vacate and agitate in front of the chief minister s residence. Pointing at Goa Congress leaders opposing the release of water, he said "go protest in front of chief minister s residence. I as former chief minister and President of the party have made my honest efforts." Karnataka is seeking release of 7.56 tmcft water by Goa from the river for the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project, being undertaken to improve drinking water supply to the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and districts of Belagavi and Gadag in the state's northern region. The project involves building barrages across Kalasa and Banduri, tributaries of Mahadayi river, to divert this amount of water to the Malaprabha which meets drinking water needs of the region. Goa had earlier expressed its opposition to the out of court settlement of the dispute, and had not responded positively for the proposed meeting of chief ministers. Goa's willingness to consider an amicable settlement to the issue now has come after Shah mediated a meeting between BJP leaders from Karnataka and the party ruled western state. Besides Karnataka and Goa, Maharashtra is also a riparian state sharing the Mahadayi river waters. Chandigarh: Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president and Lok Sabha member Sunil Jakhar on Monday attacked the BJP, saying that its "stubborn and arrogant stance" ruined half of the Winter Session of Parliament. "The government deliberately called the Winter Session late so that the opposition could not disclose the failures of the government before the Gujarat polls," Gurdaspur MP Jakhar said here, adding "the stubborn and arrogant stance of the BJP in Parliament ruined half of the session." He alleged that the government was doing nothing to ensure smooth functioning of the House. Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on former prime minister Manmohan Singh as baseless, Jakhar said Modi should accept his mistake so that proceedings in Parliament could be resumed. He questioned Modi's promise to double farmers' income by 2022 saying the condition of the farmers across the country was actually worsening. The government does not want to talk about the problems of the country as it seeks to avoid being questioned by the Opposition on the work done by it, Jakhar said in a statement. New Delhi: 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 Doka la 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." New Delhi: The Congress will launch an "affirmative and positive" campaign in Rajasthan to counter the "acrimonious" charge of the BJP and advocate a new model of governance while highlighting the failures of the state government, Member of Parliament Sachin Pilot has said. Buoyed by the results of recent bye-elections to local bodies, where the Congress fared well, the party has decided to strengthen its base at the booth level and reach out to the masses through an aggressive mass contact programme to be launched soon, the Rajasthan Congress chief said. Unlike the BJP, the Congress campaign will not be reduced to their level of acrimonious campaign and will not be negative. We will instead launch an affirmative and positive campaign, where the failures of the Vasundhara Raje-led government will be highlighted, Pilot told PTI. The party has already launched its mera booth, mera gaurav (My booth, my pride)" campaign and will soon unroll its mass contact programme across the state. He said the Congress did not seek to reach out to the people merely on the failures of the BJP, but would offer them a better alternative. We will present the people with the blueprint of a model of alternative governance which will be holistic and inclusive, will care for the young and old, create jobs and have a vision to take the state forward, he said. Pilot said the workers in the state were already geared up and ready to tackle the BJP now that Rahul Gandhi had taken over the leadership of the Congress and infused new energy into it. The Rajasthan government has nothing to show for the four years that the BJP has been in power in the state, he said, charging it with selling off assets to generate money. This, Pilot stressed, was poor fiscal management. He alleged that the states assets, including buildings, schools, roadways, hospitals and other infrastructure, were being sold to a select few in the name of public-private partnerships. This is nothing but an example of poor fiscal management. Such a policy where precious assets of the state are given out to a select few at throw-away prices smacks of crony capitalism," he said. Once voted back to power, the Congress would "review and reverse all such decisions taken arbitrarily" and re-acquire the states assets, he added. Pilot said the Congress, which faced a historic defeat in 2013 when it could win only 21 of the 200 Assembly seats, had got its vigour back and in the just-concluded bypolls had won seven out of 14 urban local bodies. He said the vote share gap between the Congress and the BJP, which had widened to 25 per cent, had narrowed down to 1.5 percent in the state Panchayat elections held last year. In the Panchayat polls, the Congress won 45.5 percent of votes against the BJPs 47 per cent. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress was down to 31 percent, compared to the BJP's 56 percent. The former Union minister said the Congress party would now aggressively take its campaign forward while highlighting the problems of the jobless, farmers and the common man. This, he said, would be done through public rallies and by underlining the Congress's plans for the future. The Congress will "force" the BJP government in the state to announce farm loan waivers to help ease the burden of debt that farmers faced, he said. Pilot wondered why the government was dithering over loan waivers when it could bring in a law that allowed former chief ministers to select a house for their lifetime. "The people of the state did not vote the former chief ministers in so that they could have the power to have a house for life," he said. Asked about the mera booth, mera gaurav scheme, he said every leader would be put in charge of a booth and would launch a mass contact programme to reach out to every voter in the state. There are a total of 51,000 booths in the state. Rajasthan goes to the polls in 2018, along with Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Bengaluru: Union Minister Ananth Hegde has kicked up yet another controversy when he mocked at 'secularists' with his remark that they are unware of their parentage. The remark by the five-time Lok Sabha MP from Karnataka that comes months ahead of the Assembly elections in the southern state sparked condemnation from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who on Monday said the BJP leader does not know parliamentary or political language. Hegde, 49, said a new tradition was in vogue, where people project themselves as secular, but asserted he would feel "happy" if someone claims with pride that he is a Muslim, or a Christian, or a Lingayat, or a Brahmin, or a Hindu. "I feel happy because he (the person) knows about his blood, but I don't know what to call those who claim themselves secular," said the minister for skill development and entrepreneurship. "Those who, without knowing about their parental blood, call themselves secular, they don't have their own identity...They don't know about their parentage, but they are intellectuals," he said at an event organised by the Brahman Yuva Parishad in Kukanur town in Koppal district on Sunday. He launched the Parishad's website and women's wing on Sunday. Urging people to identify with their religion or caste, Hegde said, "I will bow to you, you are aware of your blood. But if you claim to be secular, there arises a doubt about who you are." He said he respects the Constitution but "it will be changed in the days to come". "We are here for that and that is why we have come." Hitting out at Hegde, Siddaramaiah said the minister has not studied the Constitution, does not know parliamentary or political language. He said Hegde has not learnt the social system and added that people belonging to various religions live in India. "Each and every individual in this country is an Indian, and every religion has equal right and opportunity. He does not have this basic knowledge," Siddaramaiah told reporters in Hubballi. Hegde is no stranger to controversies. A case was recently registered against him for allegedly using derogatory language against Siddaramaiah at Kittur in Belagavi district. He had been slapped with cases for his "hate speeches", including one where he allegedly equated Islam with terrorism. Commenting on the Tipu Sultan Jayanti controversy in Karnataka, Hegde was also quoted as having said at a public meeting that it is a matter of time before Chief Minister Siddaramaiah starts making people celebrate "Kasab Jayanti." Ajmal Kasab was the lone surviving gunman from the coordinated terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008 that left 166 people dead. Kasab was hanged four years later. Hegde was criticising Siddaramaiah for state-wide celebrations to mark Tipu Sultans birth anniversary on November 10. The union minister was known to be vehemently opposed to the state celebrations of Tipu Jayanti since it was started in 2015 and had called the festival a "shameful event glorifying a brutal killer." In the yesteryears, the results of the by-elections for the five Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, would have been passed off as routine local developments. At most, it would reflect on the popularity of the local leadership of the respective political parties. But things have changed with Narendra Modi at the helm as the prime minister and BJP as the ruling party at the Centre. In the current surcharged political atmosphere, random bypolls make big news. More so, if these polls are held in BJP-ruled states or in states where BJP is pitching to increase its support base. It is not without basis that over three years ago when Amit Shah took over as BJP president he had told leaders and workers at a partys national council meeting that they should take all elections panchayat, municipal, Assembly as well as parliamentary in all seriousness and should fight to win. In that context, Sundays bye-election results become important, not just because of the spread of these elections central, east, North East and South India but also because three seats (Sikandara in Uttar Pradesh and Pakke-Kessang and Likabali in Arunachal Prades) fell in BJP-ruled states while the other two (Sabang in West Bengal and RK Nagar in Tamil Nadu) were in states where BJP is pitching for glory. The BJP won the three seats in Uttar Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh while it increased its vote share in West Bengal's Sabang Assembly constituency traditionally a Congress seat from 2.6 percent in 2016 to 18 percent in 2017. Though the seat was won comfortably by Trinamool Congress, BJP's gain in the number of votes was a phenomenal 37,483. The bypoll in the RK Nagar Assembly constituency, once held by former Tamil Nadu chief minsiter J Jayalalithaa, of course, was a different ball game with jailed leader Sasikala's nephew TTV Dhinakaran winning the seat amid charges of votes being traded for money. The Congress, which claims to be on a revival mode couldnt even open its account losing all the seats (it supported DMK in RK Nagar). The party remained at the ebb in terms of voters' choice. Lets examine the bypoll results and its impact: The Sikandara seat in Kanpur Dehat had assumed additional significance because of three reasons first, it was primarily a rural seat where election had taken place amidst heated debates that BJP didnt perform well in rural areas because of its policies towards rural areas, farmers, in particular, were flawed. Second, Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) which had come second in the state Assembly election held earlier this year didnt contest this bypoll and it was believed that the party extended tacit support to Akhilesh Yadavs Samajwadi Party. And since it was held after the local civic body elections, it was yet another test of chief minister Yogi Adityanaths popularity and performance. The BJP won it with a good margin, continuing with its winning streak in the politically crucial state. The BJPs victory in Likabali and Pakke Kesang in the north-eastern state Arunachal Pradesh can be taken as a popular endorsement of Modis look east policy and his governments stand towards China. The boundaries of Arunachal Pradesh borders with China and China still claims Arunachal Pradesh as its territory. The victory is even sweeter for BJP because it comes ahead of the Assembly elections in three north-eastern states Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura. The significance of these by-elections can be measured from the fact that Modi and Amit Shah posted a series of tweets on these results. Both of them congratulated party workers and the people of the respective states, as also patting their own back for the policies put forward by the BJP governments in Uttar Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh. But what stood out was the manner in which both of them reacted to the poll pattern in the Sabang seat in West Bengal. They spoke about the present development with obvious optimism for the future. Modi tweeted: 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 Shah tweeted: 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 BJP is hoping to make better inroads in West Bengal in the 2019 General Election to Lok Sabha and hopes to compensate some losses it might suffer in some of the north and central Indian states where it won 100 percent or close to 100 percent seats in the 2014 General Election to Lok Sabha. Shah's another tweet, which was slightly sarcastic in nature and directed to Congress is noteworthy: 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. (sic). The BJP presidents remark is interesting because after the 18 December results, Congress and some analysts had injected new phraseology in bitterly fought electoral politics moral victory and victory in defeat even as the party had lost one more state Himachal Pradesh and let BJP return to power in Gujarat for a sixth consecutive term. Chennai: Apparently stung over her party polling lesser votes than NOTA in the RK Nagar bypoll, BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan on Monday appealed to voters to vote for a candidate who had ability and honesty. "Dear friends who vote for NOTA. Vote for one person among the candidates after studying their ability and honesty," she said in a tweet in Tamil. "Can good candidates also be ignored," she added. BJP candidate for the 21 December RK Nagar bypoll, Karu Nagarajan, polled 1,417 votes while None of the Above (NOTA) Category received 2,373 votes. The votes were counted on Sunday. Rival AIADMK candidate TTV Dhinakaran won the bypoll, defeating his nearest rival, AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan, by a margin of 40,707 votes. Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed his BJP's Bengal unit after the party gained a significant vote share in the Sabang Assembly bypoll in the state. The Bharatiya Janata Party, which clinched the third spot in the by-poll, was able to secure a vote share of about 19 percent from the share of 2.5 percent in last year's assembly polls. 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 Ruling Trinamool Congress' candidate Gita Rani Bhunia won the seat defeating her nearest rival, Rita Mondal of the CPM by a massive margin of over 64,000 votes. BJP's Antara Bhattacharyya bagged 37,483 votes, gaining a substantial number of votes in this bypoll as against about 5,000 votes secured by the party in 2016 Assembly elections. "Had common people been allowed to exercise their franchise, we would have got more favourable results. However, the results show that our party did well despite ruling party's terror activities," Bhattacharya claimed. Ahmedabad: The new BJP government in Gujarat, led by Vijay Rupani and his deputy Nitin Patel, will be sworn-in at a grand function in Gandhinagar on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Amit Shah, chief ministers of all BJP-ruled states and those governed by NDA allies are expected at the ceremony, to be held at an open ground near the state secretariat, Gujarat BJP president Jitu Vaghani said. Several Union ministers and other senior leaders of the party have also been invited for the swearing-in ceremony. "We have also invited saints and religious leaders of various faiths to give us their blessings," Vaghani said. On 23 December, the state BJP leaders met Governor O P Kohli and staked claim to form the government. The governor accepted the BJP's claim and asked the party to form the next government. Rupani and Patel were elected respectively as the leader and the deputy leader of the BJP legislature party on December 22, in presence of central observers - Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and the party's general secretary Saroj Pandey. The BJP secured a simple majority by winning 99 seats in the 182-member Assembly in the recently-held elections. The party's tally this time came down by 16 seats. It had secured 115 seats in 2012. This is the sixth consecutive time that the BJP has won the elections in Gujarat. The opposition Congress, which won 61 seats in 2012, managed to increase its tally to 77 this time. With its allies, the Congress' strength in the Assembly is up at 80 seats. Kolkata: BJP leaders in West Bengal are struggling to meet a mass outreach target set by party chief Amit Shah ahead of the panchayat elections even as the party grapples with infighting and lack of coordination among the state BJP members. A section of the BJP's central leadership believes that the party is making steady inroads into the Trinamool Congress-ruled Bengal, once a bastion of the Left Front, but owing to several reasons its state unit has not been able to capitalise on the wave fully. The results of various elections that followed the 2016 Assembly polls have shown a steep rise in party's vote share and paved way for its emergence as the prime challenger to the ruling TMC in Bengal. Although the state BJP leadership received a pat on its back from none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday for a significant rise in ballot share with 18 percent votes, a senior leader admitted that the party still has a long way to go to woo its voters. "We are yet to reach out to all 77,000 booths in the state. Our party president Amit Shah, during his visit to Bengal earlier this year, had set a target for creation of booth committees by the end of 2017. But we have been able to meet just 65 to 70 percent of the target," a senior central BJP leader told PTI on the condition of anonymity. Kailash Vijayvargiya, BJP national general secretary and the Bengal in-charge, however, said the work to constitute committees would most likely be over by next month. "We hope that the work will be completed (forming booth-level committees) by January 2018," he said. The party's central leadership has also stressed on the need to rope in intellectuals who act as catalysts in creating public opinion. "Due to infighting among a section of leaders the overall growth of the party is getting hampered. A section of leaders is not happy with the present leadership's high-handedness and has become inactive," a senior state BJP leader said. West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh too agreed that the party is yet to reach out to all the booths of the state. "It is true that we have not been able to reach out to all booths. There are reasons behind it. In minority-dominated districts of Malda, Murshidabad and Nadia, we have a support base, but no one is ready to man the booth committees fearing backlash by the TMC and a section of minorities," Ghosh said. Ghosh, however, rubbished allegations of high-handedness and said had it been so, the party would not have been able to increase its vote share in various elections. According to state BJP leaders, the party is facing resistance in 30 percent minority booths. BJP national joint general secretary (organisation) Shivprakash, who is also the co-incharge of the Bengal unit, said the performance of the party in the state is only getting better. "The performance is not bad, we are growing steadily. I will not call it satisfactory but it is encouraging," he told PTI. The party's minority morcha, however, has tasted some success with its mandal committees covering over 85 per cent of their job. On an average, a mandal committee has 70-80 booths under it, depending upon the size of the area. "We will complete the rest of our work by this month. And we are also organising a state conference of Minority Morcha on January 11 next year," the president of West Bengal BJP Minority Morcha, Ali Hossain, told PTI. A collection of more than 1,000 books taken from a shuttered, female-led abbey in southern Germany is being preserved and digitized, to the delight of scholars who had feared it might be lost. The rarest and most valuable tomes the Altomuenster Abbey include manuscripts with colorful illustrations from the late 15th and early 16th century, but experts say items like recipe books are also invaluable to the study of the Bridgettines, helping tell the tale of what daily life was like behind the closed doors of the monastery hundreds of years ago. "It's a great victory for scholarship," said Volker Schier, a Bridgettine scholar and researcher at the Catholic University Leuven, in Belgium, who was one of the instigators of a petition with some 2,000 signatures urging the preservation of the books. Search Keywords: Short link: The exoneration of A Raja and the conviction of a metaphorical 'Raja' Lalu Prasad Yadav (he used to call himself the 'Raja of Bihar'), reveal what a complex web governance in India is. Raja's exoneration in the 2G scam was quickly followed by Lalu's conviction in the fodder scam. In both cases, the respective CBI courts delivered verdicts which are being conveniently and liberally interpreted by the accused. Look at the manner in which Raja, Kanimozhi and their colleagues in the DMK are expressing jubilation over the court's verdict and describing it as "triumph of the truth". Quoting the verdict, they call the 2G scam nothing but a figment of the imagination of some conspirators out to destroy the "impeccable" image of the UPA government. And who else could be the chief conspirator but Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself! Now turn to Ranchi where Lalu, after being convicted, discovered that he is in the league of "Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King and BR Ambedkar". He claimed himself to be on the side of truth and blamed the BJP and the prime minister for purveying falsehoods leading to his conviction. He also hinted at a conspiracy of upper castes to corner him. And, once again, the lead role in this conspiracy was assigned to none other than Modi. A careful reading of the verdict of OP Saini, additional sessions judge of the special CBI court, shows that he clearly blames the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate for carrying out "shoddy investigations" and failing to produce a shred of incriminating evidence to prove the existence of a scam. Obviously, the CBI's investigation and its prosecution annoyed the court to the extent that it found no merit in the claims of wrongdoings in 2G spectrum allocations. Contrast this with Lalu's case. Here, you will find that the CBI has investigated the fodder scam in a meticulous manner, leading to Lalu's conviction. Two diametrically opposite results, two diametrically opposite causes CBI's sloppy work in one and fine sleuthing in the other but the conclusion is the same: that the BJP in general and Modi, in particular, are out to destroy the reputation of their political adversaries. Along with this runs the theme of the CBI and the ED being used by the government to target the Opposition. If one goes by the statements of Lalu, Raja and certain Congress leaders, it would appear that all institutions, including the Judiciary, are mere puppets in the government's hand. Is there any iota of truth in these allegations? Let's look at some undeniable facts surrounding both these cases. Right from the word go, both cases were strictly monitored by the Supreme Court. In the 2G case, much before the BJP came to power and could take it up, the Supreme Court clearly indicted the government and found fault with Raja's indiscretion in tweaking policies to favour certain individuals. The scam was investigated successively by two CBI chiefs AP Singh and Ranjit Sinha both considered very close to the Congress. While Singh's proximity to Ahmed Patel was quite evident during the UPA tenure, Sinha was initially too close to the UPA regime but switched sides before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, in anticipation of a change. So, to say the CBI spoiled the case under influence of their political bosses, UPA or NDA, is to actually cast aspersions on the Supreme Court itself. This point is not made lightly. The Supreme Court went to extreme lengths to try and insure the CBI against political interference. Notably, it enforced its decision on the CBI and the ED to retain a particular set of investigating officers (some with dubious credentials) and handpicked the prosecutor who would pursue the 2G case. Neither the CBI nor the ED was given any latitude to choose investigators and determine the course of prosecution as everything came under the SC's mandate, which almost crippled the government's role. The reality is that the government has let the agencies function as per the direction of the SC to proceed with the case. In effect, the CBI court's judgment reads like an indictment of the SC, which assumed for itself a role beyond the constitutional mandate infringing on the executive's domain. In the fodder scam case, the meticulous investigation carried out by the CBI established Lalu's culpability. It is no secret that in UPA's tenure, Lalu desperately tried to get rid of the fodder scam by employing all means, fair and foul. He approached the SC with a request to club together all cases related to the fodder scam in order to manipulate the situation in his favour. His adversaries in the court, however, were vigilant enough to foil all his attempts. Given the history of the fodder case, it is quite evident that the investigation and prosecution were hardly ever tinkered with by the Modi government. Then how does one interpret the allegation of over-centralisation of power in the PMO or with Modi? The acquittal of Raja and conviction of Lalu reveal a lot about Modi's style of functioning. The manner in which Raja was let off the hook was a reflection of professional incompetence of the ED and the CBI. Similarly, Lalu's conviction is indicative of professional hard work and competence of another set of officers from the same CBI. The PMO's influence is completely absent in both the cases. This runs quite contrary to Modi's image of being a 'control-freak'. Far from it, if these two high profile cases with divergent results prove anything, it is that Modi would much rather let petty political criminals meet their nemesis through due process of law. Reuters 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 24 December, though he stressed no decision had yet been made. 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. But the Israeli source said any digital currency introduced by the countrys central bank would be centralised, safe and abide by money laundering rules - in contrast to bitcoin and its peers, which are decentralised 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. 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. 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. "Not letting us contest the election is impossible," 41-year-old Alexie Navalny recently said in a blog post. The anti-corruption activist from Moscow is being considered the formidable foe Russia president Vladimir Putin has faced during 18 years in power. Though Navalny is prohibited from seeking political office because of a criminal conviction that is largely viewed as retribution and may not be able to run in the upcoming Russia presidential election taking place in March 2018, on Sunday he submitted all documents needed to register as a candidate to the Cheif Election Commission of Russia. Navalny can enter the race if he gets special dispensation or the conviction is thrown out. The commission has the time of five days to decide whether or not Navalny will be registered. On Sunday, Navalny appeared confident as hundreds of supporters nominated him for president, allowing him to submit the endorsement papers required for candidacy and putting pressure on the Kremlin to allow him to run in the Russian presidential election, scheduled to take place in March 2018. According to Reuters, the anti-corruption activist won the initial support of 742 people at a gathering in a district of Moscow, above the minimum 500 required to initiate a presidential bid. There is no large-scale support for Putin and his rule in this country, Navalny told a gathering of supporters on Sunday, calling Putin a "bad president". The Western-educated lawyer says he is the only Russian politician who has been conducting a genuine election campaign, travelling to far-flung regions over the past year and urging everyday Russians to vote for him. "An election without us is not an election," Navalny declared before submitting the papers, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Putin, 65, is seeking a fourth term in office as president. The Russia president, who enjoys approval ratings of 80 percent, according to Russian agencies, is expected to sail to victory against token opponents, despite a litany of problems such as corruption, poor healthcare, and increasing poverty. But does Navalny have what it takes to end Putin's run for the fourth term and prevent him from becoming the longest-serving Russian leader since dictator Joseph Stalin? Born on 4 June, 1976 at Butyn, Navalny graduated in law in 1998 from Moscow's Friendship of the Peoples University, says Al-Jazeera. "He rose to prominence in Russian politics in 2008 when he started blogging about alleged corruption at some of Russia's big state-controlled corporations," the report adds. According to reports, Navalny became minor shareholders in big national companies and would ask uncomfortable questions about state finances and corruption. Navalny relies a lot on social media to reach out to his supporters, mostly from the younger generation in Russia, and while talking about issues related to corruption. "Ahead of the 2011 parliamentary election in Russia, which he did not fight as a candidate, Navalny urged his blog readers to vote for any party except United Russia, which he dubbed the 'party of crooks and thieves'. The phrase stuck," writes BBC of the Russian opposition leader. Putin was re-elected in 2011, however, the anti-Putin rallies that shook Russia from 2011 to 2012 following claims of vote-rigging in the parliamentary polls, helped Navalny rise to prominence. BBC adds that Navalny was "arrested following the first protest on 5 December, 2011... but emerged to speak at the biggest of the post-election rallies in Moscow on 24 December, attended by as many as 120,000 people". Official figures quote the attendance at 24,000. Though the protests died down, the Investigative Committee in Russia "launched criminal investigations into Navalny's past activities, even questioning his credentials as a lawyer". In 2013, Navalny contested the mayoral election in Moscow, his first major formal election, against Sergei Sobyanin, a Kremlin-backed candidate. The activist lawyer came second, securing 27 percent votes. "Navalny launched hundreds of lawsuits contesting the victory of his rival," says Al-Jazeera. BBC informs that Navalny was briefly jailed in July 2013 for embezzling timber worth $500,000 in the city of Kirov. He was awarded a five-year sentence during the first trial. According to The Guardian, during the trial, Navalny vowed that he and his colleagues will "destroy the feudal system in Russia where 83% of the national wealth belongs to 0.5 percent of the country". Though the conviction was overturned by the Russian Supreme Court, in 2017, he was handed down a five-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of about $8,500. Navalny had then termed it an attempt to "bar him from running the presidency in 2018". In 2015, Navalny had to serve 15 days in prison for distributing pamphlets for an opposition rally on the subway. Navalny's tryst with courts and the authorities has led some to parallel him with the Russian oligarch, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, however, he has faced criticism from the anti-Putin camp as well. Liberals in Russia detest Navalny for his 'flirtations' with ultra-conservative groups. At the same time, his education at Yale University has led some Russian nationalists to suspect his ties with the US. Navalny, however, has built a robust protest movement that includes nearly 200,000 campaign volunteers despite persistent harassment of himself and his supporters and his offices being vandalised. Just this year he has served three jail sentences of 15 days, 25 days and 20 days for organising unauthorised anti-Putin protests. All of which has actually helped Navalny tap into the anger of a younger generation of Russians yearning for change. Many critics scoff at Navalny's Kremlin bid but the plucky lawyer 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. During his end-of-the-year news conference this month Putin said the opposition was hoping for a "coup" when asked why Navalny had been barred from running. At a congress of the ruling United Russia party, Putin on Saturday said the opposition should have a "clear programme of positive actions". "We should respect the capable and responsible opposition. And being such opposition means not only having a desire, a readiness to argue with the authorities or accuse them of all mortal sins," said Putin, who refuses to mention Navalny by name in public. With inputs from agencies Brussels: 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 organising 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 23 January, 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 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 proposal from Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy even if this offer fell short of an offer of independence. If the Spanish state has a proposal for Catalonia, we should listen, Puigdemont said, asking for a dialogue of equals. 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. 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. Cairo: A campaign backing Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said on 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, Xinhua reported. 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. Tunis: Dubai airline Emirates will stop flying to Tunisia, it said on Sunday, after the North African country said it had banned flights from the United Emirates carrier. 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. Emirates said on Twitter it would stop its Dubai-Tunis connection from Monday following instructions from Tunisia. The Tunisian transport ministry said in a statement earlier that Emirates flights would be suspended until the UAE airline found a way to operate according to international law and treaties. The UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, said on Twitter both countries had been in contact about the security measure information, without elaborating. He added that the UAE valued and respected Tunisian women. In Tunisia anger has been building after women said they had been banned at Tunis airport from boarding Emirates flights to Dubai. Tunisian civil organizations and political parties called on the government to act. Even a cursory reading of the recently released US National Security Strategy (NSS) 2017 projects China as the principle economic and security threat for America. The economic threat from China and other non-democratic states is a major concern in the document. It discusses repressive regimes which have exploited international institutions, subsidised their industries, forced technology transfers, distorted markets and consequently threatened Americas economic security. These states advocate free trade rhetoric and exploit its benefits in the international arena. However, in their domestic economy, they use non-tariff barriers, dumping, manipulative rules and regulations, and industrial subsidies to restrict market access. President Donald Trump himself, in the foreword, raises the issue of unfair trade practices of these regimes and holds them responsible for a majority of Americas economic woes. Moreover, the NSS acknowledges that the last two decades of US policy of engaging these rival repressive regimes in the belief that they would turn into benign actors and trustworthy partners has come to naught. Instead, these rival states have emerged as strategic competitors and augmented their conventional and nuclear military capabilities. Further, they have become skilled at operating below the threshold of military conflict, through hostile actions cloaked in deniability. Here, its not difficult to correlate these NSS statements to Chinas salami-slicing strategy or the use of naval militia to harass US naval operations in the Western Pacific. Therefore, US intends to protect four vital national interests, namely, protection of American people, territory and way of life, promotion of American prosperity, rebuilding of the US military and advancement of American influence in multilateral institutions and regional security architectures. The NSS further argues that China and Russia want to shape a world antithetical to US values and interests. China seeks to displace the US in the Indo-Pacific region, expand the influence of its state-driven economic model and reorder the region in its favour. The Chinese development of advanced weapons and capabilities could threaten Americas critical infrastructure and the command and control architecture. Moreover, China gathers and exploits data on an unrivalled scale and as it spreads its authoritarian system. Chinese access to Americas innovation economy through its world-class universities and other access methods provide China leads in data science, encryption, autonomous technologies, gene editing, new materials, nanotechnologies, advanced computing technologies and artificial intelligence. These advanced technologies are critical to US economic growth and security. However, this annual haemorrhage of hundreds of billions worth of the US intellectual property has put the US National Security Industrial Base under threat. Therefore, the NSS is an overarching policy document of the Trump Administration to stop this haemorrhage and rebuild the US economic and military capabilities. NSS met with Chinese disapproval As expected, the NSS has come under extensive discussion in the Chinese discourse on global politics. The emergence of a competitive world and the importance of Americas economic prosperity for military dominance are often highlighted. However, the Trump Administrations US first agenda is construed to be a protectionist measure, potentially creating fissures in its relationship with its allies. Chinese scholars emphasise that on many issues, such as defence expenditure, climate change, immigration and Iran, the US and its European allies differ in their approaches. In addition, the NSS' theme runs counter to Sino-US bilateral cooperation and trade interdependence. In reality, the idea of mutual containment or a zero-sum approach is neither feasible nor desirable. Moreover, the Chinese government cannot help but notice that a total of 33 references to China were made in the NSS and most of them were negative in tone. The US designation of Chinese ambitions as one of the three main threats to its national security has rankled many among the Chinese establishment. The official spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs termed it as malicious slander and distortion of Chinas strategic intent. In retrospect, Sino-US relations have changed in nature and character comprehensively over the last few decades. Although the Obama government did talk about the pivot to Asia, it still regarded China as a strategic partner. This diplomatic finesse was often used to hammer out solutions to intricate problems of bilateral disagreement. China believes that the Trump Administration is, in contrast, using the overt and forceful designation of China as a strategic competitor and a national security threat, to put pressure on Beijing and force it to toe the American line. However, Trumps toughness is based not on international laws but on Americas comprehensive strength and thus the NSS insists on maintaining US hegemony in the world. None of this is acceptable to Beijing or Moscow. In fact, the NSS sounds more belligerent in the South China Sea littorals than the countries inhabiting the region. China believes that it has been improving its relationship with its neighbours in the Western Pacific and its the US that has been playing the role of the instigator in the region. Another line of Chinese experts argue that the NSS indicates that China hardliners in the Trump Cabinet are gaining currency. These hardliners have ushered in multiple policies such as investigation into Chinas joint venture requirements, shareholding restrictions and technology transfer restrictions. The anti-dumping investigations on steel and aluminium have further aggravated concern in China that a trade war with the US might be in the offing. Further, US investigations seem aimed at increasing its economic bargaining leverage with China. In contrast, China intends to replace the US as the technology innovation economy, especially in artificial intelligence, aerospace and advanced military technologies through its Made in China-2025 strategy. Therefore, the contradiction in Sino-US aspirations and the hardening of attitudes on both sides is inevitable. Although, the US is the strongest and largest economy, a trade and currency war with China will be a lose-lose situation that China would rather avoid. NSS has given China the moral high ground In sum, the US National Security Strategy is a reassertion of Trumps campaign promises to act against China in economy and military domains. However, the international political system has undergone a structural transformation in the last decade. Although the US retains significant economic and military advantage, Chinese strength in both these domains is considerable as well. Moreover, China considers the Trump administration diplomatically immature in its first year of existence. Therefore, although Chinese official reactions give an appearance that China is rattled due to the NSS, that is in fact not the case. Instead, the NSS has provided China a moral high ground from where it can berate the Trump administration on its derogatory actions that will harm the world peace and global trade. The economic strength and reasonable military capabilities have given China sufficient confidence to insist that a Group-2 mechanism of understanding between China and the US is necessary for international stability and growth. Moreover, this confidence leads China to uncover the hollowness of American attempts to contain China. Therefore, China will consider the US National Security Strategy, 2017 in the same fashion as the numerous human rights reports on China, published every year. As long as the language of these documents remains vague and devoid of any tactical actions, the Chinese government will not consider them worth the paper they are written on. The author is an adjunct research fellow at Griffith University and specialises in Asian security and the Chinese foreign policy. He has previously worked as a consultant to the Indian Government and taught at the University of Queensland and Monash University. Teleskof, Iran: Inside the newly renovated Church of Saint George in the Northern Iraqi town of Teleskof, Hayat Chamoun Daoud led children dressed as Santa Claus singing Jingle Bells in Aramaic. Like every other resident of Teleskof, this was Daouds first Christmas back home in three years, since Islamic State militants overran her town and forcibly displaced its 12,000-strong Chaldean Christian community. Its so special to be back in my church, the church where I got married, the church I raised my children in, the school headmistress said, tears in her eyes. Faced with a choice to convert, pay a tax or die, Daoud, like many other Christians in the Nineveh Plains, chose to flee. Most sought refuge in nearby towns and cities, but many sought permanent asylum abroad. Though the militants were only in Teleskof for a few days, residents only began returning home earlier in 2017. On Sunday, they celebrated their first Christmas together again at the towns main church, which was overflowing. Hundreds of congregants, dressed in their finest, poured in to pray and receive communion from Father Salar Bodagh, who later lit the traditional bonfire in the churchs courtyard, a symbol of renewal he said. Joy soaked in tears Despite the obvious joys of being able to celebrate openly once again, it was a bittersweet Christmas for most across the Nineveh Plains, the epicentre of Iraqs ancient Christian communities which can trace their history in the country back two millennia. Though Iraq declared full victory over the militants just two weeks ago after a brutal three-year war, the damage done to Christian enclaves was extensive, and left many wondering whether they could overcome their recent history. Islamic State ravaged Christian areas, looting and burning down homes and churches, stripping them of all valuable artifacts and smashing relics. The damage in Qaraqosh, a town 15 kilometres (10 miles) west of Mosul also known as Hamdaniya, was extensive, particularly to the towns ancient churches. At the Syrian Catholic Church of the Immaculate, congregants gathered for midnight Mass on Sunday surrounded by scorched and blackened walls, still tagged with Islamic State graffiti. They also sat on donated plastic chairs - the church has not yet been able to replace the wooden pews the militants used to fuel the massive fire which engulfed the church. Most families will require tens of thousands of dollars to repair their homes and replace their stolen goods. But most say they can overcome the material damage, unlike the forced separation of their families. Before the militant onslaught, Qaraqosh was the largest Christian settlement in Iraq, with a population of more than 50,000. But on Monday, only a few hundred families have returned. Entire congregations have moved overseas, such as the Syriac Orthodox congregation of the Church of Mart Shmony. On Saturday afternoon, Father Butros Kappa, the head of Qaraqoshs Church of the Immaculate was trying hard to summon any sense of hope to deliver his congregation during Christmas Mass. Well have a Christmas Mass like in previous years, but this year, ours will be a joy soaked in tears, because all of our people have left Iraq, said Father Kappa. Holding Mass in the singed and upturned ruins of his church was therefore important, he said, to remind everyone that despite the tragedies that have befallen us, were still here. 'No future for us' In Teleskof, 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of Mosul and itself one of the oldest continuing Christian communities in the world, some families were skipping Mass altogether upset at their forced dispersal. We usually celebrate with our entire family, said Umm Rita, as she prepared the traditional Christmas Day dish of pacha (sheeps head, trotters and stomach all slowly boiled) at her home. But how can we be happy this year? Our brothers and sisters, even my own daughter, her husband and child Ive never met have all moved away. Community leaders estimate more than 7,000 of Teleskofs residents are now scattered across Iraq and its semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region, the United States, Australia, Germany, Lebanon and Jordan. Amid ongoing tensions between the central government in Baghdad and Iraqs Kurds after a referendum on Kurdish independence was held over Baghdads objections in September, Teleskofs residents fear violence once again. We just want to live in peace, said Umm Rita. We are more anxious now than when Islamic State was in our homes. Our community has been gutted, said Firas Abdelwahid, a 76-year-old former state oil employee, of the thousands who have sought permanent shelter overseas. Watching children play by the church bonfire, he felt melancholy. But what do we expect? The past is tragic, the present is desperate and well, there is no future for us Christians in Iraq. Lahore: Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed has opened the first office of the Milli Muslim League (MML) in Lahore, days after the Pakistan government said the group would breed violence and extremism in politics while opposing a plea seeking its registration as a political party. Saeed has confirmed that his organisation Jammat-ud-Dawah (JuD) would contest the 2018 general elections under the banner of the MML. The MML is the offshoot of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and JuD, according to the government. The MML had challenged the Election Commission's order in October that had declined its registration as a political party. Saeed on Sunday inaugurated the office in Lahore's National Assembly-120 constituency from where a JuD member had contested by-polls in September. Despite refusal from the interior ministry to register the MML as a political party, Saeed pressed ahead with his plans to take the political plunge. The Pakistan government has requested a court in Islamabad not to consider Saeed-backed MML's plea seeking its registration as a political party, saying the group would breed violence and extremism in politics. The interior ministry has categorically made it clear that the state will not allow mainstreaming of jihad outfits. Saeed's visit and opening of political office in Lahore indicate that he has ambitious plans to enter into politics. During his visit on Mohni Road area adjacent to Data Sahib shrine, he listened to civic problems of people. People welcomed Saeed by showering rose petals on his vehicle in the area. The JuD headquarters in Chauburji also falls in NA-120. The MML had secured the fourth position with 6,000 votes, double than that of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamaat-i-Islami combined. Saeed, who carries a bounty of $10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities, walked free on November 24 after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. He was under detention since January 2017. The banned JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the LeT which carried out the 2008 Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people were killed. There's a new kid on the block this holiday season as online giant Amazon creeps into the physical realm, with 13 brick-and-mortar stores Bookstores are a go-to for the procrastinating gift-getter, a one-stop shop that has a little something for everyone. But there's a new kid on the block this holiday season as online giant Amazon creeps into the physical realm, with 13 brick-and-mortar stores across the United States and counting. In the upscale Washington suburb of Bethesda, the sector's transformation is playing out in full view: traditional bookstore Barnes & Noble is closing up shop and Amazon is coming to town -- with a gleaming new store soon to open not two minutes' walk away. "I think the elephant in the room is Amazon," said Donna Paz Kaufman, a Florida-based industry consultant. "Anybody in publishing is concerned about the tremendous market share that Amazon has garnered." Since it began soaring to e-commerce domination in 1995, Amazon has been a thorn in the side of independent bookstores and big-box chains alike, with Borders shuttered in 2011. Barnes & Noble's numbers, meanwhile, are dwindling. The regal, three-level Barnes & Noble in Bethesda feels like more than just a store: coffee drinkers overlook passers-by, while children gather around a storytelling stage, decorated with woodland creatures. But Barnes & Noble says it was unable to agree on a lease extension, and the shop will close in January after two decades. Up in arms, over 5,600 people signed a petition urging the Federal Realty Investment Trust -- the property owner -- to "strike a fair leasing deal" and keep Barnes & Noble open. Sarah Pekkanen, a local author whose first book signing was in the store, dubbed the closure "a loss." "I bring my kids there all the time, I know some of the people who work there," she told AFP. "It's always sad when a good bookstore closes." Though itself a big-box store that at its zenith menaced independent sellers, long-time customer Liz Cummings said Barnes & Noble "became a part of the community." But although she is dismayed by the loss, Cummings, who directs a local writing center, is welcoming Amazon's neighborhood debut. "There's no concern as far as I can tell, because people want to be able to browse for books," said Cummings. "We'll take it." Amazon told AFP it will stock only bestselling or highly rated titles and feature local authors in the store, which it said is "all about discovery." For the industry, which includes an increasing number of independents according to the American Booksellers Association, welcoming Amazon is more of a challenge -- but not something to pout over. "Our culture is at risk if there isn't diversity in the number of outlets selling books," said analyst Kaufman. She believes Amazon's move into the brick-and-mortar market -- with stores selling books and technology like the Kindle e-reader and Fire tablet -- is about accessing a certain type of customer. "We know that their interest in the bookstore world is really a portal," she said. "You have upscale, educated, higher income customers who are early adopters in technology." "They started with books because they wanted the profile of those customers that would then buy a lot of other things." But independent bookstores are here to stay, she said, as they can dodge the key issue of scale, which crippled big chains. Plus, "younger people want authenticity," she said. "They're not necessarily big on big," she explained -- adding consumers are "looking for something beyond the click." Her assessment echoes an upcoming Harvard Business School study on the resurgence of independent bookstores, whose numbers -- according to the study, citing the ABA -- rose 35 percent between 2009 to 2015, having plummeted 43 per cent between 1995 and 2000. Study author Ryan Raffaeli said community engagement, thoughtful curation and "convening" -- hosting events to attract like-minded customers -- help independent shops survive and thrive. Testament to these findings are ex-Washington Post journalist Bradley Graham and his wife Lissa Muscatine -- former speech writer for Hillary Clinton -- who took over iconic Washington bookstore Politics and Prose in 2011, and have enjoyed record sales ever since. Their store is located almost equidistant from Bethesda and Washington's posh Georgetown neighborhood -- which also lost its Barnes & Noble in 2011, and is slated to get an Amazon Books on the very same block. While Graham admits Amazon's "convenience and cost" is hard to beat, he believes there is "room in the market for them as well as us." He likens local bookshops to community centers -- and he's not convinced the cyberspace behemoth can replicate that crucial human touch. "We're more really agents of culture than instruments of commerce," he said. Although independents have "weathered the storm," Graham said, bookselling remains a game of narrow margins, with non-book offerings and behind-the-scenes technology crucial to boosting revenue and shaving administrative costs. Still, he remains upbeat about bookstores' prospects. "The book, with some improvement, has existed for several centuries, so that's reassuring," he jokes, reflecting that the "faddishness that first greeted e-books" has somewhat worn off. As for Amazon, his message clear: "Welcome to the neighborhood," he said. "Bring it on." Search Keywords: Short link: Lyon: Around 150 skiers in the French Alps were rescued after being trapped for several hours when their ski lift broke down on Sunday. The rescue operation lasted about two hours, Franck Lecoutre, head of the tourism office in the Chamrousse ski resort, near Grenoble, told AFP. "They will all be in time for Christmas Eve," he said, noting that no one had been hurt. The weather was clear for the rescue operation. The breakdown, whose cause was unknown, occurred around 1400 GMT on the ski lifts which link the resort of Chamrousse, located at 1,650 metres (5,400 feet) above sea level, with the summit of Croix Chamrousse at 2,250 metres. The weather was clear. The gondola cars run 25 meters (82 feet) above the ground. The incident affected 70 gondolas, each capable of carrying 10 people, rescuers said. The operation involved two helicopters, with rescuers lowered on top of the gondolas to help the trapped skiers descend to the slopes with the help of ropes, David Gendre, a member of the rescue team, told AFP. Violaine Demaret, the prefecture official told The Associated Press, that two civil security helicopters dropped rescue personnel over every car to open the roof hatches, release the skiers inside and lower them down to safety. The Croix de Chamrousse ski lift was set up in 2009 to replace a cable car and two chair lifts. With inputs from agencies Tehran: Iran's Supreme Court has approved the death sentence of an Iranian researcher accused of spying for Israel. Ahmad Reza Jalali, who has been jailed since April 2016, was shown on state TV earlier this month confessing to providing information to Israel's Mossad spy agency about Iranian military and nuclear scientists, including two who were assassinated in 2010. It was not clear if he was speaking under duress. Rights groups say detainees in Iran are often denied due process. The semi-official ISNA news agency reported the court's decision today. It is not clear when the sentence will be carried out. The ruling is not subject to appeal. Washington: It's the question every good little girl and boy asks on Christmas Eve: When is Santa coming? As it has done every year since 1955, a Canadian and American defence agency is tracking the jolly old man's path around the globe in his reindeer-powered sleigh. A 3D, interactive website at www.noradsanta.org shows Santa on his delivery route, allowing users to click to learn more about the various cities along the way. The Santa tracker presented by the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) dates to 1955, when a Colorado newspaper advertisement printed a phone number to connect children with St Nick mistakenly directed them to the hotline for the military nerve centre. To avoid disappointing the little ones, NORAD's director of operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, ordered his staff to check the radar to see where Santa might be and update the children on his location. When not spreading holiday cheer, NORAD conducts aerospace and maritime control and warning operations including monitoring for missile launches from North Korea, something that may have been on Santa's mind as he passed over the country's capital of Pyongyang. "NORAD radars have sensed movement near the North Pole. It appears that the elves have finished loading Santa's sleigh and Santa has lifted off! Even loaded with all the gifts and goodies, Santa's sleigh seems to be moving lightning fast," the website said in a video clip at the launch of Santa's global journey. As of 15.45 GMT, Santa was headed for the Indonesia capital of Jakarta, having already left nearly 1.5 billion gifts for sleeping children in countries including New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan, the Philippines, and Malaysia. In 2017, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania, who are spending the holidays at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, were expected to participate in Santa Tracker calls Sunday afternoon. Volunteers manning the NORAD phone line included military members in uniform, with a soldier completing his look with a camouflage Santa hat, according to photos on the website's Twitter account. The Santa tracker "has become a magical tradition for generations of families everywhere," General Lori Robinson, commander of the US Northern Command and NORAD, told Politico. "While certainly a reminder that we have the watch defending North America, our ultimate goal is to provide good will and cheer during the holiday season." Volunteers are armed with a 14-page handbook detailing the "tracking operation," Politico reported. "When a rocket or missile is launched, a tremendous amount of heat is produced enough for the satellites to see them," it says. "Rudolph's nose gives off an infrared signature similar to a missile launch. The satellites detect Rudolph's bright red nose with no problem." Lima: Peru's jailed ex-president Alberto Fujimori, who was serving a 25-year sentence for corruption and rights abuses, has been pardoned on humanitarian grounds, the presidency announced on Monday. Fujimori was transferred from his cell to a clinic on Saturday suffering from low blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat. The 79-year-old had a "sudden drop of pressure with marked arrhythmia," doctors said. "He is making adequate progress in the intensive care unit," said his physician Alejandro Aguinaga. "He will remain hospitalized for as long as necessary, until he has stabilized." Fujimori, in office from 1990 to 2000 and imprisoned since 2005, was admitted amid rumors that he could be pardoned this Christmas. Speculation about a pardon arose after his lawmaker son Kenji broke ranks with the ex-president's daughter Keiko, who leads the Peruvian Opposition and was pushing last week to impeach President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. That allowed Kuczynski to survive a Congressional session on whether to impeach him. Analysts debated whether the president would pay off his political debt to Kenji Fujimori by pardoning his disgraced father. Fujimori has been admitted to hospital on several previous occasions, the last time in September. Despite his conviction for human rights abuses, Fujimori retains a level of popularity in Peru for having defeated the Marxist guerillas of The Shining Path and for stabilizing the economy after a period of crisis. On Thursday Kuczynski survived a 14-hour session in Congress that failed by eight votes to institute impeachment proceedings. Kuczynski had been accused of taking $5 million in bribes from Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht and then lying to cover his tracks. Davao: Philippine authorities ordered a criminal investigation on Monday into a shopping mall fire that authorities said likely killed 37 people, including call centre staff from an American firm. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre announced the inquiry as firemen prepared to enter what remained of the NCCC mall in the southern city of Davao where they hope to retrieve those who perished in Saturday's blaze. The fire compounded the Christmas misery in the south of the mainly Catholic nation where tens of thousands were also displaced by floods and landslides from a storm that also killed more than 200 others on Friday. "The loss of lives and the resulting damage... underscore the need to determine if someone is at fault and should be held criminally liable," Aguirre said in a statement. "By punishing those responsible, we can set an example to others so that, hopefully, there will be no repetition of those tragedies," he added. Deadly blazes occur regularly in the Philippines, particularly in slum areas where there are virtually no fire safety standards. Relatives of the missing said many of those still unaccounted for were staff from a call centre for the US-based market research company SSI that occupied the building's top floor. Local authorities on Sunday said no-one trapped in the fire would have survived but firemen have only managed to retrieve one unidentified body so far. The Davao fire marshal had on Sunday described the shopping mall as "an enclosed space with no ventilation", though the authorities said they had yet to determine the cause of the blaze. The building's administrators on Sunday denied allegations from survivors that there were inadequate emergency fire exits and that some of them were locked. "There is no truth to that allegation. In fact as per accounts of those who got out, they were able get out thru the fire exit," Thea Padua, the mall's public relations officer, told AFP by text message. Some relatives of those missing criticised rescuers for what they felt was the slow pace of recovery efforts. "They seem so relaxed," said Jolita Basalan, weeping as she waited for news of her missing 29-year-old son Jonas who worked at the call centre. "They are not pained because they don't have a child there. They told us to come here but no one is moving," she told AFP. But authorities earlier told AFP that firemen needed to inspect the structural integrity of the burnt-out building before venturing inside its gutted remains. Corruption and exploitation mean supposedly strict fire standards are often not enforced in the Philippines. 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. With low wages but strong English language skills, the Asian nation is a popular destination for international companies to set up customer call centres in its big cities including Davao, 900-plus kilometres south of Manila. Vatican City: Pope Francis in his Christmas eve mass urged the world's 1.3 billion Catholics not to ignore the plight of migrants who are "driven from their land" because of leaders willing to shed "innocent blood". "So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary," the Argentine pontiff, himself the grandson of Italian migrants, told worshippers in Saint Peter's Basilica. "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, who will give his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" Christmas address on Monday. The pontiff's plea for "hope" came as fresh tensions simmered in the West Bank following Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The announcement by US president Donald Trump on 6 December unleashed demonstrators and clashes, including in Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank where Christians will mark the birth of Jesus at a midnight mass. United Nations: 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 6,50,000 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 25 August 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. Moscow: More than 15,000 Russians on Sunday endorsed the candidacy of Alexei Navalny, seen as the only Russian opposition leader who stands a fighting chance of challenging President Vladimir Putin in a March vote. "An election without us is not an election," Navalny declared in Moscow around 1700 GMT before submitting his nomination to the Central Electoral Commission, which will rule whether he can run. Authorities have deemed the 41-year-old ineligible to run due to a criminal conviction, saying "only a miracle" would help him get registered. Navalny has described the conviction as politically motivated. Thousands backing the charismatic lawyer met in 20 cities from the Pacific port of Vladivostok to Saint Petersburg in the northwest to nominate him as a candidate in the presence of electoral officials to boost his chances of contesting the March 18 ballot. His campaign said more than 15,000 people endorsed him nationwide. An independent candidate needs 500 votes to get registered with election authorities, according to leglisation. In Moscow, more than 700 people supported Navalny's candidacy as they gathered in a huge marquee 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 Western-educated Navalny told supporters earlier. "We are ready to win and we will win these elections," Navalny said before finishing his speech in a cloud of confetti. 'Thwart dishonest elections' Navalny said that if he is not allowed to put his name on the ballot he will contest the ban in courts and repeated his threat to call for the polls to be boycotted if he did not get registered. "Thwart the elections if they are dishonest," he told supporters. 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. But with the result of the March vote a foregone conclusion, turnout could be low, harming Putin's hopes for a clear new mandate, observers say. Navalny, who has tapped into the anger of a younger generation who yearn for change, hopes that popular support for his Kremlin bid would pressure authorities into putting his name on the ballot. "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. "We need a new president," Alexander Semyonov, 18, told AFP in Saint Petersburg, where more than 1,800 supporters backed Navalny's bid. Separately, Ilya Yashin, a pro-opposition municipal deputy, gathered several hundred people for an unauthorised protest in central Moscow in support of free elections and Navalny's bid. "Putin is a thief," some chanted as police looked on. 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. Moscow: As the most serious challenger during Vladimir Putin's 18 years in power, Alexei Navalny has endured arrests, show trials and facefuls of green antiseptic that damaged his vision. But in an interview Monday with The Associated Press, he said the biggest thing keeping him from becoming Russia's next president is a political system that punishes him for rallying support and conspires to keep his face off the airwaves. Putin's approval rating is astronomical and he is widely expected to win another term with ease, but the fact that he won't even say Navalny's name suggests the anti-corruption crusader has struck a nerve. Navalny's criminal record will probably keep him off the ballot a sign, he says, of how much he frightens the political class. Navalny, in his first interview since the start of the presidential campaign, said he would win it "if I am allowed to run and if I'm allowed to use major media." And he said the Kremlin knows it. "It's the main reason they don't want me to run," he said. "They understand perfectly how ephemeral the support for them is." That support certainly looks strong: The latest independent poll, conducted this month by the Levada Center, suggests 75 percent of Russians would vote for Putin. People in much of Russia back Putin as a matter of course, and Navalny supporters are routinely heckled, arrested and fined when they try to spread their message. But there are also signs that enthusiasm for Putin may be starting to wane. Another Levada poll, conducted in April, found that 51 percent of people are tired of waiting for Putin to bring "positive change" 10 percentage points higher than a year ago. Both polls surveyed 1,600 people across Russia and had margins of error of 2.5 percentage points. Navalny hopes to capitalise on that discontent. "Putin has nothing to say," Navalny said. "All he can promise is what he used to promise before, and you can check that these promises did not come true and cannot come true." Navalny gets out his message on social media, using Twitter and Telegram and broadcasting a weekly program on YouTube. But television the main source of information for most Russians remains off limits because it's controlled by the government. Other opposition candidates are expected to run, notably socialite Ksenia Sobchak, the daughter of Putin's mentor but there is wide speculation that her candidacy is a Kremlin plot to split Navalny's support. The only other candidates who are critical of Putin have too little support for the Kremlin to view them as threats. Putin himself has announced his re-election bid but so far refrained from any campaigning events. Even so, his face is everywhere at his annual news conference last week, carried live for nearly four hours on Russian television, he touted his accomplishments and even taunted Navalny but stuck to his practice of not saying his name. Navalny was not a candidate during Russia's last presidential election in 2012, but he spearheaded massive anti-government protests that rattled Putin. Amid dwindling popularity, Putin seized Ukraine's Crimean peninsula and threw support behind separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine, striking a chord with millions of Russians who felt like losers in the outcome of the Cold War. Now, people are tiring of the Ukrainian conflict and becoming more focused on their own economic woes, providing fertile ground for Navalny's message. Navalny published his full election platform last week, focusing on fighting corruption and funneling more money into education and health care. He calls for a windfall tax on oligarchs and huge cuts to Russia's bloated bureaucracy. Unlike Putin's focus on foreign policy, Navalny's platform is almost entirely domestic, which he credits for growing support in places like Novosibirsk, Russia's third-largest city, where he drew a large crowd in October. "Our government is in the grip of illusions. They deal with Syria and they're not interested in what's happening in Novosibirsk, and people there feel it," Navalny told the AP. "That translates into the fact that I'm receiving more support." The blue-eyed Moscow lawyer first made his name in 2009 when he began publishing investigations into corruption at Russia's biggest state-owned companies. When the AP first interviewed Navalny in 2010, he was a lone wolf, but he has since acquired allies and supporters who have been made investigations into official corruption their full-time job. With the visibility came the backlash: The 41-year old Navalny has been convicted on two sets of unrelated charges, and his brother was sent to prison in what was largely viewed as political revenge. A conviction on one of the charges bars Navalny from running for public office without special dispensation and the election official who will consider that request in the coming weeks has already said she sees no legal grounds for him to run. In his only formal election campaign, Navalny ran for Moscow mayor in 2013 and got nearly 30 percent of the vote. His presidential bid began a year ago, when he started to build a network of supporters across Russia. He currently counts over 190,000 volunteers, most of them young, from Russia's western exclave of Kaliningrad to Vladivostok on the Pacific. His supporters have opened campaign offices in 83 cities and towns, including many where Putin is accustomed to winning by a landslide. On his most recent visit to Putin's heartland, 1,000 people braved temperatures of -15 Celsius (-5 Fahrenheit) to hear him speak in the industrial town of Novokuznetsk, where Putin got 77 percent of the vote in 2012. Many of those in the crowd sounded weary of the president but said they saw no alternative. Asked about Navalny, many said they had heard very little about him. While Navalny has captured the attention of a younger generation and the politically active via social media, he conceded he won't be able to reach the broader population as long as he is barred from state television. "We have won among the active political class despite the ban," he said. "The politically active class will turn the politically dormant one in our favor. It's going to happen in this election if I'm allowed to run." A suicide attacker on foot blew himself up near a compound belonging to the Afghan intelligence agency in Kabul on Monday, killing six civilians, officials said. According to Tolo News, the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack. #Kabul - At least four civilians and two NDS members were killed and three others including two civilians were wounded in a suicide attack at a check post of NDS in Kabul city, source confirmed to TOLOnews. Daesh has claimed responsibility for the attack. pic.twitter.com/Cukxzqt0YC TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) December 25, 2017 Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP six civilians in a car were killed when the attacker detonated himself. "Six people were killed and three others were wounded," Danish said. "They were hit when they were passing the area in their Toyota sedan vehicle. We still do not know the target of the attack but it happened on the main road." The blast comes a week after Islamic State claimed an attack on a training facility of the same agency, the National Directorate for Security, in Kabul that ended when the attackers were killed before causing significant casualties. Ismail Kawsi, a spokesman for the ministry of public health, had earlier told Reuters that at least three dead and one wounded had been taken to city hospitals. Recent attacks in the capital have been claimed both by Taliban insurgents and Islamic States group fighters who have stepped up their attacks against Afghan security forces. With inputs from agencies Guatemala is to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, President Jimmy Morales said Sunday, following US President Donald Trump's controversial lead on the holy city. After speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Morales wrote to Guatemalans on his Facebook page that "one of the most important topics was the return of Guatemala's embassy to Jerusalem," from Tel Aviv where it is currently located. "For this reason I am informing you that I have given instructions to the foreign ministry that it start the necessary respective coordination to make this happen," Morales wrote. Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon thanked Guatemala for the "important decision." "Wonderful news and true friendship!", he wrote on Twitter. Guatemala's leader made the announcement on Christmas Eve, three days after two-thirds of UN member states rejected Trump's decision to have the United States recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. In all, 128 nations voted to maintain the international consensus that Jerusalem's status can only be decided through peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Only eight countries stood with the United States in voting no to the resolution held in the UN General Assembly, among them Guatemala and fellow Central American country Honduras. Guatemala and Honduras are both reliant on US funding to improve security in their gang-ridden territories. The two nations are, along with El Salvador, in what is known as the Northern Triangle of Central America. Violence, corruption and poverty have made them the main source of illegal migration to the United States, which is giving them $750 million to provide better conditions at home. Morales, like Trump, was a television entertainer with no real political experience before becoming president of Guatemala in 2016. On Friday, Morales foreshadowed the decision he was to make regarding Jerusalem, as he defended his government's vote at the UN backing the United States. "Guatemala is historically pro-Israeli," he told a news conference in Guatemala City. "In 70 years of relations, Israel has been our ally," he said. "We have a Christian way of thinking that, as well as the politics of it, has us believing that Israel is our ally and we must support it. Despite us only being nine in the world (in the UN vote), we have the total certainty and conviction that this is the right path." Morales's position has become fragile in recent months because of allegations of corruption against him being investigated by a special UN-backed body working with Guatemalan prosecutors. The United States ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, had said her country would "take names" of the states opposing its position, and Trump threatened to cut funding to countries "that take our money and then vote against us." Several significant US allies abstained from the UN vote, among them Australia, Canada, Mexico and Poland. Others, such as Britain, France, Germany and South Korea were in the majority of 128 nations denouncing any unilateral decision to view Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The eight countries on the US side of the vote were: Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Togo. Following the US decision on Jerusalem, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said he would "no longer accept" any peace plan proposed by the US, dealing a pre-emptive blow to a new initiative expected by Washington next year. Search Keywords: Short link: Hanoi/Manila: Authorities in Vietnam prepared to move a million people from low-lying areas along the south coast on Monday as a typhoon approached after it battered the Philippines with floods and landslides that killed more than 230 people. Typhoon Tembin is expected to slam into Vietnam late on Monday after brining misery to the predominantly Christian Philippines just before Christmas. Vietnams disaster prevention committee said 74,000 people had been moved to safety from vulnerable areas, while authorities in 15 provinces and cities were prepared to move more than 1 million. The government ordered that oil rigs and vessels be protected and it warned that about 62,000 fishing boats should not venture out to sea. Vietnam must ensure the safety of its oil rigs and vessels. If necessary, close the oil rigs and evacuate workers, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was quoted as saying on a government website. Schools were ordered to close in the southern commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City on Monday, a working day in Vietnam. On Sunday, Tembin hit the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, parts of which are contested by several countries, including Vietnam and China. No casualties were reported in these outposts. Vietnam, like the Philippines, is regularly battered by typhoons that form over the warm waters of the Pacific and barrel westwards into land. Tembin will be the 16th major storm to hit Vietnam in 2017. The storms and other disasters have left 390 people dead or missing, according to official figures. Scores missing In the Philippines, rescue workers were still struggling to reach some remote areas hit by floods and landslides that Tembins downpours brought, as the death toll climbed to more than 230. Scores of people are missing. The full extent of the devastation was only becoming clear as the most remote areas were being reached. Health worker Arturo Simbajon said nearly the entire coastal village of Anungan on the Zamboanga peninsula of Mindanao island had been wiped out by a barrage of broken logs, boulders and mud that swept down a river and out to sea. Only the mosque was left standing, Simbajon said. People were watching the rising sea but did not expect the water to come from behind them. Manuel Luis Ochotorena, head of regional disaster agency, said he expected the death toll to rise. Many areas in Zamboanga peninsula are still without power and communications, some towns are cut off due to collapsed bridges, floods and landslides, he said. Tens of thousands of people on Mindanao have been displaced by the storm, which struck late on Friday. The Philippines is battered by about 20 typhoons a year and warnings are routinely issued. But disaster officials said many villagers had ignored warnings this time to get out coastal areas and move away from riverbanks. In 2013, super typhoon Haiyan killed nearly 8,000 people and left 2,00,000 families homeless in the central Philippines. Kmart Corp. has agreed to pay $32.3 million to settle allegations its pharmacies caused federal health programs to overpay for prescription drugs by not telling the government about discounted prices. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the settlement agreement Friday. Kmart is part of Sears Holdings Corp., based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. It was sued in 2008 by former Kmart pharmacist James Garbe, who worked in Defiance, Ohio. The whistleblower lawsuit alleged Kmart offered discounted prices to customers who paid in cash through club programs but didnt report those discounts to federal health programs such as Medicare Part D and Medicaid. The Department of Justice says the agreement is a part of a $59 million settlement that includes a resolution of state Medicaid and insurance claims against Kmart. Garbe litigated the case and will receive $9.3 million. Bitcoin is up by roughly 1,800% in 2017 as of this writing, and experts have projected that it could reach as high as $1 million. However, that's just one side of the argument. Any responsible investor needs to consider both ends of the realm of possibilities -- in this case, it's certainly possible for bitcoin to go much higher if things go well, but there are several reasons it could come crashing down, so let's take a look at some of them. Also, keep in mind that a $1,000 bitcoin value was seen as high not too long ago. In fact, bitcoin's rise has been so rapid that the digital currency could crash to $1,000 and still be higher for 2017. And under any of these circumstances, or a combination of them, it's not inconceivable for bitcoin to give back its gains and then some. 1. Profit-taking Bitcoin's price has gone nearly straight up for much of 2017, so it's fair to say that there are quite a few people out there sitting on some major profits. At the end of the day, bitcoin's price is governed by the same basic dynamic that determines the price of almost everything else: supply and demand. It's also fair to assume that at some point, people who bought bitcoin a while ago are going to start taking some profits. If a significant amount of bitcoins starts to be sold, to the point where the supply on the market exceeds demand, it could put significant downward pressure on the price of bitcoin until equilibrium is achieved. 2. Speculators lose interest (or run out of money) The other side of the supply and demand equation is the speculators that is, the people who are buying bitcoin in the hopes the digital currency will be worth more in the future. As of the latest available data, bitcoin transaction volume has spiked by 55% in 2017, and 30,000 new bitcoin wallets are created on the average day. So far, this has been enough to keep demand ahead of supply, which has fueled bitcoin's rally. However, if the growth in trading volume begins to fizzle out, or trading volume declines, it could send bitcoin's price spiraling downward. 3. Government regulations spoil the party The prospect of government regulation is another potential wildcard, and could work for or against bitcoin and other digital currencies. For example, Japan recently recognized bitcoin as a valid method of payment, which is a big reason for the current rally. On the other hand, many other countries around the world haven't regulated bitcoin much -- yet. The United States hasn't done much, other than labeling cyptocurrencies as capital assets and issuing warnings to investors. However, if a major country were to, say, outlaw bitcoin transactions as a way of cracking down on money laundering, it could have devastating effects. 4. A major hacking incident occurs In 2014, the Mt. Gox bitcoin exchange handled 70% of all bitcoin transactions. However, this came to a screeching halt in early 2014 when the exchange suspended trading and announced that hackers had stolen about 850,000 bitcoins, which were roughly worth $473 million at the time and represented 7% of all bitcoins in circulation. Not surprisingly, bitcoin's price crashed. In fact, the Mt. Gox breach triggered the sharpest fall in bitcoin's price to date. To be fair, bitcoin exchanges have taken steps to become far more secure than they were just a few years ago. It is highly unlikely that a theft of this scale, or even close to it, could happen anytime soon. With the now-higher price of bitcoin, though, it wouldn't take a massive breach to make headlines and erode the trust of bitcoin investors. For example, if just 100 bitcoins got hacked, about 0.01% of the size of the Mt. Gox breach, an accurate headline could read "$1.6 Million in Bitcoin Wealth Stolen by Hackers," and could certainly scare investors enough to trigger a fall. 5. Slow transaction speeds get even worse I've written before that one of the biggest obstacles to bitcoin's widespread adoption as a method of payment is the increasing transaction times on the network. Simply put, the blockchain network is ill equipped to handle large numbers of transactions in its current form, and the surge in interest in bitcoin is leading to delays. It takes 78 minutes to process the average bitcoin transaction, according to Blockchain.com, but this has recently spiked to as long as 1,188 minutes (almost 20 hours) during peak volume times. And keep in mind that these delays are occurring without bitcoin being widely used to pay for goods and services. Just a mild uptick in the day-to-day usage of bitcoin could lead to major delays and stop bitcoin's mainstream acceptance in its tracks. 6. Rising transaction costs One of the major draws of bitcoin as a payment mechanism is its low transaction costs -- or at least it used to be. After all, if it costs a merchant 3% of the transaction amount to accept a credit card, but just a few pennies to accept bitcoin, that solves a real problem. However, this hasn't been the case recently, especially as bitcoin soars in value. People are paying $28 for the average bitcoin transaction right now, and are even paying exorbitant fees on small transactions, like sending $100. In stock investing, it's smart to look for a company's durable competitive advantage. By becoming expensive and slow, bitcoin is at risk of losing its competitive advantage unless a solution is found. 7. Other digital currencies gain traction It's also worth mentioning that other digital currencies aren't having these issues. For example, Litecoin transactions take just over two minutes and cost just $0.60 on average. Ripple, a relatively new digital currency, takes just seconds to process a transaction and costs less than a penny. The point is that if other digital currencies begin to look like better alternatives, it could cause bitcoin investors, even the die-hard cryptocurrency fans, to head for the exits in favor of other currencies. Just one side of the story Before I'm labeled as a "bitcoin hater" or anything like that, I should point out that this is only one side of the story. Sure, I believe that bitcoin could crash (and that everyone who buys bitcoin needs to acknowledge this possibility), but the digital currency could also soar to a six-figure price tag if things go well. In fact, I've written before that bitcoin could reach $1 million or more under the right circumstances. The point is that like any young and exciting market, there's an enormous amount of uncertainty surrounding bitcoin's future, and it's important to consider all possibilities before jumping in. Bitcoin is overhyped: 10 better buys for you nowWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now... and investing directly in Bitcoin was noticeably absent from their recommendations! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are better buys. Learn more {% render_component 'sa-returns-as-of' type='rg'%} The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. If you're like most Americans of a certain age, you're worried about Social Security -- afraid that it won't be supporting you in your old age, when you need it. Indeed, fully 51% of those age 50 to 64 worry "a great deal" about Social Security, according to a 2018 Gallup poll, as do 49% of those age 30 to 49. Among all those polled, a whopping 72% worry about it "a fair amount" or "a great deal." Is all that worrying warranted? Well, yes and no. Here's a closer look at how safe Social Security is. A Social Security overview In a nutshell, Social Security works by taxing workers and using that money to pay retirement benefits to those who are no longer working. For a long time, more money has been coming in than going out, which has filled the coffers of the Social Security trust fund. (Learn more interesting details about it here.) That dynamic is shifting, though, as baby boomers continue to retire, with the ratio of workers to retirees shrinking. Back in 1950, the ratio was 16.5, with about 48 million workers supporting close to 3 million beneficiaries. As of 2013, it was just 2.8 -- and it's expected to hit 2.1 by 2035. The Social Security trust fund surplus has thus been shrinking and is likely to end around 2020. But that doesn't mean the entire Social Security program will then dry up and disappear. Instead, at that point, the 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 reserve 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%. So the worst that is likely to happen to folks expecting to draw checks from Social Security in the coming decades is that they'll receive smaller checks. That's not good news, but it could be a lot worse. Shoring up Social Security Fortunately, there are a bunch of ways that Social Security can be strengthened -- and a 2017 Nationwide Retirement Institute survey found that more than 75% of future and current retirees over 50 think the program needs to be changed, with the majority of those interested in seeing it get additional funding. So what can be done? Well, various possible changes to Social Security can strengthen the program to different degrees. For example, it's been estimated that fully 77% of the trust fund 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, either. The tax rate was increased in 1983, 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 $128,400 of it. Many don't realize it, but there's a cap on how much of our earnings are taxed for Social Security -- for 2018, that cap is $128,400. Most of us are taxed on all our income, but those lucky enough to earn, say, $1,128,400 in 2018 will pay no Social Security tax on $1 million 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. Shrinking Social Security Unfortunately, many in power in Washington these days are more interested in shrinking Social Security than beefing it up. They have suggested increasing the "full" retirement age, at which retirees can begin collecting their full Social Security benefits, from the current level (age 66 or 67 for most folks) to 68, 69, or even 70. A later retirement age will still mean a shorter retirement for those who choose to wait until that age to retire -- and fewer benefits paid to them, too. Many have also proposed fully or partly privatizing Social Security. This could take various forms, such as Americans being 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 savvy financially and may not do well managing these vital funds, and that an economic downturn could significantly shrink many people's retirement coffers. What you can do Social Security is crucial to most Americans -- either now or in their future -- so learn more about it and keep up with developments regarding it. You might also want to make sure your representatives in Washington know whether you'd like them to protect or strengthen the program. Be sure to make smart decisions, too, such as acting on as many ways to increase your Social Security benefits as you can. For example, aim to work for at least 35 years, as the benefit formula is based on your 35 highest-earning years. Consider starting to collect your benefits sooner rather than later, too, unless you have a good chance of living a life that's significantly longer than average. If you're married, coordinate when to start taking benefits with your spouse. The more you know about Social Security, the more you can get out of it. The $16,122 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $16,122 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. My Big Fat Greek Wedding actress Lainie Kazan reportedly was arrested on Christmas Eve for shoplifting $180 worth of food from the supermarket. The actress from one of the highest-grossing romantic comedies of all time claimed shes destitute, according to TMZ. The 77-year-old actress walked out of a Gelsons in the Los Angeles Area Sunday before an employee stopped her at her car and called the cops. REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK CITY STAR LUANN DE LESSEPS ARRESTED AFTER ASSAULTING FLORIDA COP IN ALLEGED DRUNKEN RAMPAGE Kazan, whose excuse was reportedly that she was penniless, was arrested for petty theft and released from custody at the police station without bail. Kazan played the boisterous matriarch, Maria Portokalos, in the original 2002 film, as well as the sequel, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2. Shes got the cure for what ales ya. A centenarian French barmaid has revealed the secret to old age: no milk or fruit and drink booze, but only in moderation. If I had been a big drinker, I wouldnt be here now. But its what I sell! Marie-Lou Wirth who began serving drinks when she was 14, told the BBC. To stay in tip top shape, the 100-year-old steers clear of fruit, and dairy products, which some experts say affects the bodys hormonal system. Never eat fruit and never eat milk or drink yogurt, she advised, without further explanation. I have water with food, she continued. And a glass of something else in moderation. Wirths parents opened their bar in Calais May 1932 and put their teen daughter to work right away. In my day, when you were young you worked, the spunky centenarian said. Nowadays you have to drag them to work! During the bars heyday in the post-war years, the town of Isbergues was bustling with hundreds of bars and factories. Over by the factory, we used to dance every day, Wirth recalled. But thats all over now. The towns population has dwindled and customers are few and far between. Ive buried them all. They died before me! Wirth said. The young people dont come here, who wants to see an old lady? But the plucky bartender is still at it, and plans to keep working until she her last Sante. This article originally appeared on the New York Post. A Shia Muslim judge abducted in eastern Saudi Arabia a year ago has been killed by his kidnappers, the Saudi state news agency SPA reported on Monday. Sheikh Mohammed al-Jirani disappeared last December from outside his home in the Qatif region, which is home to about one million Shia Muslims in the predominantly Sunni Muslim kingdom. SPA said a security officer and one of the kidnappers were killed in a clash on Dec. 19 and a second kidnapper was arrested. It also said the judge's body had been found in the remote farming district of Awamiya but did not say when he had been killed. Authorities said earlier this year that three men being sought in connection with the abduction were already on a wanted list for their suspected involvement in "terrorist attacks" in eastern Saudi Arabia. Since 2011 the region has been shaken by frequent, though mostly peaceful, protests by the Shia minority. However, Shia militants, angry over what they say is repression of their community, have sometimes attacked Saudi security forces in the oil-producing Eastern Province where Qatif is located. Search Keywords: Short link: The Trump Administrations just released National Security Strategy properly identifies Iran as among the important challengers to U.S. security interests but does not offer a concrete strategy on how to counter its growing regional hegemony. Indeed, Irans geopolitical ascent is the most significant, and dangerous, development in the Middle East this century. President Trump should follow Ronald Reagans example and take the offensive, supporting indigenous forces that oppose, and seek independence from, Iranian domination. This requires eschewing convention and recognizing Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen for what they are: failed, artificial constructs whose capitals now serve as Iranian satrapies. Iran has taken advantage of ISIS crumbling caliphate to increasingly consolidate control over Syria and Iran, as it dominates their capitals and those of Lebanon and Yemen. It has effectively established a land bridge from Tehran to Beirut. Reversing this strategic threat requires continued U.S. military presence and military aid to local forces in Syria and Iraq, and greater support for our regional allies, such as Israel and Jordan, who must contain the provocative actions of Iran and its proxies. But this defensive posture will not suffice even to contain Iran let alone transform its hegemonic trajectory. Instead, we should draw from Ronald Reagan, who eschewed a defensive posture and pursued an offensive strategy to undermine the Soviet Union that included supporting indigenous anti-communist insurgents around the globe. We should pursue the same offensive strategy to roll back Irans regional hegemony. We should recognize that maintaining Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen in their existing forms is unnatural and serves Irans interests. There is nothing sacred about these countries borders, which seem to have been drawn by a drunk and blindfolded cartographer. Indeed, in totally disregarding these borders, ISIS and Iran both have already demonstrated their anachronism and irrelevance. These countries are not nation-states as Americans understand them but post-WWI artificial constructs, mostly created out of the ashes of the Ottoman Empire in a colossally failed experiment by international leaders. With their deep ethno-sectarian fissures, these countries have either been held together by a strong authoritarian hand or suffered sectarian carnage. Indeed, the principal vulnerability of Irans regional strategy is its dependence on brutal regimes to rule lands riven by ethno-sectarian fissures. The United States should exploit this vulnerability by supporting those forces in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen that oppose Irans domination and seek greater self-determination or independence from the capitals. The result could be transforming these failed states into loose confederations or new countries with more borders that more naturally conform along sectarian lines. Any redrawing of political relationships or borders is highly complex, and the United States cannot dictate the outcomes. But we can influence them. We would need to deeply examine each country for its unique qualities and histories, and consult closely our regional allies before deciding upon a policy. Here are some examples of policy conclusions that might be drawn. We might cease supplying arms to Baghdad, declare our support and strong military aid for an eventual Iraqi Kurdish state once its warring factions unify and improve governance, and support a federation for the rest of Iraq. For Syria, we could seek a more ethnically coherent loose confederation or separate states that might balance each otherthe Iranian-dominated Alawites along the coast, the Kurds in the northeast, and the Sunni Arabs in the heartland. We could also demonstrate we are not anti-Shia by improving relations with Azerbaijan, a secular Shia country bordering Iran that seeks a closer relationship with the United States. An added potential benefit of this approach could be a fomenting of tensions within Iran, which has sizable Kurdish and Azeri populations, thereby weakening the radical regime in Tehran. Some might argue this approach impractical, destabilizing, and offering Iran new opportunities. Perhaps, but the regions current trajectory is more dangerous. The burden is on the United States to adapt its policy to the dissolving of borders and Irans aggression. Iran is not a status quo power content to consolidate its winnings; its emboldened radical regime is intent to dominate the region and destroy Israel. An Iranian-Israeli conflict looms ever closer as Iran establishes bases and missile factories in Syria, posing a second front in Israels north. And Americans must concentrate on Irans continued development of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles that could eventually reach the U.S. homeland. Further, artificial states have been divided or loosened before with some success, such as the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia, all post-WWI formations. Bosnia and Herzegovina have also managed as a confederation. The Trump Administration should follow Reagan in taking the offensive to Iran. The current political structure of the Middle East serves Irans interests, and its time to upend it. Due to an editing error a slightly different version of this column was published earlier this week. Nations around the world have condemned the U.S. for recognizing Jerusalem as Israels capital, saying the recent move by President Trump is an obstacle to an Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement. But the real obstacle to peace is the stubborn refusal by Palestinian leaders to accept the reality of Israel as a permanent Jewish state in the historic homeland of the Jewish people. This refusal to accept reality can be labeled Palestinian Derangement Syndrome. As long as Palestinian leaders continue to embrace it, they will not agree to a fair and realistic peace deal acceptable to any Israeli government. And as a result, ordinary Palestinians will suffer. Every time the U.S. makes demands of the Palestinians to end terrorism, to stop paying terrorists in Israeli jails, to end efforts to circumvent negotiations by seeking U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state the delusional Palestinian leaders threaten to stop talking to U.S. officials. Sure enough, the Palestinians did it again when they announced that President Mahmoud Abbas would not hold a scheduled meeting with Vice President Mike Pence after President Trump announced U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital. Most Palestinians are good people who would like to have normal lives go to work, educate their children, live in peace. They would no doubt be happy if Israel disappeared tomorrow, but theyve reconciled themselves to living with Israelis. So if it were up to them, the majority of Palestinians would probably agree to a compromise peace plan with Israel. But unfortunately, the Palestinian Authority is a dictatorship run by Abbas without public support and with little regard for his people. A recent poll in the West Bank and Gaza conducted by an independent Palestinian think tank found that 67 percent of Palestinians want Abbas to resign. In reality, Palestinians have no choice but to make concessions or live under current conditions. Israelis do not want to maintain the status quo, but they can do so if given no choice by the Palestinians. Its true that the Palestinian people suffer deprivations because of Israels policies and actions but these problems are self-inflicted, because some Palestinians engage in terror that provokes Israeli countermeasures necessary to protect the safety its people. In the same way, the United States and many other nations have beefed up security after terrorist attacks. Meanwhile, Abbas has prevented elections for a decade and denies his people most civil and political rights. Palestinians lack freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, womens rights and gay rights. Arabs in Israel have far more rights and freedoms that Arabs living in the West Bank and Gaza. Sadly, no one cares. The international community, the U.N., human rights groups, and pro-Palestinian advocates are silent when it comes to Palestinian abuses inflicted on their own people. They only care about Palestinians if some alleged abuse can be blamed on Israel. President Obama was sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. Yet Abbas ignored Obama administration entreaties not to go to the U.N. with Palestinian grievances. And Abbas refused to negotiate with Israel based on Obama administration initiatives. Palestinians also continue to make demands upon Israel as if they are the dominant power in the relationship. They delude themselves when they act as though Israel has any reason to accept such unrealistic demands. In reality, Palestinians have no choice but to make concessions or live under current conditions. Israelis do not want to maintain the status quo, but they can do so if given no choice by the Palestinians. The belief that the international community will force Israel to surrender to Palestinian demands is the latest manifestation of Palestinian Derangement Syndrome. For decades, Palestinians have harbored the delusion that the Arab states cared about their cause and would drive the Jews into the sea on their behalf. But in truth, Arab leaders were interested in divvying up lands Palestinians claimed and for many years wanted to destroy Israel. Fortunately, Arab armies were unable to defeat Israel in battle, though they tried repeatedly by attacking the Jewish State in war after war. And today Arab states are moving closer to Israel, as they recognize their mutual enemy is Iran and conclude that the Palestinian issue is irrelevant to their national interests. As a result, following President Trumps announcement accepting the reality that Jerusalem is Israels capital, Arab leaders made perfunctory statements condemning the decision but did nothing. Muslims around the world did not answer Abbass call for three days of rage. In fact, few Palestinians paid attention. The Palestinians turned to terror many years ago in the delusional belief that they could bomb the Jews out of their homeland. But hijackings, suicide bombings, intifadas and ongoing attacks have not and will not succeed in improving the plight of the Palestinians. The violence has only made things worse for them. The entire Israeli public shifted rightward after the Israeli evacuation of Gaza giving Palestinians control because the Palestinians destroyed the land-for-peace formula by bombarding Israel with rockets. Most Israelis now demand concrete security guarantees before they withdraw from another inch of disputed land. Any nation in the world would demand such guarantees. Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of Palestinian Derangement Syndrome is that Palestinians have convinced themselves that they do not have to compromise with Israel, because time is on their side. The fertility rate of Jews is now higher than that of Palestinians; nevertheless, some Palestinians believe they will eventually outnumber Israeli Jews and somehow swallow up Israel. Alternatively, some Palestinians hope that one or more countries in the region will obtain nuclear weapons and destroy Israel. The Iranians are the most likely to get a bomb, but if the nightmare of a successful nuclear attack on Israel ever became a reality, theres no question that many Palestinians as well as Israeli Jews would die. The best hope for a cure for Palestinian Derangement Syndrome is a change in Palestinian leadership. Abbas represents the last of the old guard, which psychologically cannot give up the dream of liberating all of occupied Palestine meaning all of Israel, not just that lands Israel captured after it was attacked by Arab armies in the Six Day War in 1967. If the Palestinians want to achieve independence, they will have to elect leaders committed to ending their suffering and to ending Palestinian Derangement Syndrome. This will require: ? Providing basic civil rights to the Palestinians under their authority. ? Entering face-to-face negotiations with Israel with realistic expectations. ? Demonstrating that they are willing to live in peace beside the Jewish State. ? Recognizing that the 1949 armistice line that set the newly independent State of Israels border after it defeated invading Arab armies will not be the border going forward. ? Accepting that Israel will never give up its ancient capital of Jerusalem. ? Understanding that Israel will not accept the Palestinian dream of a right of return for more than a fraction of the Palestinian refugees who fled Israel in the 1940s and their descendants born elsewhere in the last 70 years. ? Accepting that Israel will never withdraw from major settlement blocs in the West Bank. ? Giving up the idea that Israel can be pressured to accept their demands by outside parties through boycotts, U.N. resolutions or any other threats. Ending Palestinian Derangement Syndrome will be not be easy. The delusions of the syndrome are older than most Palestinians alive today, taught to them since childhood. But at some point, Palestinians will have to accept reality if they truly wish to reach a mutually beneficial peace agreement with Israel. From rumors still swirling around the presidential election to a growing number of sexual misconduct allegations, 2017 has been a year rife with controversy. Read on for a look back at the seven most notable political scandals of the past year. Sexual misconduct storm Its a bipartisan issue: the mounting waves of sexual misconduct allegations against lawmakers at the national, state and local levels. Post-Harvey Weinstein, there has been a surge of women and men who have stood up against the powerful lawmakers who they said sexually harassed or abused them. Some of these lawmakers have seen their careers ended. Moores minor problem A month before the special Senate election in Alabama, GOP candidate Roy Moore was hit with multiple accusations that he had inappropriate relationships with teenage girls when he was in his 30s. One woman said she was 14 when he inappropriately touched her. The age of consent in Alabama is 16. Now 70 years old, Moore has denied the allegations. He told Fox News Sean Hannity that he generally didnt date women who were teenagers when he was in his 30s and would not date someone without her mothers permission. After the allegations came to light, several leading Republicans backed away from Moore and called on him to step aside from the race. However, others including President Trump and Steve Bannon continued to support him. Moore lost the election to Doug Jones, the first Democrat to win a national election in the deep red state in more than two decades. Franken says farewell Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., announced that he would resign his seat on Dec. 7 after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct, from groping to forcibly kissing. The former Saturday Night Live performer contended that some of the allegations werent true but said he would resign as he did not believe he would be able to effectively continue with his job based on the nature of the allegations. His announcement came after dozens of Democrats called for him to step aside. Franken is expected to resign on Jan. 2, 2018. The congressmen Multiple congressmen have been accused of sexual misconduct this year, as well. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., announced on Dec. 5 that he would immediately retire from the House after multiple women alleged that he sexually harassed them while he was in Congress. Conyers reportedly settled a complaint with a former female staffer for $27,000, who claimed she was fired for rejecting his advances. Republican Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona also announced he would resign from Congress due to misconduct allegations against him. Franks said he made some female staffers uncomfortable when he discussed surrogacy issues with him. He reportedly asked two female employees to be a surrogate for him and his wife. Franks announcement came as the House Ethics Committee said it would probe the matter. He was the third member of Congress to leave in one week due to accusations of sexual misconduct. The Ethics Committee also announced in December that it was expanding an investigation into Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, regarding sexual harassment claims against him. The Office of Compliance, which settles claims against members of Congress, said it settled a sexual harassment claim for $84,000 that an aide said came from Farentholds office. Farenthold announced in December 2017 that he would retire. Rep. Ruben Kihuen, D-Nev., was accused of sexually harassing a former campaign worker. She alleged that Kihuen repeatedly asked her for dates and twice touched her thigh. Kihuen has apologized for actions that made her feel uncomfortable but added that he doesnt recall any of the circumstances she described. Coast to coast Allegations of sexual misconduct arent just rocking those in Washington, D.C. California Assembly Majority Whip Raul Bocanegra, a top California Democrat, stepped down as majority whip after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment and inappropriate and unwelcome physical contact. Bocanegra ended his reelection campaign and said he would resign from the Assembly next year. In Ohio, Republican state Rep. Wes Goodman resigned after he engaged in inappropriate behavior related to his state office. The interaction was believed to have been consensual with another male. The Independent Journal Review reported that as many as 30 individuals accused Goodman of sexually inappropriate behavior and messages. Before Weinstein Ed Murray was Seattles mayor before he stepped down in September amid multiple accusations of sexual abuse and molestation. Multiple men accused Murray of sexual abuse; Murray has denied the allegations. ANTHONY WEINERS SCANDALS, FROM POLITICS TO SEXTING Former Rep. Anthony Weiner rose to fame with an impassioned speech in Congress in 2010, only to be taken down by a scandal that involved "sexting" multiple women for years. He was sentenced to 21 months in prison in September on federal charges of sending sexually explicit messages to a teenage girl. Russia, Russia, Russia Its been more than a year since Donald Trump was elected president, but allegations that his campaign colluded with the Russian government to beat Democrat Hillary Clinton persist and his administration continues to deny them. Robert Mueller was named the special counsel overseeing the investigation and has already charged four people related to the Trump administration and campaign. Muellers moves The Department of Justice announced the appointment of former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to oversee the federal investigation into Russias influence on the presidential election on May 17 following a growing Democratic outcry for someone outside the Justice Department to oversee the investigation. Attorney Gen. Jeff Sessions who was the first sitting senator to endorse Trump recused himself from the investigation. Muellers team has already charged four people related to the probe: Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, Richard Gates and George Papadopoulos. Comeys firing Trump sacked FBI Director James Comey on May 9 -- less than two months after Comey announced the agency was looking into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. The White House maintained that Comey was let go due to his handling of the FBIs investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state. But Trump has alluded to the notion that he was considering the Russia investigation when he fired Comey. Comey told a Senate intelligence committee that Trump had asked him to drop the FBI investigation into Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security adviser. The White House said Trump was not attempting to influence Comey. Manaforts mess Paul Manafort resigned as Trumps campaign manager in August 2016 amid questions regarding his business dealings in Ukraine. The special counsel took over the criminal investigation into Manaforts financial dealings dating back even prior to the presidential election. FBI agents raided his Virginia home earlier this year, and Manafort along with his associate, Richard Gates was told to turn himself into federal authorities at the end of October. Manafort was charged with 12 counts that included: conspiracy against the U.S., conspiracy to launder money and making false statements to the FBI. All the presidents children Donald Trump Jr., the presidents oldest son, came under fire this year as it was revealed that he took a meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign who claimed to have damaging information regarding Hillary Clinton. This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump, an email about the meeting said in part. Trump Jr. maintained that the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, did not have any information to share and instead wanted to discuss other matters, such as the Magnitsky Act and other sanctions. Also in attendance at the meeting was Paul Manafort and Jared Kushner, who is married to Ivanka Trump. The Price wasn't right: Trump firings There was a growing number of people who left the Trump administration in just its first year a group that includes former press secretary Sean Spicer, chief strategist Steve Bannon and White House Office of Public Liaison staffer Omarosa Manigault Newman. Prices plane Tom Price officially resigned from his post as Health and Human Services Secretary in September following widespread criticism for his use of private planes to make work trips. Price had promised to repay the government for the use of his costly flights and vowed never to take a private charter plane again while in his post as secretary. But Trump had suggested that he was considering firing the former Georgia congressman ahead of Prices resignation. The Mooch lets loose Financier Anthony Scaramucci only lasted as the White House communications director for 11 days. But he managed to cause quite the shakeup in his short time in D.C. In his first weekend as the communications director for the White House, Scaramucci gave interview after interview and promised that it was time for the Trump administration to hit the reset button with the press. And in one particular interview with the New Yorker, Scaramuccis candor went a bit too far. Using vulgar language, Scaramucci slammed former administration officials Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon. Reince is a f---ing paranoid schizophrenic, a paranoiac, Scaramucci said during the interview. Im not Steve Bannon, Im not trying to suck my own c---, he also said. Im not trying to build my own brand off the f---ing strength of the president. Im here to serve the country. Trump ultimately let Scaramucci go. Omarosa's season finale Omarosa Manigault Newman, the White House Office of Public Liaison's communications director, will leave the administration in January, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders announced in December. Details of Manigault Newman's departure created some drama as it was reported that she was escorted off the White House grounds after resigning. In an interview following her exit, Manigault Newman decried what she perceived as the lack of diversity in the Trump administration. "There was a lack of diversity that I will acknowledge," the former "Apprentice" star told ABC News. "And at times it was very lonely. Because the majority of them were white men who had their own agendas. Many of them had never worked with minorities, didn't know how to interact with them." Fusion GPS flops Fusion GPS is the firm behind a controversial and unproven dossier that contained allegations regarding Trumps connections to Russia as well as other lurid details about the president. The firm was originally retained during the election by the conservative website Washington Free Beacon, which wanted opposition research on 2016 candidates but apparently was not involved in the dossier. FUSION GPSS TIES TO THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN, RUSSIA INVESTIGATION: WHAT TO KNOW But in a bombshell development, it emerged this year that Clinton and the DNC later retained Fusion GPS through lawyer Marc Elias and his firm, Perkins Coie. Then came the Trump dossier. Clinton reportedly did not know about the dossier until BuzzFeed News published it in January 2017. Democrats have defended it as simply opposition research. But Republicans want to know to what extent it was used to get a surveillance warrant against a Trump associate. The DNCs dance For Donna Brazile, 2017 was a year to come clean. The former interim Democratic National Committee chairwoman was let go as a CNN commentator after leaked emails purported to show that she shared debate questions with the Clinton campaign ahead of the events. She initially denied the accusations, but Brazile eventually admitted in 2017 that the emails she sent to the campaign were a mistake. But Brazile later addressed rumors -- in a big way -- that the DNC unfairly favored Clinton over Bernie Sanders, the progressive Vermont senator. I had promised Bernie when I took the helm of the Democratic National Committee after the convention that I would get to the bottom of whether Hillary Clintons team had rigged the nomination process, as a cache of emails stolen by Russian hackers and posted online had suggested, Brazile wrote in her campaign memoir, "Hacks," which was first excerpted in Politico Magazine. By Sept. 7, the day I called Bernie, I had found my proof, and it broke my heart, Brazile said. Brazile said she found a joint fundraising agreement document between the DNC, the Hillary Victory Fund and Hillary for America from August 2015 just a few months after Clinton announced her candidacy. The agreement signed by Amy Dacey, the former CEO of the DNC, and Robby Mook with a copy to Marc Elias specified that in exchange for raising money and investing in the DNC, Hillary would control the partys finances, strategy, and all the money raised, Brazile wrote. Her campaign had the right of refusal of who would be the party communications director, and it would make final decisions on all the other staff. Uranium One returns Through a 2013 deal, Russia-backed company Rosatom acquired a Canadian uranium mining company which has assets in the U.S. The deal first emerged in news reports in 2015, raising questions about connnections to the Clintons. But it surged back into the headlines this year when The Hill reported the FBI had looked into the agreement and uncovered that some Russian nuclear industry officials were engaged in nefarious dealings, which included extortion, bribery and kickbacks. Because of the deal, Russia is able to own about 20 percent of U.S. uranium production capacity, although experts estimate that Rosatom only extracts about 11 percent of the uranium in the U.S. The agreement was approved by nine government agencies with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Hillary Clintons State Department was one of those agencies, although the former secretary of state has said that she was not personally involved in the deal. OBAMA-ERA RUSSIAN URANIUM ONE DEAL: WHAT TO KNOW At issue is how the deal came to be. Republicans have largely decried the transaction, especially as some investors reportedly donated millions of dollars to the Clinton Foundation, and former President Bill Clinton received a $500,000 speaking fee in Russia and met with Vladimir Putin around the time of the deal. But according to The Hill, evidence of wrongdoing by Vadim Mikerin, the Russian official overseeing Putins nuclear expansion in the U.S. who was eventually sentenced to prison, was also discovered by the FBI before the deal was approved. Christie's beached New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie made quite the splash this year for a number of his decisions including when he was caught lounging on a private beach after a government shutdown closed public beaches during the first weekend in July. That's the way it goes. Run for governor, and you can have the residence, the Republican said in response to critics. But Christie wasn't the only governor to make a flop this year. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley, R, resigned in April following allegations that he used state money to conceal an affair. Fox News Alex Pappas and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A man who claims responsibility for leaving a gift-wrapped box of horse manure outside the Los Angeles home of U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin reportedly defended the act Sunday. Robby Strong, a Los Angeles psychologist, told AL.com that he was behind the prank that shut down streets in L.A.'s affluent Bel-Air neighborhood as a police bomb squad responded to a report of a suspicious package. Strong called the stunt an act of political theater that was intended as a jab at Republicans. "The thing I live by is a rule of transparency and I was exercising my First Amendment rights," he said. "A few years ago when [a Supreme Court ruling] said that corporations are persons and money equals free speech, that is so absurd and my rule of thumb is now that if corporations are free speech, then so is horse---t." Strong posted three photos to Facebook on Saturday afternoon that appear to confirm he was behind the prank, AL.com reported. One photo shows him posing with a shovel next to a box, while another shows the manure inside the box. The package was addressed to Mnuchin from the American people and was removed a short time after a Los Angeles Police Department bomb squad arrived at the scene. The LAPD said the U.S. 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 the LAPD. Strong said he was interviewed by Secret Service agents, but was not arrested. He told the newspaper that he hopes his stunt inspires more people to be aggressive with their activism. "The fact that [Republicans] can be so brazen and act with such impunity tells me that we have to be more brazen with our activism and maybe a bit more aggressive," he said. Click for more from AL.com. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., isnt shy when promoting commodities from back home. As McConnell left his year-end press conference at the Capitol, reporters asked the Kentucky Republican to recommend a holiday season bourbon from the Bluegrass State. Its all really good, said McConnell. It makes the holidays so much better. McConnell knows to relish the time between now and January with a nip of Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey or Woodford Reserve. Because as hard as 2017 was, 2018 could prove a bigger challenge. When the Senate convenes Jan. 3, McConnells majority slips from 52 Republicans to a mere 51. One of the Senates first orders of business will be to swear-in Sen.-elect Doug Jones, D-Ala., who won the Alabama Senate special election over Republican nominee Roy Moore. The Alabama Senate race gnaws at McConnell, who saw this act in 2010 and 2012. Back then, Republicans nominated Senate candidates so extreme they couldnt survive the general election. The electoral roadway is littered with the likes of Delawares Christine ODonnell, Nevadas Sharron Angle, Indianas Richard Mourdock and Missouris Todd Akin. Democrats vanquished each of these GOP Senate nominees. McConnell frets history could repeat itself in 2018 and is determined to make sure it doesnt. People who win make policy and others go into something else, said McConnell. Were going to be supporting people who can win. 'Were going to be supporting people who can win.' Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., hasnt officially announced her candidacy to succeed retiring Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. But McSally told many House colleagues she intends to run. McConnell touted McSally as a candidate he liked. But former Trump adviser Steve Bannon backs former Arizona state senator Kelli Ward for the nomination. The electoral winds are now at the Democrats backs. They hold a 13-point advantage over Republicans on the generic ballot. With the GOP majority narrowing, Arizona is a seat Republicans believe they must win with Flake retiring and health questions surrounding Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. McConnell holds particular contempt for Bannon after he backed Roy Moore over Sen. Luther Strange in Alabama. The political genius is on display, snorted McConnell about Bannons advocacy for Moore. Throwing away a seat in the reddest state in America is hard to ignore. McConnell says Republicans worked hard to change the model to ensure that the GOP-nominated candidates could survive the general election in 2014 and 2016. But he fears Republicans could be going backwards. The midterms arent the only test facing McConnell and his congressional colleagues. Lawmakers abandoned Washington before wrestling with a host of intractable must-do items all of which ripen as soon as Congress reconvenes in January. Just before the holiday, Congress funded government operations through Jan. 19. The Senate holds its next formal session on Jan. 3. Lacking major floor traffic, the House postponed its official start until Jan. 8. That leaves a scant 11 calendar days for lawmakers to address problems they couldnt resolve in December. Washington could face a showdown over government funding, a renewal of health care cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) for the poor, disaster relief, a solution for DACA and reauthorization of the controversial domestic surveillance program known as FISA. We havent even mentioned the looming need to hike the debt ceiling sometime before the end of the winter. Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa., wonders what awaits lawmakers as they attempt to sidestep another government shutdown threat. Therell be drama. Therell be chaos. Theyll be yelling and screaming. And then well avert a shutdown. But thats what happens unfortunately. It shouldnt be this way, said Dent. Liberals implored Democratic congressional leaders to force Republicans to either fund the government on their own or turn to Democrats for help. Activists lobbied Democrats to withhold their votes to fund the government unless they extracted a price: a permanent DACA fix. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., ultimately didnt insist on a scramble over DACA in December. This was a tactical decision. Pelosi knew GOP leaders wouldnt attach a DACA fix to the stopgap spending plan Congress approved just before the holidays. But the California Democrat also knew she had to play to her base. Thats why Pelosi spent more than two hours testifying before the House Rules Committee last Thursday morning pleading her case on DACA. A coalition of Republicans is also pushing for lawmakers to address DACA sooner rather than later. Pelosi and Schumer know DACA isnt going away. So does Mitch McConnell. Thats why the GOP leader plans to devote floor time to the issue in January. McConnell noted he wanted reforms to chain migration and improvements to the current immigration system. Im pretty supportive of legal immigration, said McConnell. The secretary of Transportation came here at age eight not speaking a word of English. Thats a reference to his wife, Elaine Chao, who was born in Taiwan. One can understand why McConnell was more than ready to ditch Washington a few days ago with such a daunting legislative bottleneck ahead. McConnell donned what he called his traveling clothes (a red sweater and a pair of beige Gore-Tex, lace-up, hiking boots), bound for Louisville, Ky., his favorite place in the world. As McConnell departed Capitol Hill, he told members of the congressional press corps he wouldnt miss them for at least ten days. Its not hard to understand why. Capitol Attitude is a weekly column written by members of the Fox News Capitol Hill team. Their articles take you inside the halls of Congress, and cover the spectrum of policy issues being introduced, debated and voted on there. In a Christmas Eve video posted on Twitter, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a message to the worlds Christians: Jerusalem is their city too. We protect the rights of everyone to worship in the holy sites behind me, Netanyahu says in the video, titled Merry Christmas from Jerusalem, the capital of Israel! Concerns about Jerusalem and whether people of all faiths would be welcome and represented there have taken on new urgency since President Donald Trump announced Dec. 6 that the U.S. supports Jerusalem becoming Israels capital and plans to move the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, a Muslim, has insisted hell no longer accept any U.S. plans for Mideast peace because he interprets Trumps Jerusalem plan as the administration siding with Israel on the regions most sensitive issue. But Trumps plan appears to have drawn divided reactions from Christians, according to recent reports. U.S. evangelicals largely back the plan, but Pope Francis leader of the Roman Catholic Church -- called for the citys status quo in the city to be respected, and several other Christian denominations have voiced opposition, Reuters reported. The split reflects two views of Jerusalem, the Los Angeles Times reported. Evangelicals back the Jerusalem plan because they tend to see the region in a biblical sense with the Jewish return to Israel being part of a larger plan involving the return of Jesus Christ and Jews acceptance of him as the messiah, the newspaper reported. The formation of the state of Israel was not because of Jews, Pastor Bruce Mills of the Jerusalem Baptist Church told a gathering of Christian clergy recently, according to the L.A. Times. The formation of the state of Israel was because of evangelicals. The whole idea is Jews coming back to Israel! But for many Christians in the Holy Land, contemporary political realities seem to factor more in their thinking, the Times reported. In Israel, Christians make up just 2 percent of the population, Reuters reported. The local Christians here are Palestinians, the Rev. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, one of the most senior Catholic officials in the Holy Land, told reporters Dec. 20, according to the Times. Their vision about Jerusalem is as Palestinians. At a ceremony in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, traditional site of Jesus birth, Palestinian Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah spoke of Jerusalem as a city that needs to remain accessible to all religions, Reuters reported. East Jerusalem, he said, is a Palestinian, Arab, Muslim and Christian city, and there will be no Palestinian state without Jerusalem as its capital, and without this there will be no peace in the region nor in the whole world. Perhaps in a nod to the challenges that lie ahead, Netanyahu in his Christmas Eve video strikes a welcoming tone. For those of you who come to Israel, he says to potential Christian pilgrims, Im going to take a guided tour. In fact, Ill be your guide on this guided tour. The Associated Press contributed to this story. 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. Two Virginia deputies were shot when a man fired at them during a Christmas Eve dispute with his daughter, police said. Three deputies responded to a domestic incident just before 4 p.m. at a home in Loudoun County, about 30 miles northwest of Washington, D.C., police said. The deputies found Douglas V. Johnson Jr., 39, arguing with his 19-year-old daughter in the house and attempted to calm him, according to FOX5DC. About an hour later, Johnson walked upstairs and into a bedroom closet. Two of the deputies attempted to arrest him when he reached for a gun and fired a spray of bullets, striking both the officers. One deputy deployed his taser and struck Johnson. The two deputies, a man and a woman, were hospitalized and treated for gunshot wounds to one arm and their legs. I am proud of the actions and bravery of our deputies tonight and would like to thank the community for the outpouring of support we have already received, Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman said in a news release. I am glad the deputies are doing well as the situation could have ended much worse, he added. Johnson was arrested and charged with attempted capital murder. He is being held without bond. A California Highway Patrol officer was struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver on Christmas Eve, officials said. Officer Andrew Camilleri, 33, was in the passenger seat of a parked patrol car when the vehicle was hit around 11:20 p.m. Sunday on the San Francisco Bay Area highway. Camilleri was in the patrol car with Officer Jonathan Velasquez, who was sitting in the drivers seat and suffered minor injuries in the crash. The 33-year-old officer was transported to St. Rose Hospital in Hayward where he was pronounced dead. The California Highway Patrol said the driver who struck the officers vehicle was 22 years old and under the influence of alcohol and possibly marijuana. The unidentified driver was also returning from a party. Assistant Chief Ernest Sanchez said the driver was traveling at a high speed on Interstate 880 when he slammed into the back of the patrol car parked on the right shoulder. The crash shut down southbound lanes of the highway for hours. Camilleri began his career with the California Highway Patrol just last year on August 27, 2016, officials said. He leaves behind a wife and three children who expected him to be home to open Christmas presents, the Los Angeles Times reported. We offer our thoughts and prayers to his family, friends and colleagues as we collectively mourn this heartbreaking tragedy, the CHP Golden Gate Division said Monday. The Associated Press contributed to this report. WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES A four-month-old infant who was viciously mauled and dragged by a raccoon last week in a Philadelphia apartment will get a new safe and secure home to live in after she leaves the hospital thanks to an outpouring of donations, the babys uncle said. Journi Black was sleeping in her bed last Wednesday when a raccoon managed to get into the home, drag the infant out of bed and attack her. Journis uncle, Kenneth McDuffie, told Philly.com on Christmas Eve that the overwhelming amount of donations to the infants GoFundMe page during Christmastime ensured the family could get a safe and secure home to prevent another incident. It will be safe. It will be secure. It will be wildlife- and rodent-free, a place where they are comfortable and they are safe, McDuffie told Philly.com. We cant always predict what is going to happen in the future, but we want to make sure that [Rodgers] and her family are safe. The GoFundMe page raised more than $16,000 within three days, with the goal initially set to $2,000. More than 520 people have contributed to the fundraiser as of Monday afternoon. Journis mother, Ashley Rodgers, reportedly said that she was overwhelmed by the support and that people have dropped off gifts for her daughter to help the family celebrate Christmas. Im good. Shes good, Rodgers reportedly said. She also posted a Christmas update on the GoFundMe page with the caption: Merry Christmas! Thank you all for outpouring of love & support. Baby Journi is enjoying all the gift s You all really know how to make a girl feel special. Peace & Blessings to you and your family on this glorious day! Journi is still in the hospital recovering from her injuries as of Monday. It's still unclear when she will be released. Rodgers told FOX29 Philadelphia earlier that she had just left the bed Wednesday night to take her 6-year-old son, Jordan, to the bathroom when the mauling happened. "She was laying on the floor across the room blood all over her face and her PJs," Rodgers said. PHILADELPHIA INFANT VICIOUSLY ATTACKED BY RACCOON IN APARTMENT The baby was rushed to the hospital where she received 65 stitches in her face. Doctors said the babys recovery could take up to a year. Rodgers moved her children to the one-room apartment a few days before the vicious attack. Tenants in the building have previously complained about a raccoon infestation. Rodgers said the apartment, which cost $375 a month for rent, was all she could afford for her family. It needs to be shut down. Everybody needs to leave out of there, Rodgers said. Rodgers said she intended to seek legal action following the attack. It is [the landlords] responsibility. Theres no reason an animal should have gotten into the house with minors, Samuel Black, the girls father, said. Fox News Kathleen Joyce contributed to this report. Inside the newly renovated Church of Saint George in the Northern Iraqi town of Teleskof, Hayat Chamoun Daoud led children dressed as Santa Claus singing "Jingle Bells" in Aramaic. Like every other resident of Teleskof, this was Daoud's first Christmas back home in three years, since Islamic State militants overran her town and forcibly displaced its 12,000-strong Chaldean Christian community. "It's so special to be back in my church, the church where I got married, the church I raised my children in," the school headmistress said, tears in her eyes. Faced with a choice to convert, pay a tax or die, Daoud, like many other Christians in the Nineveh Plains, chose to flee. Most sought refuge in nearby towns and cities, but many sought permanent asylum abroad. Though the militants were only in Teleskof for a few days, residents only began returning home earlier this year. On Sunday, they celebrated their first Christmas together again at the town's main church, which was overflowing. Hundreds of congregants, dressed in their finest, poured in to pray and receive communion from Father Salar Bodagh, who later lit the traditional bonfire in the churchs courtyard, a symbol of renewal he said. 'JOY SOAKED IN TEARS' Despite the obvious joys of being able to celebrate openly once again, it was a bittersweet Christmas for most across the Nineveh Plains, the epicenter of Iraqs ancient Christian communities which can trace their history in the country back two millennia. Though Iraq declared full victory over the militants just two weeks ago after a brutal three-year war, the damage done to Christian enclaves was extensive, and left many wondering whether they could overcome their recent history. Islamic State ravaged Christian areas, looting and burning down homes and churches, stripping them of all valuable artifacts and smashing relics. The damage in Qaraqosh, a town 15 km (10 miles) west of Mosul also known as Hamdaniya, was extensive, particularly to the town's ancient churches. At the Syrian Catholic Church of the Immaculate, congregants gathered for midnight Mass on Sunday surrounded by scorched and blackened walls, still tagged with Islamic State graffiti. They also sat on donated plastic chairs - the church has not yet been able to replace the wooden pews the militants used to fuel the massive fire which engulfed the church. Most families will require tens of thousands of dollars to repair their homes and replace their stolen goods. But most say they can overcome the material damage, unlike the forced separation of their families. Before the militant onslaught, Qaraqosh was the largest Christian settlement in Iraq, with a population of more than 50,000. But today, only a few hundred families have returned. Entire congregations have moved overseas, such as the Syriac Orthodox congregation of the Church of Mart Shmony. On Saturday afternoon, Father Butros Kappa, the head of Qaraqoshs Church of the Immaculate was trying hard to summon any sense of hope to deliver his congregation during Christmas Mass. "We'll have a Christmas Mass like in previous years, but this year, ours will be a joy soaked in tears, because all of our people have left Iraq," said Father Kappa. Holding Mass in the singed and upturned ruins of his church was therefore important, he said, "to remind everyone that despite the tragedies that have befallen us, we're still here." 'NO FUTURE FOR US' In Teleskof, 30 km (20 miles) north of Mosul and itself one of the oldest continuing Christian communities in the world, some families were skipping Mass altogether upset at their forced dispersal. "We usually celebrate with our entire family," said Umm Rita, as she prepared the traditional Christmas Day dish of pacha (sheep's head, trotters and stomach all slowly boiled) at her home. "But how can we be happy this year? Our brothers and sisters, even my own daughter, her husband and child Ive never met have all moved away." Community leaders estimate more than 7,000 of Teleskof's residents are now scattered acrossIraq and it's semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region, the United States, Australia, Germany, Lebanon and Jordan. Amid ongoing tensions between the central government in Baghdad and Iraq's Kurds after a referendum on Kurdish independence was held over Baghdad's objections in September, Teleskof's residents fear violence once again. "We just want to live in peace," said Umm Rita. "We are more anxious now than when Islamic State was in our homes." "Our community has been gutted," said Firas Abdelwahid, a 76-year-old former state oil employee, of the thousands who have sought permanent shelter overseas. Watching children play by the church bonfire, he felt melancholy. "But what do we expect? The past is tragic, the present is desperate and well, there is no future for us Christians in Iraq." Search Keywords: Short link: Because of recent low water levels in the Delaware River, it looked as though Mondays planned re-enactment of George Washingtons famous crossing from Pennsylvania to New Jersey was going to be canceled. But as of early Monday the event still had the green light thanks to some boats made by Philadelphia schoolkids. Philadelphia Waterborne, a nonprofit that teaches boat-building skills to middle- and high-school students, is lending the events organizers six handmade, 12-foot rowboats. The boats only draw about six inches of water, meaning they can get across the river under current conditions. The rivers water level needs to be at least 9 feet above sea level to use the usual Durham boats, and recent water levels have been around 8.3 feet. Organizers had said a pretty significant amount of precipitation would be needed to raise the rivers water levels in time for the event. Highlight event The crossing which was the trek that turned the tide of the Revolutionary War is the highlight of the annual event that draws thousands of people to the banks of the river in Washington Crossing, Pa., and Titusville, N.J. It also features Washington rallying the troops and other historical speeches and processions Boats ferried 2,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 18 cannons across the river during the original crossing. Washingtons troops marched eight miles downriver before battling Hessian mercenaries in the streets of Trenton. "This is just great, so perfect for the students. As part of this program, I wanted them to build something real and to see they could build things that were valuable to the community, which is why being part of this Washington crossing event is so wonderful. Their work will be on display. Nicholas Pagon, founder and managing director, Philadelphia Waterborne Thirty Hessians were killed, and two Continental soldiers froze to death on the march. Organizers note theres plenty of historical authenticity to this unique reenactment. They note that while Durham boats were used in the original 1776 crossing, historians agree that Washington probably used various river craft to make his daring crossing. Nicholas Pagon, founder and managing director of the Philadelphia Waterborne program, said the agreement suddenly came together. He said people in the crossing event were aware of his program and asked if they had boats that could be used. This is just great, so perfect for the students, Pagon said Friday. As part of this program, I wanted them to build something real and to see they could build things that were valuable to the community, which is why being part of this Washington crossing event is so wonderful. Their work will be on display. Spreading the word Roughly 75 students in Philadelphia are now involved in the program, and more than 200 have taken part overall since it began four years ago. Pagon said he plans to attend the crossing on Christmas Day, and is spreading the word to students in the program so they can also watch. Those involved believe that students learn best by doing. They use project-based, immersive and experiential programs primarily small boat-building, environmental education, and maritime history as a means to engage students more fully in certain core school curricula. Small groups of students in the program meet weekly in their own schools to build small wooden rowboats as a team. This allows them to consider design considerations and the cultural history of boats, along with the mathematics, physics and geometry needed for the project. They eventually launch and row the completed boats on local rivers together. The Associated Press contributed to this story. A Canadian government website claims that global warming is forcing Santa Claus to relocate his toy-making village to the South Pole. The Policy Horizons Canada website said last week that Santa signed an agreement with the international community to move his operation to the South Pole because of melting Arctic ice. Santas relocation agreement marks the first time that the international community agrees on a common legal definition of climate change that includes refugees as corporations, as well as individuals, the website said. "This deal is expected to lead to the deployment of a global climate change refugee visa system that in the near future could help to more easily relocate individuals and corporations facing the impacts of climate change. The statement comes as part of a series of Christmas-themed blog posts about Canadian policy concerns, including global warming, the Daily Caller reported. Scientists recently warned that global warming could increase the amount of poverty and hardship in the world. Europe would also see a surge in climate refugees, according to a study. Experts have long warned that rising temperatures and extreme weather could increase the number of people in poor countries seeking refuge in richer, more temperate nations, but the phenomenon has previously been studied only at a small scale. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A new emergency decree in Turkey that grants immunity to civilians deemed to have helped thwart an attempted coup has sparked an outcry. Critics fear that it could lead to violence through impunity, including the possible formation of death squads. The new law, passed Sunday, says people who acted to "suppress" the July 2016 coup attempt wouldn't face prosecution. Previously, it only applied to officials and law enforcement. Ex-President Abdullah Gul and an ally of Turkey's current president called the law "worrisome" and said Monday it should be re-evaluated. A new opposition party said that the decree could provoke groups to attack and kill opposition protesters, and link it to the failed coup. The government has been under a state of emergency since the coup blamed on a U.S.-based cleric. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Queen Elizabeth II is using her annual Christmas message to pay tribute to the way the cities of London and Manchester pulled together after extremist attacks earlier this year. Remarks pre-recorded by the 91-year-old monarch will be televised on Christmas Day in the United Kingdom and the 51 other Commonwealth countries. Excerpts released by Buckingham Palace indicate Elizabeth praises the "powerful identities" of Manchester, hit by a suicide bomber in May, and London, which endured attacks on Parliament, London Bridge and other landmarks. The queen says it was her privilege to visit young survivors of the attack on a Manchester concert hall as they were recovering from the blast which claimed 22 lives. "I describe that hospital visit as a 'privilege' because the patients I met were an example to us all, showing extraordinary bravery and resilience," she says. Elizabeth also pays tribute to her husband, 96-year-old Prince Philip, who this year stepped down from most public duties because of his advancing years. The queen, Philip and family members plan to attend a church service Monday on the grounds of Elizabeth's country estate in Sandringham, 110 miles (175 miles) north of London. They typically mingle with locals who come to watch them arrive. The royal family has a private lunch scheduled afterward. This is the first Christmas the family will be joined by Prince Harry's fiancee, American actress Meghan Markle. They plan to marry at Windsor Castle in May. Elizabeth says in her brief broadcast that the royal family looks forward "to welcoming new members into it next year" an apparent reference to Markle and the baby expected in the spring by Prince William and his wife, Kate. Syrian government forces have captured new areas south of the capital Damascus near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, increasing pressure on insurgents. The government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media reported that Syrian troops and their allies captured Monday three new areas from al-Qaida-linked Levant Liberation Committee. It added troops are now about 500 meters (yards) from the shrine of Sheikh Abdullah that is sacred to the country's Druze community. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Right said the fighters are now besieged in the village of Beit Jin and nearby areas after a 10-day intense offensive. It added that negotiations are underway to evacuate insurgents to the rebel-held northwestern province of Idlib. Israel has been concerned about the push by Syrian troops and their Iran-backed allies close to its border. A bizarre scene unfolded in Vatican City on Christmas Day when a topless female activist, while screaming God is woman, attempted to snatch a baby Jesus statue from a Nativity scene but was quickly whisked away by police as she lunged for it. The woman, who also had God is woman painted in black on her bare back, was seen jumping over a guardrail and charging toward the Nativity scene in St. Peters Square, Reuters reported. She was later identified as Alisa Vinogradova and a sextremist by Femen, a Ukraine activist group whose goal is to gain complete victory over patriarchy, according to its website. Femen said its mission is protest and its weapons are bare breasts. FEMEN considers the anti-war policy of the Vatican a rough medieval attack on the freedom of women and their natural rights, it wrote in its blog about the incident. FEMEN encourages women to follow the example of the movement and kidnap babies from religious denominations, thus, stating their right to use of their own body! Vinogradova got her hands on the statue, but police caught her before she was able to dash away. She was detained. The incident happened about two hours before 50,000 people watched Pope Francis give his Christmas message in St. Peters Square, Reuters reported. Women with the group have previously staged similar protests, according to Reuters. A Femen activist was able to run away with the baby Jesus statue out of a crib on Christmas Day 2014, but was eventually caught and arrested. Ukrainian authorities and separatist rebels have agreed on a major prisoner exchange. Separatist leaders and a Ukrainian government representative said in televised comments on Monday that they would exchange prisoners on Wednesday. They spoke after a meeting in Moscow mediated by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. Kiev representative Viktor Medvedchuk says Ukraine is ready to release 306 people and is hoping for the separatists to release 74 people. It is not immediately clear if this covers all prisoners of war. A simmering conflict in eastern Ukraine between Russia-backed separatists and government troops has killed more than 10,000 since 2014. A truce signed in 2015 stipulated an exchange of all prisoners but both sides are believed to keep dozens, if not hundreds, captive and use them as bargaining tools. An hour after dawn on a Sunday morning in mid-December, Kent Ihrman sets a small Bluetooth speaker on the roof of his car, then swipes open an app on his phone and hits play. The broadcasted calls of a screech owl bring in a mob of birds, including a hermit thrush, yellow-rumped warbler and several species of woodpeckers swooping through the branches above trying to scare off the unseen predator. Ihrman and his two companions, Bill Portlock and Chuck Gibson, are delighted with the result. Oh, theyre coming in now, Ihrman says, with a broad smile and a chuckle. A bunch of them. Hey, theres a hermit thrush, says Portlock. Oh, I see him, flipping his wings, adds Gibson. For the last 45 years, the three have participated in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, a 118-year tradition. The count, which takes place from Dec. 14 through Jan. 5, enlists bird enthusiasts and citizen scientists throughout North America to spend a day counting species at designated areas. The annual census aids scientists and conservationists. The Christmas Count was part of a blossoming conservation movement at the turn of the last century. Teams of men would go out on Christmas Day and bring back every animal they could kill and have a pile of them. The team that won would have bragging rights for a year, Portlock explains. According to the Audubon Society, observers and scientists at the time were becoming concerned about declining bird populations. Frank Chapman, an ornithologist, came up with the bird count to replace the traditional Side Hunt. Portlock, Gibson and Ihrman met in 1973, as students at Old Dominion University. We took an ornithology course and started going out with the Audubon Christmas Count and continued ever since, Gibson says. The three have changed with the times. Old-fashioned bird-calling was replaced by cassette tapes made from vinyl albums. Today, Ihrman uses his phone app to call birds, though Portlock still uses some traditional calls as they walk the beaches, woods and fields. For those who think birding is boring, there are bird tales. The three have plenty. Like the time they spent the last part of the count out on the Rappahannock River when a sudden snow squall trapped them for an hour. And their most unusual sightinga flamingo. It was on the Bodie Island count in North Carolina and we figured it was an escapee from New Jersey, said Gibson. If you look at the Sibley [online Field] Guide, there is a green dot for a flamingo over Cape Hatteras. That was us. Ihrman says there is a place in Norfolk where during the winter you can observe cedar waxwings drunk on holly berries. Occasionally these berries ferment and theyll get a little intoxicated, he says. Theyre just stumbling around; they just arent flying very well. For this years count, the trio arrives at the park when it is still dark to spot owl. At dawn, the three set up scopes on the beach along the Potomac River to count ducks, bald eagles and other species diving into the days calm waters. Portlock, a biologist with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, whispers some observations. About 15 years ago, we would typically see thousands of ducks, but the numbers diminished a few years ago, he says. I wonder if it was tied to red tide and the subsequent dead zone that appeared and killed the clams, which are the base for the food chain for the ducks that dive for them. Now, he says, the populations appear to be rebuilding. The men move on to Westmoreland State Park. They havent ended a count with a boat ride in several years, so they drive to Carters Wharf on the Rappahannock River, where they spot a bald eagle. But the fading light means their count is done. At the end of the day, the three meet up at a local restaurant with other participants in this part of the Northern Neck region to tally their count. The locations include Stratford Hall, two in Essex County and another from the Wilna Tract of the Rappahannock River Valley Wildlife Refuge. In all, there were 99 species spotted. That includes two rare onesthe Lapland longspur and the Northern shrike, both spotted by the Northern Virginia Teen Bird Club. The students are beaming but exhausted. Ben, a high school sophomore, says one highlight of the day was when his group accidentally hit the wrong call on their phone app, broadcasting a call for a sora, a shy type of rail. They got a great surprise when one called back. The new generation of birders are just as enthusiastic as the old-timers. Sam, a high school senior from Reston, has plans to make this passion a job. I just got into Virginia Tech last week, he says. Im going to be studying natural resources and ecology and majoring in wildlife conservation. Pope Francis was Monday to give his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" Christmas address, after urging the world's 1.3 billion Catholics not to ignore the plight of migrants "driven from their land" because of leaders willing to shed "innocent blood". "So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary," the Argentine pontiff, himself the grandson of Italian migrants, told worshippers at Christmas Eve mass in Saint Peter's Basilica. "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. The pontiff's plea for "hope" 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. 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". He urged "Christians of the Holy Land, who are worried, and perhaps afraid by the reduction of our numbers, the inadequacy of our means, the insecurity that characterises our daily life," to have courage in the troubled region. 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. "Jerusalem is our mother," he said, and if one of her children "is missing the mother cannot be at peace, so we have to pray for the peace of Jerusalem," the archbishop said in his homily in the presence of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has sparked almost daily protests in the Palestinian territories and put a damper on Christmas festivities. Palestinian scouts played drums and bagpipes at celebrations in Bethlehem, but many tourists stayed away. Hundreds 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. In the square, Nahil Banura, a Christian woman from Beit Sahur near Bethlehem, said Trump's decision had made the run-up to Christmas "miserable". "People are only going out to vent," she said. 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 at 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 earlier, 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". Mitri Raheb, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, told AFP 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". 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. Hymns filled a Mosul church on Sunday as worshippers celebrated Christmas for the first time in four years after the city's recapture from the Islamic State group in July. Meanwhile a tragic Christmas weekend in the Philippines was compounded Monday by the deaths of 20 people killed in a bus collision while travelling to mass. Dozens of people were feared killed in a fire Saturday in the southern city of Davao. Thousands were displaced by floods and landslides from a storm that also killed more than 200 others on Friday. Search Keywords: Short link: Free Freightnet Membership List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours. Although the sugar beet area in England has stabilised, the threatened loss of pesticide active ingredients, in particular neonicotinoid seed dressings next year, and the increasing prevalence of beet cyst nematode are all concerns, says Andersons director Nick Blake. The start to the 2017 crop has been mixed, but many crops improved after June rain and indications so far suggest a reasonably large crop overall. See also: Farmers unaware of multimillion pound safety breach fines Summary Loss of crop protection chemistry and increasing nematode pressure could put pressure on UK beet production Rolling forward the commitment for three-year contracts provides an increased bonus price compared with the one-year contract. Proposed new Yorkshire-based processor could provide new outlet for growers The contract value of bonus over and above the base price is driven by the sugar marketing period from October 2017 to September 2018, says Mr Blake. World prices are falling from the four-year high of December 2016, but the EU June 2017 price was quoted at 498/t. If the price were to remain at this level, then we calculate that 32p would be added to the one-year contract, and 81p to the three-year contract. The ability for existing three-year contract holders to roll forward their commitment for the next three years (effectively tying them in for four consecutive years) was a useful option for growers for 2018, providing an extra 50p/t. At the time of writing it is understood that contracting is not yet complete, with BS looking for additional area for 2018. Earlier this year, plans were announced by Al Khaleej International Ltd for a project to invest in a new sugar factory in Yorkshire, the first in the UK for around 90 years, expected to process 24-26,000t/day during the campaign. This could bring a new entrant to the market, but due to its location it is unlikely to provide sufficient competition to result in a significant increase in price, as demonstrated with AD sugar beet in the East, says Mr Blake. However, there are ways to attract growers other than price, he adds. Current payments terms offered by British Sugar add cash flow certainty, a recognised benefit. Haulage and harvesting arrangements, co-ordination to suit crop and soil conditions, and delayed payment terms for seed could also be useful incentives. Farmers Weekly says David Jones, deputy arable editor Sugar beet for many growers will be their most profitable crop on the farm, and that is likely to be further helped by a bumper harvest this season and a 2.3% price rise for the crop to be drilled next spring. The area of the crop currently being harvested is up by a third at 107,000ha encouraged by an 8.4% price rise for this beet campaign and the ending of European Union quotas in October 2017. Around 140 new growers have joined the existing 3,500 beet farmers this season and next spring some other new recruits might be attracted by a crop that can improve rotations and blackgrass control. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe The festival will be held between 20 and 26 February 2018 in Aswan The Aswan Womens Film Festival will honour Egyptian actress Mona Zaki in its second edition, set to take place in February. Zaki, 41, is an award-winning actress who has starred in over 30 Egyptian films since the early 1990s. Last year, she won the Murex D'Or award for her role in the Ramadan television series Afrah El-Quba. She also won awards from the Damascus Film Festival, the Alexandria International Film Festival, the Cairo National Film Festival for Arab Cinema, as well as the Paris Biennial for Arab Cinema. The festivals secretary-general Amira Atef has said that the festival has chosen to honour Zaki for her talent and extensive contributions to cinema since the start of her career, according to a report by Al-Ahram Arabic new website. Zaki has tackled womens issues in many of her films, and portrayed the struggles of women of different backgrounds in films including An El-Eshq Wel Hawa (2006), Ehky Ya Shahrazad (2009), Taimour We Shafika (2007), Sahar El-Layaly (2003), Dam El-Ghazal (2005), and Edhak El-Soura Tetlaa Helwa (1998), Atef said. Zaki has thanked the festival for the honorary award, saying that it holds particularly special value coming from an Egyptian festival dedicated to women, especially in an edition where the guest of honour is iconic Algerian activist Djamila Bouhired. In its first edition last year, the festival honoured actress Naglaa Fathy. The Aswan Womens Film Festival showcases local and international films with women as lead actresses, directors, or that focus on women's issues. The festival is headed by actress Elham Shahin and is organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the National Assembly for Women. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: On The Water: You might need a bigger boat for Transpac 2023 Sodaville park The story: The city of Sodaville received a $10,000 grant from the Ford Family Foundation last year and a $2,500 grant from Good Earth Pest Control, plus smaller individual donations, to create a "sport court" in the park below City Hall, at the corner of Vine Street and Sodaville-Mountain Home Road. The latest: According to the city's December newsletter, the city is now working on a full-blown Soda Springs Community Center Park at the location thanks to a $225,000 grant from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. City officials are seeking public input on what people would like the park to look like and are asking residents to contact City Hall, 30723 Sodaville Road, 541-258-8882. Jennifer Moody Sexual abuse case The story: A grand jury indicted Albany resident Fidencio Cruz-Galan in January 2009 for sexually abusing a girl in Benton County. Cruz-Galan was arrested by law enforcement in June and pleaded not guilty to first-degree sexual abuse, second-degree unlawful sexual penetration and second-degree sexual abuse. The victim was under the age of 14 at the time of the alleged abuse. The latest: A Benton County judge on Tuesday set Cruz-Galan's case for a four-day trial beginning April 23. The 38-year-old defendant, who did not appear at the hearing, was being held in the Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facility. Lillian Schrock Online sexual corruption The story: Police arrested Dallas man Gary Dean Hutsell in September, alleging he used the internet to solicit a 15-year-old girl to engage in sexual conduct. The 51-year-old Hutsell is accused of sexually abusing the girl in August. Authorities say Hutsell used explicit images or language to lure the victim into engaging in sexual conduct and that Hutsell possessed child pornography. Hutsell has pleaded not guilty. The latest: A Benton County judge on Tuesday scheduled a five-day trial in Hutsell's case, to begin May 7. Hutsell posted $7,500 security a week after his arrest and was released from jail. The court has forbidden him from having any contact with minors. Lillian Schrock Cleaner Air Oregon The story: State officials held two events in Corvallis this fall a regional workshop in October and a public hearing in November to gather public input on draft industrial air pollution rules developed for Cleaner Air Oregon, a state initiative aimed at creating health-based standards for emission levels. The latest: The public comment period for the draft rules, initially set to end in December, has been extended 30 days until 4 p.m. Jan. 22. Comments can be filed electronically on the initiatives website, www.oregon.gov/deq/aq/cao. Bennett Hall On Monday, in the morning, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey attended the Christmas morning service of Eucharist at St John's Anglican Cathedral, Brisbane. The 15-year-old Selim Khamassi won second prize at the newly launched competition by Syrian pianist Jandali In its first-ever edition of the Malek Jandali International Youth Piano Competition, which took place last week, Tunisian Selim Khamassi brought home the second prize. Called the new Tunisian prodigy, the 15-year-old pianist won third prize at the International Piano Festival and Competition ClaviCologne when he was 11 years old. He also won third prize at a competition organised at Carnegie Hall in 2014. In its inaugural year, the Malek Jandali International Youth Piano Competition invited pianists who are under 18 from all around the world to participate. Among the works performed, the pianists were asked to prepare a music piece composed by Jandali and titled 'Eid' from his famed album Echoes From Ugarit. The grand prize winner of this year's competition is Polish-US national Antoni Kleczek. The winner receives a cash prize of $500 and is offered an opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City alongside Jandali. Jandali is a German-born, Syrian-American composer and pianist. His outstanding recordings and extensive concert tours receive glowing praise. "His musical career as a concert pianist began in 1988 after winning the first prize at the National Young Artists competition, followed by the 1997 'Outstanding Musical Performer Award' in the United States," reads the pianist's website. Jandali was the recipient of the 2011 Freedom of Expression award in Los Angeles, and was recognised in New York City with the 2012 Arab-American Cultural Achievement Award. He was honoured with the 2013 GUSI International Peace Prize for his ongoing world tour The Voice of the Free Syrian Children and his dedication to peace and humanitarian causes. Jandali is also the recipient of the 2014 Global Music Humanitarian Award, and in 2015 the Carnegie Corporation of New York honoured him as one of the Great Immigrants along with Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman. "His prolific compositions integrate Middle-Eastern modes into Western classical forms and harmony. They range from chamber music to large-scale orchestral works including concertos for violin and piano." For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: Veteran Al-Ahram journalist Ezzat Ibrahim has been appointed as the new editor-in-chief of Ahram Online, the English-language daily-news website of Al-Ahram, succeeding Fouad Mansour, one of the founders of the seven-year-old news portal. Ibrahim is the current editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram's print publication Ahram Weekly. Ibrahim was selected by the National Press Organisation, which oversees publicly-owned print media, to lead both Ahram Online and Ahram Weekly. Ezzat Ibrahim has held several positions at Al-Ahram Institution, including managing editor of the daily newspaper, and head of its bureau in Washington from 2009 to 2013. "The website will expand to present an objective image of Egypt to the whole world," Ibrahim said. "A plan is being prepared to develop the website in coordination with National Press Organisation head Karam Gabr. It will be ready in a matter of weeks," Ibrahim added. In 2012, Mansour, who held the position of managing editor since the site was founded in late 2010, succeeded the websites founder Hani Shukrallah upon his retirement. Mansour remains the editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram's French-language print weekly Hebdo. Ibrahim has praised Mansour for his work at the helm of the site over the past five years, adding that he looks forward to building upon this work and expanding Ahram Online's international audience. Ahram Online was launched on 26 November 2010. Operating round the clock since its birth, the website has been covering key political, economic, sporting and cultural events in Egypt and the region. Search Keywords: Short link: HIGH POINT Police found two people dead Christmas Eve, both shot in the head at separate incidents within blocks from each other. High Point police found the first victim, a 16-year-old girl who police havent publicly identified, at 1:45 a.m. at 709 Garrison St. The story of how police found her is strange and confusing. Hours earlier, Greensboro police had responded to a traffic accident with injuries at East Wendover Avenue and Norwalk Street in Greensboro. One of the drivers told Greensboro police that his passenger shot himself in the head as they were travelling from High Point to Greensboro. The driver also said he believed someone was dead at the Garrison Street address. The passenger was taken to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem for serious but non-life-threatening injuries. When High Point police arrived at the Garrison Street home, three teenagers told them someone had been shot inside. They found the girl dead in a downstairs bedroom. Witnesses said the offender was upset his stepson and friends had gathered there while he was out of town. They said the offender unexpectedly shot the female victim in the head before another teen tackled him, allowing everyone to flee. Police say they found the second victim, 28-year-old Qumain T. Pratt, at 4:06 a.m. at the intersection of Apex Place and Worth Street. They had received a report of a shooting. Police tried to save Pratts life at the scene, and emergency workers took him to Cone Hospital in Greensboro, where he later died. Nothing in the High Point Police Departments press releases suggests the incidents were related. However, the addresses are within blocks of each other, on the east and west sides of Brentwood Park. 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 Grinchs 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? Its Christmas. And so researchers at Johns Hopkins, Georgetown University and other learned places are bringing their expertise to some of the holidays classic tales. Georgetown professors answered questions such as: Does Santa use big data to find the perfect gift for every child? Why doesnt Claus age? And they even wondered Grinch-like whether there might be some toy-licensing violations going on in Santas 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 A Christmas Carol. Moving forward in time is easy, said physicist Ibrahima 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 Einsteins 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 ghosts reference frame could be 30 for the person holding still. But we dont know how to move back in time, said Bah. You would have to have negative energy density. We dont 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. When Kass, a cardiologist whose research into heart failure has led to discoveries that have helped many people, was asked if the universitys public-relations team could videotape him evaluating the Grinch, he said, Ill do it, but I have to put on a fake Austrian accent and wear my glasses like Chuck Schumer. He didnt 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 Grinchs, 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 pythons 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, thats not a defining feature. 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 Washington, D.C.,public school, an educational transition that was a real culture shock. It was a school with a metal detector, something he hadn't 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 I've 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 group that works with high school students of East African heritage who are immigrants or the children of immigrants. The nonprofit group - 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 you're worth this institution. You have every credential that they are listing. Why in the world do you not see yourself going - what's holding you back?' " 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. 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 couldn't imagine the college process without their help," Getaneh said. "I couldn't imagine it at all." Judy Tsegaye, a freshman at Stanford University, took part in IEA Councils last year, traveling on Saturdays from her family's home in Woodbridge. 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 he's looking forward to what I'm going to do at Stanford." 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. "It's 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 publisher of The Washington Post.) 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 can't monetize it, I really can't," Mesfin said. Some of the work is practical: Here's 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. "It's an incredible void that we're filling," Mesfin said. "And it's 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. "They're 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. "It's sort of a way to give back. Hopefully, there's somebody else who, like me, has potential to go reach high, but all they need is a little bit of guidance." Entrepreneur Media Youre ready for financial mastery and to grow your business, so of course the technology you employ needs to be up for the challenge as well. Without the right tools, back-end operations such as supply chain, fulfillment, payment, and more can be mismanaged or even fall off the rails. Thats the last thing any smart business owner or financial manager wants. As your business scales, you need the tools and tactics to drive the economic engine. 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. Egyptian writer and renowned leftist journalist Salah Eissa died on Monday at the age of 78 after a struggle with illness. Eissa, dubbed the "storyteller," was one of Egypt's most well-known journalists, documenting the lives of many historical figures, celebrities and Egypt's most notorious serial killers Raya and Sakina. Eissa, born on 4 October 1939 in Daqahliya governorate, was known for being a leftist activist, journalist and historian. He started his career as a short story writer before turning to historical writing and political history. He edited, ran and co-founded many newspapers and magazines, and at the time of his death, he was the head of the board of Al-Kahera Cultural Magazine. In 1966, Eissa was arrested for articles that criticised the regime of then-president Gamal Abdel-Nasser. He was tortured for 15 days and interrogated with other members of the communist group to which he belonged, and was released on the eve of Egypt's 1967 defeat against Israel. He was repeatedly arrested between the 1960s and the 80s, including in the round of arrests that followed the 1977 bread riots. Eissa was also a very influential figure in the movement against normalising relations with Israel. He strongly opposed the peace treaty with Israel in 1979 and was the leading figure against the planned participation of Israel in the Cairo International Book Fair in 1981, which never took place. The renowned historian authored many books on Egypt's modern history, including his famous book on the Orabi revolt, The Orabian Revolution, which was published in the 1970s and republished in 2012. He also wrote The Princess and the Effendi, which tells the story of a marriage that rocked the Egyptian Royal Family, when Princess Fatheya, the younger sister of King Farouk I, decided to get married to a young Egyptian Christian of humble origins in San Francisco. Eissa also wrote A Constitution in the Garbage Can, which tracks the story of Egypt's 1954 Constitution, the country's most democratic constitution to date, which never saw the light of day. Eissa happened to find a draft copy and told its story. Raya an Sakina's Men is one of Eissa's most famous books, in which he details the story of two Egyptian sisters who are considered Egypt's most infamous serial killers. The duo killed 17 women between 1920 and 1921, and were sentenced to death on May 1921. Thanks to the work of Salah Eissa, we have their full story and the story of their male accomplices. Search Keywords: Short link: PUPILS from the four state primary schools in Henley performed alongside a professional a capella group at a concert, writes Jamie Presland. Children from Sacred Heart, Valley Road, Badgemore and Trinity schools sang at the event at the Christ Church Centre. They were joined by Apollo5, a London group fronted by Alex Haigh, who grew up in Henley, for two performances attended by teachers and parents. Each school performed individually before coming together for a finale. The songs included a rendition of piano tune Swinging Along, Steven Schwartzs When You Believe from the film The Prince of Egypt and hits by Fleetwood Mac and Taylor Swift. Pupils performed their own dance moves with some of the tunes. The performances were interspersed with numbers sung by Apollo5. The concert ended with a mass sing-along of Monteverdis Vi ricorda, o boschi ambrosi, Mambo Swing by Scotty Morris and Meghan Trainors Better When Im Dancing. The concert, now in its fifth year, was sponsored by the Henley Educational Trust and was the culmination of a series of singing workshops held by Apollo5 in each school. Colin Homent, who chairs the trust, said: Its fantastic to see the childens happy, smiling faces and they really enjoyed doing it. You couldnt get me up on stage when I was at school but they love it and the schools want to keep doing it every year. ONE of Henleys top pianists has announced plans for a series of four winter recitals early in the New Year. Anita DAttelliss hope is that the concerts could become an annual fixture potentially paving the way for a new classical music festival for the Henley area. As a professional concert musician who also teaches two days a week at Eton College, the 40-year-old is well used to performing solo. But this latest project, which is the first series of recitals Anita has curated in the Thames Valley, is entirely collaborative and draws on the music world contacts she has made since moving to Henley six years ago. The venue for the first series of recitals which begins on Saturday, January 13, at 7.30pm is the church of St Mary-le-More in Market Place, Wallingford. Anita, who lives in Norman Avenue with her husband, former Fleet Street photographer John Downing MBE, said: Ive wanted to do this for a while, really. Ever since I was at the Royal Academy Ive wanted to not just do my own thing but to do something that was bigger than me. My first intention was to have a Henley Chamber Music Festival Id have some high-powered people coming in and all that. I havent quite got down to that yet because it takes a lot of sponsorship and youve got to have a decent venue. As a concert pianist who will be joined by different musicians for all four recitals, Anita said the biggest advantage of St Mary-le-More was the churchs grand piano. The set-up is very good and I know people who are involved in the church, which is helpful because there are no pews, so you can arrange it as you like. Its quite a warm, modern interior and its already got a very nice piano. The reason I knew about this piano initially is that I played for Benson Choral Society thats where they rehearse. Thats why I know the piano is good. Its a Yamaha that theyve got there, which I play anyway. Its a lovely, cosy venue with a great acoustic. While many musicians at the top level have a peripatetic lifestyle, travelling the world to perform at a succession of different venues, Anita prefers to work a little closer to home. Well, actually, we were away just this last weekend, she says. We were in Germany and I was playing for the London Welsh Male Voice Choir. They had a mini-tour to Germany and you just spend more time travelling than you do music, even if youre just doing it for the weekend as I was thinking while we were stuck in a very overcrowded waiting room, waiting for a Eurostar to come back from Paris. So, you know, its not for me. In choosing not to have an agent, Anita is responsible for managing her own diary and playing commitments over the course of the year. I do a lot of different things, actually, because I work as an accompanist, so I play for different instrumentalists and choirs some locally but also some down in Somerset where I used to be. And then Im also teaching piano at Eton College, so every week is different I have some regular work but then different things come up. Having started playing the piano and violin aged eight, Anita went on to study music at the University of Birmingham, where she decided to specialise in the piano. Playing the violin as well has been helpful because when youre working with string players you have an affinity with that, she says. After university, Anita took a performance diploma at the Royal Academy of Music in Londons Marylebone Road, where one of the highlights of each day was attempting to dodge the crowds queuing to get into the nearby Madame Tussauds. I stayed in London and was freelancing as an accompanist for a time, but then I got into teaching and I actually had some full-time teaching posts for about 10 years. So although I kept up my music on the side, it was kind of like that on the side. I mean, I was being a music teacher, but unless youve got ample time to practise and the flexibility of doing lots of travelling to concerts and all the rest so I did teach full-time. I was head of music in a prep school in Hampstead and then I got this job at Sherborne School for Girls [in Dorset]. I was head of keyboard there and thats what took me out of London. Anita enjoyed teaching and still does but says that as a musician part of her wanted more. You get to a certain time in your life and I think I was probably early thirties I was about 30 at the time and you think, well, I could either just stay being a teacher for ever you know, in my nice comfortable job or I could actually really try and be a musician. You know, take it more seriously, dedicate some time to it. So after a few years of umming and ahhing like that, I did leave my nice cushy full-time job, she laughs, and venture out into the big wide world. I just dedicated more time to playing because really its the practising thats the time-consuming part of it. Im a good accompanist and I learn things very quickly, so thats sort of all right. When it comes to giving solo recitals, Anita explains that pianists have to memorise their music the equivalent of an actor learning their lines for a role. And for me that takes time, she says. Getting back [to music] I was still doing quite a lot of accompanying but not having enough time to do all the solo work. So thats what Ive been focusing on in the last few years and getting that back up to scratch. Because I like doing everything, you know? I like doing solo work. I like then doing something like these recitals collaboratively with other musicians, because thats just great fun. And then I do my teaching. So, yes, Im lucky that Im doing lots of different things that I enjoy. With Christmas nearly upon us, Anita is facing a certain amount of deadline pressure to be ready for the first recital though it helps that she is the one programming the concerts. Because Ive chosen the repertoire, the pieces are either ones that Ive played before or that Im very familiar with, she says. Preparation for a solo recital usually takes a few months says Anita and the opening recital in Wallingford is not far off that level. In the first concert, for example, which is called Great Russian Piano Trios, the Tchaikovsky in particular [Piano Trio in A Minor op 50] is fiendish, to be honest I mean, its really, really virtuosic. I havent performed that one before but Hannah Roper, the violinist, was really keen to do the Tchaikovsky and she said, I can never find a pianist who is willing to do it because its so difficult! So Ill have a very busy Christmas practising for that! The January 13 recital also features Arenskys Piano Trio No 1 in D minor op 32, with Oxford-based cellist Jacqueline Johnson joining Anita and Hannah for the occasion. Then on Saturday, January 27, Anita returns to St Mary-le-More for Beethoven meets Brahms, with Colette Salkeld on clarinet and Paul Cox on cello. Just under a month later on Saturday, February 24, it will be time to Bring on the Youth for a concert featuring the Henley Youth Choir, Camille Morana on violin and the 2016 Henley Young Musician Competition winner Matthew Prior on French horn. The fourth and final recital in the series takes place on Saturday, March 10, and is billed as Piano duets double the fun! Joining Anita for a programme that features works by Mozart, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Poulenc, Brahms and Piazzolla will be her Eton colleague Mila Miletic. All four recitals start at 7.30pm and will be performed in the round. Tickets are 10 in advance or 12 on the door. Anita added: Tickets are unreserved, so do arrive early to secure the best seats. Proceeds will go to the church tower fund. For more information, including full programme details for each recital, and to book, visit www.anitapiano.com/winter-recitals Every winter, local beef producers gear up to meet their goal of 100 percent safe births. Heifers require some extra attention to make sure they are successful through the calving process. Heifers are typically bred to a low birth weight or calving ease bull to minimize the chance of calving difficulty, but problems can still develop. A beef education program will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ron Ramsey Regional Agriculture Center near the Tri-Cities Airport. Lew Strickland, the UT extension veterinarian, will present a program on dealing with calving difficulties. He will be bringing his rubber cow and calf by cattle trailer to present the hands-on demonstration. This life-size rubber cow and calf will be rolled into the ag center and used to educate beef producers on how to deal with difficult births. This educational cow and calf will allow Strickland to illustrate difficult birth presentations. Producers will have the opportunity to assess the challenges of different birthing situations and learn how to deal with the situations. Please consider attending if you are interested in learning more about dealing with difficult calf birthing situations. This educational session will help you know when you need to call the veterinarian. Even with a successful birth, challenges still exist for the new and also experienced mothers. New mothers may not have enough milk or may lack the natural mothering instinct necessary to care for the new baby calf. Wet and cold winters often produce muddy and stressful conditions for calving. Dr. Jim Neel, retired UT extension beef specialist, always said cold wet weather produces a chill factor that is harder on the cow and calf than colder dryer weather. The wet and cold weather often yields cold mud, which drains the cows and calves of their energy more than frozen ground and harbors disease causing organisms. Supervision of cows during calving season can significantly reduce calf mortality. This often is difficult due to the other obligations of the part-time beef farmer. Cows calving during the day are more likely to get assistance when needed just because they can be seen more easily than at night. Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State extension cattle reproduction specialist, says the best way to encourage daytime calving is by feeding cows in the early evening hours. Selk explains that pressure in the rumen drops during calving. Thus, night feeding causes rumen activity to increase at night and decrease during the day, therefore increasing the number of daytime births. If youre interested in learning more about calving difficulty, we hope to see you on Tuesday, Jan. 16. Please RSVP to (423) 574-1919 by Friday, Jan. 12. Around the world, Christmas is a much-loved festival, and with good reason. After all, who doesnt like to listen to carols, enjoy delectable goodies, and exchange gifts? The festival is associated with charity, spreading joy and spending time with family and friends. The history of Christmas: December 25 is celebrated as Christmas to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. According to the New Testament, Jesus was born in Bethlehem to Joseph and Mary. The month and date of his birth are not known, but by the early-to-mid-fourth century, the Western Christian Church had placed Christmas on December 25. This date was later adopted around the world. In 1870, the United States declared Christmas a federal holiday. Common rituals: In the run-up to Christmas, people often go door-to-door in small groups singing carols. This adds to the festive cheer. Decorations form an integral part of the charm of Christmas. People love doing up their houses, even offices, with wreaths, candy canes, holly, mistletoe and stockings. And, of course, a Christmas tree whether really tall or miniature with colourful ornaments, is a must. Dressed in their finest, believers also attend midnight mass at churches on the eve of Christmas. Many individuals and churches set up a nativity scene, depicting the birth of Christ. A manger or barn is recreated, and there are figures representing Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus. They are usually surrounded by angels, the biblical Magi, shepherds, and animals like a donkey, ox and camels. Young children and grown-ups alike exchange Christmas cards and gifts on the day. (Shutterstock) The legend of Santa Claus: When we talk of Christmas, Santa Claus cant be far behind. As children are told, Santa, or St Nicholas, lives in the North Pole. He has a flowy white beard to complement his pot belly, and often goes Ho ho ho! in a jovial manner. On the eve of Christmas, he visits the houses of people who have been nice throughout the year and leaves behind gifts for them. Young children are encouraged to leave out empty stockings for presents, before going to bed. Even grown-ups exchange Christmas cards and gifts on the day. The legend of Santa Claus goes back hundreds of years to a monk named St Nicholas. He is said to have been born sometime around 280 AD in Patara, near Myra in present-day Turkey. He became the subject of legends as he was admired for his piety and kindness. The food and drinks: If its a festival, there are inevitably delicious dishes around. Christmas scores high on the dessert quotient, what with gingerbread, cookies, plum cakes, marzipan, rum balls, and candies in abundance. Wait, theres more: bebinca, guava cheese and dodol are also popular during this season. Some of the commonly prepared foods in India during Christmas include roast chicken, pork and beef curries, vindaloo, sorpotel, mutton stew, mince pie and duck roast. Many also love pairing the festive feast with home-made wines. If its a festival, there are inevitably some delicious dishes around. (Shutterstock) Follow @htlifeandstyle for more In a major crackdown against collusion between police personnel and sand mafia, the Sidhi police has taken action against nearly 50 police personnel by either suspending them, instituting departmental inquiry against them or removing them from service in the last two months. In one instance, the entire police outpost in Piparohar comprising 16 personnel, headed by a sub-inspector was changed, when the higher-ups found that the entire outpost was involved in abetting illegal sand mining. Police officers have been alleged to collude with mining mafia in these regions, getting a cut (commission) for turning a blind eye to illegal mining and overloading of trucks. Attempts to stop illegal mining has met with resistance from locals throughout Madhya Pradesh with officials being threatened and even attacked. Illegal mining in Sidhi is mainly carried out on the banks of Son river, home to now endangered Ghariyal. Mining department officials say that every day, some 400 to 500 trucks of sand are mined. Though there is no official estimate, activists say the government loses crores every year due to illegal mining in Sidhi. Sidhi SP Manoj Shrivastava said they registered around 100 cases against illegal mining in the past two months. We have also started registering cases of theft under Section 379 of the IPC, he said. Earlier, when a truck was found carrying more sand than sanctioned under the permit, a case of overloading was registered. Now, police register cases of theft and impound the vehicles. Justifying the theft charge, SP Shrivastava said, Since you have taken more than your permit sanctions, it is a case of theft, not simply one of overloading. The government had passed a proposal in the state cabinet in November under which 821 of the 1,266 sand mines in the state would be handed over to the panchayats, while the remaining 445 would be given through auction. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Christmas will be celebrated this year in the state under the shadow of police protection, especially in areas which has seen attacks on Christians in the recent past. According to sources in the police department, the intelligence wing has sent a detailed note to all the zonal IGs, range DIGs and SPs with a list of dos and dont to ensure that Christmas passes off peacefully in the state. Sources said that this note also details the list of incidents in which members of the Christian community had been targeted, and has asked these SPs of these areas to be especially careful. IG (intelligence) Makrand Deouskar has confirmed that the intelligence wing has issued an alert to all district SPs and other senior officers over Christmas celebrations. Attacks on Christians was recently reported from Satna where Bajrang Dal activists attacked a group of 30 Christians while they were singing carols on December 15, accusing them on conversion. In the first week of November, Right Wing Hindu activists had taken out a rally against Christians, accusing them of converting people by bribes. According to information, cops will be posted in the main venues where Christmas is celebrated to give additional protection and deter mischievous elements. Archbishop Bhopal Lio Cornelio said, Some people are trying to divide people in the name of religion. The recent attacks on people of our community had created terror among them. We are also scared of repetition of such incidents on Christmas as instead of stopping the miscreants, police acted as mute spectators. We have asked the government to stop miscreants and create peaceful environment in the state. We have also asked Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to ensure that we are able to celebrate our festival peacefully. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON As the world celebrates Christmas on Monday, Bollywoods power couple - Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan were spotted at a birthday party Sunday evening. The occasion was producer Bunty S Walias birthday party and Aishwarya and Abhishek were giving couple goals with their body language - the duo held hands stylishly as they walked towards the venue in Bandra, Mumbai. While Aishwarya wore a gorgeous multi-coloured, off-shoulder gown, her husband looked dapper in a black shirt and pants. Even as they posed with the birthday boy, Abhishek held Aishwarya around the waist. Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor was also spotted at the party. A few days ago, Aishwarya and Abhisheks daughter Aaradhya Bachchan, along with Shah Rukh Khans son Abram were in the limelight for their schools annual day function where they performed. Aishwarya was seen dancing with Aaradhya and taking selfies but the little one only wanted to spend time with her buddy, little Azad. Aaradhya took Azads hand and playfully gave him a few taps on the head as her parents were seen dancing with the students. Aishwarya is shooting for her next film, Fanne Khan, in which she will be seen with Rajkummar Rao and Anil Kapoor. Follow @htshowbiz for more The Centres special representative Dineshwar Sharma on Monday visited the border district of Kupwara as part of his two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir. It is the third visit of Sharma a former head of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to the state after his appointment by the Centre to start a multilayered, sustained dialogue to address the Kashmir problem. Sharma reached Kupwara district in the afternoon. According to local authorities, Sharma met around 30 delegations at the Kupwara Dak Bungalow. The delegations included many youth groups. Local journalists said authorities did not allow them to enter the Dak Bungalow where Sharmas meetings were being held. Among the first to meet Sharma was the family of cab driver Asif Iqbal Bhat, who was allegedly killed by the Army earlier this month during an encounter. The family members, who were called by the district administration to meet Sharma, conveyed their anger over Bhats killing. Bhat was seriously injured after being hit by a bullet in Thandipora in Kralpora area of the Kupwara district and was shifted to a hospital. He later succumbed to his injuries. Police has lodged an FIR in the Police Station Kralpora and an investigation has been launched. However, the Army has maintained that the deceased was caught in a cross-fire between troops and militants. The other delegations apprised Sharma, the former director of Intelligence Bureau, about the problems faced by them during heightened tension along the Line of Control or during a cordon off by security forces and search operations carried out by the Army. Employment, lack of power supply and non-availability of food grains especially during the winter months also figured during the discussions with Sharma. The Centres representative had announced earlier that he will be travelling to the Valley during the harsh winters. Tomorrow he is expected to meet people in Baramulla in north Kashmir. Speaking to media, Firdous Ahmad of Langate area in Kupwara said he talked about revocation of controversial laws like ASFPA. We told him peace will only come when Delhi leaves its arrogance. When those committing human rights violations are punished, people will feel secure and peace will prevail, Ahmad said. A 1979-batch former Indian Police Service officer, Sharma is believed to have a clear understanding of the problems faced by the people in Kashmir, thanks to his stint in the IB. He has so far not directly engaged with separatist leaders, although some media reports said Sharma met senior separatist leader Abdul Gani Bhat during his last visit to the Valley. Bhat, however, denied the reports. Senior separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik have dismissed the possibility of engaging in a dialogue with Sharma, describing the entire process as an eyewash by the Indian government. Patience is the new Himachal chief ministers greatest virtue. So believes his wife, Dr Sadhna Thakur. Speaking to HT, Sadhna, who was an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) worker in Jaipur when she first met Jai Ram Thakur, said, Sometime people misunderstand it as his weakness but it is his greatest strength. Thakurs family is confident that he will make an effective CM, given his long years of struggle, and his ability to empathise with the daily trials and tribulations of the common man. Saying that she had never expected her son to make it to this lofty position, Jai Rams mother, Briku Devi, said, I am very happy... I congratulate the entire state. Son of a mason, the third BJP chief minister of Himachal Pradesh has risen from the ranks. The saffron party not only coloured his politics but his personal life as well. It was during his stint as an ABVP worker that he met his future wife, a doctor, whose father was an RSS pracharak in Jaipur. A prominent social worker of Mandi, Sadhna Thakur, recounts, I was working in Rajasthan, while Jai Ram ji was in Jammu. I wanted to marry a man who was working for the society and would allow me to continue my social work. Jai Ram ji was perfect match. Talking about his agenda for the state, she said, Law and order, employment and financial crisis should be his top priority. Sadhana is confident that her husband will be able to deliver all the poll promises made by the BJP. Jai Ram ji is determined. Earlier, his priority was his own assembly segment, now he is responsible for the all around development of the state. I am hopeful that he will live up to the expectations of the people. When asked whether she was worried when other names were doing the rounds for the chief ministerial post, Sadhana said, There was no question of being worried. Jai Ram ji is a five-time MLA. He did not ask for anything, selecting a CM was the prerogative of the party high command. Thakurs younger daughter, Chandrika Thakur, an MBBS student, was all smiles as she heaped praises on her father. He (Jai Ram) is a good person and a good father. I want him to work for the youth of Himachal and create jobs, she said. Thakurs elder daughter, Priyanka, is also studying medicine at Rajendra Prasad Medical College, Tanda. Family members say she celebrated her fathers elevation with her friends. A joint team of the Dehradun police and special operations group (SOG) on Monday arrested five members of inter-state Cobra Gang that used to supply drugs to college students and factory workers in the state capital. The gang used social media, including messaging app WhatsApp and Facebook, to reach out to intended customers and confirm booking of drugs from them. Acting on a tip-off, police intercepted a speeding white car at Jhajhra on the outskirts of Dehradun, which tried to flee from the spot but was soon apprehended by police. Five drug peddlers were arrested and smack worth 30 lakh in international market was seized from their possession. Cash worth 1.20 lakh which they had collected after selling a portion of drugs earlier in the day at Selaqui industrial area, a country-made revolver and the car used for ferrying the drugs were also seized by police. The accused were identified as Sherdil Khan and Shahid (from Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh) and Ajit, Pushpendra and Rajat (from Dehradun, Uttarakhand). After thorough interrogation, these drug peddlers have revealed important leads about the drug smugglers network and other members involved in it. We have also learnt that they amassed movable and immovable property by money earned via the illegal (drug smuggling) activity, Dehradun senior superintendent of police (SSP) Nivedita Kukreti Kumar said. Based on the information, the police will work further on the leads to dig deeper into the drug network, she said. Quite a pro at carrying out their illegal business, the accused followed a well-coordinated modus operandi to prevent getting caught. Based on the booking received through social media, the accused used to prepare separate packets (of drugs) and got them delivered through different teams. Each member handled a specific task like deciding route, carrying out recce (of the decided route) and ensuring that it is clear of hindrances and then delivering the same, Lokeshwar Singh, additional superintendent of police and in charge of the narcotics team, said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Monday launched Utkarsh, the CM e-Dashboard, stating that the online instrument panel would help in monitoring the outcome based performance of all officials, which would bring in transparency in governance besides speeding up delivery. The real-time monitoring of development schemes through the instrument panel will tell us whether the benefits are reaching the people besides helping us speed up delivery and bring in transparency, Rawat said while launching Utkarsh -- an acronym for Uttarakhand Achieving Results in Systematic and Holistic Way. Utkarsh was launched to mark the birthday of BJP stalwart and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which is also being officially celebrated as Good Governance Day in the state. The chief minister said the state-of-the art device would provide the real time data about the schemes being executed on the ground. Availability of such data relating to the outcome based implementation of development projects will also help us in formulating our future policies, he said. Citing an example, Rawat said a large number of fruit saplings are planted across the state annually but we dont know how many of them survive. The CM e-Dashboard would give us the real time data even about such gap areas relating to the development schemes and projects, he said. Once we are aware of the gap areas it will help develop among planners result oriented attitude besides helping us realise the full development potential of the state, Rawat said. Later speaking to reporters, Rawat said even officials would be able to monitor their performances through the CM e-Dashboard. Giving details of its various features Radhika Jha, secretary to the chief minister, said 14 databases relating to as many departments had been integrated with the CM e-Dashboard. In the next phase, databases of all the departments would be integrated with the online instrument panel, she said. Similarly, databases of the district administrations of all the 13 districts in the state will also be integrated with the CM e-Dashboard. Jha said each department would have their own Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), on the basis of which the real time monitoring of their performances would be analysed through the instrument panel. Such a real time analysis would serve to ensure better delivery for the people, she said, adding the KPIs showing the achieved targets below 50% would display a red sign (danger mark) on the screen of the CM e-Dashboard. The KPIs showing the targets achieved 75% and above will flash green mark, which means good performance, Jha said, adding the assessment of performances of officials would be based on the sophisticated analytics. The KPIs or the online performance rating of officials of all ranks engaged in executing various schemes would create a healthy competition among them. She said the entire data relating to the review meetings of different departments chaired by the CM had also been uploaded on the instrument panel. The process will help in monitoring the outcomes of the decisions taken in all such review meetings. Chief secretary Utpal Kumar Singh said the instrument panel would also help generate the real time data relating to the implementation of different schemes, for which separate budgets are allocated. It will also help us assess the exact progress of schemes involving an array of departments like our plan to reduce the rate of road accidents in the state by half by 2020, he said. The online instrument panel will generate the real time data relating to that (scheme) helping us to quantify its implementation. The CM e-Dashboard has been gifted to the state government by Knovos, a US based company, under the corporate social responsibility, its CFO Harivandan Pandya told HT. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Chief minister TS Rawat launched a campaign to collect funds from people for the BJP on Monday, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayees birth anniversary. The month-long campaign called ajjevan bhavishya nidhi (lifetime future funds) -- will conclude on January 26. Calling Vajpayees birthday as Samarpan Diwas (Dedication Day), Rawat said the interest on the sum collected would be used to conduct party activities. The campaign is an initiative to connect with booth-level workers, and together with the efforts of every party member, this campaign will become a major success. Many BJP leaders and members submitted contributions at the event organised at Subhash Road here. The target is to collect Rs 25 crore, but only through cheques. Tehri MP Mala Rajyalakshmi Shah and state BJP president Ajay Bhatt were present on the occasion. The campaign will strengthen the party and provide unity among members, Bhatt told media persons. During the event, 101 cheques worth Rs 5.5 lakh were submitted to the party from Raipur constituency. Cabinet minister Satpal Maharaj also gave a cheque of Rs 5 lakh; Bhatt and city president Vinay Goyal submitted cheques of Rs 1 lakh each. Meetings were organised last week to plan the strategy for funds collection. The idea behind the campaign, insiders claimed, is to connect with every person and seek contribution. All front organisations contributed to the cause. Party sources said the campaign is a strategy to gear up for general elections slated for 2019. The constituencies where Congress won are our main focus areas, a leader said requesting anonymity. Of the 70 assembly seats in the state, BJP won 57, Congress 11 and independents two. The focus areas are seats like Haldwani where leader of opposition Indira Hridyesh had been winning, Jaspur where Adesh Singh Chauhan won, and Piran Kaliyar bagged by Furkan Ahmed. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The first secretary of Indias Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Eenam Gambhir, has become the latest victim of Delhis infamous snatchers. Diplomat Gambhir, who is posted in New York, is home for a vacation and was out for a post-dinner walk with her mother on Saturday night, when two men on a motorbike snatched her mobile phone on the pretext of asking for directions. The 34-year-old Indian Foreign Service officer was in news earlier this year when she delivered a stinging response to Islamabad at the UN General Assembly in September. The speech, where she had described Pakistan as Terroristan had made headlines. Her father, Jagdish Kumar Gambhir, said the iphone had a US-registered SIM card and contained crucial work-related documents. There are at least 24 snatching cases reported across the city every day. Delhi police commissioner Amulya Patnaik, in an interview to HT earlier this month, had admitted that snatching was one of the Capitals biggest law-and-order concerns and proposed drastic changes that call for harsher sentences for the guilty. He said the police have asked for amendments in the existing anti-snatching laws. Till November 30 this year, 7,870 cases of snatching were registered in the city. According to police data, only 4,154 of these cases were solved. Jagdish Kumar Gambhir told HT that the incident happened barely hours after his daughter had landed in Delhi. It was close to our house in A Block, Rohini, Sector 7. At around 11:20 pm, when my wife and daughter had reached Vatsalya Mandir, two men on a motorcycle stopped near them and started asking for directions to the Hanuman mandir. Raising the hand in which she was holding her phone, Eenam pointed towards the temple to guide them. Just then, the pillion rider snatched away the iphone7 from her hand and the bikers drove away, he said. In her statement, the diplomat told the police that she could not note down the registration number of the motorcycle because it was dark. Based on her statement, a case under Sections 356 (Assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person) , 379 (Punishment for theft) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) was registered at the Rohini North police station against two unidentified men. Till Sunday evening, the police had not identified the snatchers. We have registered a case and are making efforts to trace the suspects. We have formed several teams and were scanning footage from available cameras in the area, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Rajneesh Gupta. Delhi got a shocker last week when the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee, mandated to check misuse of municipal norms, locked up 51 properties in upscale Defence Colony market. The committee, which after five years was restored with powers to seal violating units, found that many shop owners who had turned the upper floors of their buildings meant for residential use into commercial enterprises had not paid a conversion charge. But Defence Colony traders are not the only defaulters as such evasions are common across Delhi. The conversion charge, a one-time payment that goes into an escrow account, was to pay for the citys infrastructure projects. The funds would have helped the cash-strapped municipalities. But would the citys markets be any safer or less chaotic had the traders made the payment? The answer is, no. Misuse of municipal norms is more than a book-keeping problem in Delhi. Our markets are a mess, even potential death traps, as serious violations that can cause loss or damages to life or property go unchecked. The initial urban planning in the national capital discouraged mixed zones, where commercial and residential spaces coexist. But rules were violated and haphazard commercialisation took place nevertheless by illegally converting residential units into shops, offices, restaurants, showrooms. Upper floors, which were meant to house people, were also used up. Once such violations gained critical mass, it was impossible to have shut them down. The government passed amnesty laws and the court allowed these businesses with the promise that they would follow all regulations. Today, safety is the biggest concern in most of these areas. Describing the Khan Market restaurants as a disaster waiting to happen, the Delhi high court in October last year blamed the public-private partnership of municipal and police authorities, flat and restaurant owners for the mess. Khan Market is not an exception. Many commercial set-ups the busiest of restaurants and pubs included in Delhi do not have fire exits but only a narrow flight of stairs connecting floors above floors. The fire department relaxes rules for eateries with seating capacity less than 50 persons. Unsurprisingly, many of Delhis bustling hangouts are 40-something-seaters. Parking is another mess. Under the amended Master Plan, any plot approved for mixed land use has to unconditionally surrender the front setback, which means that they cannot have a boundary and the open space has to be only used for parking. But in most markets, these front setbacks are covered and used commercially or barricaded by chain and ropes for exclusive use. Delhis traditional markets have also worked up their own chaos in the last few decades. Once a laid-back shopping arcade, Connaught Place is now full of restaurants and pubs operating from what were once residential flats, warehouses and office spaces. These high-decibel establishments, with their giant water tanks and generator sets, are overloading the aged structures. Many vacant properties have decayed with neglect and remain under the radar of authorities. Two back-to-back cases of roof collapse early this year exposed the fragile state of buildings in this eight-decade-old commercial district. The civic violations in Hauz Khas Village were unnoticed until a petition was filed in the National Green Tribunal in 2013. Three dozen restaurants were found illegally extracting groundwater and throwing oil and kitchen waste directly into the drains in what is Delhis most gentrified urban village. Three months ago, 21 eateries were sealed again for flouting the same green norms. Exempt from municipal bylaws, the narrow alleys framed by frail multi-storey constructions here still remain a civic threat. According to Delhi Police, the market sees a footfall of at least 5,000 on weekdays and over 15,000 on weekends. The world over, repurposing buildings for uses other than which they were built or designed for is a preferred strategy for urban renewal. In Delhi, we have made it synonymous with chaos, congestion, corruption and poor quality of life. It may or may not be the mandate of the monitoring committee to look into every aspect of this mess. But this is certainly a good opportunity for the authorities to do their bit and even push for a single agency, which could draw expertise from all the departments concerned to force a turnaround. Every megacity is an untamed force and their apparent madness is also a celebration of that energy. But the more successful ones have a method to it. shivani.singh@hindustantimes.com SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 19-year-old woman was allegedly abducted from Gurgaon and gang-raped by two men at an isolated spot along the Delhi-Haryana border on Saturday night, police said. The woman, who works in a Gurgaon mall and lives in east Delhi, was dropped in Dwarka after the crime, which reinforces how unsafe the national capital and its satellite cities are for women commuting at night. The two accused a cab driver and his friend were arrested on Sunday, a senior police officer said on Monday. She left the mall around 10.30pm and walked down to Shankar Chowk, where she took a cab contracted by a BPO to drop employees home, the officer said. Drivers of such private cabs pick passengers and charge a nominal fare when they are not on duty or after completing their assigned task. Many people avail themselves of this service as it is usually cheap. The driver told the woman that he would drop her to Uttam Nagar Metro station for Rs 30. From there, she would take the Metro to east Delhi, the officer said. According to the womans statement before police, there were two more men in the cab and one of them got down near the Rajokri border, leaving her with the driver and his friend. The two men told us that when the other passenger got down and the woman was alone in the cab, they hatched a plan to assault her sexually, the officer said. The woman became suspicious when the driver took the car on a route unfamiliar to her, according to police. She said in her complaint that she could make out from their conversation that the two men were friends. When she questioned the driver about the route, the duo told her to shut up and threatened to kill her if she talked, she alleged. When they reached an isolated stretch along the Delhi-Haryana border, the driver stopped the car and allegedly took turns with his friend to rape her, police said. The woman told police that she was petrified and didnt protest or shout for help as the men had threatened to kill her. After the crime, she requested them to drop her at a Metro station. The two men agreed and dropped her on a road near Dwarka Sector 21 Metro station. It was 12.30am on Sunday and Metro services had closed by then, she said in her statement. The woman called a few friends from Dwarka and they reported the crime to police. A police patrol took her to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, where a medical examination confirmed the rape. Based on her statement a case of gang rape and abduction was registered at Dwarka Sector 23 police station, Dwarka deputy commissioner of police Shibesh Singh said. The woman had noted down a couple of digits from the cars number plate and that helped police track down the driver. Police also used CCTV footage in their investigation and zeroed in on a man who drives a car for a BPO company. After his arrest on Sunday, the driver told police about his friend, who is an employee with a travel company. The second suspect was arrested following the drivers lead. The driver and his friend told us that they had gone to pick BPO employees for their office shift, but the staff didnt turn up. So, they decided to pick people waiting for transport to Delhi and earn some extra money, officer Singh said. The struggle for autonomy has been going on within the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) from inception. Initially, this was addressed by just staying away from the main system and awarding postgraduate diplomas in business management (PGDMs). Registered as societies and not coming under the purview of any of the controlling institutions like the University Grants Commission (UGC) or the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) helped in this process. The pull and push from the ministry of human resources development (HRD) was to bring it comprehensively under its umbrella, especially in the first IIM Bill draft brought in by the then minister. However, an about-turn happened with Prakash Javadekar taking over as HRD Minister. He and the Prime Ministers Office ensured a draft Bill that had autonomy at its centre. The Indian Institutes of Management Bill, 2017, stands passed by both houses of Parliament as on December 19, 2017. The Bill witnessed unanimous support across the political spectrum. It is the element of increased autonomy that swung the majority opinion in its favour. The Bill recognises IIMs as Institutions of National Importance and aims to provide them an independent statutory status to ensure uniform governance. And, yes, the IIMs will be able to award an MBA degree. Now, all IIMs have been instituted as body corporates. The autonomy to take administrative decisions, approve development plans and grant degrees now lies with the Board of Governors. The importance accorded to the alumni in matters of governance is evident from the provision that up to five members of the Board will be from amongst the alumni. The power to appoint the Director and the Registrar of the Institute also solely rests with the Board. This is a significant step towards establishing independence in the functioning of the IIMs. The passage of this bill will also stimulate Indias research ecosystem. It is hoped that this legislation will play a pivotal role in improving the ranking of Indian educational institutions among higher education institutions globally. The IIMs must capitalise on this reform as it also gives individual IIMs primacy over their curriculum design. As the only representative of the IIM community in the Lok Sabha, I understand it as a great privilege to be part of this landmark legislation. I salute my political mentor, Pawan Chamling, the Chief Minister of Sikkim, who sent me to represent my state in Parliament. This huge systemic reform will propel our premier management institutions nationally and, indeed, globally. These institutions, including the IITs, have served our country well. They now deserve to be promoted through such legislation which will allow them to innovate and re-think and rebuild their institutional capacity. The 21st century demands such landmark ideas and those can only happen if we allow many more heads to grapple with the issues rather than being directed from Shastri Bhawan (where the HRD Ministry is located). The IIMs are built on the solid foundation of knowledge garnered through teaching, consulting and research. Faculty thus impart cutting-edge curriculum to young minds who are the leaders of tomorrow. One important outcome of increased autonomy would be that, like the Ivy League institutions and other universities that offer management courses abroad, the IIMs will be able to propel themselves forward. This will also ensure that there are innovative means by which no student who is worthy of an IIM admission would be left behind. Speaking on the bill in parliament, I responded to the questions raised by fellow members on elitism and the need to respond through service to society. I understand where my colleagues are coming from and that is certainly a genuine concern. I listed out instances where the alumni of IIMs have contributed to development in great measure, within and outside India. The IIM alumni who have become entrepreneurs in diverse streams are today giving back to the society and India. They are doing this through building angel funds and by being a medium for more start-ups to thrive and succeed. Let us also consider the Jawaja experiment of Ravi Matthai, the first full-time Director of IIM-A, after he stepped down. It is an example of how a project on educational innovation went on to become a successful rural development initiative and resulted in the formation of the Institute of Rural Management, Anand. Another example is the launch of incubation centres that give the required fillip to start-ups. The incubation centre of IIM-Calcutta boosts start-ups in Odisha, West Bengal and the entire northeastern region. Today, the IITs are body corporates and are recognised as Institutions of National Importance. However, they are still governed by the IIT Council at the Central level of which the UGC Chairman forms a part. With the successful passage of the IIM Bill, devolution of greater autonomy to these premier technical education institutions will surely be addressed soon. The new act is, no doubt, seen as the harbinger for the next generation of IIMs and IITs. In the present educational ecosystem, the next challenge would be knowledge generation for India by Indians. Investment on infrastructure and human capital to encourage research and development is essential to steer our technical education in the right direction. Keeping ahead in this global race is crucial for India strategically as also to solve the burden of poverty and disease in the long run. This is truly the first significant reform in the higher education space that the NDA Government has ushered in with the full and unstinting support of all the parties represented in Parliament. It is a fine example of bipartisanship. Now the ball is in the court of the IIMs to use this as a pivot to attain the glorious heights the nation expects of them. (PD Rai, an IIT and IIM alumnus, represents Sikkim as MP in the Lok Sabha. The views expressed are personal) The health ministry as asked for views of all concerned to make an informed decision on the medical exam National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (super speciality) or NEET (SS). Candidates clearing this test are eligible for admission to programmes such as MCh (master of chirurgiae or surgery), DM (doctorate of medicine) or PDCC (post doctoral certificate courses). According to a health and family welfare ministry notification, it (the ministry) was examining how the NEET SS exam was to be conducted and had decided to invite views and comments of all concerned to take an informed decision. People have been asked to send in their responses by January 5, 2018 to mepsection-mohfw@gov.in. The ministry has asked people to choose from three options for the exams: 1) Broad speciality wise NEET (SS) After competing in his or her speciality and for the purpose of counselling (allocating seats in colleges) a single merit list will be prepared after moderation between various eligible subjects for the SS course a candidate competes in his/her respective speciality 2) Super speciality wise NEET (SS) An exam will be held for every super speciality course in which the candidates from the eligible broad speciality will be allowed to participate. It has been suggested that a candidate may be allowed to opt to appear in a limited number of SS courses and not all courses for which he may be otherwise eligible so as to prevent blocking of seats at the time of counselling. The result will be prepared Super Speciality wise without any need for scaling/moderation between various subjects, the notification said. 3) NEET (SS) on the basis of MBBS Another option was conducting the exam on the basis of an MBBS level paper of a higher order difficulty. This would be a common paper for candidates who would be later allotted SS courses as per their eligibility and score in the exam. The notification said the opinion/comments using bulk email services would not be considered. Dwayne Johnson says he is overwhelmed by the audiences reaction to his latest release, Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle. The 45-year-old actor said he is grateful to the people for showering their love on the film, making the occasion even special with Christmas festivities around. Grateful and blown away by your reactions after watching #JUMANJI. I wanted to make a fun Christmas movie for generations of families to enjoy around the world. I also wanted to make a movie for all the lovers out there... When the sun goes down, the sexy smoldering eyebrow goes up when you see the movie. Yup, nine months from now theyll all be delivered... #JumanjiBabies. Enjoy the movie! Johnson wrote alongside a video of himself. In the clip, the professional wrestler-turned-actor thanked the people for making Jumanji... a must-see movie. The biggest weekend of 2017 is among us, we have Christmas weekend, we have Jumanji weekend, Christmas and Jumanji all wrapped up in one. I want to say guys thank you so, so much... Johnson said. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is scheduled for a December 29 release in India. Follow @htshowbiz for more Keeping up with her annual tradition over holidays, Jennifer Lawrence has visited a childrens hospital in her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. The 27-year-old actor visited Nortons Childrens Hospital on Christmas eve. The medical facility took to its official Instagram, where they thanked Lawrence for taking some time out of her busy schedule and celebrating the holiday season with the kids. Louisvilles own Jennifer Lawrence stopped by Norton Childrens today to visit with patients, families, and staff. This visit has become a tradition for Lawrence each Christmas. Thank you, Jennifer! You sure do bring a smile to all! the post read, alongside the mother! actors picture at the hospital. Lawrence has visited the same medical centre over the Christmas holiday every year since 2013, when it was named Kosair Childrens Hospital, E! Online reported. Follow @htshowbiz for more Actor Katherine Heigl and husband Josh Kelley celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary by recreating a nude photograph that they took 10 years ago inspired by the 2001 movie The Royal Tenenbaums. The images, posted side-by-side by the actor to Instagram, feature Heigl lounging in the tub while the musician wears a headband and holds a drink staring at the camera, reports people.com. A few things have changed since then, said Heigl of the decade-plus since the first image was taken. I quit smoking, thank God! Ive put on a few pounds. I dont often do spontaneously weird things like take random bathtub photos in the middle of the night anymore. But what hasnt changed, is that burning desire in me to be with this man. The Greys Anatomy star, who married Kelley on December 23, 2007, said their relationship wasnt picture perfect. I gotta be honest. There have been moments where I didnt think wed make it. Where I wanted to take my pillow and smother him in the middle of the night, she wrote. But Ill tell you what. The more time I spend with this guy the more deeply I begin to understand that he is the best of me. When the whole world falls into disarray and nothing makes sense to me he is my shelter, my safe harbour. When self doubt and self loathing creep into my soul he is my champion, my number one fan. Follow @htshowbiz for more The city police on Monday officially rejected permission for an event where actor Sunny Leone was to perform on New Years Eve. Incidentally, she had already tweeted her decision not to attend the event, highlighting security concerns. On December 15, a pro-Kannada organisation, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) Yuva Sene, had protested against the event, saying it was an assault on Kannada culture. The group had threatened to commit mass suicide if permission was given for the event. At the time, the police had not assured the organisers of permission. Leone tweeted on December 19: Since the police of Bangalore have publicly said that they will not be able to ensure mine & all who attend safety for my New Years event,my team & I feel,safety of the people should always come first therefore I cannot attend.God bless & I wish everyone a safe & happy New Year! However, Harish Mysore, business head of Time Creations, the organiser of the event, said she would have participated in the event if it got permission. We were in touch with her and she would have performed if the police had granted permission, he added. In the order rejecting permission for the event, the police said even though Time Creations had not sought security for the event and only asked for permission, it would have been dangerous for the police to not provide security for a programme 8,000 people were expected to attend. Police said it would not be able to provide security as their personnel would be deployed around the city on New Years Eve. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bengalurus reveller hotspot Brigade Road, the site of alleged mass molestation during last New Years Eve celebrations, will have a heightened police presence this time around. Officially, police are however not linking the security spike to the alleged mass molestation that shook the nation. Incidentally, police registered a suo moto case over the incident based on media reports on January 3, amid a barrage of criticism. Nearly a year on, they are yet to get a single complaint or evidence to establish that mass molestation did happen on the night of December 31 in the New Year celebration hub of the city. MG Road, another popular New Years Eve haunt close to Brigade Road, will also see increased police presence. Similar arrangements have always been made. We are increasing the police presence in the MG Road-Brigade Road area, said Bengaluru police commissioner T Suneel Kumar. Police will also set up watch towers to monitor crowd in these two busiest shopping and commercial areas of the Indias Silicon valley. Overall, around 10,000 police personnel will be on duty across Bengaluru on New Years Eve, according to a recent affidavit city police submitted to Karnataka high court. Police also said 200 CCTV cameras will be added to the existing 715. However, not everybody is convinced about the impact of those measures on the ground. There is a tendency in Bengaluru to claim a problem has been solved by getting in technology, said Brinda Adige, a womens rights activist. The response to last years events is to increase CCTV cameras without creating any kind of awareness about sexual violence, she added. At the start of 2017, even as Brigade Road dominated the headlines, two more cases of molestation were reported in the city. Later, one turned out to be staged. In the wake of criticism, the government launched Suraksha App for women. The app allows women to discreetly alert the police using their smartphone. The government also started Pink Hoysalas police patrol vehicles to respond quickly to complaints of violence against women and children. With the assembly elections early next year, the states Congress government does not want to take any chance. The message to the police is clear: keep your guard up, said a senior government official who did not want to be named. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders will go into a huddle next month to take stock of partys performance in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections and also discuss strategy for the four states that will go to polls in the first half of next year. The BJP is planning to hold its national executive committees meeting, likely to be attended by nearly 300 senior leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah, in the third week of January. The meeting may take place in New Delhi as the party also plans to inaugurate its newly built headquarters. We will soon finalise the date and the venue of the meeting, a BJP general secretary said. The planned meet will mark the first gathering of the partys executive after the recent assembly polls. BJPs Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh units are expected to present a report on the assembly poll result in their states during the meet. The BJP had managed to retain power in Gujarat and snatched Himachal from the Congress, taking the tally of NDA-ruled states to 19. Three north-eastern states Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland will go to polls in February and the BJP has begun formulating strategies for these elections in an attempt to dethrone the Left front in Tripura and the Congress in Meghalaya. The saffron party shares power with its ally Nagaland Peoples Front in Nagaland. Karnataka, one of a few big states where the Congress is in power, will vote April. The executive meeting will also fine tune its strategy to make Karnataka Congress mukta. The executive is also expected to endorse the current economic and social policies of the Narendra Modi government and also credit it for the BJPs recent electoral victories. Uttar Pradeshs ruling BJP unit on Monday urged the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to give up its rigid and archaic stand about triple talaq and join the voice of thousands to give Muslim women equality, security and their honour. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state President Mahendra Nath Pandey said that to ensure rights to the Muslim women, the AIMPLB should support the legislation brought by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Central government. There are many Muslim countries where triple talaq is banned and Muslim women get equal rights to live their lives honourably, he saod. He also went on to credit the BJP for the Muslim women growing more vocal about their rights and against triple talaq. There is no provision of triple talaq in the Shariat and this legislation is about giving the basic human rights to the Muslim women, he said. Pandey also dismissed the doubts aired by the AIMPLB at their emergency meeting in Lucknow on Sunday where they called the proposed bill an interference in their personal laws. This Bill is for protection of the rights of the women from the Muslim community, Pandey said. Muslim women delegation thanks PM Modi A delegation of Muslim women on Monday expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for initiating the instant triple talaq bill. Muslim women will get justice and social equality with the introduction of this bill, said the delegation headed by BJP Minority Morchas vice president Soni Tabasum and Nusrat, after meeting Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das. Could startups solve complex issues in Indias agriculture sector, which supports 49% of the workforce? The agriculture ministry thinks so and is hunting for commercially viable proposals in 12 pre-identified areas. The Narendra Modi governments Startup India scheme, which has a Rs10,000 crore war chest managed by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (Sidbi), is seeking to incubate farm-solution startups through a contest called Agriculture Grand Challenge. I urge young entrepreneurs to participate in our newly launched Agriculture Grand Challenge and join forces to make agrarian sector technologically sound and commercially viable, farm minister Radha Mohan Singh said. The idea is to enable entrepreneurship and innovation, he said. A handful of startups for the rural economy are already a part of the growing ecosystem. India has more than 19,000 startups, led by consumer Internet and financial services apps, according to the Economic Survey 2015-16. From 220 in 2014, the number of startups funded in the first 10 months of 2017 stood at 482, according to data from Tracxn. As of December 2015, eight Indian startups belonged to the so-called Unicorn category, a club of ventures valued at $1 billion or more. Yet, fewer than 10% of these cater to the farm or social sector, according to Tracxn. A government document, which Hindustan Times has reviewed, states that private-sector startups could offer viable interventions in an array of areas, notably linking farmers to markets and offering extension services. It seeks to rev up an emerging niche area thats being dubbed as farming as a service, or FAAS. Proposals are being invited for simplified, sensor-based quick testing of soil samples as well as real-time assaying and grading of food commodities in electronically linked eNAM markets. The government has linked 470 mandis electronically but many of them lack crucial infrastructure: food labs to test samples being brought to these markets. The prospective app should preferably enable sample tests under two minutes to promote online trade. The government is interested in apps to connect food processors with agripreneurs and growers, an official said. To help price discovery, the ministry is looking at price forecast apps for pulses, oilseeds, potato, onion and tomato at the time of sowing since these crop are vulnerable to price volatility. According to the document, the success of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Indias main farm insurance scheme, depends on accurate yield estimates at village and farm levels for which it wants to incubate digital technologies. Another priority area is custom hiring of farm machinery and cheaper disposal of crop residue that has become a major reason for pollution in the national capital from neighbouring states during winters. Under the programme, commercially viable ideas will be incubated at the governments expense for three months. The last date for applications is January 15, 2018. Given the high penetration of Internet-enabled mobile phones, this is a good idea that can drive down cultivation costs, said Ashok Duggal, one of the promoters of VentureIndia Labs. A crop of startups aimed at harnessing the rural economy has made inroads already. AgroStar, a Pune-based mobile-commerce firm, directly sells farm inputs to farmers in Maharashtra and has raised more than $4 million. Farmers need to give a missed call to access its services. EM3, another firm, offers farm-labour services at Rs 2,000 an acre of wheat, which it claims is half of what it normally costs during peak season. The government document said it would prefer solutions that are scalable and can reach small farmers. The average size of farm holdings is 1.15 hectares. This means nearly 85% farmers are small and marginal. India has 120 million agricultural land holdings. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Centre has issued a fresh set of norms to govern the conduct of central PSU employees, which bars them from political activities and criticising government policies or actions. The rules will impact over 12 lakh employees working in state-owned firms. The Consolidated Model Conduct, Discipline and Appeal Rules for CPSEs also prescribes that employees must not accept any gifts refrain from consuming any intoxicating drink or drug in a public place, not appear in a public place in a state of intoxication, or use any intoxicating drink or drug to excess. For the purposes of this rule, public place means any place or premises (including a conveyance) to which the public have, or are permitted to have, access, whether on payment or otherwise, the department of public Enterprises said. According to the norms, no employee will make any statement, which has the effect of adverse criticism of any policy or action of the Centre or state governments, or of the CPSE, or which is capable of embarrassing the relations between the central public sector enterprise (CPSE) and public. This includes any document published under his/her name or in the name of any other person or in any communication to the press, electronic and print media or in public utterances. As per the new rules, no employee of the CPSE can engage oneself or participate in any demonstration, which involves incitement to an offence. A CPSE employee cannot become an office-bearer of a political party or an organisation which takes part in politics, or take part in or assist in any manner in any movement/agitation or demonstration of a political nature, according to the new norms. Employees are also barred from taking part in an election to any legislature or local authority, and from canvassing in any election to any legislature or local authority. The rules also lay down that no CPSE employee can accept or permit any member of his/her family or any other person acting on his/her behalf, to accept any gift. The gift includes free transport, board, lodging or other service or any other pecuniary advantage when provided by any person other than a near relative or a personal friend having no official dealings with the employee, the department said. However, on occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, funerals or religious functions, when the making of gifts is in conformity with the prevailing religious or social practices, an employee of the CPSE can accept gifts, from his/her near relatives but employee shall make a report to the competent authority if the value of the gift exceeds Rs 25,000 in the case of an executive; or Rs 15,000 for a non-executive. The norms also prohibit CPSE employees from giving or taking or abetting the giving or taking of dowry; or demand, directly or indirectly, from the parents or guardian of a bride or bridegroom, as the case may be, any dowry. An employee must maintain high ethical standards and honesty, maintain political neutrality, maintain courtesy and good behaviour with the public, and must not adopt dilatory tactics or wilfully cause delays in disposal of the work assigned to him/her, according to the rules. Moreover, no employee shall use his/her position or influence directly or indirectly to secure employment for any person related, whether by blood or marriage to the employee or to the employees wife or husband, whether such a person is dependent on the employee or not, the department said. The rules were originally framed in 1974. All the amendments and additions issued from time to time have now been compiled into the Consolidated Model Conduct, Discipline and Appeal Rules. As per the new norms, full-time Directors and employees engaged in fixing the price of an initial or follow-on public offer of a CPSE and their family members have been barred from apply in these public offers. Moreover, employees including full time Directors who are in possession of unpublished price sensitive information will be prohibited from dealing or transacting either in their own name or through any member of their family in the shares of their own CPSE. Employees will also be required to disclose to the CPSE all transactions of purchase/sale in shares worth two months basic pay or more in value or existing holding/interest in the shares worth two months basic pay or more in his/her own CPSE either in his/her own name or in the name of any family member indicating quantity, price, date of transaction and nature of interest within 4 working days. Congress leader Manish Tewari on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should bring back Kulbhushan Jadhav, on death row in Pakistan, and asked if his government has the determination to do so. Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April. @narendramodi Mr. Prime Minister you need to bring this Gentleman back home. Does your government have the determination to do what it takes and walk the talk??????, Tewari tweeted along with a picture of Jadhav. Jadhav on Monday met his wife and mother at the heavily guarded foreign affairs ministry building in Islamabad. The meeting came after the Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) asked Pakistan in May to stay 47-year- old Jadhavs execution. Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav from the restive Balochistan province after he reportedly entered from Iran. It claims that he was in possession of an Indian passport that identified him as Hussein Mubarak Patel. India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy. Amit Khare, additional chief secretary of Jharkhand, was the man who blew the lid off the fodder scam two decades ago. He was posted as deputy commissioner, Chaibasa, at that time. In an interview, Khare spoke at length with Sanjoy Dey of the Hindustan Times on how he unearthed the scam. Excerpts. You are being attributed for the successful unearthing of the fodder scam. How did you get the tipoff? The finance department of the then Bihar government had sought a report of withdrawal of funds from animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries for three months. When the report was prepared and it came to me, it appeared abnormally high. The figure was in crores, raising suspicion. Withdrawal of ?7 crore-?8 crore was very high at that time and there was hardly any activity in the department. It was then that I decided to inquire into the matter. What did you find when you visited the Chaibasa treasury? On January 27, 1996, I raided the Chaibasa treasury as well as the offices and farms of the animal husbandry department (AHD). It was a cold winter morning when I entered the treasury, located in a corner of the old British Raj building, and started verifying the bills. Surprisingly, all of them were of the same amount Rs 9.9 lakh of the same supplier and all of which prima facie appeared to be bogus. I called the district animal husbandry officer (DAHO) and his subordinates to seek their explanations but was told that they had fled from their offices. Then, I visited the office of the DAHO and was shocked to find cash, bank drafts and large number of fake treasury bills littered all over. I asked magistrates to seal the offices and alerted all police stations to ensure that records are kept safely. Finally, after cross verifying with the accountant generals office and the state finance department, it was clear that the amounts withdrawn from the treasury were even more than the states total budget (Rs 20-Rs 25 crore) for AHD. I lodged the first FIR in the series of cases, which were later described by many as the fodder scam. A special CBI court in Ranchi on Saturday convicted Lalu Prasad in the fodder scam case related to fraudulent withdrawal from Deoghar treasury during 199194. Does it have any connection with the Chaibasa case? After the Chaibasa exposure, inquiries were ordered in all districts for 10 years and, thereby, FIRs were lodged in different districts. There were a series of cases in different districts on the pattern of Chaibasa. Werent you afraid of ruining your own career as Lalu was the chief minister? and a force to reckon with. Were you concerned about your familys wellbeing after the exposure? Honestly speaking, these thoughts did not come to mind on the day when I started enquires. Some vicious friends used to say what if the state police implicate me in these cases. I am glad I did not waste my time worrying about my career, family, and future, else I would have never been able to render my duty sincerely. Who all supported you in the ambitious mission? This was certainly not possible without the help of a large number of unsung heroes who were with me all the time when I was conducting these enquiries. Everybody, including the press, public and a large number of government officials, stood by me during the investigation. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Haryana minister of state for food and supplies and forests Karan Dev Kamboj has announced a compensation of Rs 50 lakh to the family of sepoy Pargat Singh, 30, also killed in the Rajouri firing. He was cremated with full state honours at his village, Ramba, in Karnal district on Sunday evening. After the body reached the village, by road from Ambala, young men in the village started shouting slogans against Pakistan. Pargat is survived by wife Ramanpreet Kaur, son Divraj, 6, father Ratan Singh, mother and elder brother. He had joined the army in 2006 after completing his diploma from Karnal ITI. Flood lights were installed in the cremation ground for the funeral. The police struggled to get sloganeering youths to vacate the ground. Pargats son, who donned army fatigues and his wife, gave a final salute to the pyre. Family and villagers demanded action against Pakistan for the ceasefire violation. Kamboj, Congress MP Deepender Hooda, Karnal deputy commissioner Aditya Dahiya and SP Jashandeep Randhawa and army officials joined the funeral procession. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In an apparent incident of honour killing, a 23-year-old man was beaten to death by his girlfriends family members after he was caught meeting her at her residence late Sunday night. The incident occurred in Gangtan village of Haryanas Jhajjar district. The deceased identified as Sumit Singh a resident of Jhajjars Dighal village was studying at a private academy in Rohtak. The police said that Sumit had gone out on the pretext of irrigating his agriculture fields in the village on Sunday night. However, he secretly went to meet his girlfriend at her house in the adjacent village. The girls family members saw them together and allegedly thrashed Sumit with lathis that led to his death. One of the neighbours, who heard Sumits cries for help, informed the cops, who reached the spot only to find Sumit dead at the girls house. Sumits family members said they got a call on Monday morning informing them of their sons death. Based on Sumits uncle Ramesh Singhs complaint, the police have booked girls father, mother, uncle and aunt on the murder charges. The police said that girls father, Sanjay Singh, is a retired Delhi Police cop. He, along with his brother and sister-in-law, was arrested and produced in court on Monday. Beri police station in-charge Sandeep Singh said the accused have confessed to having committed the crime. They said they took it as an insult that Sumit secretly came late night to meet their daughter. They claimed that they did not intend to kill him, but the injuries led to his death, Sandeep said. Incidents of honour killings are common in this part of Haryana and are de facto under the governance of Khap panchayats, who prohibit inter-caste and same gotra (clan) marriages. Marrying within the same or adjacent village as it was in this case is also barred. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Jammu and Kashmir government is seeking an explanation from a young IPS officer for his recent speech in which he reportedly termed the killing of Kashmiri militants our collective failure, director general of police (DGP) SP Vaid said on Monday. At an event to mark the ninth anniversary of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shailendra Kumar Mishra, who is posted as Commandant, Second Battalion, Indian Reserve Police (IRP), had reportedly questioned the success of the operation the Indian Army has been conducting against militants in Kashmir. We have received a communication from the ministry of home affairs and the state government will ask for his explanation, DGP Vaid told reporters here. Mishra had expressed regret over the killing of militants in the Valley, during the event in Mumbai earlier this month. Please do not rejoice at the killing of militants. These killings are a symbol of our defeat, our collective failure, he had said. In Jammu and Kashmir, some of our youth have complaints with the system, our way of working. (But) they are our kids, they are our own people. They have become thugs, they have become anti-social. We get no pleasure in killing them. After a video of Mishras speech was shared widely on social media in the Valley, Mishra said: Those were my personal views what I observed as an officer. More than 200 militants have been killed in counter- insurgency operations in the state, according to the police. Replying to another question, the Jammu and Kashmir DGP said security along the Line of Control and the International Border in the state was strong enough to scuttle any infiltration attempt. Vaid was asked about reports claiming concentration of large number of militants at launching pads across the border. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and chief ministers of many BJP-ruled states would attend the swearing-in ceremony of Jai Ram Thakur as the new chief minister of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday. The ceremony would be held at the historic Ridge ground in Shimla, Thakur said. The five-time MLA from Seraj in Mandi was elected leader of the BJP legislature party on Sunday after the party ousted the Congress from power in the state by winning 44 out of the 68 seats in the Assembly polls. Thakur said apart from Modi and Shah, chief ministers of many BJP-ruled states would attend the swearing-in ceremony. The ceremony would be brief and some ministers would also take oath, but their names are yet to finalised, he said. Elaborate security arrangements are being made for the swearing-in ceremony and the prime minister is likely to address people at the Ridge. From behind a glass barrier at the Pakistan foreign ministry in Islamabad, Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav on Monday met his wife and mother for the first time since his arrest in March 2016. Pakistan said this would not be the last such meeting but described Jadhav as the face of Indian terrorism. Islamabad insisted that the presence of Indian diplomats at the former naval officers 40-minute-long meeting with his wife Chetankul and mother Avanti did not amount to consular access. In what appeared to be choreographed moves, the Pakistani foreign office released photos of the meeting, a pre-recorded video of Jadhav, sentenced to death for alleged espionage, thanking the Pakistani government, and a medical report that claimed he was in good health. Doubts were immediately raised in India that the video may have been shot under duress, and the credibility of the medical report issued by a doctor of the Saudi German Hospital, Dubai, was questioned. The video showed Jadhav saying Pakistani authorities had treated him in a dignified, respectful and professional manner, for which he said he was thankful. In the pre-recorded video, Jadhav confesses to the crimes he has been charged with in Pakistan. Avanti and Chetankul Jadhav were accompanied to the ministry by Indian deputy high Commissioner JP Singh and three Indian foreign ministry officials. Only Jadhavs family was allowed into the room where he was sitting, while Singh and Pakistani officials, including Fareha Bugti of the India desk of the foreign ministry, monitored the meeting from outside the room. The wife, centre, and mother, left, of Jadhav gesture to the media. (AP) Jadhavs family stopped over at the Indian high commission after arriving in Islamabad on an Emirates flight from Dubai on Monday morning. Avanti and Chetankul Jadhav left Pakistan for Muscat by an Oman airline flight at 19:44 hours (local time), said officials at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport. An official statement from Indias foreign ministry was awaited. Earlier, Indian high commissioner Ajay Bisaria said he hoped the meeting would take place in a cordial atmosphere. India requested that the family not have any interaction with the media, Pakistani foreign office spokesman Muhammad Faisal said. Faisal reiterated that the meeting did not mean any change in Pakistans stance regarding Jadhav, who he termed a spy and terrorist who has been sentenced to death. The foreign office spokesman said Pakistan permitted Jadhav to meet his kin on humanitarian grounds on the birthday of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan. Former Indian navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav is seen on a screen during a news conference at the ministry of foreign affairs in Islamabad. (REUTERS) The move should not be seen as according consular access to Jadhav, he said, adding that Pakistan had consistently denied consular access to him as the Vienna Convention does not apply to those involved in espionage. The presence of JP Singh at todays meeting should not be considered as consular access, Faisal said. Faisals comments came hours after his boss, Pakistan foreign minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif appeared to contradict him on TV. Asked by Geo TV specifically if the presence of an Indian official at the meeting would constitute consular access, Asif said Yes. Rare as it was, Pakistani officials said this meeting would not be the last between Jadhav and his family. In preparation for the meeting, Pakistan had deployed security personnel, including sharpshooters, and traffic police within and outside the foreign office building, located near the countrys parliament . TV footage showed a convoy of around seven vehicles escorting Jadhavs family in the capital Islamabad. The Pakistani high commission in New Delhi had issued a visa to Jadhavs wife earlier in the month. India made the acceptance of the offer conditional to permission for his mother and an Indian diplomat to accompany her. After extensive deliberations, the Indian request was allowed and December 25 was proposed as the meeting date. Minutes before the meeting, Faisal tweeted a picture of Jadhavs wife and mother, adding they were sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our commitments. The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pakistan . We honour our commitments pic.twitter.com/hILiMyp7Zl Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 Jadhav was at the ministry before his family arrived. It was not known where he had been kept before being transported to the ministry. Jadhav 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 Indias appeal pending the final verdict by it. 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. (With inputs from agencies) Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is on death row in Pakistan for alleged spying, met his wife and mother -- but they were separated by a glass screen -- in a carefully choreographed event that unfolded in tweets, photos and TV footage Monday. Soon after, a video surfaced showing Jadhav thanking the Pakistan government for arranging the 40-minute meeting. Heres what transpired during the day: The meeting After many representations, it took place at the heavily guarded foreign affairs ministry building, and came after the International Court of Justice asked Pakistan in May to stay Jadhavs execution. A Pakistani military court has sentenced the Indian prisoner to death on charges of spying. Monday was the fist time that Jadhav met his family since his arrest in March 2016. Pakistan portrayed it as a humanitarian gesture to mark the birthday of the countrys founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal tweeted that the meeting was arranged in light of Islamic traditions and based on purely humanitarian grounds. The meeting started at around 1.35 pm and lasted about 45 minutes. Before the meeting, the security check of the family was performed. The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pakistan . We honour our commitments pic.twitter.com/hILiMyp7Zl Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 All the information about the meeting emerged through Pakistani foreign ministry tweets and images. The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our commitments, foreign office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal tweeted along with a picture of the visitors. Pakistan had on December 20 issued visa to Jadhavs wife and mother to visit Islamabad to meet him. The wife, right, and mother, centre, of Kulbhushan Jadhav are escorted by an Indian diplomat after their meeting with Jadhav at the foreign ministry in Islamabad. (AP) Reunion behind closed doors TV footage showed Jadhavs mother Avanti and wife Chetankul entering the ministry buildings Agha Shahi Block, accompanied by Indias deputy high commissioner JP Singh and a Pakistani woman official. After they went in, the door shut behind them. TV footage showed a convoy of around seven vehicles escorting Jadhavs family in the city. The two women had arrived in Islamabad earlier Monday via Dubai on a commercial flight, and spent about 30 minutes at the Indian embassy before being driven to the foreign ministry. They are expected to stay at the Indian embassy for a few hours before returning to India in the evening. Pakistan foreign office later released pictures of Jadhav talking to his wife and mother from behind a glass screen. The communication between them was through an intercom device. From Pakistans side, Foreign Office Director for India, Dr Fareha Bugti, was present at the meeting. The wife and mother greeted media persons with a namaste after arriving at the ministry but did not respond to their questions. They also did not talk to the reporters while leaving the building, although journalists kept shouting questions. Jadhav was at the ministry before his family arrived. It was not known where he had been kept before being transported to the foreign ministry. Police and paramilitary security forces, including sharpshooters, were deployed at the ministry to deal with any untoward security situation, they said. Former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother meet him in Islamabad on Monday. PTI Photo / Twitter@foreignofficepk The case During a press conference, the foreign office spokesperson made old allegations against Jadhav. Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death on charges of espionage and terrorism in April, following which India moved the ICJ (International Court of Justice) in May. It is expected to hold another hearing in March or April. India maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy. Earlier Monday, foreign minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told a Pakistani media channel that Pakistan has granted India consular access to Jadhav since an Indian diplomat will be accompanying the prisoners wife and mother. In India, officials downplayed the comments, maintaining that the Indian diplomat was only accompanying Jadhavs family and it cannot be construed as consular access. Intense lobbying for ministerial berths began in Himachal Pradesh on Monday after the BJP picked five-time legislator Jai Ram Thakur as the next chief minister. The chief minister-elect met governor Acharya Devvrat at Raj Bhavan for the second time in as many days, triggering speculation that he has possibly given a list of ministers to take the oath of office with him. All aspects would be kept in mind while forming the government, Thakur said, even as an aide close to him clarified that his visit to Raj Bhavan was a courtesy call. A major challenge for the soft-spoken leader would be to strike a balance between region and caste equations in the hill state. The BJP won 44 seats in the 68-member House to wrest power from the Congress last week. Sources said senior BJP leaders are meeting in Shimla to shortlist names for ministerial positions in the new government. Theres also a buzz that several senior leaders were lobbying for ministries, including former chief minister Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal who are seeking cabinet berths for their loyalists. Such speculation intensified after reports that Dhumal, who was the BJPs candidate for the chief ministers post before he lost the election, met the partys national leaders in New Delhi. Thakur was elected legislature party leader after Dhumal pulled out of the race for the top post and proposed the Mandi leaders name. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Pakistan has granted India consular access to death-row prisoner and alleged spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, foreign minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told a Pakistani media channel. He said an official of the Indian High Commission would accompany Jadhavs wife and mother during their meeting with him, Geo News reported. When asked if it constituted consular access as an Indian official would be present in the meeting, Asif categorically said, Yes. Had India been in place of us, it would not have given us this concession, he said. The Pakistan foreign office earlier confirmed that the Indian deputy high commissioner JP Singh, will be allowed to remain present at the meeting at the foreign affairs ministry. Indian officials, however, downplayed the comments by the Pakistani minister, maintaining that the Indian diplomat was only accompanying Jadhavs family and it cannot be construed as consular access. Jadhav was arrested in March 2016 after he entered Pakistan from Iran. The naval officer was then sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April on charges of espionage and terrorism. However, India managed to stay the execution by appealing to the International Court of Justice in May. India maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy. Security increased at foreign ministry Meanwhile, Pakistani authorities said they have deployed sharpshooters at the foreign ministrys office where Jadhav will be meeting his family. The exact time of the meeting is not immediately known but officials said it would be around midday or early afternoon. The duration has also not been confirmed but it may last for an hour, according to sources in the Foreign Office. Roads leading to the Constitution Avenue, on which the ministry is located, have been closed for traffic. Special security passes have been issued for those visiting the foreign office, the officials added. Pakistan has announced it would issue photos and a video of the meeting and also allow the family to interact with media, if India agrees. Officials also said Jadhavs family would not interact with the media. Three Pakistani soldiers were killed after Indian troops responded to unprovoked firing from the other side of the Line of Control, the de facto border between the two countries, in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. The Pakistani armys publicity wing, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), posted on its website that Indian soldiers killed three Pakistani troopers in act of unprovoked fire. India initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation along LoC at Rakhchikri, Rawlakot sector. Three soldiers embraced shahadat (died).One injured, the post reads. The Rawlakote sector is in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The Indian military denied the allegation, saying the soldiers probably died in counter-fire. Pakistan army had killed an Indian army officer and three soldiers in the Keri sector along the LoC in Rajouri district on Saturday afternoon. The slain soldiers were major Moharkar Prafulla Ambadas, lance naiks Gurmail Singh and Naik Kuldeep Singh and sepoy Pargat Singh. The sepoy was fatally wounded when Pakistan fired without provocation in a case of ceasefire violation on Indian posts in Rajouri. Another soldier was also wounded. Reports attributed to sources, which Hindustan Times couldnt independently verify, said the Indian Army also killed a Pakistani sniper in Rajouri district on Sunday. Pakistan has been accused of violating the 2003 ceasefire agreement 881 times until Christmas this year. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A Ukranian woman and a Delhi man were killed in a car crash on Agra-Noida Yamuna Expressway Monday, when several accidents were reported across Uttar Pradesh due to low visibility, officials said. Many cities in Indias most populous state saw the skyline covered with dense fog in the morning, and temperature in capital Lucknow dipped to 7.7 degrees Celsius, one of the lowest this season. The visibility was reduced to a few meters in many areas. Two women from Ukraine, identified as Dana and Masha, were travelling from Kanpur to Delhi along with two youngsters...The vehicle (an SUV) met with an accident...(in) Mathura, leaving two dead, Aditya Shukla, SP (rural) for Mathura, said. He identified the deceased as Dana and Vaibhav Sharma. Another girl from Ukraine, Masha, and Ankit from Haryana were injured, the official told HT. In a separate incident, a UP state transport bus on its way to Mirzapur, collided head on with a truck near Pratapgarh district, resulting in the death of the driver, Rasheed, 28. Around half a dozen passengers were injured, who were shifted to a nearby hospital by locals and police. In Mainpuri district, 10 children were injured after their school bus collided with a truck around 8.30am. Their school was open on Christmas Day to celebrate the birthdays of students born in December. ...10 students were injured besides the driver of school bus, which was badly damaged. The students were rushed for medical assistance and six were allowed to go home as they sustained minor injuries, police said. The truck driver managed to escape but his vehicle was seized by police. In Braj region, a road connecting Kasganj to Aligarh saw another truck colliding with a private bus. Fog led to the cancellation of at least 17 trains and the rescheduling of six even as 26 arrived late, a northern railway spokesperson said. The entire northern plains have seen dense fog over the past week , with states such as Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Himachal bearing the brunt. The average temperature in the region hovered between 7 and 22 degrees Celsius. The Met predicted that maximum temperature was likely to dip further and minimum may rise by one or two notches. In some cities of Uttar Pradesh, such as Muzaffarnagar, the minimum temperature was as low as 4 degree. Met director JP Gupta said there will be no significant change in weather conditions in the next 24 hours and warned of dense fog in some parts of UP, especially on the outskirts of Allahabad and the neighbouring Pratapgarh district, where night temperature fell below 5 degrees Celsius. BN Mishra, a weather expert and the former head of geography department at the Allahabad University, said the cold wave had intensified with snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand over past three to four days but bright sunshine was keeping the day temperature above 20 degrees Celsius. Chandigarh Met officials said there was a possibility of moderate to shallow fog in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh during evenings and mornings over the next three-four days. Sky might turn cloudy on December 27. But otherwise it would remain dry up to December 29, it said. (with inputs from HTC in New Delhi, Chandigarh and Lucknow) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Classrooms in 15 government schools in Jaipurs walled city area have become smart. For two months now, students of these government schools have been learning lessons on interactive whiteboards where contents from their textbooks are projected through a projector. The smart classroom project is part of the Smart Cities Mission launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 25, 2015. The Jaipur Smart City Limited (JSCL) was formed in March 2016 to implement the mission in Jaipur. JSCL chief executive officer Ravi Jain said that the smart classrooms project is aimed at leveraging the power of information and communication technologies to transform education for students of government schools. One classroom in each of these 15 schools has been turned into smart classrooms with an investment of Rs 6 lakh. The classroom has been given a computer, a projector, an interactive whiteboard and an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) system, he said. A biometric machine has been provided to record attendance in the classrooms, Jain added. Maya Meena, principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Moti Katla, Subhash Chowk, said that students are excited to be in the new classrooms. There are 1,100 students and 47 teachers in the school, set up in 1935. This year we taught students of Classes 6, 7 and 8 in the smart classroom as the senior classes are trying to complete the syllabus before the half-yearly examination, she said. The JSCL CEO said teachers of the identified schools were trained for over a month to use the new system. The Smart Cities Mission, he said, had two components: one, area-based development in the walled city, and two, pan-city solutions. The first component included smart mobility (by use of non-motorised vehicles and improved parking facilities on smart roads), smart heritage and tourism (by improving the facade of nine bazaars and setting up night bazaars) and smart and sustainable civic infrastructure. Smart classroom project was part of the sustainable civic infrastructure component. Of the Rs 2,400 crore, which is the budget for the smart city project, a major part will be spent on developing civic infrastructure. Jain said that there were 49 projects under the mission in Jaipur out of which seven have been completed. For 11 projects, work orders have been issued and the tender process was on for another 18. The completed projects, he added, included smart public toilets at 10 spots in the city. These toilets are fitted with sensors and GPS devices. You need to insert a coin (of any denomination) for the toilet to open. Lights and exhaust are switched on automatically. The toilet flushes water over the seat and is ready for use. The process is repeated when the user exits, the CEO said. Under phases 1 and 2 of the rooftop solar projects, a 30 KW plant each have been installed at the Hawa Mahal zone of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation and over Chaugan stadium. A 40 kW plant is running at the JMC rooftop and a 950 KW plant at the University of Rajasthan. Jain said that under the smart city mission, a premium was on improving the heritage of the walled city. Nine bazaars have been selected for facade improvement. They are Kishanpole Bazaar, Chandpole Bazaar, Gangori Bazaar, Chowkri Modi Khana, Sireh Deoghi Bazaar, Subhash Chowk Bazaar, Ramganj Bazaar, Surajpole Bazaar and Ghat Gate Bazaar. The Kishanpole Bazaar work is complete and we are halfway through in Gangori Bazaar, Jain said. Distressed by police inaction, the father of a man who was allegedly abducted and beaten up by minister Hem Singh Bhadanas sons last week attempted suicide outside the collectorate in Alwar on Monday. Three days ago, the victims father, Satish Yadav, had threatened to commit suicide if no action was taken against the perpetrators. The police arrested Satish under section 151 of CrPC (preventive custody). Kotwali SHO Sandeep Sharma said that he will be produced before a magistrate. A case of kidnapping and assault has been registered against the ministers sons Surendra Bhadana and Hitesh Bhadana and their accomplices but no action has been taken against them in the past five days. The victim, Tej Singh Yadav, is a native of Shahpur village and was living in a rented room in Shivaji Park area. In a complaint, he said the Bhadana brothers, along with 1012 others barged, into his room and attacked him with a sword on December 20. Hem Singh Bhadana, an MLA from Alwars Thanagazi constituency, is the minister for Rajasthan State Motor Garage, General Administration and Estates in the Vasundhara Raje-led government. The Shivaji Park police have recorded the victim and his fathers statements and but they have not been able to locate and interrogate ministers sons. The police claimed that they went to the ministers home but his sons were not there. According to the complaint signed by Tej, he was tied up and assaulted brutally as a result of which he lost consciousness. When his father received information about his abduction, he reached the ministers house in Veer Savarkar Nagar and rescued his son. Even while I was taking him, they threatened us and asked us to go home. They said they were a ministers sons and would kill us if we did otherwise, Satish had earlier told HT. The elder son Surendra Bhadana was an accused in an eve-teasing case in 2014 but was acquitted during the course of police investigation. Speaking about the reason behind the assault, Satish said that some persons had hurled abuses at the minister on December 19 and his son was just standing next to them. The ministers sons noted the number of his sons motorcycle and reached his room and abducted him, he added. Commenting on the matter, state Congress vice-president Archana Sharma said that BJP legislators do not respect the law and order themselves. They have put pressure on the police because of which they are not arresting the ministers sons. One son was accused in an eve-teasing case earlier but no action was taken against him. Things like these boost their morale, said Sharma. In the mid-2016, Jaipur discom undertook an experiment under which the superintending engineer of Alwar circle was empowered to take crucial decisions and have a final say in the matters of his circle. The objective, said officials, was to reduce the distribution losses (power thefts) and run the circle as a profit centre. Over the last 18 months, the distribution losses in Alwar circle have come down to 17.51% from 29.03% even as the circle has registered a profit of Rs 151 crore by the end of October 2017 against a loss of Rs 133 crore in 2016-17. The Alwar model is now being replicated in the other circles. Alwar is the only circle in the company that has turned around like this, said Jaipur discom managing director, RG Gupta. Jaipur discom recently felicitated Alwar superintending engineer M M Kurmi for the achievement. Apart from Alwar, Jaipur circle is the only one running on profit. Alwar is a predominantly agriculture and industrial belt and consumes about 20% of the total power distributed by the company, Gupta said. Under the Mukhya Mantri Vidyut Sudhar Yojana, the objective is to bring down the distribution losses to 15%. Some of the decisions taken by the discom to empower the SEs include not undertaking any transfer of employees including engineers under the SEs administrative control without his prior consent. Also, no charge-sheet will be served to officers and other employees under SEs administrative control without his opinion on the proposed charge-sheet. SEs have also been empowered to engage ex-serviceman against the vacancy in their circle in order to ensure that a feeder in-charge is posted independently on each 11 KV rural feeder. To prevent any delay in fund allocations, the SE was also empowered to issue the orders up to 50% of the budgeted provision. As a result, total losses of Jaipur discom have come down to Rs 322 crore by end of October 2017 as compared to Rs 1,400 crore loss incurred in the last financial year. We hope that by March 2019, we will be able to bring the discom losses down to zero, state energy minister Pushpendra Singh Ranawat had said. While the minister was talking about the losses of all the three discoms Jaipur, Jodhpur and Ajmer, that stands at Rs 1,981 crore during 2016-17 the Jaipur discom hopes to come into profit much sooner with replication of the Alwar model in the remaining 11 circles. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After the Rajasthan high court directed the state government on Monday to arrest the striking doctors, health minister Kali Charan Saraf asked them to join duty immediately, so that they wont be arrested. If doctors continue with their strike, then they will be arrested and strict action will be taken, Saraf said. I dont understand why these doctors are on strike, as government has accepted all their demands. As far as withdrawing the transfer order of 12 doctors is concerned, it is governments right and will keep doing it. The in-service doctors, who went on strike on November 6, ended it on November 12 after the government held talks with them and accepted most of their demands. But irked by transfer of 12 of their colleagues on November 28, the doctors announced to go on mass leave from December 18. The government imposed Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenance Act 1970 and started arresting some doctors from December 15. The doctors then went on strike from December 16, paralysing health services in the state. Many doctors went underground. Resident doctors of medical colleges also went on strike in support of in-service doctors. Medical college teachers also threatened to join the agitation if the government did not stop, what they called, suppressive action against the doctors. The state chapter of the Indian Medical Association boycotted work on Monday for two hours -- from 9am to 11am. IMA state president Dr Mahesh Sharma said, The government should accept the doctors demands, withdraw the transfer orders and lift RESMA. Director, public health, Dr VK Mathur called a meeting of the agitating doctors on Sunday, but doctors did not turn up for talks. In a WhatsApp message, All Rajasthan In-Service Doctors Association (ARISDA) general secretary Dr Durga Shankar Saini said, I tried to contract the director, public health, twice on Sunday and even sent a text message, but Dr Mathur did not respond. He said, Talks have been held many times over the demands and the government is saying that all demands have been fulfilled, then why did the director, public health, call a meeting? He said Dr Mathur did not call the resident doctors to the meeting and the government did not lift RESMA. There are discrepancies in Dynamic Accelerated Career Promotion; a Rajasthan Administrative Service officer was appointed as additional director (gazetted). He was removed on December 20 after protests, but has been posted as additional director (administration and project). The RAS officer should be immediately removed from the directorate, Saini said. Cancel transfer orders of 12 doctors, take back all legal and administrative cases against the agitating doctors; the mass leave should be adjusted as leaves or privilege leaves; run all government hospitals in one shift; government should not take revengeful action after doctors end strike, Saini demanded. In an unprecedented order on Monday, Rajasthan high court has directed the state government to deal with doctors who are on strike with an iron hand. The division bench of Rajasthan High Court headed by chief justice Pradeep Nandrajog and DC Somani on Monday stated that the state government could apprehend the doctors under the law and even under the Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenance Act (RESMA) 1970. The order came on a public interest litigation filed by Abhinav Sharma, advocate of Rajasthan high court. This is for the first time that Rajasthan high court was opened for routine work on Christmas Day. Sharma had requested the chief justice on Saturday to take up the matter on an urgent basis in view of the fact that the doctors had called for a closure of medical services that included private medical hospitals as well as medicine shops on December 25. The all India doctors association deferred the strike till December 27, in view of the court listing the matter. The bench also directed the state government to take stern steps, including disciplinary action. The state government is now free to take any action against the doctors including the arrest, and dismissing them from services for not reporting on duty without leave. The in-service doctors of the state are on strike again after an agreement arrived earlier between them on November 12. Health Minister Kali Charan Saraf held a press conference earlier stating that the entire charter of demands raised by the agitating doctors has already been complied with, at a cost of 150 crore to the state exchequer. Two hundred youngsters from the Maoist-affected areas of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh were in Jaipur for the past one week and learned about various things ranging from Rajasthans architectural and cultural heritage to career avenues. The youngsters, aged 18 to 25 years, were here under the 10th Tribal Youth Exchange Programme, which started on December 19 and concluded on Monday. The programme was a joint initiative of the union home ministry and the union ministry of youth affairs and sports. The idea behind the programme was to involve these youngsters in nation building. In addition, this helped in getting them exposure and was directed towards achieving parallel development of the areas they come from, said Mahesh Kumar Sharma, district coordinator of Nehru Yuva Kendra, Jaipur, which managed the programme. During the week, the youngsters attended lectures on various topics and visited the city monuments such as Amer fort, Jantar Mantar and Albert Hall Museum. They were also taken to Lalwas, where the 83rd battalion Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is stationed. They learnt about the riot control exercises by the CRPF officers. At the Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayta Samiti centre, the visitors learnt about Jaipur foot, an artificial limb that simulates natural limb functions. A physically challenged youth among the visitors was fitted with the Jaipur foot at the centre. Manita Kumari (22), a student of MA History from Chatra, Jharkhand, said that she was overwhelmed by the welcome and attention she got in Jaipur. The way people are welcomed here is impressive. We were also taught a lot of things and told to share the lessons back home, said Kumari. A youth from Chhattisgarh said that he found the culture of Rajasthan generous and the education level high. I got to know that there are so many things we can do after Class 12 or even Class 10. I wanted to take a miniature elephant for home, but could not buy due to hurry, said Sunil Kumar Gota (21), who hails from Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh and doing BA economics. Two labourers, who committed burglaries, were recently arrested by the Vikhroli Police. Cops said the duo has committed at least three break-ins in Vikhroli. The police recovered 93 grams of gold, worth Rs2.45 lakh, from them and are searching for their accomplice Moiddin Shaikh, 28. They knew the area well. The accused targeted houses with weak latches, which could be broken easily. While people buy expensive locks, they often ignore latches, said an officer from Vikhroli police station. Highlights Precautions you must take Inform your neighbours to maintain vigil and give them exact dates for which your house will be locked Dont leave telltale signs that the house is empty. Inform vendors to stop delivering newspaper and milk Leave a set of keys with a neighbour you trust or a friend, in case there is a need for someone to enter Keep jewellery and cash in a bank locker before leaving Install a home security system and CCTV cameras, among others Keep some curtains open to give an impression that the house is occupied Use timers to switch on and switch off lights Ensure quality locking systems for your doors Park your vehicles at designated spots or leave them with your friends or relatives The officer added that the accused live in Thane and worked in Vikhroli. He said they targeted locked houses, which they identified on the basis of unattended newspapers, closed widows and no lights during the night. Both the accused were booked sections 457 (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking by night in order to commit offence punishable with imprisonment) and 380 (theft in dwelling house) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Expecting a rise in break-ins owing to the holiday season, the Vikhroli Police recently met representatives of several housing societies and asked them to beef up security by installing CCTV cameras and hiring security guards. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Finding herself unable to pay for the expensive pads needed to control the blood loss of her haemophiliac son, a mother from Parel dedicated herself to stitching an alternative. Now, her home-made safety pads are helping scores of parents who find themselves battling similar situations. I just take Rs50 in addition to the cost of materials. Sometimes, I dont even take that and give them for free to parents whose child is newly discovered with haemophilia as I understand their pain, said Sheetal Daghe, 35, whose son Vivek, 9, was diagnosed with the condition when he was one month old, in 2009. Haemophilia, most common in males, is a genetic disorder in which essential factors required for functional blood clotting are either inactive or are present in very low quantity, due to which patients experience prolonged bleeding following an injury, or even a surgery. Patients are advised to use kneepads, elbow pads, helmets or safety belts while undertaking risky activities to avoid injuries. But kneepads and other protective gear are largely expensive, costing anywhere between Rs1,000 and Rs1,500, according to Sunil Jhadav, counsellor at the Haemophilia Society of Mumbai. This is where Sheetals initiatives come in, and are helping a lot of patients by providing the safety pads at a fraction of the cost of the factory-made supplies, Jadhav said. Sheetal, who first learned about her sons condition when a doctor treating Vivek for diarrhoea had injected saline in his left hand. When the child developed severe swelling, the doctors told Sheetal he was suffering from haemophilia. That was the first time I learnt about this condition. I had cried so much that day as I could see Vivek was in pain, she said. In the subsequent years, Vivek needed to be rushed to a hospital several times, and had to be injected with blood clotting factors, she said. It was during one of her visits to KEM hospital in Parel for Viveks occupational therapy that a doctor suggested the idea of making hand-stitched protective pads to her. When she fell short of funds, the Haemophilia Society of Mumbai helped Sheetal buy a sewing machine. Sheetal, who has studied till Class 7, says her interest in tailoring and stitching was something she acquired from her mother. We had a sewing machine at home and I would buy fabric and stitch dresses and night gowns as a teenager. The pads she stitches now are made up of cotton cloth stuffed with soft foam. To date, she has sold over 300 pads, each of which cost under ~200. She says whatever money she earns from selling the pads is used in paying for Viveks medicines. In the process, Sheetal is helping other parents, and children like Vivek, too. After a software used by the University of Mumbai (MU) translated the surname of a student from Kite to Patang in Devnagiri script on her degree certificate last year, the varsity is now taking more precautions while printing certificates this year. The university has asked the graduating students and colleges to check and verify the Devnagiri spelling of their names on varsity portal (www.mu.ac.in). The students have until December 31 to suggest changes in their names. While we do verify the details in convocation certificates, the students have also been asked to confirm the spelling of their names as a precautionary measure, said an official from examination department. Last year, a few students found errors in their names printed on the degree certificates. In a peculiar case, the Devanagari script on the degree certificate issued to a Bachelor of Mass Media (BMM) graduate Nikita Kite from Ramnarain Ruia College at Matunga bore the literal Marathi translation of her surname, instead of the actual surname. The university blamed the goof-up on the software it uses for converting names from English script to Marathi, as the software identifies the words which find an entry in the dictionary and translates them into Marathi. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 30-year-old man was killed after being was run over by a private bus in Kandivli (East) on Saturday evening. The driver fled the spot after the accident. According to the Samta Nagar police, the incident took place around 5pm near Samta Nagar police stations gate on the service road on Western Express Highway. The victim, who has not been identified yet, came under the rear wheels of a private luxury bus there. The bus driver got scared and fled the spot leaving the heavy vehicle behind. Onlookers alerted police officials, who rushed the man to nearby Shatabdi Hospital but he was declared dead on admission. The man died of grievous head injuries, the police said. We are trying to establish his identity. It is difficult to say if the accused was drunk as he ran off and we are trying to trace him, added the police official. An FIR has been registered against the bus driver under IPC sections 304 A for causing death due to negligence and 134 A and B of the Motor Vehicle Act for fleeing the spot without rendering help to the accused. The Central railways would be imposing a 13-hour mega block on the Harbour line today. This is likely to inconvenience commuters, especially those wanting to visit family and friends to celebrate Christmas, as local train services will suspended between Nerul and Panvel. The block will be imposed from 2am to 3pm. Of the 482 local services on the harbour line, 164 will be cancelled. On the trans-harbour line, 40 of 230 services will be called off. Read: CR replaces rail tracks to make your Mumbai train commute safer Commuters will have to reach Nerul station by road if they want to travel to south Mumbai. To facilitate commuters, the NMMT will be running 40 special buses between Panvel and Nerul. However, officegoers will remain unaffected as it is a public holiday. Officials said the block is being imposed owing to construction of the phase-1 of the Belapur-Seawoods- Uran railway line. Around 700 workers will be working on the construction of the phase-1.Besides,the existing line between Seawoods and Belapur will be cut and connected to the newly built railway lines. Also, existing lines will be realigned and Belapur station yard will be remodelled. Read: Filthy railway lines gets attention, but a permanent solution needed to keep it clean In all, there will be six cuts and connections, including three points and crossings and shifting from one tunnel to another, said a CR spokesperson. Politically, it was quite an eventful year for top politicians from Maharashtra. The year saw agitations by the farmers outfits for farm loan waiver and protest by Maratha community demanding reservation in government jobs and education. There were elections to most civic bodies and district councils that were touted as mini-assembly polls. With so much on their plate, how did the top netas perform and what does the next year mean for them? Here is a look: Devendra Fadnavis: The chief ministers year began with uncertainty over his future following massive Maratha community protest marches held across Maharashtra. There were speculations that the party leadership would have to sacrifice him if the politically influential Maratha community went against the government. Fadnavis managed to handle the protests well and ensured that they fizzled out. His political stature grew with the BJP winning civic and district council polls across Maharashtra. The farmers agitation was another test for him but Fadnavis played a political gamble by announcing a loan waiver. The decision may backfire him in case majority of farmers dont get their loans written off. He has given a push to the infrastructure projects, trying to build pro-investment atmosphere and aggressively promoting his water conservation scheme. There is no challenge to him within the party in Maharashtra. In 2018, he will have his task cut out: implementing the plans and executing the infrastructure projects. Uddhav Thackeray: The Shiv Sena chief continued to be a thorn in the flesh for the BJP throughout the year 2017. His party remained with the BJPs ruling partner but it also continued to be the latters vocal critic. Significantly, the BJP continued to tolerate the Senas tirade as it didnt want much trouble while running its government in Maharashtra. The year also saw Thackeray managing to retain power in Indias richest civic body though with reduced numbers and some dependency on the BJP. He also dealt a body blow to estranged cousin Raj Thackerays Maharashtra Navnirman Sena as its six corporators in Mumbai crossed over to the Sena. Will there be any change in the uneasy relations between the two saffron parties in 2018? If the BJP does well in assembly elections in Rajasthan, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, it is likely to ditch Sena in 2019 elections. If it doesnt, the status quo will be maintained. So in any case, we will continue to hear Thackerays BJP-bashing. Sharad Pawar: The Nationalist Congress Party chief has been a key figure in Maharashtra politics for over four decades and nobody can dare to write him off. His party is yet to fully recover from the rout it suffered in 2014 but Pawar could keep his flock together. Further, the local elections showed that the NCP still enjoys considerable support in rural and semi-urban areas. The second half of the 2017 saw Pawar slowly tilting towards the Congress again. Not only did he criticize Modi for his campaigning in Gujarat but also praised Rahul Gandhi. In Maharashtra, Congress and NCP seem to be coming closer again. Many in Congress however continue to remain suspicious about him. The Gujarat assembly elections where NCP and BSP candidates damaged Congress prospects in about a dozen constituencies is being referred to as latest example why the party top brass still doesnt trust him. Ashok Chavan: Will he stage a comeback in 2018? It wasnt an exciting year for the Maharashtra Congress and its chief Ashok Chavan. Its performance in the civic polls was unimpressive. It also failed to corner the government over a range of issues including goof-up in the distribution of loan waiver. However, things are looking up for the former chief minister as the year comes to an end. First, he stopped the BJPs winning spree in civic polls by retaining power in hometown Nandeds civic body. Last week, the Bombay High Courts decision to turn down Governors permission to the CBI to prosecute him in Adarsh case has given him relief. However, he will have a tough task at hand if the party continues him in the post: rebuilding the party organization and preparing for 2019 elections to wrest power from the BJP. Raj Thackeray: The MNS stocks dipped further early this year as it fared poorly in civic polls in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nashik where it had done well five years ago. Raj has embarked upon a plan to revive the party but it seems to be a humongous task now. Can he do the impossible? 2018 may give us some idea. Narayan Rane: The firebrand former chief minister finally quit the Congress and floated a separate political outfit, Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksh. He has joined the BJP led NDA and expected to be inducted in the Fadnavis cabinet soon. Will it be good for his political career or turn out to be a bad decision? Lets watch in 2018 SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Publication and Curriculum Research on Monday responded to a petition demanding changes to a Class 9 history and political science textbook. The petition, filed by Ulhasnagar resident Amritpal Singh Khalsa, argues that the textbooks depict the Sikh movement in a manner that could infect the minds of students and spread ill-will towards Sikhs and has urged the court to direct the Bureau to withdraw the textbooks. In his petition, filed before the Bombay high court, Khalsa referred to a chapter on Operation Blue Star that describes Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and others involved in the Sikh struggle as terrorists, and argues that the comments are defamatory and made without any research, as there is no police record naming Bhindranwale in an FIR. Read: Maharashtra school textbook should not call Bhindranwale a terrorist: Sikh groups Sunil Magar, director of the textbooks bureau, denied the accusations, maintaining that meticulous planning and preparations precede the printing and publication of any textbook. His affidavit states that the history and political science book was written by Ganesh Raut, head of the history department of HV Desai College, Pune. It adds that the draft prepared by Raut was scrutinised by 30 experts in the subject. The affidavit states that the draft was also reviewed by two quality reviewers. As to the allegations of a lack of research, Magars affidavit states that the author referred to several articles published in newspapers, periodicals and websites, a white paper published by the Government of India on the Punjab agitation, former prime minister Indira Gandhis address to the nation on June 2, 1984, annual reports of the Ministry of Home Affairs and books published by senior Army and IPS officers involved in Operation Blue Star. Read: Bombay HC seeks publishers response on reference to Bhindranwale as terrorist in book He has also indicated that it was impossible to recall the book and withdraw the statements, as 22.45 lakh copies of the book have been published in eight languages and distributed for use by 19.44 lakh students across Maharashtra. The case is likely to be heard next month. As Mumbaiites welcomes Christmas with bright lights and decorated trees, students from city colleges are spreading the cheer by helping the underprivileged. St Andrews College, Bandra, is encouraging students campus to donate used goods that can be sent to orphanages. Instead of a red Santas, we are going ahead with a Yellow (Yeh-lo) Santa Claus on our campus. Staff and students have been encouraged to donate clothes, books and toys, which can be donated to an orphanage, said principal Marie Fernandes. The college has already received donations from the students and are is planning to take the help of charity groups to distribute the items collected. Students of Usha Pravin Gandhi College, Vile Parle, are collecting used items to help several non-governmental organisations (NGOs)in the city. We have set up boxes at various corridors, in which students can donate stuff. It can be anything from clothes to to As Mumbaiites welcome Christmas with bright lights and decorated trees, students from city colleges are spreading the cheer by helping the underprivileged. St Andrews College, Bandra, is encouraging its students to donate used goods that can be sent to orphanages. Instead of red Santas, we are going ahead with a Yellow (Yeh-lo) Santa Claus on our campus. Staff and students have been encouraged to donate clothes, books and toys, which can be donated to orphanage, said principal Marie Fernandes. Read: Joy of giving back: Mumbai housing society creates 10,000 sqft garden The college has already received donations from the students and is planning to take the help of charity groups to distribute the items collected. Students of Usha Pravin Gandhi College, Vile Parle, are collecting used items to help several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the city. We have set up boxes at various corridors, in which students can put items they want to donate . It can be anything from clothes to food. While some will be donated this week, the collection drive will go on till January when we will participate in the Joy of Giving Week, said principal Anju Kapoor. Blood donation drives at city colleges have been a common sight this year. Continuing the trend, RD National College, Bandra, has decided to organise a blood donation drive on its campus last week. We decided to give the gift of life to people and 100 students donated blood last week. We conduct such drives more than once a year. This time we decided to do it before Christmas, said principal Dinesh Panjwani. He added that this year, the college collaborated with a national bank and donated the blood it collected to a government hospital. Nagindas Khandwala College, Malad, has decided to spread awareness about healthy living and eating in a small village in Maharashtra. In the coming week, a group of students and teachers will visit the village in Pen, adopted by the college, and set up a health camp. Weve been visiting this village for the past couple of years, but it is for the first time that we will be organising a health camp for the villagers. Its our Christmas gift to them, said Mona Mehta, vice principal (Unaided courses). SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 19-year-old college student was run over by a car while he was crossing a road at Nariman Point on Saturday. According to the Marine Drive police officers, victim Shaikh Manzur was crossing the road while returning from Akbar PeerBhoy College on Saturday morning when the incident took place. Officials said Manzur, who was a resident of Dharavi, was rushed to the JJ Hospital by passers by and the police officers but he succumbed to the injuries he had suffered in the accident on Sunday morning. The police said immediately after the accident they seized the car that hit Manzur and arrested its driver Solya Nadar but after Manzur succumbed to the injuries, police filed a case under section 304 (A) of the Indian penal code (IPC) for causing death by negligence. We have now registered a case of causing death by negligence and will investigate the case further, said ASI Diganbar Phuke, from the Marine Lines police station. The Shiv Sena on Monday slammed the BJP-led Central government for its inaction in dealing with the ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC). The Sena, in an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, attacked the BJP for raking up the Pakistan-issue during the campaigning of the recently concluded Gujarat assembly polls but failing to tackle the situation on the border while the jawans are being martyred. In another ceasefire violation along the LoC on Saturday, an Army major along with three other Indian soldiers were killed in the Kashmir valley. PM Modi during a rally in Banaskantha district on December 10, said, Pakistan is interfering in the Gujarat election and members of the Congress secretly met Pakistani officials at suspended leader Mani Shankar Aiyars house. The way the political intervention of Pakistan in Gujarat was taken seriously, similar concern should be shown towards the ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops and the martyrdom of our soldiers, the editorial in the Marathi daily read. The editorial further asked if the Pakistan rhetoric during the election was a jumla (issue) by the BJP. The BJP is now back in power in Gujarat and Pakistans interference has evaporated from there. But it is certain that the martyrdom of our soldiers should not become an election jumla , it added. The Sena, which is the junior partner in the state and the central government, has been critical of the BJP after ties between the two parties got strained. While enjoying the power, the Sena has criticised policies of the BJP-led government. The editorial in Saamana are regarded as the opinion of Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray who is also editor of the newspaper. This is not the first time the Sena has taken on the BJP on this issue. In an editorial published on December 13, Sena criticised Modi and said that his reference to Pakistans alleged interest in the Gujarat polls was an impious way to win the election. Prime Minister Modi has levelled a serious charge that Pakistan is interfering in Gujarat polls. We can understand the worries of Modi but a PM is supposed to take action and not level allegations. Gujarat has become even more important than Kashmir. Until yesterday, Pakistan was interfering in Kashmir and China was interfering in Leh, Ladakh, and Arunachal Pradesh, it said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong pitch for use of public transport Monday to save on fuel and costs associated with the import of petroleum, saying travelling on a metro train should be a prestige issue. Modi was addressing a public meeting in this suburban town in Uttar Pradesh bordering New Delhi after launching a 12-km stretch of Delhi Metros newly built Magenta Line. He also said good governance is possible only when the mindset of deriving personal benefit while framing policies and completing projects is shunned. For us, decisions are about national interest and not political gains. The top ten industrialists would not travel on metro. You will. For us, riding a metro and not driving our private vehicles should be a prestige issue, he said. The prime minister observed that a multi-modal transportation system will ensure that use of fuel is cut down, which will help the common man save money and also be useful for the environment. He said governments incur a lot of cost in creating infrastructure but when it is ready it benefits generations to come. Modi also said that by 2022, when India celebrates its 75 years of Independence, he wants to cut down on imported petroleum products. Without getting into specifics, the prime minister lamented that development at times is seen through the prism of politics which is based on the interest of parties. He said development should be an all-round phenomenon. Governance cannot happen when the dominant thought process begins at mera kya (how will it benefit me) and ends at mujhe kya (why should I bother). We have changed this mindset. For us, decisions are about national interest and not political gains, he said. He said while India is a prosperous country, people have been deprived of its benefits due to poor governance. But I have taken upon myself to change all this. It is a tough decision (for many) when they have to think whether the policy would benefit them politically, he said. The prime minister noted that if a policy was in black and white and well laid out, it would leave little scope for discretion, thus bringing down corruption. He recalled that on December 24, 2002 the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee took a ride on the metro. It was a historic moment. Since then, the Metro network in NCR has expanded considerably, he said, adding, Vajpayee was the first person to ride on the Delhi Metro. Referring to the issue of connectivity, he said people live in an era in which connectivity is all important. Without connectivity, life comes to a standstill. This Metro... is not only for the present but also for future generations, he said. Crediting Vajpayee for empowering people through his concept of good governance, Modi said the former premier had put thrust on good governance and connectivity. The Pradhan Mantri Rural Road scheme was his idea and many do not know about it. Villages are being linked with roads. By 2019, all roads will be linked to roads. The Golden Quadrangle project has also been hastened, he said. He said states having good governance are flourishing. He thanked the people of Uttar Pradesh for adopting him when he became member of the Lok Sabha from Varanasi. He said the people of the state moulded him to shoulder the responsibility of the country. The prime minister also said that Uttar Pradesh contributed in giving the country a stable government by voting for BJP in the Lok Sabha polls. The Prime Minister further went on to add that because of Adityanaths attire his critics often perceive that saffron clad chief minister is not modern enough. I am very happy that Yogi Adityanath Ji has come to Noida. Faith is important but blind faith is not, the Prime Minister said. He further claimed as chief minister of Gujarat he himself had also broken many such jinxes by visiting the so-called inauspicious places. When I became CM, people told me of a few places where no CMs went because they were inauspicious. I was clear... I would go to all those places in my first year itself. Driven by blind faith and superstition, leaders never went to places for decades. How unfortunate is that, Modi said. Noida residents also hailed Adityanaths visit, saying they would prefer such leaders who visit people when in power. Everyone is willing to meet people and go to all constituencies when they are seeking votes. But only true leaders visit people and inauspicious constituencies even after being in power, said Raj Kumar Nagar, a resident of Sarfabad village in Noida. The Centre has asked the Bihar government to provide financial assistance to the Gaya cyber cafe owner and publisher who became a hero in September after catching two terror suspects, including the key accused of 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts. The Union ministry of home affairs (MHA), in a letter, has asked the Bihar chief secretary to ensure financial support to Anurag Basu, the cyber cafe operator and editor of vernacular monthly socio-political magazine Saaf Swar. The MHA has also directed the chief secretary to apprise it of the action taken at the earliest. Basu had chased and caught two terror suspects at Gaya, 100 km south of Patna, on September 13. Tauseef Khan alias Atik Khan, an accused in the Ahmedabad blast, was one of men. The blast had killed 56 people and injured more than 200. Tauseef is at present in the remand of Gujarat police. READ| 2008 Ahmedabad blast accused among two terror suspects arrested from cyber cafe at Gaya But Basu had to a heavy price for what his wife Aradhana Kumari describes was a misadventure. With his business crippled for fear of retaliation, he has been staring at penury and also facing threat to his life from sleeper cells allegedly set up by the arrested terror suspects. The MHA directive to the state government comes in the wake of a letter earlier written by Gaya MP Hari Manjhi to the prime ministers office (PMO). In his letter, Manjhi had apprised the PMO of the hardships being faced by Basu, a third degree black belt, who had been giving martial art tips to youths at Tekari and Gaya for more than four years, and sought adequate compensation to Basu, who has set an example of courage and patriotism. READ| Double whammy: Business crippled, Gaya cyber cafe owner who caught terror suspects faces threat to life Tauseef, who hailed from Ahmedabad in Gujarat, had been hiding at Sahdeo Khap village in Bodh Gaya police station area, 16 km south of Gaya, since July 2008 with the help of Sarwar Khan of the same village. A computer engineer, well versed in mathematics, Tauseef Khan had joined a private school in the village as a teacher. However, he was also giving lessons in jehad to many Class 12 students who came to him for private tuitions, the police said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A group of youngsters from the Kanjarbhat community have resolved to free their fellow community members of the regressive practice of subjecting woman to undergo virginity test on the wedding night. The movement gained momentum after Vivek Tamaichikar, a student at Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS), took to social media to talk about the issue. His Facebook post provided a platform for other members to voice their outrage. I wrote about the issue on Facebook and received a good response. So we made a Facebook group of the interested people which eventually turned into a WhatsApp group, said Tamaichikar. It further gained importance for Vivek, who is a part of the community and is scheduled to get married in May 2018. According to the young community members, presence or absence of blood on the bedsheet of a newly married couple after their first night decides whether the woman had sexual relations before or not. A group of around 25 people on Sunday gathered at Sadhna Media Centre in Pune and shared tales of horror related to the virginity-test that the women of the community have to go through on their wedding night. Many of the youngsters were at the meeting against their family members will. The meeting, organised by the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti (MANS), saw attendance of people from Pune, Mumbai and Kolhapur. Nandini Jadhav, Pune head of MANS urged the gathered youngsters to speak up against the issue. When contacted, elders of the community, with a population of not more than 5,000 in Pune, denied the existence of the virginity-test. The custom is discontinued and nothing of that sort happens in the community anymore, said Kavichand Pritamsingh Bhaat, one of the community leaders and former mayor of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). Hasan Malke, a prominent community leader was unavailable for a comment, while advocate Murchand Bhaat, another community leader, said he is out of station and refused to comment on the issue over the phone. However, the elders statements came days after Siddhant Bhat, a community member and cousin of Vivek and had approached the police with a recorded video which showed after his community elders demanding Rs.10,000 to permit a virginity test and allow a particular marriage in the community. When the police declined to register a case, Siddhant approached Deepak Sakore, deputy commissioner of police, zone-4 of Pune. In yet another incident cited by Krishna Indrekar, who works in the state charity commissioners office in Mumbai, a family suggested that since the groom was exhausted after days-long wedding rituals, his brother could do him the favour of taking his wife through the virginity test. The grandson of a local Kanjarbhat community panchayat elder, who was also present at the meeting and requested anonymity, questioned the practice. While narrating the incident he had witnessed, the grandson said, I remember this one time when a panchayat was in motion, people were sitting around the room and a water container was placed in the middle of the room. I entered the room with my footwear on and was scorned upon and yelled at. These were the same people who were insulting a woman while chewing gutkha. When Vivek told me about this, I laughed it off until I realised how serious it was. I could not believe it. When I told my senior, she too could not believe it either. This is against a persons right to privacy. Moreover, a womans hymen can rupture due to various reasons, said Dr Shruti Jaiswal, who is a gynecologist herself. Jaiswal was one of the participants at the meeting. In another incident, Priyanka Tamaichikar, who has spoken on media platforms before, claimed that she was threatened and shamed by the community elders after she made her opinion against the custom public. We are boycotted by the society. No one in the community speaks with us. But we have supporters double, even triple the number of oppressors. Im not going to back down. With New Year round the corner, Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has brought back Gangasagar Puri Yatra for the tricity residents. The railways has already opened bookings for the Bharat Darshan train (NZBD213) that will chug off from the Chandigarh railway station at 1pm on February 18, 2018. The 10-day tour will cost Rs 1,000 a person daily. About the tour package Days: 10 Cost: Rs 9,450 Seats: 784 Places covered: Baidyanath, Gangasagar, Kolkata, Puri, Konark, Gaya and Varanasi This tour will cover seven destinations and take the travellers on pilgrimage to Baidyanath temple, Kaali temple, Jagannath temple, Konark temple, Vishnupad temple, Mahabodhi temple, Kashi Vishvanath Temple and Dashashwamegh Ghat. The fare is inclusive of facilities, including journey by 2nd sleeper class train, accommodation in non-AC dormitories, vegetarian food (breakfast, lunch and dinner), tour escort and security on train and tourist buses for sightseeing. IRCTC zonal office spokesperson Shubham Arya said seeing demand, the train is returning after a year. Officials said they are expecting a good response from this tour package. He further added that the bookings have already been opened for the residents. Book the tickets on IRCTC website or visit its regional office in Sector 34 (0172-4645795). SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In a reunion, which revived ties that go nearly 58 years back , Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday night hosted his batchmates from the National Defence Academy (NDA) for a rare dinner. Capts 57 batchmates from NDA Khadakwasla came together to recall shared memories and experiences of their days of training for the defence services and the years gone by. The reunion also gave the men an opportunity to catch up with each others lives since they last met, as they went on a spree of discovery about their years post their service stints, according to an official release. Captain Amarinder Singh with his 57 batchmates from NDA Khadakwasla. (HT Photo) The chief minister said that joining the army and serving the country was the only life he had dreamt and fantasized about. Nearly six decades seemed to disappear as they talked animatedly about those days of stringent tests followed by some tough training, before they could don their uniforms. Capt Amarinder distinctly remembered the moment when, in July 1959, he joined the George (now Delta) Squadron at NDA, located on the banks of the serene Lake Khadakwasla. His batchmates remembered Captain Amarinder as a distinguished cadet, who captained the riding and polo team at NDA, according to the release. Capt Amarinder Singh interacting with his batchmates. (HT Photo) Amarinder was commissioned into the Indian Army in 1963 and was posted to the 2nd Battalion, the Sikh Regiment a battalion in which his father and grandfather had served with distinction before him. On the occasion, Captain Amarinder released a book Tryst with Perfidy, written by Lt Gen Kamal Davar, former chief of Defence Intelligence Agency. Among those who joined the get-together were Lt Gen GS Sihota, Lt Gen BM Kapur, Lt Gen Natarajan, Lt Gen Kamal Dawar, Air Vice Marshal Sisodia, Maj Gen MS Parmar, Lt Gen Prakash Suri, Lt Gen Naryain Chatterjee, Commodore Nath and Maj Gen Gurjeet Singh Randhawa. Actors Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh, who have been planning to work together for a long time, are finally set to join hands for a multilingual web series on the assassination of Indias former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Filmmaker AMR Ramesh had originally planned to make this a film but he has now decided to turn it into a web series. This story required more screen time in terms of narration, which was one of the reasons we chose to make it into a web series. Rana Daggubati, who is backing the project and is very keen on the same, was the one who mooted the idea. We chose to call the series LTTE for international appeal. The first season will focus on the assassination of former PM Rajiv Gandhi, while the following seasons will see the rise of LTTE and the late former chief of the outfit, V Prabhakaran. We are looking at Venkatesh playing the role of IPS officer Karthikeyan. Rana is going to play a vital role in the series as well, Ramesh told Times of India. Ramesh further added that the rest of the cast is in the process of being finalised. The series will be multilingual, with us retaining the native tongue based on where we are shooting, which would mean Kannada in Bengaluru, Hindi or English in Delhi, Tamil in Chennai and Sri Lankan Tamil when shooting in north Sri Lanka. We will be shooting at the actual locations, he added. Rana is not alien to the concept of web series because earlier this year he was seen playing a crucial role of rich entrepreneur in the web series Social. Its been a fabulous year for Rana, who is basking in back-to-back success of his films Ghazi, Baahubali 2 and Nene Raju Nene Mantri. Its interesting that the actor is no longer willing to play run-of-the-mill characters and is open to experimenting with every new project. He is currently shooting for 1945, being directed by Sathya Siva in Tamil and Telugu. Last month, Rana went clean shaven for his role in the film. He is also a part of this project where he plays Travancore king Marthanda Varma, apart from the modern-day adaptation of Haathi Mere Saathi. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop According to travel data and analysis by Kayak.com, a leading travel search engine, Dubai continues to top the charts for the second year running, witnessing a 20% surge in searches from users compared to last year. Singapore and Bangkok also feature in the top three destinations, with a 155% and 131% rise in searches respectively, replacing last years trending destinations Kochi and Bali. The pattern seems to indicate that Indian travellers are consciously seeking out moderate climates when picking out their winter holiday destinations. Winter always brings with it the opportunity to travel, with the Christmas and New Year holidays, along with a lean period at work, often providing good excuses to book a trip. As the coldest period of the year approaches, we are witnessing a spike in searches to cities with moderate climates where travellers can soak in the sun before coming back to nippy temperatures, said regional manager, India and Middle East, Kayak.com, Abhijit Mishra. Dubai is leading the pack for winter travel, along with other tropical cities like Singapore, Bangkok, Bali and Colombo. The fact that the average ticket prices have decreased for these cities also makes them ideal for travel. Within India, Goa, with its beautiful beaches and ease of access, continues to be a hot favourite, he added. Moreover, destinations such as Singapore (155%), Bangkok (131%) and Melbourne (75%) have been the fastest growing destinations in terms of interest garnered from users. Other cities such as Maldives (67%), Port Blair (63%) and Sydney (62%) have seen a significant increase, specifically during the winter season. Were in an era where travellers have access to a wide range of options in terms of destinations, as airlines have activated more sectors, further improving connectivity. This gives travellers the freedom to pick and choose cities of their choice, and to more freely consider factors such as weather when deciding on a holiday destination, Mishra added. A suicide bomber killed six civilians in an attack near an Afghan intelligence agency compound in Kabul Monday in the latest assault claimed by the Islamic State group in the capital. The attacker struck as workers were arriving at the offices of the National Directorate of Security (NDS), a week after militants stormed an NDS training centre in Kabul. Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP six civilians in a car were killed when the attacker blew himself up. Six people were martyred and three others were wounded, Danish said. They were hit when they were passing the area in their Toyota sedan vehicle. We still do not know the target of the attack but it happened on the main road. The health ministry confirmed the death toll but put the number of wounded at one. An AFP reporter at the blast site said the attack happened outside the main entrance to an NDS compound. Security forces have swarmed into the area, closing off the main road leading to the building. Ambulances were seen leaving the scene, apparently taking casualties to hospitals in the city. Our initial information shows a blast took place near an intelligence headquarters in Shash Darak neighbourhood of Kabul, deputy interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told AFP. The Islamic State claimed the attack in a statement via their Amaq propaganda arm. It was the latest claimed assault by the Middle Eastern jihadist group in Kabul, which in recent months has become one of the deadliest places in the war-torn country for civilians. Security in the city has been ramped up since May 31 when a massive truck bomb ripped through the diplomatic quarter, killing some 150 people and wounding around 400 others -- mostly civilians. IS has expanded its presence in Afghanistan since it first appeared in the region in 2015. It has scaled up its attacks in Kabul, including on security installations and the countrys Shiite minority. Last weeks attack on the intelligence training centre triggered an intense hours-long gunbattle which killed the two militants in an assault that was also claimed by IS. The resurgent Taliban are also stepping up assaults on security installations. On Friday, in an attack claimed by the Taliban, a suicide bomber drove an explosives-packed Humvee into a police compound in the southern province of Kandahar, killing at least six officers and destroying a building. Afghan forces, already hard-hit 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 began a training and support role. Morale has been further eroded by long-running fears that the militants have insider help -- everything from infiltrators in the ranks to corrupt Afghan forces selling equipment to the Taliban. Dubai airline Emirates will stop flying to Tunisia, it said on Sunday, after the North African country said it had banned flights from the United Emirates carrier. 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. Emirates said on Twitter it would stop its Dubai-Tunis connection from Monday following instructions from Tunisia. The Tunisian transport ministry said in a statement earlier that Emirates flights would be suspended until the UAE airline found a way to operate according to international law and treaties. The UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, said on Twitter both countries had been in contact about the security measure information, without elaborating. He added that the UAE valued and respected Tunisian women. In Tunisia anger has been building after women said they had been banned at Tunis airport from boarding Emirates flights to Dubai. Tunisian civil organizations and political parties called on the government to act. A month after appearing on London buses, Free Balochistan posters have started appearing in New York as part of a campaign by Baloch nationalists against Pakistans alleged human rights abuses in the province. The World Baloch Organization (WBO), which is behind the posters, launched the #FreeBalochistan campaign in New York last week to spread awareness about abuses such as enforced disappearances, torture and summary executions. The campaign began with posters atop New Yorks ubiquitous yellow taxis. It has since begun mobile advertising, with trucks driving around the city with posters saying #FreeBalochistan from human rights abuses and Raise your voice against human rights abuses in #Balochistan by Pakistan Army. The trucks drove around the consulates of Pakistan and China, WBO said in a statement. One of the signs also read No to CPEC, referring to the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor a flagship project under Chinese President Xi Jinpings Belt and Road Initiative. The CPEC will connect Xinjiang in Chinas west to the Gwadar port in Balochistan. But unlike in London, Pakistan has not tried to stop the campaign in New York. The Pakistan high commission in London had complained to British authorities about them, but were overruled. Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed has inaugurated an office of the Milli Muslim League in Lahore, days after the Pakistan interior ministry voiced its opposition to the registration of the party seen as the political offshoot of the JuD. According to media reports, Saeed over the weekend inaugurated the office on Mohni Road, which falls under the NA-120 seat, which was former premier Nawaz Sharifs constituency. He was reportedly welcomed with local residents showering his vehicle with rose petals. He also enquired about the civic problems that they face. The interior ministry says the MML is the offshoot of banned organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and JuD. The government has also requested an Islamabad court to not consider MMLs plea seeking its registration as a political party, saying the group would breed violence and extremism in politics the ministry has categorically made it clear that the state will not allow the mainstreaming of jihad outfits. The MML had first surfaced in September during the by-poll for NA-120, which fell vacant after Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court. Despite not being registered by the Election Commission of Pakistan, it managed to come fourth, garnering more than twice the combined tally of established outfits Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamaat-i-Islami. A flourishing relationship between India and Canada ought to be a no-brainer given the common threads that run through the two democracies. Instead, this underperforming engagement continues to be a head-scratcher for analysts on both sides. That could change with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus visit to India in February. After an underwhelming trip to China where Beijing turned down an offer to start work on a free trade pact, the Canadian prime minister could be far more motivated to deepen bilateral ties. More importantly, it could provide impetus to a relationship that has lagged behind after starting off with plenty of energy in the early months of the Trudeau administration. We just had three ministers from the Canadian government in India in November and I think that was a very successful visit. Its always a great lead-up to a prime ministerial visit because it sets the agenda in many ways, said Stewart Beck, President and CEO of the Vancouver-based Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. India and the Indian market of a billion people plus, growing 7% a year, and being able to diversify and expand our trading relationship, is really quite critical, he added. Beck, who had earlier served as the Canadian high commissioner to India, said such high-profile encounters allow the principals to overcome obstacles: From my experience, we had two visits prior to the prime minister (Stephen Harper) in 2012 and they helped set the framework for a lot of the work we did around nuclear, the agreement around administrative arrangements and ultimately it resulted in the sale of uranium to India. He noted that the two sides were finally able to put to bed 45 years of issues around the nuclear file. Ramesh Sangha, Liberal Party MP from Brampton Centre seconds that optimistic view. It will be a big thing because we want to have good relations between both the countries. My feeling is that both sides are interested, said Sangha, who is also the chair of the CanadaIndia Parliamentary Friendship Group. It will be a good step in making progress. Its the need of the day today. A pair of bilateral trade and investment pacts will be discussed and there is hope that at least one may emerge as a tangible deliverable. My hope is we can settle on language between now and the time of the prime ministers visit, Beck said. The major roadblock to smooth ties has been the resurgence of the Khalistan movement in Canada and what is perceived in India as Ottawa ignoring the separatists on its territory. That may be a matter Trudeau will have to directly deal with in New Delhi. I think he has to indicate to his Indian counterparts, whether its the Prime Minister or other people, that this is not the case, this is not something thats being supported at the governmental level, Beck said. But the personality Trudeau possesses, could be a real deal-maker. As Sangha said, The way he presents himself and the country, its really a delight. Beck agreed, India being India, and there is a gravitation towards Bollywood stars, people with a high profile, I think certainly the prime minister will capture an awful lot of attention. (Indian Prime Minister Narendra) Modi has his own gravitas and appeal, I think the two of them together will make an interesting combination at the time of the visit. In fact, a rockstar reception for Trudeau could help further ties, as Beck said, I think it sends a good message here domestically if its a good visit. It will put India on peoples radar screens here in Canada and I think that will be good for India. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Monday Guatemalas decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem, saying other nations would also follow Washingtons recognition of the city as Israels capital. Other countries will recognise Jerusalem and announce the relocation of their embassies. A second country did it and I repeat it: there will be others, its just the start and its important, Netanyahu said in a statement. Guatemalas announcement on Sunday came after the UN General Assembly approved a motion rejecting US President Donald Trumps controversial decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital. Trumps announcement sparked anger across the Palestinian territories and the wider Muslim world. The Palestinian foreign ministry said Guatemalas decision to transfer its embassy to Jerusalem was shameful. Its a shameful and illegal act that goes totally against the wishes of church leaders in Jerusalem and of a non-binding UN General Assembly resolution condemning the US recognition, the ministry said in a statement. Israel seized control of the eastern part of the city in the 1967 Middle East war and sees all of Jerusalem as its undivided capital. The Palestinians view the east as the capital of their future state. No countries currently have their embassies in Jerusalem, instead keeping them in the Israeli commercial capital Tel Aviv. On Thursday, two-thirds of UN member states rejected Trumps decision. Only eight countries stood with the United States in voting against the resolution held in the UN General Assembly, among them Guatemala and Honduras. Delivering the 60th Christmas message of her reign, Queen Elizabeth II on Monday hailed the response of the people to the Manchester and London terror attacks this year, and celebrated the day with other members of the royal family in Sandringham, her country retreat. This Christmas, I think of London and Manchester, whose powerful identities shone through over the past 12 months in the face of appalling attacks, she said in the message that is traditionally awaited and listened to by a large number of Britons. After the May 22 terror attack in Manchester, in which 22 people died, the queen visited victims in the hospital. London faced three terror attacks in 2017: Westminster Bridge on March 22 (five killed), London Bridge on June 3 (eight killed) and Finsbury Park on June 19 (one killed). In keeping with the messages main theme of home, she said the Commonwealth of which the queen is the head was a different type of family. She mentioned the forthcoming Commonwealth heads of government meeting in April, to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among others. In 2018, I will open my home to a different type of family, the leaders of the 52 nations of the Commonwealth, as they gather in the UK for a summit. The Commonwealth has an inspiring way of bringing people together, she said. In the pre-recorded message, the queen was seen seated at a table, alongside photographs of Prince George and Princess Charlotte, and two pictures of her with the Duke of Edinburgh, one from their wedding day in 1947 and the other from their anniversary in November this year. The queen paid tributes to the Duke of Edinburgh, who retired from official public duties earlier in the year, praising his support and unique sense of humour. The messages main theme was home. The queen, 91, spent the day in Sandringham, Norfolk, with the Duke of Edinburgh, 96, and other members of the family, including Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle. It was first time someone who is yet to marry into the royal family joined its Christmas celebrations. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Russias Central Election Commission on Monday unanimously rejected top opposition figure Alexei Navalnys bid to run against President Vladimir Putin next year, leading him to urge a boycott of the polls. The commission voted 12 to zero in barring Navalny from the presidential election, citing a controversial embezzlement conviction for which he received a five year suspended sentence. Navalnys crime qualifies as serious and therefore rids the individual of the right to stand for president, said commission member Boris Ebzeyev ahead of the vote, urging the body to bar him from running. The decision prompted the 41-year-old protest leader -- who maintains that the court case against him was fabricated for political reasons -- to call for a boycott of the election. We are declaring a strike by voters. We will ask everyone to boycott these elections. We will not recognise the result, Navalny told journalists. Navalny, who has campaigned across Russia in recent months, argued earlier in front of the commission that his conviction was lifted in the European Court of Human Rights, and that banning him from participation would make Marchs election illegitimate. I assure you, a huge amount of people will not go to this election, would actively boycott this election and hold electoral strikes. In a passionate speech he accused the commission of barring truly oppositional figures while allowing candidates who are not interested in fighting corruption or in conducting real campaigns. Navalny was first sentenced in 2013 on the embezzlement charges, which accused him of defrauding the Kirov regional budget of about $270,000. The European Court of Human Rights last year quashed the ruling, saying it was unfair, and Russias Supreme Court ordered a retrial. The retrial in a Russian court however gave Navalny the exact same sentence as before, using almost identical wording as the 2013 decision. ma/adm On Christmas Eve, US President Donald Trump took calls from children, asking them what they wanted most from Santa, and revealing what was on his own wish list. One boy wanted building blocks. Another wished for his grandma to get out of the hospital. And as for Trump who has sent a series of combative tweets since arriving at his Florida vacation home he said he wants peace for the country. Weve got prosperity now we want peace, Trump told a child named Ryan, who called the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to check on Santas progress. Every year on Christmas eve NORAD purports to track the flight of Santa and his reindeer-pulled sleigh, a tradition since 1955 when a department store misprinted a phone number, sending a flood of calls to a NORAD colonel, who played along. Sitting in a gold chair beside first lady Melania Trump in an ornate, tapestried great room, the president enthusiastically chatted with youngsters and their parents. Reporters in the room could hear only the presidents side of the conversation. In his trademark brash style honed during a career in the New York real estate world, Trump predicted the kids would have the greatest Christmas ever. Ill make a prediction Santa is going to treat you well. Really well. The best hes ever treated you, he told one child from Mississippi, throwing in an invitation to come to the Oval Office sometime. Casper from Arlington, Virginia, was a child after Trumps own heart. Building blocks! Thats what I always liked too, the president exclaimed. I predict that Santa will bring you building blocks, so many you wont be able to use them all, he said. As for Ryan, he told Trump he wanted his grandmother to come home from the hospital. That is great. Thats better than asking for some toy or something, Trump said. So much so that he is now calling on the Taoiseach to make the plight of the undocumented Irish in the United States one of his priorities for 2018. 50,000 Irish citizens are estimated to be living in the United States without residency rights. "The threat of deportation is more real than it has been in the past number of years due to the hard-line on immigration being pursued by the Trump administration," he said. "The crackdown on illegal immigration has intensified in the run up to Christmas, the number of Irish deported from across the US since the Trump administration took power has risen to 34 from 26 last year, according to the most recent deportation figures. SUTHERLAND SPRINGS - The smell of fresh-cut construction wood, the glow of Christmas tree lights and a congregation more than double its normal size welcomed Kris Workman back to his church last Sunday morning. It all felt different to him. This was a building he'd never been to, with decorations he'd never seen, faces of worshippers he'd never met, listening to a preacher he'd never heard. The small white church building that had felt like home over the past eight years sat all but empty at the end of the block, now a memorial to the worst day in history for the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs. He and nearly 175 people sat on the opposite side of the property in a makeshift church open for its first service a week before Christmas Eve. It was his first time back at church since a gunman opened fire on the congregation in November, shooting him and dozens of others, leaving 26 people dead, among them an unborn child. Nine children died that day, and 2o people were injured. Some families lost people from multiple generations, and the church lost about a quarter of its congregation in a single Sunday morning. The massacre made Sutherland Springs a household name akin to Newtown, Conn., or the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla., where dozens of people died at the hands of a single shooter in recent years. Sutherland Springs, which sits about 35 miles east of San Antonio, is now the site of the worst mass shooting in Texas history and one of the deadliest in the country. People from around the nation, and the world, have sent the church cards, gifts, toys and money this holiday in hopes they can ease their suffering. Boxes full of gifts and trinkets and well-wishes sat in hallways and offices here. It's as if people around the world want Sutherland Springs to have the best Christmas possible. 'Christmas all year' With their deep religious beliefs and grief coming together in one of the holiest times of the year, the community here is doing what it does best, churchgoers here say: leaning into their faith. "God is not a God that sits up there and is happy about bad things happening," said Workman, as he sat in his wheelchair inside the church after its first service in the temporary building. He wears a crisp "Sutherland Strong" T-shirt and a brace to keep his back straight. His staples and stitches are gone, and his legs ache with nerve pain. Because of the shooting, he'll probably never walk again. But though his faith has wavered in years past, its firm now. God decided not to take him, he said, and there's a reason for that. But this first time back at church was more difficult than he expected. "A lot of the familiar faces have simply passed on," he said. "You could have a perceived notion that you would expect that you would not see those faces, but I didn't really prepare for that. So I walked in and then didn't see those faces, and then it kind of hit me a bit that it felt foreign." For a small community that lost dozens of people from its congregation in the shooting, attendance at the church has multiplied. Once a church with 50 to 100 people attending Sunday service, nearly all of the 175 black metal folding chairs in the temporary church were full that Sunday. Sandy Ward teared up in the back row of the church. The shooting claimed her daughter-in-law Joann Ward, 30, and two grandchildren, Brooke Ward, 5, and Emily Garcia, 7. "I have my moments," she said. "Most days are pretty good." On others, she cries at the slightest phrase. On this day, her husband fetches her toilet paper because he can't find a tissue. That makes her laugh. Her grandson, Ryland Ward, 5, will be in the hospital until February. He was shot five times: twice in the midsection, twice in the leg and once in the left arm. He's all smiles, Sandy Ward said. People have sent him as many as 3,000 Christmas cards and packages from around the world, including candies and coins from Japan, offers to visit exotic animal sanctuaries in the U.S., piles of stuffed dog toys and cards with $1 bills inside. Her living room is full of boxes of cards. "I have cards and cards and cards. He can have Christmas all year," she said. "It's amazing, just the country and the outpouring of love from people." 'All too soon for us' Nine survivors attended service that morning, said Sherri Pomeroy, the pastor's wife, during a Christmas potluck after church. Seventeen survivors have been back here since the shooting, she said, four others are either in hospitals or rehab and more are at home awaiting surgeries. "When things get stressful, you have to either laugh or cry," she said as she cleans the kitchen while churchgoers catch up over plates of pork, potato salad, hot dogs and sausage. Many walk around in elf costumes and Christmas sweaters, some with dangling Christmas tree earrings, and children run around wearing antler headbands with flashing lights. Parishioners at the church have gathered every year for this Christmas potluck, complete with an ugly sweater contest. Later that night, they'd go caroling on a hay-filled trailer, followed by hot cocoa and deserts. This year would be no different. "This is all too soon for us if we had our druthers, but we decided we had to do it for their memory," said Pomeroy. Her daughter, Annabelle, was killed in the shooting. She and her husband, Frank, were in Oklahoma at the time. On the outside, it looks like any other Christmas, says Colbey Workman, Kris' wife and the ugly Christmas sweater winner. "I think everybody is doing what they know how to do," she said as ruby red ornaments hang off her red and white knit sweater. She thinks about Karla Holcombe, 58, who died in the shooting. She was a central face in the church community and with its youth group, known for bringing people together and occasionally instigating food fights. "If Ms. Karla knew we didn't do our ugly Christmas sweater contest, she'd come down and haunt the church," Colbey laughed. "She has some large shoes to fill, but nobody really wants to fill them." As much as they miss those they lost that day, what helps them cope is that those people are now with Jesus Christ, she said. "What keeps us happy is knowing they're better off where they are." Across the room, another church member hollers out directions in rhymes to dozens of people playing in this year's annual white elephant gift exchange game. A large stuffed reindeer sits on a table surrounded by wrapped, donated gifts. Pomeroy would later sort through other gifts sent from across the world - trinkets like tiny wooden crosses and homemade key chains - and give them to the families of the victims and survivors before distributing them to the rest to the community. More people have joined the church since the Nov. 5 shooting, said Pomeroy. The temporary church can hold up to 225 people once the Christmas season is over. This Sunday's service was at nearly 80 percent capacity. 'Beautiful people' Jose Morelos is one of the new faces here. He is Catholic, but he's been to the Baptist service here four times since the shooting. He's lived here for seven years and had planned to attend service the morning of the shooting, but his knees hurt that day and they decided not to go. Now he and his family attend regularly, and he wants to join the church band playing electric drums. "They're beautiful people. They help each other. That's what the Lord wants," he says. "You can tell they want to go forward. They're smiling." Workman's wife and daughter Eevee, 3, weren't at church that day, either. But Kris was there with his mom, Julie, and his brother, Kyle. When the gunman walked around the inside of the church, Workman and his mom held hands under the pew and played dead. The gunman looked him over. Workman was the last person he shot, sending a bullet into his back and through his abdomen. The shooter fired a round at Julie and missed before fleeing the church for a confrontation with a neighbor outside. "A point-blank shot to somebody's back could be fatal," Workman said as Eevee played behind him at the potluck. "I'm spared because I still have purpose in the world." For as strange as his first time back at church was, Workman said, as soon as he settled in at a table at the Christmas potluck, the familiarity of his church returned to him. He finally began to feel at home. On Christmas Eve, he'll be back at church for morning and evening service. The next day he'll spend at home with Colbey, Eevee, and his family. "This will probably be one of the most special Christmases that I've ever had." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Karen Brun stared in awe at the grainy black and white image on the TV, watching a man in a giant white suit plant a flag on the moon. It was 1969 and Brun was sitting in the living room of her family's Trinidad and Tobago home: Was this even real? Her fascination with space was cemented that day. And though she never became an astronaut, the now-56-year-old is giving back to NASA in a different way. She's helping the space agency prepare to send humans to Mars. "We've been stuck (in Earth's orbit) for a long time," she said. "I don't think its really the hardware that can't get us there, it's ... knowing it's going to be difficult for a human." Brun was among the most recent group of civilians to voluntarily spend 45 days in isolation at Johnson Space Center as part of a "virtual" mission to space. The Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) is a three-story, about 600 square-foot enclosure that mimics exploration scenarios such as isolation, confinement and remote conditions. It allows Johnson researchers to observe and document how long-term space flight might impact human behaviors - an important study if Americans hope to send people to Mars any time soon. The problems crews headed to Mars could "encounter are a decline in mood, cognition, morale or interpersonal interaction," NASA's website states. "The more confined and isolated humans are, the more likely they are to develop behavioral or cognitive conditions, and psychiatric disorders." MORE: Astronaut's untethered leap captured in NASA's iconic spacewalk picture Real virtual reality Yoda casts a watchful eye across the second floor of HERA from the small galley area, where crew members prepare their freeze-dried meals. At some point over the past three years of isolation missions, the photo of the wise and wizen Jedi master was taped there for inspiration or support. Virtual missions in the three-story habitat, located in a large warehouse at Johnson, began in 2014. The first crew members only stayed in isolation for seven days. Each year, Johnson researchers tap 16 civilians to participate in four separate missions. And each year, the missions have gotten longer. The idea is to better understand and counteract potential problems that could arise from an individual staying isolated in a confined space for months on end - a reality if Americans go to Mars. To accomplish this, the habitat is designed to simulate space travel as closely as possible: crews work at least 16 hour days, conducting research experiments and doing virtual space walks and space craft piloting. They eat freeze-dried meals - the same as an astronaut would - and have allotted exercise time on a stationary bike and free weights. They're even cut off from the outside world except for short, scheduled calls to family and friends. That isolation was the hardest part for Megan Kane, who participated in the most recent mission with Brun. "Getting used to the (sparse) communication with my family was tougher than I expected originally," said Kane, 32. For Brun, the challenges were different. After spending 30 years in the military, intermittent communications with her family isn't new. But working and living in close quarters with people she hardly knows can always be difficult, she said. There's a set timeline for everything, but "it doesn't always work that way, so you have to be able to change course not just physically but mentally," Brun said. "Sometimes that's a challenge, especially when you're dealing with four people." The issues mentioned by both Kane and Brun are among the numerous pitfalls of long duration space missions. MORE: NASA's lunar rover could enable deep-space exploration NASA anticipates that crew members could experience depression, sleep deprivation and extreme boredom. Additionally, a misunderstanding or poor communication between crew members could seriously endanger a mission's success, the space agency stated. Psychological and cognitive problems are much more likely to crop up after months in space, NASA added. Experiments like HERA exist to find ways to counteract those problems, said Lisa Spence, a NASA flight analogs project manager. NASA scientists already have found ways to improve sleep, performance and alertness by using new lighting, and journaling has been identified as a way to vent frustrations. But there still is much to learn before sending humans to Mars, Spence said. So, the virtual missions will continue in 2018, she added, though there currently aren't plans to increase the mission's length past 2017's 45 days. Training for Mars Kane sees her more than six weeks in HERA simply as the next step in her training for Mars. Two years in Malawi through the Peace Corps prepared her for isolation from her family. Her job at Spire Global, a San Francisco-based satellite company, prepared her for the math and science rigors of the job. And now HERA has prepared her to work in confined spaces with all kinds of people over an extended period of time. The Illinois native declared her desire to go to Mars when she was 16, just a few years after attending space camp. And she's never wavered from that goal. So when she heard about the HERA missions, she applied for a spot without hesitation. Applicants must be at least 30 years old and pass a physical, Spence said. They can't take medication routinely, she added, and they can't have any psychological limitations. They must also have an advanced degree in a science, technology, engineering or math field, she said, though there can be exceptions depending on a person's work experience. Kane is an export control officer for Spire. "One of things we need to get (to Mars) is we need research done on how we are going to actually operate when we go on a long duration space mission," Kane said. "That's what HERA is all about: research for getting us closer to going to Mars, going farther beyond the moon." Kane was tapped to participate because she fell within a very specific criterion required by Johnson - essentially, researchers want the participants to be as similar to the astronaut population as possible, Spence said. But falling within those categories isn't the hardest part. It's the preparation to be completely isolated from the outside world that's hard, Kane said. She had to take an unpaid leave of absence from work, which meant she had to enough money saved up to cover her bills when she was inside the habitat. She had to set her bills, including electricity, rent and the internet, on auto pay. She had to set up a power of attorney in case something happened and she had to make sure enough work was completed so her employer could get by without her for six weeks. Days after she and her other crew members departed the habitat for the first time in 45 days, she said she still was terrified to open her email: she knew there would be a mountain of messages waiting for her. But the advanced preparation was worth it, she said. She still wants to go to Mars. And though she hasn't been chosen the past two times she's applied to be an astronaut, she's still hopeful. After all, the average age of an astronaut is 34 - she has time, she said. "I'll keep trying," Kane said. "My goal in life still is to go to Mars." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Jews and Muslims came together Christmas Eve with faith leaders to discuss their religions, culture and current events. The eighth-annual event took place at the Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism and was sponsored by that synagogue, the River Oaks Islamic Center and Congregation Beth Israel. Our reporter listened as organizers asked attendees to guess which religious passages were from which faith and then spoke about the commandment of giving in the Jewish and Muslim traditions. The words for giving in each faith are similar: sadaqah in Arabic and tzedakah in Hebrew. Later, community members discussed their similarities and differences. "As Salaam Alaikum." "Shalom." "Hey, where've you been?" "Raise your hand if this is the first time you've been to this event." Most hands go up. "Opa!" "There's a lot of positive energy in this room, and I don't think it's because it's Christmas." -- "We've got lots of potato latkes, samosas." "Food: That's what I came here for. Food." "Don't bother me when I have food in my mouth." "I think we're all a bit like that, right?" "At Christmas, Jews eat shrimp?" "Jews eat Chinese food. You know what else we do? We go to a movie." "Us too." "Halal and Kosher rules have a lot of similarities." "Have you ever had alcohol?" "I haven't, no." "I have." "Yes." "If you talk about hookah, I've done that." "My friend talked me into it." "Did you feel guilty?" "I should have felt more guilty." -- "Try and guess which passages are from Islam and which are from Judaism." "The first one is absolutely Islam." "It could go either way." "That sounds like Islam to me." "You guys are going awful fast." "Whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world." "Is there a B? For both?" "It sounds Jewish to me." "That's us as well." "You shall not attain righteousness until you spend out of what you love." "This is trickier than you'd think." "Who can argue with any of them?" "Time to go back to school." "How many did you get wrong?" "Quite a few." -- "Sadaqah and tzedakah." "It's the same word." "What are we trying to go after? Is this righteousness? It is giving of ourselves to others." "What are the three things that enable God to see us? Repentance, prayer and charity." "It can mean to be honest and upright." "You have to have a relationship with God." "Charity is a proof in our faith and our belief system." "All of God's creation. Irrespective of race, gender and religion, we must offer charity." "Smiling a smile is charity." "Bring your entire self to the table. Not just your wallet." "Giving is because you have and they need. You gotta do it, because it's the right thing to do." -- "Growing up, you didn't have all this extracurricular news, no social media." "The amount of hate that people have out there." "Behind the computer, behind the iPhone, it gives them a platform for it." "Is everyone registered to vote?" "It's important to see how people look at us. I've never seen things quite like this." "Everybody has the same angst." "One thing imam was saying was how short our life is. There are fights going on all around the world. It's much easier to live in harmony than to fight." "I was very moved. The rhythm of his speech. The song. Fascinating." "Is it very humid in Saudi Arabia?" "It depends on what part. Everywhere you go, you have AC blasting." "Like Houston." "Will you marry a traditional Muslim woman?" "She is a convert." "We raised our kids as Jews, but my husband was so ambivalent." "Did you face any kind of persecution for being Muslim?" "I'll ask you the same thing." -- "You read right to left, just like Arabic." "Do you actually read it from the scroll?" "Yes, we read from this. We lay it down, and we read it." "If you drop a scroll, you have to fast for 40 days." "So don't be around clumsy people." "What is the Jewish fast like?" "A day of complete focus. It's a 24-hour fast." "But only one day, right?" "Just one day. You guys have an entire month." -- "We all have issues on our minds. Conflict, home, terrorism, elections." "This is a vehicle to communicate." "It's getting people to do things together, to learn." "2017 has sort of been tumultuous. Our communities have been a little bit battered." "Houston is open to doing this kind of work." "Fear is eliminated by conversation, food and chai (tea)." Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. SVHC Honors Employees with 2017 Putnam Awards BENNINGTON, Vt. Southwestern Vermont Health Care leaders and staff gathered Oct. 18 at the Mount Anthony Country Club to honor employees for their service to the organizations mission. One award every year is presented for each of the organizations five core values: quality, empathy, safety, teamwork and stewardship. The employees who received the awards are noted standard bearers and role models within the organization. "We achieve remarkable success through the hard work and dedication of employees who come to work each day with our mission in mind," said Thomas A. Dee, SVHC's president and CEO. "Our Putnam Awards honorees live our mission of exceptional care and comfort and help set SVHC apart as one of the best health systems in New England." The 2017 Putnam Award Honorees are: * Quality: Bentley Munsell, ED technician, Emergency Department * Empathy: Virginia Ritchie, administrative assistant, Medical Staff Office * Dr. Richard Guerrero Patient Safety Award: Elizabeth Bessette, RN, Medical Surgical * Teamwork: Christopher Callanan, Cafe cook, Nutrition and Dining Services * Stewardship: Ron Keefer, buyer, Materials Management The evening also honored those celebrating employment anniversaries. Many were honored for 10, 20, and 30 years of employment with SVHC. Fourteen employees were noted for 40 or more years of service, and Christine Bacon, who works in the lab, was honored for 52 years of service. Altogether, the group represented more than 1,400 years with the organization. Berkshire Community College Brings On New Faculty and Staff PITTSFIELD, Mass. Berkshire Community College has announced new faculty and staff additions. Pam Coley McCann joined BCC as an assistant professor of human services. Prior to joining the college, McCann had a full-time private practice in Pittsfield, and before that she worked for the Department of Mental Health as a clinical social worker. McCann received a masters degree in social work at Springfield College. She currently lives in Pittsfield with her husband and her dog. Antonia Buckley joined BCC as the Berkshire Immigrant Stories coordinator. Buckley previously worked as a freelance photographer and was a co-founder of The Hoping Machine. Buckley received a masters degree in photo design from Dortmund, Germany, and lives in Pittsfield with her husband and two cats. Lynn Pettit joined BCC as an assistant professor of nursing. Pettit previously worked at Berkshire Medical Center as a clinical educator. She is an alum of the nursing program; she also received her bachelors degree at Elms College and received her masters in nursing education at Norwich University. Pettit lives in Cheshire with her husband, her three children, and her dog and cat. Nicholas Kline joined BCC as an equipment operator. Prior to his current job, Kline worked for Bianco Landscaping and Property Maintenance. He received his associates degree in landscape contracting from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMASS Amherst, and a bachelors degree in natural resource conservation from UMass Amherst. Kline currently lives in Hinsdale with his fiance. David Nicol joined BCC as an assistant professor of nursing. Nicol previously worked as a pediatric nurse practitioner at Twin Valley Middle High School and as a health officer at Connecticut Yankee Boy Scouts. Nicol received a masters degree at the University of Hartford in science and nursing. He currently lives in Bennington, Vt., with his wife, and four rescued dogs. Barb Kotelnicki joined BCC as an assistant professor of education. Kotelnicki previously worked as a STEM program manager at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and as an adjunct instructor for their Education department. Prior to that, she was an adjunct Instructor at Townson University, an elementary school teacher, and a reading teacher. She received a bachelors degree at LaSalle University, and received a masters degree from Towson University. Kotelnicki currently lives in Dalton with her husband, her three children, and her dog. Imperial Valley News Center New York Attorney Sentenced To Over Four And A Half Years In Prison For Obstruction Of Justice And Perjury San Francisco, California - Joel Zweig, an attorney who resides in New York, was sentenced to 56 months in prison for obstruction of justice and perjury, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector in Charge Rafael Nunez. The sentence was handed down yesterday by the Honorable William H. Orrick, U.S. District Judge, following Zweigs guilty plea to the charges on Tuesday. According to the plea agreement, Zweig, 54, admitted he manufactured evidence in an effort to establish damages in the lawsuit Pet Food Express, Limited v. Royal Canin USA, Inc., C09-1483 EMC. The lawsuit was pending in the Northern District of California. Zweig admitted he created a phony commercial lease, complete with fake signatures and a fake notarial stamp, as evidence that a business was being established in New York City. In addition, Zweig acknowledged he directed an architect to visit a property in New York City so the architect could create drawings showing a store was being opened at the property. Zweig admitted that at the time, he wrote to the architect it was unlikely that the store would be built. Nevertheless, Zweig then failed to produce his communications with the architect in response to a grand jury subpoena and lied to a postal inspector by denying he knew the phony lease would be used to support a claim for damages in the California litigation. On May 17, 2016, a federal grand jury indicted Zweig, charging him with four counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343; two counts of obstruction of justice, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1503; four counts of perjury, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1623(a); one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1028A; and one count of false statements to a government agency, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1001. A trial on the charges commenced on September 11, 2017, however, on September 19, 2017, Zweig pleaded guilty to the obstruction of justice and perjury counts. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the remaining counts were dismissed. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robin Harris and William Frentzen are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Former School District Employee Admits Making over $1 Million in Fraudulent Claims for Replacement Computer Parts and Selling Parts to Customers San Jose, California - Ferdinand Pasion Arafiles, a/k/a Dennis Arafiles, pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges he defrauded a Bay Area manufacturer and seller of networking equipment and services, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The guilty plea was accepted by the Honorable Edward J. Davila, United States District Judge. Arafiles, 49, of Alameda County, was an employee of a Bay Area public school district. According to his plea agreement, beginning in October of 2009 and continuing until February 2016, he devised a plan to take advantage of the relationship between the district and a leading networking equipment and services corporation (the Corporation). Specifically, Arafiles maintained access to the Corporations warranty contract and service program for the school district and used that access to order, receive, and then sell, replacement computer parts to which he was not entitled. In the plea agreement, Arafiles acknowledged he created multiple email accounts, including variations on the name of the school district that employed him, and used those email accounts to create user accounts with the Corporation. He then made service requests on the Corporations customer support website. Using those email accounts and fraudulent identities, Arafiles instructed the Corporation to send replacement parts to designated addresses, including Arafiless personal residence in Alameda County. Arafiles understood that the Corporation required the return of failed or defective parts, so he returned bogus parts that contained forged or altered serial number labels. Arafiles also posted for sale and sold on internet market places some of the parts he fraudulently obtained from the Corporation. A federal grand jury indicted Arafiles on June 23, 2016. In sum, Arafiles was charged him with five counts each of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343; interstate transportation of stolen property, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2314; and mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1341. Pursuant to todays plea, Arafiles pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and the remaining charges will be dismissed at sentencing. Arafiles faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 plus restitution, if appropriate, for violating 18 U.S.C. 1343. Additional fines and a term of supervised release also may be imposed, however, any sentence following conviction will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. 3553. Arafiles currently is released on bond. Judge Davila has scheduled his sentencing hearing for May 10, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. An interim status date was also set for March 19, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Lucey is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Laurie Worthen. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI. Defending against environmental stressors may shorten lifespan Washington, DC - A shorter life may be the price an organism pays for coping with the natural assaults of daily living, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health and their colleagues in Japan. The scientists used fruit flies to examine the relationship between lifespan and signaling proteins that defend the body against environmental stressors, such as bacterial infections and cold temperatures. Since flies and mammals share some of the same molecular pathways, the work may demonstrate how the environment affects longevity in humans. Appearing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the research identified Methuselah-like receptor-10 (Mthl10), a protein that moderates how flies respond to inflammation. The finding provides evidence for one theory of aging, which suggests longevity depends on a delicate balance between proinflammatory proteins, thought to promote aging, and anti-inflammatory proteins, believed to prolong life. These inflammatory factors are influenced by what an organism experiences in its every day environment. Corresponding author Stephen Shears, Ph.D., of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) at NIH, explained that Mthl10 appears on the surface of insect cells and acts as the binding partner to a signaling molecule known as growth-blocking peptide (GBP). Once Mthl10 and GBP connect, they initiate the production of proinflammatory proteins, which, in turn, shortens the flys life. However, removing the Mthl10 gene makes the flies unable to produce Mthl10 protein and prevents the binding of GBP to cells. As a result, the flies experienced low levels of inflammation and longer lifespans. "Fruit flies without Mthl10 live up to 25 percent longer," Shears said. "But, they exhibit higher death rates when exposed to environmental stressors." Shears said the research reveals that the ability of a young organism to defend against repeated environmental stress may be an empty victory, because the animal may not live as long. He believes the research may contribute to the discovery of drugs that target excess inflammation induced by signaling proteins in humans, extending life. NIEHS visiting fellow and first author Eui Jae Sung, D.V.M., Ph.D., said when he started the project in 2013, scientists did not know what cell-surface protein was working with GBP to promote inflammation. So, Sung began testing 1700 compounds that could individually suppress the production of every known cell-surface protein in the fruit fly. He looked for the protein that prevented GBP from binding and activating inflammation. He found several candidates, but all were eliminated during further testing, except Mthl10. "After verifying that Mthl10 binds to GBP, our Japanese collaborators confirmed it through experiments in fruit flies," Sung said. Shears said their study proposes that the human counterpart to GBP is a protein called defensin BD2, but the nature of its binding partner is currently unknown. He said it is not always possible for humans to prevent illness and environmental stress from influencing the level of inflammation they experience. "But, there are other steps they can take," Shears said. "Another part of our fruit fly study shows that avoiding excess calorie intake, basically not over-indulging in too much carbohydrate and fat, may reduce levels of proinflammatory proteins." Grant Numbers: ZIAES080046, R01GM067761 Joint Statement from DNI Coats, AG Sessions, CIA Director Pompeo, FBI Director Wray, and NSA Director Rogers on FISA Section 702 Reauthorization Washington, DC - Reauthorizing Section 702 before it expires is vital to keeping the nation safe. Let us be clear: if Congress fails to act, vital intelligence collection on international terrorists and other foreign adversaries will be lost. The country will be less secure. There is no substitute for Section 702. If Congress fails to reauthorize this authority, the Intelligence Community will lose valuable foreign intelligence information, and the resulting intelligence gaps will make it easier for terrorists, weapons proliferators, malicious cyber actors, and other foreign adversaries to plan attacks against our citizens and allies without detection. Section 702 has been instrumental in preventing attacks on the homeland and removing terrorists from the battlefield. To be clear Congress is not required to make any changes to Section 702. The Intelligence Community conducts and uses 702 collection in a manner that protects the privacy and civil liberties of individuals. Every single court that has reviewed Section 702 and queries of its data has found it to be constitutional. The Intelligence Communitys use of Section 702, which permits targeted surveillance only of foreign persons located outside the United States, is subject to extensive oversight and incorporates substantial protections to protect the privacy and civil liberties of individuals. In short, we believe Congress got it right in 2008 when it passed Section 702 and in 2012 when Congress reauthorized it. Nevertheless, the Intelligence Community continues to be open to reasonable reforms to Section 702 to further enhance the already-substantial privacy protections contained in the law, but we simply cannot support legislation that would impede the operational efficacy of this vital authority. We also believe it is important that Congress reauthorize Section 702 before it expires on December 31, 2017. Although the current Section 702 certifications do not expire until April 2018, the Intelligence Community would need to start winding down its Section 702 program well in advance of that date. Winding down such a valuable program would force agencies to divert resources away from addressing foreign threats. Short-term extensions are not the long-term answer either, as they fail to provide certainty, and will create needless and wasteful operational complications. We urge Congress, therefore, to act quickly to reauthorize Section 702 in a manner that preserves the effectiveness of this critical national security law before it expires. Daniel R. Coats Director of National Intelligence Jeff Sessions Attorney General of the United States Mike Pompeo Director, Central Intelligence Agency Christopher Wray Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation Admiral Michael S. Rogers Director, National Security Agency Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Brexit has already damaged the UKs global brand, according to the head of the worlds largest advertising conglomerate. Writing exclusively for The Independent, Sir Martin Sorrell, the chief executive of WPP, suggests the xenophobic tone of the 2016 referendum campaign did serious harm that needs to be repaired and that Theresa Mays Brussels deal on 8 December over European Union citizens rights was merely the necessary first step. It doesnt ... address how we will continue to attract the best and brightest from across mainland Europe and beyond after Brexit, or repair the damage already done to the UKs brand by the divisive rhetoric during and after the referendum campaign, he said. During the run-up to the referendum, the official Vote Leave campaign pushed hard on the benefits of curbing immigration and notoriously claimed that Turkey was about to join the European Union. Police figures also showed a clear spike in hate crimes in the wake of the vote. And the latest migration official statistics showed a sharp increase in the number of EU citizens leaving the UK in the year to June 2017. Sir Martin Sorrell (Reuters) Sir Martin said that WPP, which he established in 1985 and is now worth around 17bn thanks to decades of acquisitions, has a particular interest in the wellbeing of EU citizens in the UK since they account for around 15 per cent of the company's 17,000-strong British-based workforce. In some divisions the proportion is pushing 30 per cent. Sir Martin, who supported Remain in the referendum, also says that, despite this months Brussels deal, there is a long way to go to end the uncertainty for UK firms about future trade relations with Europe. Brexit: the deciders Show all 8 1 /8 Brexit: the deciders Brexit: the deciders European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier Getty Brexit: the deciders French President Emmanuel Macron Getty Brexit: the deciders German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters Brexit: the deciders Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit: the deciders The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt Getty Brexit: the deciders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May Getty Images Brexit: the deciders Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond PA Brexit: the deciders After the first and second appointed Brexit secretaries resigned (David Davis and Dominic Raab respectively), Stephen Barclay is currently heading up the position PA Uncertainty will be a fact of business life for at least as long as it takes to negotiate a new trading relationship with the EU, if there is one, he said. Until that happens, many companies will continue to delay or cancel decisions to invest in the UK. This article has been amended to clarify that the entire UK-based workforce of WPP is 17,000 strong, rather than it employing 17,000 non-UK EU citizens in Britain For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Police are investigating an incident where pork was forced through the letterbox of an Islamic Centre in Northern Ireland. The incident, which took place in south Belfast, is being treated as a hate incident by the authorities. The treasurer of the Belfast Islamic Centre, Raied al-Wazzan, said that those responsible were ignorant people. We believe these people do not represent the vast majority of Northern Ireland. We have received many messages of support, Mr al-Wazzan told the BBC. They will not succeed. We have a very good relationship with all communities in Northern Ireland and we work hard with our outreach. Anwar Mady, a spokesperson for the centre, said although the centre had been attacked before this was the first time someone had opened the front door. Its a busy time. People are coming to perform the last prayer of the day, he said. For me, its a clear message of hatred. Its not about meat, its about the hate." 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 incident took place on Christmas Eve and was captured on CCTV. The footage has been passed onto police who are currently investigating. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Thieves have stolen around 2,000 of Christmas presents and food before dumping wrapping paper in the street, police said. Thames Valley Police said a group of burglars broke into a house in Walton Street, Oxford, in the early hours of Christmas Eve. Children's toys, games and clothes were among the items stolen. Recommended Christmas shoppers warned to avoid fake and potentially dangerous toys PC Rebecca Nightingale said: "I would like to speak to anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the area at this time. "Offenders would have been carrying five large bags of items around the area at an unusual time of day. "Christmas presents were opened and wrapping paper dropped in the street following the burglary." Police did not release a description of the culprits. Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously 0800 555111. PA Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Christmas Day is upon us, and people across the globe are coming together to enjoy a day of celebration with family and friends. As people exchange gifts and indulge in turkey and mince pies, Google is also getting in on the Christmas festivities. But how is the internet search engine celebrating this year? How is google marking the Christmas period in 2017? Google began the Christmas period last week with the first in a festive series of Doodles. Starting on Monday 18 December, the first one showed animated penguins and parrots packing their suitcases in preparation to spend the big day together. Another image since then showed a series of boxes marked 25, 31 and 1, hinting the follow-up Doodles would appear on some of the standout dates in the Christmas holiday period. Today's Doodle shows the penguins meeting with their parrot friends, all bearing gifts to exchange over the course of the day. What other celebrations are happening apart from Christmas? Its easy to forget amid all the Christmas cheer that December is a particularly important month for other religions too, with Islam, Judaism and Buddhism among those also celebrating major festivals. One of these is Chanukah the Jewish festival of lights which typically falls during the month of December and commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple after it was ransacked by King Antiochus of Syria. Jews traditionally celebrate the festival by eating foods fried in oil, including doughnuts and potato latkes. Chanukah gelt meaning money, but generally used to refer to chocolate coins is given to children as a present and games are played with a spinning top known as a dreidel. Ashura, for which the date varies year on year, is a Muslim festival celebrated in both Sunni and Shia Islam. It is considered to be a time for spirituality, self-reflection and repentance. Many Muslims will wear mourning clothes, refrain from listening to music and avoid any kind of celebratory event such as parties or weddings. In some countries, people will cut themselves using knives or chains or carry out self-flagellation. Some Sunni Muslims also fast on the day. Another celebration is the Feast of St Nicholas, which takes place on 6 December, and is celebrated by Christians to mark the tale of the man on whom the tale of Santa Claus is based. The legendary figure of Saint Nicholas was born in the third century AD and is said to have used his large inheritance to help the poor and needy. Known for his generosity and love of children, he died on 6 December and the anniversary of his death soon became a day of celebration. In some countries, the Feast of St Nicholas, and not Christmas, is the main present-giving day, and children will leave shoes or stockings out in the hope they will be filled with presents during the night. Why is Christmas Day on December 25? Christmas Day is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, but there is actually no official date of the birth recorded in the Bible. By the early-to-mid fourth century the Western Christian Church placed Christmas day on 25 December. Christmas 2016 around the world: in pictures Show all 14 1 /14 Christmas 2016 around the world: in pictures Christmas 2016 around the world: in pictures A member of the Iraqi security forces holds a lit candle at Christmas Mass in a church won back from Isis on the outskirts of Mosul REUTERS/Ammar Awad Christmas 2016 around the world: in pictures German tourists Mimi Wiebeling (L) and Pauline Lapetite carry surfboards as they walk into the surf wearing Christmas hats at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Christmas Day in Australia, December 25, 2016. David Gray Christmas 2016 around the world: in pictures A soldier dressed as Santa Claus waves from a military helicopter during a football match to commemorate the Christmas Truce of 1914 at the ISAF Headquarters, in Kabul, Afghanistan Omar Sobhani Christmas 2016 around the world: in pictures A crane of the Hanjin Scarlet container ship pulls up donated food, supplies and gifts as volunteers deliver them to the stranded crew aboard the ship. Several maritime groups and members of Victoria's Filipino community gathered up more than a ton of Christmas provisions for the 16-member crew of the container ship Darryl Dyck Christmas 2016 around the world: in pictures Chimpanzees examine their gifts at the Lion Country Safari in Loxahatchee, USA Allen Eyestone/Palm Beach Post via AP Christmas 2016 around the world: in pictures A Palestinian protester dressed as Santa Claus runs to avoid tear gas during clashes with Israeli border police officers, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem Nasser Nasser Christmas 2016 around the world: in pictures A Christian gives final touches to a mural of Santa Claus in preparation for Christmas celebrations in Karachi, Pakistan Shakil Adil Christmas 2016 around the world: in pictures People gather by a Christmas tree near damaged buildings during Christmas eve in al-Hamidiyah neighbourhood in the old city of Homs, Syria December 24, 2016 Omar Sanadiki Christmas 2016 around the world: in pictures Divers dressed as Santa's Elves swim with a Manta Ray in an aquarium on Friday, Dec. 23, 2016, at the South East Asia Aquarium of Resorts World Sentosa, a popular tourist attraction in Singapore Wong Maye-E Christmas 2016 around the world: in pictures An Indian street vendor sells Santa hats and masks ahead of Christmas in Ahmadabad, India Ajit Solanki Christmas 2016 around the world: in pictures A boy skis along a street near Montreal, Canda Graham Hughes Christmas 2016 around the world: in pictures A girl holds a costume received during a toy distribution program with Miguel Pizarro, deputy of the Venezuelan coalition of opposition parties (MUD), at the slum of Petare in Caracas, Venezuela December 20, 2016 A girl holds a costume received during a toy distribution program with Miguel Pizarro, deputy of the Venezuelan coalition of opposition parties (MUD), at the slum of Petare in Caracas, Venezuela December 20, 2016 Christmas 2016 around the world: in pictures Sri Lanka has unveiled a towering Christmas tree, claiming to have surpassed the world record for the tallest artificial Christmas tree AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena Christmas 2016 around the world: in pictures The sunrise over Bingham, Nottinghamshire, as severe weather warnings remain in place for Christmas Neil Squires This date is said to have been chosen because it marks exactly nine months after the Christians believe Jesus was immaculately conceived, on 25 March. Many believe 25 December was chosen because the Winter Solstice - which marks the years shortest day took place around this date. This meant winter was over and spring was coming to pagans with Romans dedicating the time to the god Saturn. Early Christians are thought to have appropriated the festival as a means of converting new followers. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Breeds that have become the latest craze often end up on Batterseas doorstep when their new owner realises the reality of what they have taken on. In recent years, the home has seen a number of huskies and malamutes arrive after Game Of Thrones superfans realised the issues around owning a real-life direwolf. In 2010, a total of 53 huskies and malamutes came through the doors, but by 2013 as the show became more popular the number had doubled to 116. Both breeds need a huge amount of exercise and hate being left alone for long periods, making them unsuited for city living. So far this year, 74 huskies and malamutes have been brought in, and Battersea attributes the drop to an education campaign to get people to think twice before buying the dogs. Equally, the fashion for flat-faced breeds like French bulldogs and pugs, which often have extensive health problems, has seen a jump in these breeds arriving at Battersea. Alice Christie, a spokeswoman for the home, says: We tell people to imagine breathing through a drinking straw thats what its like for these breeds their airways are so narrow. Often the people who bring them in arent irresponsible owners, they just cant afford the vet bills. Despite years of campaigning to persuade Britons to think twice about giving dogs or cats as gifts summed up in the Dogs Trusts slogan A dog is for life, not just for Christmas staff know that they will still see an influx of dogs in a few months time when their novelty wears off. Rehoming and welfare manager Becky Fisher says: Around March we do have more dogs gifted in to us or come in as strays. Although we dont know, we do think that might be dogs and cats that people have got as Christmas presents, and especially when theyre quite young and they would have been a puppy or a kitten around Christmas time. 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 Maybe people have got them without really thinking about what they have taken on, or people have been given them as present when they actually didnt necessarily want to take on the responsibility of a dog or a cat around the rest of its life. There has been a drop in the number of kittens being left at the home, however, and staff are hopeful that the fall is down to years of campaigning to get families to neuter their cats. But cattery manager Rachel Saunders says she cant be certain as it may be down to people getting rid of unwanted kittens via avenues like Gumtree. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Hundreds of people flocked to the Queens Sandringham estate on Christmas Day to capture a glimpse of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. The couple, who announced their engagement in November, spoke to well-wishers after attending a traditional service at St Mary Magdalene Church. They arrived alongside the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for the 11am service, and were joined by the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles and Camilla. Ms Markle, who broke with tradition by attending the event with the Queen before she and Harry are married, walked arm-in-arm with her fiance as they made the short journey from Sandringham House to the church in Norfolk. She seemed at ease, smiling and chatting as they walked alongside William and Kate, who is pregnant with her third child. The Queen, who was too unwell to attend last year's service after being struck down with a cold, arrived separately with the Duchess of Cornwall in a royal Bentley and joined the group from the house. Among the crowd was Judith Wallis, who was sitting in a wheelchair and is staying at the neighbouring Park House Hotel on her first Christmas Day visit to Sandringham. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle carry out first royal engagement together She said Harry recognised her teddy bear called Maureen, which is a mascot for Armed Forces charity SSAFA, and her hat, which bore the Gurkha regiment emblem. She said Ms Markle spoke to them too. "She said lots of things," said Ms Wallis, who is in her 70s and from Chesterfield. "She was very, very lovely." Tess Gilder, manager of Park House, which describes itself as a unique hotel for disabled people, was with Ms Wallis. 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 She said of Ms Markle: "She was just so natural, so lovely." She added: "I think they just wished us a Happy Christmas and were interested in whether we had been before." Emily Randall, 31, was first in the queue to get into the area by the church, with her boyfriend Jamie Mackay, 42. She said they set out from Chichester in Sussex before 10pm on Christmas Eve and arrived at Sandringham at about 2am. "We thought it would be really busy," she said. "We looked online. We were the first ones here, camping in the dark for two hours." She said they had missed the Queen when she visited Chichester, so decided to make the trip to Sandringham. The Queen and the Duchess also made the return journey by car after the service but the rest of the family, including the Duke of Edinburgh, walked back to the house. Ms Markle was wearing a long, wide-collared camel wrap coat with a brown felt hat and brown leather knee-length boots. The coat, by luxury Canadian brand Sentaler, is made from baby alpaca wool and sells from 986 on the company's website. She was clutching a brown leather Chloe pixie bag, which sells for 1,400. The bag looked new but it was not known if it was a Christmas gift. Back at Sandringham House, the royal family traditionally indulge in turkey, reared at Sandringham, before settling down to watch TV including the Queen's Christmas speech. Additional reporting by PA Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A sign that declared no Polish fisherman outside a fishery in Oxfordshire has been taken down. Billy Evans, of Field Farm fisheries, said the sign was put in place after he was warned that Poles or somebody were stealing fish. The sign, which triggered a public backlash, was eventually pulled down.. The sign has been removed because of threats to my family, Mr Evans told the BBC. I am not in the country. I will decide what to do on my return. I may close it to all public long-term. Mr Evans did however said that he would continue to stand up for what he believes in. I do not tolerate thieves, wherever they come from, Mr Evans said. I will stand up for what I believe in. If they want to call me a racist for stopping thieves coming on to my property then thats what theyll do. Mr Evans could face legal action over the sign and the Equality and Human Rights Commission had said the sign was unlawful, The Guardian reported. A Polish fisherman, Rado Papiewski, had set up a crowdfunding page for a lawsuit against Mr Evans and has raised more than 10,000. 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 Papiewski, who works for the Angling Trust said: Recently I came across a very disturbing and discriminatory sign that said No Polish or Eastern Bloc fishermen allowed. "The sign was displayed at a private fishery, which made many fellow law-abiding migrant anglers and me very upset and angry. This disturbing sign should have never been displayed as it clearly discriminates against people from Poland and other Eastern European countries. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Queen used her Christmas message to pay tribute to Manchester terror attack survivors and those killed in the catastrophic Grenfell Tower blaze. The monarch looked back at 2017 in her televised address and hail her experience of meeting the survivors of the Manchester attack, which killed 23 in May, as a privilege. The 91-year-old heaped praise on the emergency service workers who risked their lives to save others during the Manchester attack. I describe that hospital visit as a 'privilege' because the patients I met were an example to us all, showing extraordinary bravery and resilience," she said. The Queen added that the powerful identities of London and Manchester had managed to come to the fore despite the appalling attacks this year. The Westminster Bridge attack in March claimed the lives of four pedestrians and a police officer, while eight were killed when three terrorists in a vehicle mowed into bystanders on London Bridge and then embarked on a knife rampage in Borough Market in June. This Christmas, I think of London and Manchester, whose powerful identities shone through over the past 12 months in the face of appalling attacks," she said. The monarch also cast her mind back to the horrific Grenfell Tower blaze which killed 71 people in June while footage was shown of the monarch and Duke of Cambridge coming face to face with emergency services workers close to the site. And here in London, who can forget the sheer awfulness of the Grenfell Tower fire? she said. Home was a key theme in the Queens Christmas message and the royal used the address to say: We think of our homes as places of warmth, familiarity and love... there is a timeless simplicity to the pull of home. The Queen will also make a nod to a future member of her family, Meghan Markle, the actor and campaigner who she is spending Christmas at Sandringham in Norfolk with. A framed photo of Ms Markle and Prince Harry, who announced their engagement at the end of November after dating for just over 18 months, was displayed with other family pictures while the monarch addressed the public. The happy couple were also featured in footage which aired at the end of the festive broadcast. Appearing to reference not only the couple's wedding next May but also the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's baby which is expected in April, the Queen said this Christmas her family look forward to welcoming new members into it next year. The Queen also took the time to look back at turning points in her own life such as celebrating her 70th wedding anniversary in November and the Duke of Edinburgh's decision to retire from public duty. Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Show all 62 1 /62 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II on a walk-about in Portsmouth during her Silver Jubilee tour of Great Britain, 1977 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The future Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (R) pictured with her younger sister Princess Margaret (L) in 1933 AFP/Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The 9-year-old Elizabeth attends an aristocratic wedding with her mother and younger sister. Later in that year with the death of her Grandfather and the Abdication of her Uncle Edward VIII she became first in line to the throne, 1936 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The coronation of King George VI in 1937, Elizabeth aged 10 became the heir apparent to the throne Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth and her sister arrive at Waterloo station to say goodbye to their parents as they leave to tour Canada. Elizabeth was thought too young to escort her parents on the tour and was described as "tearful" as they departed. She and her parents made the first ever transatlantic telephone call during their time away, 1939 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The 13-year-old Elizabeth and her sister Margret address children who have been evacuated from the cities on BBC's 'The Chilrens Hour' She said "We are trying to do all we can to help our gallant sailors, soldiers and airmen, and we are trying, too, to bear our share of the danger and sadness of war. We know, every one of us, that in the end all will be well", 1940 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Just before the end of the war Elizabeth took part in training to become an ATS officer. She is pictured learning to change a tire, 1945 AFP/Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The official announcement of Princess Elizabeth and Phillip Mountbatten's engagement. The pairing was incredibly controversial as Prince Phillip had no financial standing and he was foreign born, the prince of Denmark and Greece (though he served Britain in the war and was given British Citizenship), 1947 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II (in coach) and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh are cheered by the crowd after their wedding ceremony, on 20 November 1947, on their road to Buckingham Palace, London Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth smiles at her first child, a month old Prince Charles. Charles was born on 14 November 1948 Corbis Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The couples second child Princess Anne was born in 1950 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Arriving back in England upon hearing the death of her father King George VI. The Kings health had been in decline for a number of years and Elizabeth had been filling in for him on an official visit to Australia by way of Kenya. As his heir Elizabeth became Queen aged 26 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth's coronation took place on 2 June 1953. It was the first ever coronation to be aired live on television, being one of the most watched events in history with millions gathering around their TV sets to see the new monarch Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II standing next to her daughter Princess Anne, 1960 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II President Eisenhower (centre) with the British Royal family (L-R) Prince Philip, Princess Anne, HM Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Captain John Eisenhower, at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, 1959 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II as she turns to smile and talk to an unidentified officer, during the Trooping of the Colour by the First Battalion of the Jamaica Regiment at Up-Park Camp, Kingston, Jamaica, 1966 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II walking cross country at the North of Scotland Gun Dog Association Open Stake Retreiver Trials in the grounds of Balmoral Castle in 1967 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to the Chelsea Flower Show in London, a regular fixture in the royal calendar, 1971 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh during their traditional summer break at Balmoral Castle. The highland retreat is one of the Queen's favourite places, each year, she heads off to Scotland for the summer. "It is rather nice to hibernate for a bit when one leads such a moveable life," she once said, 1976 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II during a walkabout in Muscat while visiting Oman, 1979 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II with some of her corgis walking the Cross Country course during the second day of the Windsor Horse Trials. The monarch is responsible for introducing a new breed of dog known as the "dorgi" when her corgi Tiny was mated with a dachshund "sausage dog" called Pipkin which belonged to Princess Margaret, 1980 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II (L-R) the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, Prince Harry and the Prince and Princess of Wales after the christening ceremony of Prince Harry, 1984 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II taking the salute of the Household Guards regiments during the Trooping of the Colour ceremony in London, 1985 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Diana, Princess of Wales and Queen Elizabeth II as they smile to well-wishers outside Clarence House in London, 1987 AP Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II, with Chief Instructor, Small Arms Corp LT Col George Harvey, firing the last shot on a standard SA 80 rifle when she attended the centenary of the Army Rifle Association at Bisley, 1993 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II South Africa's President Nelson Mandela greets Queen Elizabeth II as she steps from the royal yacht Britannia in Cape Town at the 1995's official start of the her first visit to the country since 1947 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she visits Bowring Park in St. John's, Newfoundland, on the third day of a 10-day official visit to Canada, 1997 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh make their way into St. George's Chapel at Windsor for the annual Garter ceremony, 1999 AFP/Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II and Pope John Paul II as they meet at the Vatican, 2000 AP Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother leaving church by horse drawn carriage on the Sandringham Estate, Norfolk, 2000 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth rides her horse in the grounds of Windsor Castle, 2002 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth arrives for the world premiere of James Bond movie "Casino Royale" at the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square in London, 2006 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth boards a scheduled train at Kings Cross station in London, 2009 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II planting a tree at Newmarket Animal Health Trust, during a royal visit which marked her 50th year as the charity's patron, 2009 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II talking with Pope Benedict XVI during an audience in the Morning Drawing Room at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh during a four day visit by the Pope to the UK, 2010 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II visiting the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 2010 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II receives flowers from the crowd during her visit to Federation Square in downtown Melbourne, 2011 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth watches a preview of her Christmas message wearing a pair of 3D glasses, studded with Swarovski crystals in the form of a "Q", at Buckingham Palace in central London, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Members of Britain's royal family (front L to R) Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles cheer as competitors participate in a sack race at the Braemar Gathering in Braemar, Scotland, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Britain's Prince Charles kisses the hand of his mother Queen Elizabeth at the end of her Diamond Jubilee concert in front of Buckingham Palace in London, 2012 Reuters Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge laughs as Queen Elizabeth gestures during a visit to Vernon Park in Nottingham, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip attend a service for the Order of the British Empire at St Paul's Cathedral in London, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II meets young people during an official visit to The Shard building in central London, 2013 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Actress Angelina Jolie is presented with the Insignia of an Honorary Dame Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George by Queen Elizabeth II in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace, London, 2014 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visit the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red evolving art installation at the Tower of London, 2014 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the State Opening of Parliament, 2015 AFP/Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II (L-R) Britain's Princess Anne, Princess Royal, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge holding his son Prince George of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Harry (back), Prince Andrew, Duke of York (back), James, Viscount Severn (front), Princess Beatrice of York (back), Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Eugenie of York (back) stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace waiting to view the fly-past during the Queen's Birthday Parade, 'Trooping the Colour,' in London, 2015 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The Trooping of the Colour is an annual celebration marking the Queen's birthday, 2015 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Britain's Queen Elizabeth II stands with Kate the Duchess of Cambridge whilst pushing Princess Charlotte in a pram as they leave after attending the Christening of Britain's Princess Charlotte at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, 2015 AP Photo/Matt Dunham, Pool Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II arrives at the Broadway Theatre in Barking, 2015 Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II greets wellwishers during a 'walkabout' on her 90th birthday in Windsor in 2016 AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Members of the Royal Family during trooping of the colour in 2017 AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The Queen waves at Prince Harry and Meghan after their wedding in 2018 POOL/AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex gesture during their visit to the Storyhouse in Chester, Cheshire in 2018 AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Prince Charles reacts as he sits with his mother Britain's Queen Elizabeth II during an event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, in Portsmouth in 2019 AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are joined by her mother, Doria Ragland, as they show their new son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, to the Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle Chris Allerton/Sussex Royal/PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II reacts as she visits the Haig Housing Trust in Morden in 2019 POOL/AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II takes her seat on the The Sovereign's Throne in the House of Lords next to Prince Charles, before reading the Queen's Speech during the State Opening of Parliament in 2019 POOL/AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II looks at the coffin of Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh during his funeral service at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle POOL/AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II and Britain's Prince Charles, Prince of Wales pose alongside the tree which they planted to mark the start of the official planting season for the Queen's Green Canopy (QGC) at the Balmoral Cricket Pavilion, Balmoral Estate in Scotland POOL/AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Britain's Queen Elizabeth II cuts a cake to celebrate the start of the Platinum Jubilee during a reception in the Ballroom of Sandringham House, the Queen's Norfolk residence on February 5, 2022. - Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday will became the first British monarch to reign for seven decades, in a bittersweet landmark as she also marked the 70th anniversary of her father's death AFP/Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II arrives in Westminster Abbey accompanied by Prince Andrew, Duke of York for the Service Of Thanksgiving For The Duke Of Edinburgh on March 29, 2022 in London Getty I don't know that anyone had invented the term 'platinum' for a 70th wedding anniversary when I was born. You weren't expected to be around that long, she said. Even Prince Philip has decided it's time to slow down a little, having, as he economically put it, 'done his bit'. She insisted his decision to step down from solo public duties would not ruin his sense of happiness, saying: But I know his support and unique sense of humour will remain as strong as ever, as we enjoy spending time this Christmas with our family and look forward to welcoming new members into it next year. The annual televised festive address the 60th by the Queen was pre-recorded in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace and will be broadcast to the British public at 3pm. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Guatemala will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, the country's President has said, less than three weeks after Donald Trump announced the US would do the same. The Central American country was one of nine nations that voted earlier this week with the US when the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a non-binding resolution denouncing Mr Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. President Jimmy Morales said on his official Facebook account that after talks with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he decided to instruct his foreign ministry to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Recommended Donald Trump threatens to cut aid to countries over UN Jerusalem vote He wrote: "We spoke about the excellent relations that we have had as nations since Guatemala supported the creation of the state of Israel. "One of the most important topics was the return of the embassy of Guatemala to Jerusalem. "I have instructed the chancellor to initiate the respective coordination so that it may be." The resolution passed at the UN declared the US action on Jerusalem "null and void". The United Nations General Assembly votes 128-9 to declare the United States' Jerusalem capital recognition 'null and void' The 128-9 vote was a victory for Palestinians, but fell short of the total they had predicted. Thirty-five nations abstained and 21 stayed away from the vote. The US is an important source of aid to Guatemala, and Mr Trump had threatened to cut off financial help for countries that voted in favour of the UN resolution. No other country has their embassy for Israel in Jerusalem, though the Czech Republic has said it is considering such a move. Mr Trump upended decades of US policy with his announcement on December 6 that he was recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Though Mr Trump said he was merely recognising reality and not prejudging negotiations on the future borders of the city, Palestinians saw the move as siding with Israel on the most sensitive issue in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians claim the city's eastern sector, which was captured by Israel in 1967 and is home to sensitive religious sites. Many governments have long said that the fate of Jerusalem must be resolved through negotiations. Mr Trump's announcement has set off weeks of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces that have left 12 Palestinians dead. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Pope Francis has taken another swipe at President Donald Trump, appearing to rebuke the US leaders decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. In his traditional Christmas message, the Pope called for a two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict an issue that became further ensnared in contention earlier this month after Mr Trump changed the diplomatic status of Jerusalem and said the American embassy in Israel would be moved to the holy city. Following the Presidents declaration, protests flared across the Middle East and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the US was no longer qualified to sponsor the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. Recommended Pope Francis asks for compassion to migrants in Christmas Eve Mass 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 recognized borders, the Pope said during his Urbi et Orbi address Latin for to the city and to the world. We see Jesus in the children of the Middle East who continue to suffer because of growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, he told the audience of thousands from the balcony of St Peters Basilica. 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 Last week, 128 countries, including several US allies, backed a United Nations resolution rejecting Mr Trumps decision. On Monday, the Pope also mentioned other issues in which the US leader plays a key role in policymaking. The Holy See, who has expressed concern about the harsh exchange of words between Mr Trump and North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, prayed 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 winds of war are blowing in our world and an outdated model of development continues to produce human, societal and environmental decline, the Pope said. Earlier in December, he also expressed criticism of the Trump administrations move to designate Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. He urged caution about inflaming religious tensions in the holy city that is sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims. I cannot remain silent about my deep concern for the situation that has developed in recent days, the Pope said. And at the same time, I wish to make a heartfelt appeal to ensure that everyone is committed to respecting the status quo of the city, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The founders of Vice Media, the news company famed for its hipster style and digital savvy, have apologised for the organisations boys club culture that failed to protect women staff from sexual harassment and misconduct. In a letter to staff, Shane Smith and Suroosh Alvi, said the company had not done enough by its employees and were setting in place a series of management and human resources processes to help tackle the problem. 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, they wrote. Cultural elements from our past, dysfunction and mismanagement were allowed to flourish unchecked. That includes a detrimental boys club culture that fostered inappropriate behaviour that permeated throughout the company. They added: It happened on our watch, and ultimately we let far too many people down. We are truly sorry for this. The admission and apology from the company, which began 23 years ago as a punk magazine exploring the subversive counterculture that our writers, our readers and we were part of, came after the New York Times published a detailed investigation into sexual harassment and a patriarchal work culture at the company. Harvey Weinstein's former assistant explains what working for him was like More than two dozen women told the Times they had experienced or witnessed sexual misconduct, including unwanted kisses, lewd remarks, propositions and groping. There is a toxic environment where men can say the most disgusting things and where women are treated far inferior than men, said Sandra Miller, a former Vice executive, The article portrayed a culture rife with inappropriate behaviour. While it did not claim Mr Smith, 48, was personally responsible for such actions, it reported that he once gave a tour of the offices of the company, now valued at $6bn, while not wearing any clothes. Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Show all 42 1 /42 Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Harvey Weinstein Harry Weinsteins reputation as one of Hollywoods leading executives was long cemented in stone. The acclaimed movie mogul, who produced Oscar-winning films Shakespeare in Love, The English Patient, and The Artist, clocked up box office successes and accolades aplenty. But this has quickly changed since a chorus of women have come forward to accuse the Hollywood producer of sexual harassment and assault. Since the New York Times bombshell report disclosed sexual harassment and rape allegations against the film mogul dating back decades, Weinstein has been fired from his namesake company, expelled from the Oscars and has had his wife leave him. Weinstein has apologised for having caused a lot of pain but has denied all allegations of nonconsensual sex. Getty Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Annabella Sciorra The Sopranos actor alleged Weinstein raped her after shooting The Night We Never Met, a 1993 movie that Weinstein produced. Similar to the stories told by other women, Weinstein drove the actor home, only to reportedly burst into Sciorra's apartment and start unbuttoning his shirt. He shoved me onto the bed, and he got on top of me, Sciorra said. I kicked and I yelled. Weinstein then allegedly locked her arms and forced sexual intercourse on her. After the incident, Sciorra found it increasingly hard to get work, many filmmakers saying 'We heard you were difficult', something the actor claims was because of the 'Weinstein-machine'. Getty Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Natassia Malthe The model and actress, who has appeared in around 50 films, said she met Weinstein at a BAFTA after party in 2008 while she was working as a spokeswoman for LG. She told a press conference in New York that she felt pressured into telling Weinstein she was staying at the Sanderson Hotel after being put on the spot. Malthe, now 43, said after her shift on February 10 she went back to her room and went to sleep, but was awoken by "repeated pounding" on her door, from someone yelling: "Open the door Natassia Malthe, it's Harvey Weinstein." Feeling humiliated, she said she opened the door. She alleged Weinstein began implying sex would get her a role in an upcoming film while semi-undressed and then he began to masturbate. "I was sitting on the bed talking to Harvey when he pushed me back and forced himself onto me. It was not consensual. He did not use a condom," she said. AP Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Sean Young The actor, best known for her role in Ridley Scott's Blade Runner, said that Weinstein exposed himself to her in the early 1990s, when she was starring in the Miramax-produced Love Crimes - a production company that Weinstein headed at the time. "I personally experienced him pulling his you-know-what out of his pants to shock me," she said. "My basic response was, 'You know, Harvey, I really dont think you should be pulling that thing out, its not very pretty.'" Young never worked with Weinstein again after the incident. Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Mimi Haleyi Mimi Haleyi said she was assaulted by Weinstein in what appeared to be a child's bedroom in his New York City apartment in 2006 when she was in her 20s. She said she was aspiring to work in television and film production when she was first introduced to him at the London premiere of The Aviator around two years earlier and he helped her get experience on the set of a TV show being produced by The Weinstein Company. But, she added, he repeatedly hassled her and even tried to force himself through her front door in an effort to get her to join him on a trip to Paris. At one point he allegedly forcibly performed oral sex on an aspiring production assistant while she was on her period. Getty Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Lupita Nyong'o In an op-ed for The New York Times, the Oscar-winning actor said she was invited to Weinsteins family home in Connecticut on the premise of watching a film shortly after they met in 2011. But she said shortly after it started he "insisted" in front of his children that she follow him and she was led to his bedroom. The Kenyan-Mexican actress, now 34, said she felt pressured into giving him a massage after he offered her one. "Before long he said he wanted to take off his pants," she wrote."I told him not to do that and informed him that it would make me extremely uncomfortable. He got up anyway to do so and I headed for the door, saying that I was not at all comfortable with that." Over the years that followed, he continued to get in touch, Nyong'o said, and when she declined another proposition she felt her career was threatened. Getty Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Lena Headey Writing on social media, the Game of Thrones actor claims she first met Weinstein at the Venice Film Festival in 2005 where, after taking her for a walk by the water, he made some suggestive comment and gesture. Headey claims she bumped into Weinstein years later where he kept asking her questions about her love life. She alleges that, when Weinstein invited her to his hotel room to show her a script, the "energy shifted. The actor notes how, after saying she was not interesting in anything but the work, Weinstein was furious, apparently marching her back to a lift, "grabbing and holding tightly to the back of [her] arm." She claims that, after paying for her car, he whispered in her ear: "Don't tell anyone about this, not your manager, not your agent. Headey finished the post, writing: I got in the car and I cried. Getty Images Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Lucia Evans The actor told The New Yorker that after a meeting to discuss casting her in various projects, Weinstein forced her to perform oral sex on him. I said, over and over, I dont want to do this, stop, dont. She added: Hes a big guy. He overpowered me. I just sort of gave up. Thats the most horrible part of it, and thats why hes been able to do this for so long to so many women: people give up, and then they feel like its their fault. Getty Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Laura Madden Madden, a production assistant who worked at Miramax for a decade, told the Times that Weinstein allegedly prodded her for massages at hotels, a common theme among the sources the Timess reporters spoke with. On one occasion, she claims she locked herself in his hotel bathroom, sobbing Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Ashley Judd Judd recounted for the Times how Weinstein allegedly harassed her while she was filming Kiss the Girls in 1996, inviting her to his hotel room and asking her for a massage, then inviting her to watch him shower. Judd first went public with the allegations in a 2015 interview with Variety during which she discussed the experience without naming the producer involved. She described Weinsteins alleged behaviour as coercive bargaining; I said no, a lot of ways, a lot of times, and he always came back at me with some new ask, she told the Times AFP/Getty Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Rose McGowan McGowan reportedly reached a previously undisclosed $100,000 settlement with Weinstein in 1997, over an incident that occurred in a hotel room Getty Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Mimi Haleyi Mimi Haleyi said she was assaulted by Weinstein in what appeared to be a child's bedroom in his New York City apartment in 2006 when she was in her 20s. She said she was aspiring to work in television and film production when she was first introduced to him at the London premiere of The Aviator around two years earlier and he helped her get experience on the set of a TV show being produced by The Weinstein Company. But, she added, he repeatedly hassled her and even tried to force himself through her front door in an effort to get her to join him on a trip to Paris. At one point he allegedly forcibly performed oral sex on an aspiring production assistant while she was on her period. Getty Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Emily Nestor Nestor had been temping at the Weinstein Company for only one day in 2014 when Weinstein allegedly offered to boost her career in return for sexual favours, according to the Times. She declined and reportedly complained of his behaviour to colleagues, who later passed the information on to senior executives. An internal Weinstein Company document cited by the Times describes Nestors encounter with Weinstein as follows: She said he was very persistent and focused though she kept saying no for over an hour Getty Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Ambra Battilana In March 2015, Battilana, an aspiring model and actress, was reportedly summoned to Weinsteins office on a Friday night to discuss her career. According to a police report cited by the Times, Battilana claimed she was assaulted by Weinstein, who grabbed her breasts after asking if they were real and put his hands up her skirt. Weinstein later claimed that Battilana had set him up, according to colleagues of his who were interviewed by the Times. The Manhattan District Attorney, Cyrus Vance, later declined to press charges, and according to the Times, made a payment to Battilana. On 5 October, the International Business Times reported that after Vance dropped the charges, he received $10,000 from Weinsteins lawyer Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Lauren OConnor Lauren OConnor, an employee of the Weinstein Company, penned a memo to executives alleging a toxic environment for women at the company. The memo cited numerous incidents of Weinstein harassing or coercing women who worked for him. She expressed fear that Weinstein was using her and other female employees to facilitate liaisons with vulnerable women who hope he will get them work. That same year, Weinstein allegedly reached a settlement with OConnor Getty Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Kate Beckinsale The actor, who starred in the Weinstein Company films Serendipity and The Aviator, alleges that she was invited to Weinsteins hotel room at the age of just 17. When she approached the door, the producer reportedly greeted her dressed in just a dressing gown. I was incredibly naive and young and it did not cross my mind that this older, unattractive man would expect me to have any sexual interest in him, she wrote on Instagram. After declining alcohol and announcing that I had school in the morning I left, uneasy but unscathed. Theo Wargo/Getty Images Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Gwyneth Paltrow The actor alleges that after he cast her in the title role of the film Emma when she was 22, he took her to his hotel room, placed his hands on her and suggested massages. I was a kid, I was signed up, I was petrified, Paltrow told the New York Times. Rex Features Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Asia Argento Italian actress Asia Argento has alleged that in 1997 Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her as she repeatedly told him to stop. When I see him, it makes me feel little and stupid and weak, Argento told The New Yorker. After the rape, he won. Rex Features Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Cara Delevigne The British model and actress penning an Instagram post claiming that Weinstein had ordered her to kiss another woman in his hotel room, and tried to kiss her on the lips. AFP/Getty Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Ashley Judd Ashley Judd said she rebuffed Harvey Weinsteins unwanted sexual advances by offering to consent only after she had won an Oscar. When she was initially invited to a meeting with Weinstein, Judd said, she was surprised to learn the producer was in his hotel room - a tactic that recurs in other womens accounts. Echoing the accounts of other women, Judd said Weinstein suggested she give him a massage and then invited her to watch him shower. After a volley of nos she said she would only after she wins an Oscar, fleeing after making the comments. Reuters/Mike Segar Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Judith Godreche French actress Judith Godreche said when she was 24 Weinstein invited her to his hotel room and asked to give her a massage. The next thing I know, hes pressing against me and pulling off my sweater, she told the New York Times. Rex Features Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Mira Sorvino The Oscar-winning actor said she found herself in a hotel room with Weinstein in 1995 where he started massaging my shoulders, which made me very uncomfortable, and then tried to get more physical, sort of chasing me around. According to an interview in The New Yorker Weinstein subsequently arrived at her apartment late at night and she had to call a friend to come over to pose as her boyfriend in order to get Weinstein out of the house. Rex Features Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Katherine Kendall The actress said Weinstein undressed and chased her around a living room when she was just 23. She subsequently felt that telling others meant Ill never work again and no one is going to care or believe me, she told the New York Times. WireImage Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Tomi-Anne Roberts As an aspiring actress and working in a restaurant in New York, Tomi-Ann Roberts encountered Weinstein who encouraged her to audition for one of his films back in 1984. She subsequently went to meet him and found him naked in the bath and invited her to get naked and get into the bath with him, she told the New York Times. She said she left feeling manipulated. Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Myleen Klass It has also been alleged that the disgraced film producer propositioned Myleene Klass with a sex contract at Cannes Film Festival in 2010. One of the singer and television personalitys friends reportedly told The Sun, Klass had told Weinstein to f*** off. Getty Images Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Sophie Dix Sophie Dix, best known for her role as Captain Sadie Williams in Soldier Soldier, described her encounter with Weinstein when she was 23 as the single most damaging thing thats happened in my life. She told The Guardian Weinstein had pushed her to her bed and was tugging at her clothes. She rushed to the bathroom to escape, but when she came out she found him standing there masturbating. I quickly closed the door again and locked it, she said. Then when I heard room service come to the door I just ran. Rex Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Lea Seydoux The actor and director claims she had to fight off Weinstein after he brought her to his hotel room during what she remembers to be 2012. He suddenly jumped on me and tried to kiss me. I had to defend myself. Hes big and fat, so I had to be forceful to resist him. I left his room, thoroughly disgusted, she wrote in The Guardian. AFP/Getty Images Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Claire Forlani British actress Claire Forlani wrote on Twitter that she had evaded Weinsteins advances on five occasions at the age of 25. At meetings with the Hollywood a-lister, she says massage was suggested, and that Weinstein had boasted of all the women hed had sex with. Mark Douet Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Florence Darel French actress Florence Darel claimed Weinstein relentlessly pursued her in the mid 1990's and propositioned her while Eve Chilton, his wife at the time, was in the hotel room next door. I was astonished, she told People magazine. When you have someone so physically disgusting in front of you, continuing and continuing as though this was all perfectly normal What happened to me may not be illegal but it was inappropriate. Very inappropriate. Getty Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Lysette Anthony Lysette Anthony, who starred as Marnie Nightingale in Hollyoaks, has claimed Weinstein raped her in the late 1980's after turning up to her London home in the late 1980s. She described the disgraced film producers alleged attack as pathetic and revolting and said it left her feeling disgusted and embarrassed. Getty Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Dawn Dunning Dunning said she met Weinstein in 2003 when she was 24-years-old and the disgraced film producer suggested she have a threesome with him and someone else. She told the New York Times Weinstein got angry when she refused. Youll never make it in this business, she said he told her as she left. Rex Features Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Rosanna Arquette Rosanna Arquette was already well known for her role in Desperately Seeking Susan, when she said she met Weinstein at his hotel to pick up a script in the early nineties. Weinstein was dressed only in a dressing gown, and tried to put her hand on his erect penis. Speaking to the New York Times, Arquette said as she left she told him: I will never be that girl. Rex Features Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Emma de Caunes Caunes, a French actor, claimed Weinstein took her to his hotel room in 2010 supposedly to retrieve a book he was making into a film, but once there he went into the bathroom. De Caunes said he then emerged naked, with an erection and told her to lie on the bed. She fled the room. Rex Features Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Zoe Brock Model Zoe claimed that she had to lock herself in a bathroom at Weinsteins hotel in 1997, after the mogul had sent all of the assistants out of the room, and then appeared naked. I was alone with Weinstein, she told ITVs This Morning programme. He very quickly left the room and came back naked. He chased me naked. Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Jessica Barth Actress Jessica Barth described an encounter with Weinstein in 2011 in an interview with The New Yorker in which she said Weinstein veered between offering her roles in films and demanding a naked massage. She alleges the producer said to her: So, what would happen if, say, were having some champagne and I take my clothes off and you give me a massage? When she tried to leave, he then promised to give her the number of a female executive at the company. He gave me her number, and I walked out and I started bawling, Barth said. Rex Features Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Romola Garai The actress told The Guardian she felt violated after she went to a meeting with Weinstein at the age of 18 and he met her in his hotel room wearing nothing but a dressing gown. Getty Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Heather Graham Graham claimed that during a casting opportunity in the early 2000's Weinstein had told her he had an open relationship with his wife. He could sleep with whomever he wanted when he was out of town. I walked out of the meeting feeling uneasy, Graham told Variety. There was no explicit mention that to star in one of those films I had to sleep with him, but the subtext was there. Graham was never hired to work in a Weinstein film. Rex Features Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Jessica Hynes Spaced and W1A star Jessica Hynes tweeted about an encounter with Weinstein earlier this week, but subsequently deleted the tweet. Rex Features Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Lucia Evans The actor told The New Yorker that after a meeting to discuss casting her in various projects, Weinstein forced her to perform oral sex on him. I said, over and over, I dont want to do this, stop, dont. She added: Hes a big guy. He overpowered me. I just sort of gave up. Thats the most horrible part of it, and thats why hes been able to do this for so long to so many women: people give up, and then they feel like its their fault. Getty Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Louisette Geiss The former actress said she met Weinstein to pitch a film script she was working on. During the meeting, Weinstein allegedly went out and reappeared naked and got into a jacuzzi where he masturbated in front of her and said he would make the script into a film if she stayed and watched. Getty Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Liza Campbell Liza Campbell, a British writer and artist, alleged that Olympically ugly Weinstein asked her to join him in the bath and began getting undressed at a hotel. In a piece for The Times, Campbell claimed she was forced to sprint to the door to escape. Rex Features Harvey Weinstein: his accusers Louise Godbold Writing in a blog post, Louise Godbold, a non-profit director in Los Angeles, said her encounter with Weinstein took the form of an office tour that became an occasion to trap me in an empty meeting room. She said then Weinstein was begging for a massage, his hands on my shoulders as I attempted to beat a retreat. The report outlined four settlements reached by the company with staff who alleged sexual harassment or defamation. One involved a 2003 interview by a freelance journalist, Jessica Hopper, with the rapper Murs, in which Ms Hopper wrote that the rapper propositioned her for sex and she said no. It said that before her article was published however, the magazine changed her response to Yes and printed it. Vice subsequently reached a settlement with Ms Hopper and printed a retraction. The admission from Vice make it the latest in a series of companies and public bodies, including Ford car company and the US Congress, to face sexual harassment allegations against members and staff, triggered by revelations about the film producer Harvey Weinstein. Mr Weinstein has denied the accusations. The Vice co-founders concluded their letter: We can no longer be a part of the problem - particularly if, as journalists and storytellers - we want to investigate and cover the many injustices in the world today. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Twenty people, including six children, have been killed in a bus crash while travelling to Christmas Day mass in the northern Philippines. The vehicle, which contained members of the same extended family, had been on the way to a dawn church service when it crashed into a larger bus in the town of Agoo. Ten other travellers in the smaller bus were injured, as well as 17 others travelling on the bigger vehicle according to local police reports. The pilgrims had travelled from the town of Bauang (Google Maps screengrab) Agoo police officer Vanessa Abubu told AFP: They [the family] were trying to catch a mass in Manaoag." The region is famous for its icon of Our Lady of Manaoag, a 17th century ivory image of the Virgin Mary with The Child Jesus kept at the altar of the Basilica. Locals believe the statue performs miracles. The pilgrims had travelled from the town of Bauang, an hours drive from the site. Speaking to Manila radio station DZMM, police chief Roy Villanueva said the smaller vehicle had left its lane and attempted to overtake a third vehicle. Authorities are investigating whether the driver, who was among those killed, had fallen asleep on the wheel or was under the influence. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Hundreds of people in Japan have been infected by a puzzling and potentially deadly flesh-eating bacterium in 2017. In total, 525 patients with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) were reported as of 10 December, according to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases the highest number since record-keeping began in 1999. The number of patients with STSS has been climbing each year but the cause for the increase remains unknown. The number of patients with STSS was just 203 in 2013. STSS, which is fatal in almost one in three cases, destroys tissue and can result in death in a matter of days. The infection is sometimes referred to as toxic shock-like syndrome (TSLS). The disease is predominantly caused by a bacterium named Streptococcus pyogenes, commonly known as group A streptococcus. The institute has warned people can die in the space of hours, from the onset from multiple organ failure and other symptoms after their bodies go into a critical period in a short amount of time. A night in Japan's robot hotel Show all 10 1 /10 A night in Japan's robot hotel A night in Japan's robot hotel Guests are greeted by a velociraptor HUIS TEN BOSCH A night in Japan's robot hotel He guides you through the check-in process HUIS TEN BOSCH A night in Japan's robot hotel Rooms are actually fairly simple HUIS TEN BOSCH A night in Japan's robot hotel Though each room comes with a butler HUIS TEN BOSCH A night in Japan's robot hotel The bedside butler isn't for everyone HUIS TEN BOSCH A night in Japan's robot hotel A giant claw takes care of luggage duties HUIS TEN BOSCH A night in Japan's robot hotel In case of language barriers, there are live staff on hand behind the scenes HUIS TEN BOSCH A night in Japan's robot hotel Got luggage? There's help HUIS TEN BOSCH A night in Japan's robot hotel Your trusty concierge HUIS TEN BOSCH A night in Japan's robot hotel Welcome to the hotel of the future While it is thought that STSS starts in patients wounds that have become infected, there are many cases in which the path of the infection continues to be a mystery. Besides from group A streptococcus, there are several other bacteria such as group G streptococcus which also engenders serious and even potentially life-threatening varieties of the disease. It is conceivable that a growing number of patients with STSS are infected with bacteria other than group A streptococcus, Ken Kikuchi, a professor of infectious diseases at Tokyo Womens Medical University, told The Asahi Shimbun. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Its Christmas Day, and billions of people across the world are celebrating. From midnight mass to swimming in freezing lakes, here are some of the different ways the festivities have played out across the globe. Hyde Park, London Swimmers get out of the water in London's Hyde Park after taking part in the Christmas Day Serpentine swim. Known as the Peter Pan Cup race, the swim takes place each year on Christmas morning. (Reuters) The name of the 100-yard race derives from 1904, when author and playwright Sir James Barrie presented the first Peter Pan cup to the winner. Kochi, India Christians are a small minority in India where Hindus make up 80 per cent of the population of 1.3 billion people and Muslims 14 per cent. Despite anti-Christian sentiment in some parts of the country, Christian worshippers traditionally attend a Christmas midnight mass, as seen in this image of a church in Kochi. (Reuters) (Reuters) Berlin, Germany Members of ice swimming club Berliner Seehunde which means Berlin Seals take a dip in the German capital's Orankesee lake as part of their traditional Christmas ice swimming session. (Reuters) Members of ice swimming club Berliner Seehunde which means Berlin Seals take a dip in the Orankesee lake in Berlin as part of their traditional Christmas ice swimming session (Reuters) The group meets every year to hop into the frigid waters and they never let cold temperatures stop them from taking a dip. (Reuters) Valparaiso, Chile A man dressed in a Santa Claus outfit waves to people from a fisherman's boat on Christmas Eve along the coast of the city of Valparaiso. (Reuters) Christmas in Chile is warm as it is in the middle of summer. Many Catholics in the country celebrate Advent and go to special church services for nine days before Christmas, which is known as a Novena. (Reuters) Sydney, Australia December is one of the hottest months of the year across Australia, with Christmas traditionally involving a trip to the beach and celebrations outdoors In this image, life savers patrol the beach at Bondi, where hundreds of people gather to take a dip. (Getty) This year however, temperatures reached only a top of 20C this Christmas, with an unseasonal cold spell hitting the city of Sydney. However, the hot weather is forecast to return in time for New Years Eve. (Getty) For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Spain's King Felipe VI used his traditional Christmas Eve address to call on Catalonia's newly elected parliament to renounce further moves towards secession, after pro-independence parties claimed a narrow victory in last week's regional election. "The way forward cannot once again lead to confrontation or exclusion that, as we now know, only generates discord, uncertainty, anguish," the Spanish monarch said in a televised speech. The king gave the address four days after regional parliamentary elections resulted in separatist parties being voted back into power. Spain's prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, had dissolved the previous parliament after it voted in October to declare Catalonia an independent republic, but saw his hopes dashed that separatists would not regain a majority of seats. "2017 for Spain has been, without a doubt, a difficult year for our commonwealth, a year marked, above all, by the situation in Catalonia," Felipe said. "(Catalonia's) leaders must face the problems that affect all Catalans, respecting their diversity and thinking responsibly in the common good." Carles Puigdemont gives a thumbs up after the Catalonia Regional Election results (Rex) The king's last televised address was on 3 October, two days after Catalonia's regional government disobeyed a court injunction and held a referendum on secession. The king harshly criticised the Catalan government as disloyal. Catalonia elections see pro-Independence parties gain overall majority in rebuke to Spain His tone was more conciliatory on Sunday, when he recognised that while Spain had grown into a fully integrated member of the European Union, "not everything was a success" in recent decades. He insisted on recovering the "harmonious coexistence at the heart of Catalan society, in all its diversity,. so that ideas don't divide or separate families and friends." AP For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Pope Francis has likened Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem to the migrations of millions of people today who are forced to leave their homelands for a better life. The leader of the Catholic church said many migrants around the world were forced to flee from leaders who see no problem in shedding innocent blood. The 81-year-old Argentinian addressed worshippers in St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City at the Christmas Eve vigil Mass, adding: "So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary". Recommended What to watch on Netflix and Amazon Prime over Christmas He used his homily to address similarities in the way in which Mary and Joseph travelled to Bethlehem with nowhere to stay, and the millions of migrants currently without homes. "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," he said. "In many cases this departure is filled with hope, hope for the future; yet for many this departure can only have one name: survival." He said God is present in "the unwelcomed visitor, often unrecognisable, who walks through our cities and our neighbourhoods, 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. Francis, whose parents were Italian immigrants in Argentina, also called for a new social imaginationin which none have to feel that there is no room for them on this earth." The Pope has been a vocal supporter of the worlds 22 million migrants, and in a letter to heads of state and government in November, he wrote: Those who, for what may be political reasons, foment fear of migrants instead of building peace are sowing violence, racial discrimination and xenophobia. Shelter - Homeless this Christmas Show all 8 1 /8 Shelter - Homeless this Christmas Shelter - Homeless this Christmas Homeless this Christmas Janela, 27, is 27 weeks pregnant and lives in temporary accommodation with her six year old son. She works 12-hour night shifts in a packing warehouse in Birmingham. Shelter Shelter - Homeless this Christmas Homeless this Christmas Suleman works in IT and has been living in emergency accommodation since June 2014 with his wife and two children. His youngest, only 2, was born while they were living in the hotel. Shelter Shelter - Homeless this Christmas Homeless this Christmas Sarah*, 40, was living in one room in a B&B with her husband and children, including her three-month old baby: We sleep on the bed, they play on the bed, we eat on the bed. Theres just no place for anything. For her daughter Shauna*, 13, the shame she felt at being homeless impacted on her friendships at school: I dont tell them because in the end you cant trust a friendthey could spread rumours about you. I cant explain anything to anyone. I go to school with a smile on my face. * Names have been changed to protect the individuals identity Shelter Shelter - Homeless this Christmas Homeless this Christmas Maria* and her two daughters (15 and 5) lived in a B&B for more than 9 months, before being moved out of area in October. Her oldest daughter is a wheelchair user and had no access to a bath as the bathroom was on a different floor. Maria had to bathe her in a tub in the bedroom. * Names have been changed to protect the individuals identity Shelter Shelter - Homeless this Christmas Homeless this Christmas Nicola and her three children have spent the last 9 months in temporary accommodation. She said: We're so squashed in this cold, damp place. I say place because neither myself nor the children call this 'home'. It's full of mould and the kids are constantly ill from the damp. I'm trying to do the best that I can with what I have. I'm training to be a teacher, attending counselling sessions and trying to be the best mum I can to my babies but living like this is getting too much. Shelter Shelter - Homeless this Christmas Homeless this Christmas Nathan, 28, has been homeless for three months, and until recently was living in a Travelodge on the side of a motorway with his 16-month old son, where he only had access to a kettle: Theres milk and stuff, but theres no microwave. Its pretty hard to make food. Ive got to get the jars and stick it in the kettle, and then put the kettle on to warm it up, so thats the best way to feed him. Shelter Shelter - Homeless this Christmas Homeless this Christmas For Geraldine, 45, and her 13-year-old daughter Hannah*, living in an emergency B&B has taken a huge toll on their mental and emotional wellbeing: My daughter has felt very suicidal. I took her to the GP. Theyve referred her to the psychologist. Shes constantly breaking down crying. I had to take her to A&E on two occasions because shes having problems, she keeps getting palpitations. She shakes. * Names have been changed to protect the individuals identity Shelter Shelter - Homeless this Christmas Homeless this Christmas Mariam, her two teenage sons and 4 year old daughter Zara were living in a B&B for nearly three months, before being moved to temporary accommodation in November. Both places have been extremely cold and Mariam is concerned for Zaras health, as she suffers from asthma and anaemia. Shelter The Pope is set to deliver his Urbi et Orbi (to the city and to the world) Christmas address later today. Additional reporting by agencies Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Christmas Day marks exactly four months since the start of the latest influx of Rohingya into Bangladesh from Myanmar. An estimated 830,000 people seven times the population of my Edmonton constituency now live on the border. More arrive every day. In one month, half a million arrived. That is the highest monthly exodus of refugees anywhere on the planet since the Rwandan genocide. Medecins Sans Frontieres has documented at least 6,700 deaths from violence, but the real number is likely to be much higher. The world is outraged at the savagery of the atrocities, at the sexual violence, at the torture, at the discrimination and at the sheer impunity of General Min Aung Hlaing and the failure of Myanmars military leaders to face consequences. But for all the outrage, the world has not done nearly enough. A long-term political solution will require much more. Earlier this month, Parliaments Foreign Affairs Select Committee passed judgement on what else the UK Government could have done. There are immediate and massive humanitarian needs that risk being forgotten as the news cycle moves on. A recent International Rescue Committee assessment found that 95 per cent of people are drinking untreated water, risking a cholera outbreak. Nearly 60 million litres of safe water the equivalent of 23 Olympic-sized swimming pools are needed every day; 40 per cent of children are currently malnourished. Drone footage shows thousands of Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar Women are in particular danger: horrific accounts continue to emerge of systematic rape, abuse and torture at the hands of the Myanmar military, while there is only limited support for recovery and treatment in the camps. Access to even basic healthcare and education is severely restricted. Shelter needs too are acute: camps sprang up rapidly, without sufficient planning or space to expand. Hundreds of thousands will sleep in 2018 crowded under tarpaulins propped up by bamboo sticks. The plight of the Rohingya began long before August, and there is no quick end in sight. The chances are that whole generations will now spend their lives in Bangladesh as refugees. That is why the medium-term response in Bangladesh matters so much. International donors have already pledged some $344m (257m) towards the response. That includes 59m from the UK our aid provision has been both swift and generous. But governments and international institutions must now step up in the months ahead, and agree a much bigger financial package with Bangladesh. That support must be tied to a progressive refugee policy that will provide refugees with access to work, education, citizenship rights and a future, without putting further strain on already stretched public services. There are important lessons to learn from similar influxes in Uganda, Jordan, and Lebanon. But right now, that progressive, positive, outcome looks a long way away for the Rohingya. Rather than welcome and integrate, the government of Bangladesh is now activating a costly plan to transfer 100,000 Rohingya to Bhashan Char, a currently uninhabited island. Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps Show all 15 1 /15 Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps Badiul Alam, 52, appointed as the manager of one grouping of refugees, shows the rifle-butt injury he sustained during his flight from Myanmar Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps Abdur Rahim, 50, fled Myanmar with his family of seven. It took a month for them to walk to Bangladesh, carrying all their possessions on their shoulders. They havent yet found a place to put down their belongings after a gruelling journey Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps Various refugee camps Kutupalong, Balukhali and Moinerghona have merged into one vast sprawl spread over many muddy hills that just a few months ago were a rolling green nature reserve Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps A Red Cross aid-worker supervises an aid distribution point on the edge of the Moinerghona camp, saying they have never known refugees anywhere in the world stand so patiently in line in such heat to be registered and receive aid without any tension or anger Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps Last week the governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a deal to return the Rohingya to Rakhine. But many worry that they will face further reprisals if they return, and there was no mention of what would happen to those who refused to go back Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps A quiet calm pervades the camps. Is it relief at being free from fear, or do feelings about the horrors witnessed remain suppressed? Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps The aid response is focused on providing food, water and shelter for people who fled with nothing Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps The effort is now well-organised and trucks delivering supplies move up and down the main road between Coxs Bazar and Teknaf all day long Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps Only men are in the aid queue, as separate queues are often set up for men and women. Sixty-five-year-old Nur Ahmed wears his ID card which shows he has been formally registered to receive aid Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps Ajmin Ara, 70, wanders around disorientated. She has lost her entire family and fled to Bangladesh alone; she is painfully thin/skeletal and very weak, but is receiving medical care from a small clinic set up to the side of the aid queue Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps Its estimated that 620,000 Rohingya people have fled violence in Myanmars Rakhine State in the last three months. Many say they were doing their morning prayers or cooking food when their villages were attacked and they fled, often with only the clothes they were wearing Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps Nur Asha, 47, sits quietly in the crowd until she can no longer restrain herself and her story comes out in a torrent: how she fled with her son when the military attacked her village but doesnt know where her other relatives are, how throats were slashed, how children were thrown into fires, how rice paddy fields were filled with bodies left for the dogs to eat Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps Mohammed Sayed, 24, fled Myanmar about a month ago with his parents, wife and sister after their home was burnt down and many people in their village were killed Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps Children flock around the queue and one boy has made a hat from an empty medicine package to shield himself from the heat, but other boys playing nearby tease him and knock it off his head and soon it is ripped to pieces Hope in Bangladeshs Rohingya camps Children who have fled with nothing make toy cars from empty bottles and kites from plastic bags. Despite the horrors they will have witnessed, children still laugh and play for the camera At the end of November, the governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar also agreed to return and repatriate Rohingya to Myanmar the very country they fled just weeks ago with support from the UK and other countries. It is reported that repatriation and refugee returns could start as soon as January, just a few weeks away. The UK Government says it is seeking assurances that repatriations will only happen if they are safe, voluntary and dignified. But according to human rights groups surveying refugees on the ground, many neither want to return nor believe it is yet safe to do so. That is hardly surprising when you consider their horrific experience at the hands of the military, or that a repeat cycle of counter-insurgency human rights violations is highly likely in future. We now know that the assurances of civilian leaders like Aung Sang Suu Kyi count for little in a country still dominated by the military. Recommended What one volunteer witnessed from the frontline of the Rohingya crisis Until the UK Government receives far stronger and more credible assurances and evidence that any returns will indeed be safe, voluntary and dignified, and until UN agencies have full confidence in the arrangement, the UK must not support an agreement that could put thousands more Rohingya lives in serious danger. This Christmas Day, four months on from the start of the crisis, we should focus not on how the Rohingya can be sent back, but on how we can help provide short-term help, and long-term sanctuary. The UK must help the Rohingya, not send them back into danger. Kate Osamor is the Labour MP for Edmonton The Enugu State Police Command has declared members of the Malaysian Boys gang wanted for alleged criminal activities. Police said the Malaysian Boys gang have been operating within Nimbo and Adani axis of Uzouwani Local Government Area of the state. The Commands spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, in a statement on Sunday said that the command had issued a warrant of arrest for all the members of Malaysian Boys 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 had intensified manhunt for the fleeing Malaysian Boys who had been a thorn on the flesh of the law-abiding members of the public within Nimbo and Adani axis of Uzouwani council area. 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, he said. Amaraizu said that the police was 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. Police also recovered dangerous exhibits. Source: ( Punch Newspaper ) Yul Edochie, born Yul Chibuike Daniel Edochie, 7 January 1982, is a Nigerian actor, named after popular Russian actor Yul Brynner. He is the last son of veteran Nollywood actor, Pete Edochie. Yul Edochie is happily married and has 2 sons and a daughter. He got married to his wife, May Aligwe Edochie in 2004 (13years ago) In an interview with Goldenpearlmedia, Yul was asked why his wife Mrs. May Edochie, always seem to be hiding her face from the medias paparazzi, Yul had this to say; My wife is not an actress, shes not into show business, shes a computer engineer, also a business woman, shes not into the whole paparazzi spotlight thing, its her lifestyle. So, she cant be in the media eyes. Here are photos of his family; Meanwhile, Mrs. Josephine Edochie, wife and mother to celebrated Nollywood actors, Peter Edochie and Yul Edochie respectively has never been one to be in the limelight despite being surrounded by popular celebrities. Most Nigerians have longed to see what she looks like. Last week, Yul, who now doubles as a politician took to his social media page to show off his beautiful mother, showering encomiums on her. Sharing the above photos with her, he wrote: Thank you mum! What would I have been without you? Thank you so much mum! Ozo Eze Dike 1 of Nteje! King and Great man of Nteje. All thanks to God Almighty, to my parents, my mum, my family, my brothers and sister, to my fans and friends, to my campaign team and well wishers. Thank you Uncle I.k Edochie. Special thanks to my brother @okonkwoemeka_k Chiejina Onye rika Nne, Engr Chike Ubboe, Emeka Bakassi, Obez and Tudor. Thank you all. God bless you. If you love me please say a prayer for my mum and wish her well. Words cannot express how I feel. Thank you mum. From my birth you always told everyone that I am a special child. And taught me to fear no one but God. You taught me that there are no impossibilities, if you can think it you can achieve it. Pray about it and move and keep moving. With God you are unstoppable. Even when no one else believes in me, you would say he is special, leave him, God is with him. Thank you mum. May the Almighty God continue to bless you and keep you healthy for me. Many more happy years for you mum. -Gistreel The Congolese military has confirmed that nine soldiers were killed in two ambushes by a suspected rebel militia group in the Democratic Republic of Congos troubled east. The army recorded a loss of nine soldiers in two ambushes in the Baraka operational zone in the South Kivu province, a unnamed military official told AFP. A lieutenant was killed on Sunday in the village Lweba, seven kilometres (four miles) from the Baraka district, the official added. The other deaths came in an attack two days earlier. Our hospital received the bodies of eight soldiers killed by bullets on Friday, an official at a hospital in Lulimba, a village 60 kilometres south of Baraka, told AFP. The military official accused the Mai-Mai militia of being responsible for both attacks, adding that DR Congos army lost important material. Source : ( AFP ) An Abuja-based couple, identified as Ayo and Khadijat Yahaya, are cooling their heels in the custody of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other related offences for allegedly burning the private parts of their two-year-old son in the Kuje area of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. NAPTIP operatives told newsmen that the couple would spend the Christmas holidays in the cell, after which they would be arraigned in court on Wednesday. Our correspondent learnt that the couple, 43-year-old Ayo and Khadijat, 30, were nabbed by the NAPTIPs Rapid Response Squad in the early hours of Saturday after a tip-off. It was gathered that Ayo, a mechanic working in the Zuba area, hails from Kogi State. It was said his two-year-old son, who was usually starved, had sneaked into the kitchen last week and eaten one wrap of moin-moin (beans cake) left in a pot. It was learnt from eyewitness that it was no sooner had he started eating than Khadijat arrived and allegedly brutalised him. It was gathered that the two-year-old boy was from Ayos first marriage, which ended less than six months ago. The little boy allegedly had his hands, buttocks and genitals burnt by his stepmother, who reportedly connived with her husband. The couple were thereafter arrested and detained in the agencys cell in Abuja. The NAPTIP Head, Press and Public Relations, Josiah Emerole, who confirmed the arrest, said the agency would charge the couple to court after the holidays. Emerole said, The boy had faced maltreatment, including starvation, since the father forcefully took him away from his biological mother. The little boy was starved from morning till 2pm on that day and he crawled to the kitchen where he saw some wraps of moin-moin and decided to help himself to one of them. For that offence, the woman grabbed the little boy, held his hands and dipped them in boiling water. She also burnt his genitals. The boys screams attracted neighbours who came to his rescue, while one of them reported the matter to us. He has gone through a successful surgery at a specialist hospital in Abuja through the support of some Good Samaritans. The couple are now in NAPTIPs custody, making useful statements while investigations continue. The Director General, Julie Okah-Donli, has ordered that the suspects will be brought to justice. Source: ( Punch Newspaper ) A National Lottery player is today celebrating bringing it home for Christmas after landing last nights mega 5.4m Lotto jackpot on a ticket brought at a shop in Dublin Airport. The National Lottery confirmed that the winning Quick Pick ticket was bought on Friday at the WHSmith shop at arrivals in Terminal 1. Suzanne McDonald, WHSMITH Assistant Manager at Dublin Airport, said: "There is incredible excitement here today at news that we sold the winning 5.4 million jackpot ticket. "It is certainly adding to the Christmas spirit in the shop and Terminal 1 in general. It has been a really busy period here with a lot of traffic through the store, and we have no idea who the lucky winner might be. "But we wish them all the very best with the win." National Lottery CEO, Dermot Griffin, said: "We dont know at this stage who the lucky winner of this life-changing amount is. But we can confirm the golden ticket was purchased in arrivals at Terminal 1 in Dublin Airport on Friday December 22. "This was one of the busiest days of the year in arrivals and the ticket could have been brought by somebody coming home for Christmas, by a friend or relative meeting a loved one, or an airport worker. This is going to be a very special Christmas indeed for that lucky person." Mr Griffin urged all players who purchased a ticket in Dublin Airport Terminal 1 on Friday to check their numbers. The winning numbers were: 5, 14, 28, 29, 32, 38 and bonus number 31. He said: "This is especially important if it is somebody who is a visitor or not a regular player. Please check your tickets to see if you are the winner of this magnificent Christmas present. "The tickets can be checked in store or through the National Lottery App. This is such a great story at this special time when family and friends are coming together to celebrate the festive season." 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. Venezuela's government on Monday released another eight political opponents from jail, bringing to 44 the number freed since Saturday in a goodwill gesture timed to happen over Christmas. But they are only a fraction of the number of political prisoners being held, the head of the rights group Foro Penal, Alfredo Romero, told AFP. "The government is interested in reducing the number of political prisoners to reduce the cost they represent. There are still 227 political prisoners -- the highest number for any Christmas," Romero said. The Venezuelan regime had promised to release 80 inmates for Christmas. Delcy Rodriguez, head of a Truth Commission investigating protests against President Nicolas Maduro's regime, had called the move a sign of "reconciliation." Those jailed had been arrested during demonstrations demanding that Maduro step down. Mass street protests began in 2014, when 43 people were killed in clashes, and have continued sporadically ever since with 125 dead earlier this year. The government rejects the label "political prisoners" for the opposition inmates, preferring to characterize them as common criminals. Venezuela's opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable coalition welcomed the release of the inmates. But it said on Twitter that "they should never have been deprived of their freedom" as "striving to reconstruct a country ruined by the regime is not a crime." Among those freed in the first wave was Alfredo Ramos, mayor of the northwestern municipality of Irribarren, who was arrested in late July and handed a 15-month sentence. The jailed political opponents were among the issues discussed in talks, held in the Dominican Republic, between the government and the opposition. The dialogue is aimed at trying to find a political solution to the dire crisis engulfing Venezuela, a once-rich oil-producing nation that is now partially in default on its debts, with scarcities of food and medicine. A third round of talks is due to take place January 11-12. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form In this March 26, 2015, file photo, Heather Menzies-Urich, from left, Kym Karath and Debbie Turner, cast members in the classic film "The Sound of Music," pose together before a 50th anniversary screening of the film at the opening night gala of the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival in Los Angeles. Menzies-Urich, who played one of the singing von Trapp children in the 1965 hit film, has died. She was 68. Menzies-Urich's son, actor Ryan Urich, told Variety that his mother died late Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017, in Frankford, Ontario. She had been diagnosed with brain cancer. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Invision, Chris Pizzello 1 of 4 Bengaluru now has a logo of its own, first in India In a first of its kind attempt in India, the IT hub of the country Bengaluru has been got its own logo. The step has been taken for branding Bengaluru as a tourist destination. The logo of the city, which is derived out of its own name, highlights the letters b, e, and u of Bengaluru in red and the other letters in white. The logo Be U highlights the cosmopolitan culture of the city and is expected to build the citys image on the global stage. The Karnataka government, on Sunday, launched the Bengaluru city logo, in an effort to make the city, a tourism destination. Read More... As families gather for Christmas, we are always very aware of those who are not there as well as those who are. There are those who have died since last we celebrated the Festival....those who are sadly estranged .... those who ( and this is especially poignant) may no longer seem to be present in mind on account of advancing dementia or Alzheimer's. At this season of so much nostalgia and sentiment, I always find the mantra of the Alzheimer's Society particularly telling. Remember those who cannot remember. We will have an absentee in our own family this year, for the first time since our children were born. Our daughter,recently graduated, is far away in Chile teaching English for a year. Her absence will affect us on several levels! She is a commendably principled vegan and last year succeeded in persuading us all to abandon slain fowl in exchange for a vegan feast which she cooked for us. Weve been debating about whether we should have an empty chair at the table because she is not with us, a sign of our incompleteness, of how we always need other people to be whole ourselves. Actually, I think an empty chair at every Christmas dinner might be a rich and challenging symbol. Out there, there is always someone lonely in need of a welcome, or a person who has precious little upon which to feast. We should not delude ourselves into a sense of cosy and introspective completeness and shut out reality. The empty chair at the Christmas dinner is a sign of an absent loved one, a sufferer in the cold, a stranger who may be standing at the door and knocking. In other words it is a sign of our welcome for Christ himself, the Lord of the Feast, who yet comes among us in unexpected ways through the weakest and most vulnerable. I was a stranger and you welcomed me declares Christ the King of himself. Christians cannot today celebrate the greatest of Feasts that is the Eucharist without, as a scriptural phrase has it, discerning the Body. In other words we realise that an authentic Eucharist truly demands awareness of and solidarity with those who have little bread to break, and those who for many reasons may not even be instantly agreeable company. What is true of the altar is also true of the Christmas dinner table, for each feast exists this day in the context of the other. The empty place in the church reminds us of those whom we love but see no longer; the empty chair at the dining table reminds us richly of both losses and opportunities. Try it as you gather whether around your turkey or your vegan alternative - it will certainly prompt conversation and it may well pour powerful feelings of love into your hearts. Have a lovely day ; and send your Whatsapp special people a picture of the place that will always await them at the Table. TOKYO, Dec 25 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe likely feels the economy is in good shape thanks to efforts by Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda, the top government spokesman said in an interview with the Mainichi newspaper published on Monday. The government is expected to decide in coming months who will become the next BOJ governor when Kuroda's five-year term ends in April. Many analysts see a good chance that Kuroda will be reappointed, though Abe has not offered clear hints yet. "I won't comment. But I think the prime minister feels the economy is doing well under (policies taken by) the BOJ's current leadership," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said when asked about the selection process. (Reporting by Leika Kihara; Editing by Richard Borsuk) ALMATY, Dec 25 (Reuters) - The leaders of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan pledged on Monday to improve relations, after ties between the two former Soviet republics degenerated into a trade war under the previous Kyrgyz leadership. The standoff between Astana and the government of former Kyrgyz president Almazbek Atambayev strained a Russian-led economic bloc and disrupted supplies of Kyrgyz goods to some European countries. "We have established a constructive and trust-based dialogue in all areas," Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's office quoted him as telling his Kyrgyz counterpart Sooronbai Jeenbekov. Jeenbekov was elected president last month. In the run-up the vote, his predecessor and backer Atambayev accused the Kazakh government of interfering in Kyrgyz politics and supporting an opposition candidate. Astana denied those charges but introduced tough border controls that nearly halted the flow of goods out of Kyrgyzstan, which is landlocked and sends most of its exports out through Kazakh territory. Kyrgyzstan filed complaints both to the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union, a post-Soviet bloc, and the World Trade Organisation, accusing Kazakhstan of imposing a "blockade". Bishkek also briefly suspended operations at a copper and gold mine operated and run by Kazakhstan-based and London-listed Kaz Minerals . But tensions started easing after Jeenbekov, a former prime minister, took office this month. Last week, Bishkek informed the WTO it had settled its dispute with Astana. "Kyrgyzstan will continue to carry out its foreign policy aimed at deepening and intensifying bilateral ties with Kazakhstan," Jeenbekov's office quoted him as saying at the meeting in Astana. (Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Hugh Lawson) * Vietnam readies for Tembin after deaths, destruction in Philippines * Thousands leave southern areas, Ho Chi Minh City closes schools * Government calls for protection of oil rigs * Philippine toll rises to more than 230 dead, scores missing By Mi Nguyen and Manuel Mogato HANOI/MANILA, Dec 25 (Reuters) - Authorities in Vietnam prepared to move a million people from low-lying areas along the south coast on Monday as a typhoon approached after it battered the Philippines with floods and landslides that killed more than 230 people. Typhoon Tembin is expected to slam into Vietnam late on Monday after brining misery to the predominantly Christian Philippines just before Christmas. Vietnam's disaster prevention committee said 74,000 people had been moved to safety from vulnerable areas, while authorities in 15 provinces and cities were prepared to move more than 1 million. The government ordered that oil rigs and vessels be protected and it warned that about 62,000 fishing boats should not venture out to sea. "Vietnam must ensure the safety of its oil rigs and vessels. If necessary, close the oil rigs and evacuate workers," Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was quoted as saying on a government website. Schools were ordered to close in the southern commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City on Monday, a working day in Vietnam. On Sunday, Tembin hit the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, parts of which are contested by several countries, including Vietnam and China. No casualties were reported in outposts there. Vietnam, like the Philippines, is regularly battered by typhoons that form over the warm waters of the Pacific and barrel westwards into land. Tembin will be the 16th major storm to hit Vietnam this year. The storms and other disasters have left 390 people dead or missing, according to official figures. SCORES MISSING In the Philippines, rescue workers were still struggling to reach some remote areas hit by floods and landslides that Tembin's downpours brought, as the death toll climbed to more than 230. Scores of people are missing. The full extent of the devastation was only becoming clear as the most remote areas were being reached. Health worker Arturo Simbajon said nearly the entire coastal village of Anungan on the Zamboanga peninsula of Mindanao island had been wiped out by a barrage of broken logs, boulders and mud that swept down a river and out to sea. "Only the mosque was left standing," Simbajon said. "People were watching the rising sea but did not expect the water to come from behind them." Manuel Luis Ochotorena, head of regional disaster agency, said he expected the death toll to rise. "Many areas in Zamboanga peninsula are still without power and communications, some towns are cut off due to collapsed bridges, floods and landslides," he said. Tens of thousands of people on Mindanao have been displaced by the storm, which struck late on Friday. The Philippines is battered by about 20 typhoons a year and warnings are routinely issued. But disaster officials said many villagers had ignored warnings this time to get out coastal areas and move away from riverbanks. In 2013, super typhoon Haiyan killed nearly 8,000 people and left 200,000 families homeless in the central Philippines. (Reporting by Mi Nguyen; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Robert Birsel) Police officers search neonatal intensive care unit at Ewha Womans University Medical Center in western Seoul, Dec. 19. Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-han By Lee Kyung-min Investigation into the deaths of four premature babies faces a major challenge as police have neither the sophisticated methods nor the manpower equipped with in-depth knowledge to prove medical malpractice, Monday. The burden of proof in a medical malpractice dispute is on the claimants as they have to prove causality between deaths or injuries and the treatment given. Courts entirely finding for the claimants in civil suits account for less than 1 percent of total rulings, according to experts. Likewise, courts in criminal suits rarely recognize such claims unless the prosecution proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the physical damage was the direct result of medical malpractice. Police questioned a head nurse and a pharmacist at Ewha Womans University Medical Center over how the hospital managed day and night shifts, the chain of orders and commands, as well as how the intravenous solutions were administered. They also searched the neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) and confiscated medical devices and records including surveillance video footage. Parents of the babies have raised suspicions that the deaths were due to medical malpractice or preventable causes. However, experts say identifying the cause of death in large hospitals itself is a major challenge as various factors could contribute to causing an infection. Even if the infection is confirmed, proving that it occurred due solely to the staff's fault, including a failure to maintain hygiene and other protocols would be a challenge, a task impossible to do unless a person with the same level of knowledge that medical professionals have conducts the investigation. Police are currently working to identify the cause of the deaths with the help of some medical experts; but others said proving it was the fault of hospital staff would be a challenge. "The infection could have spread in many ways," a professor at the infectious disease department of a Seoul university said. "It could have been transmitted by medical devices such as catheters or ventilators, or by staff. In some cases, infections just occur when there is seemingly no apparent mistake made by hospital staff. It is possible that no one can be held accountable." The only viable option is to gather as much physical evidence as possible and statements from staff who worked at the hospital and match them with the findings of the health authorities. "Questioning ICU staff, especially those who worked on the day of the deaths and comparing their statements will provide clues in this case," the doctor said. Meanwhile, many hospitals say a lack of manpower at ICUs should be addressed before faulting staff there. The number of premature babies is on the rise _ 29,000 last year, up 7.2 percent from a year earlier. However, one nurse has to take care of up to ten babies in ICUs at eight out of ten hospitals. Of 3,400 incubators, more than a third has been in use for more than 10 years. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said it was conducting an inspection into ICUs including manpower allocation. Prosecutors will question former President Park Geun-hye this week in a detention center as part of their investigation into allegations that the presidential office during her term had received illicit money from the spy agency. Four officials from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office will visit the detention center on Tuesday to interrogate the ousted chief executive over suspicions that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) had offered her office a total of 4 billion won ($3.7 million) between 2013 and mid-2016. The move comes as Park has rejected the prosecution's summons, citing health conditions. Investigators plan to ask the former leader where her office spent the money and for what purpose. They are also expect to question Park over the suspicions that the then presidential office pressured local conglomerates to offer financial support for conservative protesters that staged demonstrations in favor of her government. It remains unclear whether Park would respond to the prosecution's questions, as she has dismissed the investigations as the "political retribution in the name of the rule of law." (Yonhap) By Jung Min-ho Lee Yang-seob Lee Ki-hyung By Park Si-soo / Captured from the Korea Meteorological Administration A 3.5-magnitude earthquake hit Pohang on Monday. It was an aftershock of a 5.4-magnitude quake that struck the industrial city on Nov. 15, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said. The tremor occurred at 4:19 p.m., with the epicenter measured 8 kilometers north of Pohang at a depth of 10 kilometers. "I felt my home shake and heard a cracking sound," a Pohang resident told The Korea Times. It was the 70th aftershock of the November quake, the KMA said. Officials at the National Election Commission's Gyeonggi provincial office stage a campaign for fair elections in Suwon, Dec. 14, 180 days before the June 13 local elections. / Courtesy of the National Election Commission's Gyeonggi provincial office By Kim Rahn Local elections are about six months from now. The rival parties have begun preparation, planning interviews and screening people who want to run on their tickets. Politicians who want to run for the elections, or municipality heads who want another term, are already appealing to the public. Such people have announced or are soon expected to announce their bids. It is forecast that around 20 incumbent lawmakers are weighing up whether to run for the posts; if they do, they will have to give up their National Assembly seats at least 30 days before the election. The June 13 elections mean not only a poll selecting heads of local governments but also an evaluation of the Moon Jae-in government, which has pushed reform drives such as eradicating the "deep-rooted evils of society." If candidates from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Moon's former aides gain a huge victory, his administration will gain a strong driving force to continue these reforms. But on the other hand, if they do not, the government will lose force and may have a difficult remaining four years. Public attention is on several points, whether Moon's aides at Cheong Wa Dae will run in the elections, will Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon seek a third term, can the two minor opposition parties merge before the poll, and will a referendum on a constitutional revision be held in tandem. Moon aides Presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun has almost confirmed his bid to run for the South Chungcheong Province governor post in the local elections. / Korea Times photo by Koh Young-kwon Several officials at Cheong Wa Dae and ministers are expected to leave their current posts to run in the elections. And they have a high chance of winning as they have high public recognition, plus high public support as Moon's approval rating still ranges around 70 percent. Presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun has almost confirmed his bid for South Chungcheong Province governor, with current governor, An Hee-jung, announcing he will not seek a third term. Park was An's spokesman before working at Cheong Wa Dae, and his close ties with An will be advantageous in getting support from local residents. It is said the presidential secretary for local autonomy Na So-yeol, who was a head of Seocheon County in the province, is also eying the governor post. Presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok, senior presidential secretary for civil affairs Cho Kuk and senior presidential secretary for public relations Yoon Young-chan are also being talked about as possible candidates for mayors of Seoul, Busan and Seongnam, respectively, although they have denied this. Interior Minister Kim Boo-kyum and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Kim Young-choon may also run for the Daegu and Busan mayoral posts. Some criticize these moves, saying it has been only six months since the presidential secretaries and the ministers were appointed, adding that their resignation for personal career development would cause a vacuum in state affairs. Rep. Choi Gyung-hwan of the minor opposition People's Party said in an Assembly session, "Cheong Wa Dae should not be a factory manufacturing careers for those hoping to run in elections." Seoul mayor Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon may seek a third term but he is also being encouraged to make a bid for the South Gyeongsang Province governorship. / Yonhap Current Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, a member of the DPK, has hinted he will seek a third term although he has not made an official bid yet. However, as the chances of any DPK candidate to win the Seoul mayoral post is high due to the party's high public approval rate and no major rivals from the opposition bloc, calls are growing for Park to yield the "easy" electoral district to another DPK candidate. They say Park instead needs to make a bid for the South Gyeongsang Province governorship as he was born in Changnyeong, a county in the province, to expand his political presence to the national level because he is a potential presidential contender. Indeed, other DPK members, including Rep. Park Young-sun and former lawmaker Jung Cheong-rae, are considering running for the Seoul mayoral post. It is to be seen who will win the DPK's ticket Park, or one of the others. It will be decided through a vote among party members and a public opinion poll. Opposition short of candidates Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hong Joon-pyo says he will quit the chairmanship if his party fails to keep the mayorship or governorship of six major districts Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Ulsan and North and South Gyeongsang provinces. / Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-han For the Seoul mayoral post, the opposition bloc does not have any heavyweights who could become potential candidates. Actually it does not have any for the posts in major cities or key electoral districts. Main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) Chairman Hong Joon-pyo said he would quit the chairmanship if his party failed to retain the mayoral or governor posts in six districts Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Ulsan, and North and South Gyeongsang provinces. Besides Incheon, the remaining five are in the home turf of the conservative party. However, the chances for the LKP to sweep to victory in the six districts are low, because the ruling DPK's potential candidates in the regions are bigwigs while the opposition is still looking for people who can rival the ruling camp contenders. The public approval rating for the LKP is also lower than that of the DKP in the regions in many opinion polls. Merger of minor parties Placards of politicians hoping to run for the local elections are hung on the streets in Daejeon, Dec. 12, although nearly six months are left before the poll. / Yonhap Lawyers representing People's Party members, who are against the party leadership's move to merge with the Bareun Party, enter the Seoul Southern District Court, Monday, seeking a court injunction to halt the party's vote on the merger scheduled from Wednesday to Saturday. / Yonhap By Kim Rahn A faction in the minor opposition People's Party sought a court injunction Monday to prevent the party leadership's move to merge with the minor Bareun Party. The bid came two days before the party's scheduled four-day vote on the merger, deepening its internal feud. The party planned to hold the vote for all members nationwide from Wednesday to Saturday and announce the result on Sunday. The faction, comprised of lawmakers and party members against the merger, said it asked the Seoul Southern District Court to halt the vote. "The vote, which party Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo is pushing ahead with unilaterally, lacks legitimacy, so it should be stopped," a party official who belongs to the faction said. Merger opponents claimed at least a third of party members must vote for the poll result to be valid, according to party rules. But Ahn and supporters say the rules do not apply to the merger issue and thus a quorum is not required. "We also asked the court to ban the party from announcing the poll result if the voter turnout does not reach 33.3 percent," the official said. As the poll on the merger is linked to a vote of confidence in Ahn, the faction claims if the turnout is lower than 33.3 percent, he should resign. It is encouraging party members to boycott the vote to lower the turnout. Opponents also plan to hold a protest in front of the National Assembly's main building today. Some opponents are even considering leaving the party. They say up to 20 among the party's 39 lawmakers could leave, including former head Rep. Park Jie-won. Merger supporters, on the other hand, said the merger is a way to woo more voters in the local elections slated for June. They criticized the vote boycott campaign, calling it an unreasonable action. The 39-seat People's Party and the 11-seat Bareun Party have sought a merger to raise their presence in the 299-seat Assembly, which is dominated by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP). The leaderships of the two parties say if united, they can be a centrist alternative to the large parties. But merger opponents at the People's Party say their party is basically liberal and the Bareun Party conservative, as the latter was spun off from the conservative LKP. Opposition is especially strong from those from Gwangju and the Jeolla provinces, the party's strongholds. They claim the merger will make liberal voters turn their backs on the party. By Choe Chong-dae In the early 1980s, I was frequently invited by H.E. Archbishop Luciano Angeloni, then Italian Holy See Ambassador to Korea, to dinner at Italian restaurant La Cantina, so that we can share interesting views on Korean history, culture and religion. Since then, I have become familiar with Italian cuisine and its various specialties such as pizza and spaghetti. Designated as Future Seoul Heritage No. 2013-084, La Cantina is one of the oldest Italian restaurants in Seoul. Located close to Seoul City Hall, it was built in 1964 as part of the Samsung Insurance Building. With its brick walls, leather booths, intimate atmosphere and authentic Italian cuisine, the restaurant has attracted many foreign and Korean gourmands for over five decades. Food is an important part of Italy. Since ancient times, cooking and eating have been major components of Italian culture, vividly reflecting the country's history, regions and traditions. Italians have passed on their cooking skills and knowledge from one generation to the next. Italian cuisine's unique character is a result of centuries of testing in family kitchens. It would be difficult to describe the Italian cuisine without mentioning "The Silver Spoon," one of the most influential and bestselling Italian cookbooks over the past seven decades. Originally published in 1950 by famous Italian design and architectural magazine Domus, "The Silver Spoon" has become an instant classic. As a result, a select group of cooking experts was commissioned to collect a variety of traditional Italian home cooking recipes and to make them available for the first time to a wider, modern audience. In the process, they updated ingredients, quantities and methods to suit contemporary tastes and customs, at the same time preserving the memory of ancient recipes for future generations. Regarded as a bible for authentic Italian home cooking, the Silver Spoon now features over 2,000 updated recipes and is illustrated with 400 brand new, full-color photographs. A comprehensive and lively book, its uniquely stylish and user-friendly format makes it accessible and a pleasure to read for understanding the tradition of Italian culinary arts. The new updated edition features new introductory material covering such topics as how to compose a traditional Italian meal, typical food traditions of the different regions and how to set an Italian table. It also contains a new section of recipes by celebrity chefs specializing in traditional Italian cuisine, including Mario Batali, Lidia Bastianich, Tony Mantuano, Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbone. Recently, "The Silver Spoon" was translated into Korean by food critic Lee Yong-jae, and the Korean edition was published by Minum-sa Publishing Group. The book's launch ceremony took place at the Italian ambassador's residence on Nov. 23, 2017. In addition, the Italian Embassy in Seoul hosted the World Week of Italian Cuisine on Nov. 20 to 26, 2017, under the themes of quality, sustainability, culture, food security, the right to food, education, identity, territory and biodiversity. The event aimed to promote culinary traditions and high-quality food-and-wine connoisseurship as a distinctive trait of Italian identity and culture. Italian food and wine have gained tremendous popularity around the world, including in Korea. Korea is a target market for Italy, as illustrated by the volume of exchanges between the two countries in the fields of trade, culture and people. Approximately 800,000 Korean tourists visit Italy each year. As foreign wine is becoming increasingly more attractive to Korean consumers, the Italian government should put special efforts into promoting not only high-quality Italian food and wine pairings, with reference to the numerous labels guaranteeing the quality and origin of Italian wines, but also reasonably priced fine dining and drinking for Korean gourmands. Choe Chong-dae is a guest columnist of The Korea Times. He is president of Dae-kwang International Co. and director of the Korean-Swedish Association. He can be reached at choecd@naver.com. China should play more active role to change NK New tough sanctions imposed on North Korea by the U.N. Security Council on Friday sent a strong message that the international community is united in its attempts to force the recalcitrant country to stop its missile and nuclear programs. The key points of the punitive action, the fourth in a series of sanctions against Pyongyang this year, are to tighten limits on North Korea's refined oil imports and have its overseas workers returned to the country within two years. It is inevitable that the United Nations has stepped up its efforts to toughen sanctions to prod Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear ambitions and return to dialogue and negotiations to take the path of denuclearization and peace. However, it is still doubtful whether the sanctions will work to their intended effect. No matter how tough the measures are, there are usually loopholes which the reclusive country can take advantage of to avoid some of the punitive measures. Thus, it is important for all U.N. members, including China and Russia, to faithfully implement the sanctions. In this regard, Beijing Pyongyang's traditional ally needs to play a more active role to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis. This is not to say that China has done little so far. But to some extent, the Chinese leadership has given the impression that it wants to maintain the status quo on the Korean Peninsula to protect its national interests. Given complicated geopolitical factors, China apparently does not want to see any cataclysmic changes, including a collapse of the Kim Jong-un regime, take place in the North. It may think that the survival of the Kim regime is better than any unpredictable consequences. Therefore people are skeptical as to whether China has any real intention of applying more pressure on Pyongyang to end its nuclear blackmail. It is no secret that China has watered down the new sanctions against the North by opposing a U.S. demand that Beijing should stop crude oil supplies to Pyongyang. The UNSC resolution is to ban nearly 90 percent of refined petroleum exports, including diesel and kerosene, to the North by capping them at 500,000 barrels a year. And the crude oil supplies to the North are capped at 4 million barrels a year. Beijing could have taken a more aggressive approach to restricting its crude oil exports to Pyongyang if it had been serious about making the Korean Peninsula nuclear free. Everyone knows that China serves as a life line to the North as the former is the main supplier of crude oil to the latter. China should be a more responsible member of international society to ensure peace and stability in Northeast Asia and around the world. Seen is a demonstration of the Delivery Car application, a carsharing service developed by Hyundai Capital, on a smartphone screen, Monday / Courtesy of Hyundai Capital By Kim Yoo-chul With greater flexibility and the potential cost savings it can provide, carsharing is set for strong growth. Carsharing programs are changing how people across the country get around. These services offer consumers all the benefits of automobile ownership without the attendant high-fixed costs that include expenses such as purchase, insurance, maintenance and even parking. The expansion of carsharing is visibly changing the transportation landscape in urban areas and also offers new growth opportunities for financial institutes helping create new business through intense collaboration with small rental car companies. For young consumers and commuters, in particular, affordability and high operational and maintenance costs are enough to dissuade many of them from owning a vehicle, making carsharing programs an attractive alternative. Hyundai Capital, a Korea-based global financial company is aiming high in this business category. The financial arm of Hyundai Motor Group is riding on the booming commercial carsharing membership business in Korea with pushing its in-house "Delivery Car" brand. In a statement, Hyundai Capital said the beta version of its Delivery Car service has been available since September 6 of this year. It said Delivery Car aims at offering customized services upon customer requests. The program enhances the ease of use as it puts together the best features from delivery and carsharing. Specifically, Hyundai said Delivery Car is a business model which aims to pursue "shared growth" with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In its most basic form, carsharing is car rental by the hour. Providers include independently commercial firms and garages. High operation costs make it difficult for small rental car companies to launch carsharing services. Hyundai Capital said the company has teamed up with small car rental companies, letting them use the Hyundai-owned platform to reduce operational costs. Hyundai said its decision to share its rental platform with these companies resulted in having more rental firms that can work with the carsharing network. The statement said Hyundai Capital is responsible for handling all marketing activities and projects to help its rental partners build the carsharing system and providing finance. Its car rental partners are responsible for servicing the vehicles and operating systems. "By using the best resources that each partner company has, Delivery Car offers a high quality of service. Delivery Car offers a wider selection of vehicles from full-sized cars and SUVs to electric vehicles with help by our partners," a company official said in the statement. Extending the benefits of automobiles and comfort All carsharing vehicles must be returned on time to their original pick-up location at the end of the reservation. But customers using the Delivery Car service don't have to pay for extra time to pick up or return the cars as the statement said Delivery Car handles both. "The Delivery Car' agent will deliver the cars on time to customers at the location they designate. The agents will then brief the customers about key details associated with driving of the car. The Delivery Car agent will come to the customers' locations after they are finished using the car and take the car back. Therefore, customers don't need to worry about issues that are linked to car maintenance and security," said the statement. The company also compensates the customer up to 20,000 won ($18) if delivery is late. No other means of transportation provides the same valued combination of safety, comfort, convenience, utility and choice of route and schedule. Hyundai Capital is introducing an expanded array of services in different cities. In Jeju, the country's southern most resort island, Hyundai Capital is collaborating with the Jeju regional government to expand its electric vehicle-only carsharing service. Meanwhile, it has launched a "KTX-Delivery Car" program with Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) under which the two companies jointly promote programs aimed at expanding the traffic network. Other than these projects, Hyundai Capital also signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Jeju Air for joint promotional campaigns in services they will introduce later. "Carsharing's steady growth has been accompanied by a corresponding increase in studies of the phenomenon. The trends that will determine carsharing's future are becoming clearer. The Delivery Car business model will be truly beneficial to local rental car partners. Hyundai Capital welcomes more rental car partners," said the Hyundai official. Customers can use Delivery Car by downloading the application from Google Play or Apple app store. Users can start reserving vehicles after a simple self-verification process. For more information, visit www.deliverycar.co.kr. While ordering a re-examination of her appointment, the court made it clear that further decisions on the issue will only be taken after the probe. Cartoons come in many forms and flavors. Some are for children, some for children of all ages, some for viewers of all ages whether they feel like children or not, and some most definitely for adults only. They may share historical referents and bend to visual trends, but every cartoon literally shapes reality to its own ends. Creatively, things have been pretty good in television animation for three decades now, dating from Ralph Bakshis 1987 weirdsville Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures, which opened the door for historically informed individual vision and gave a start to a new generation of excited animators. As with live-action productions, cartoon TV tends to be stranger and scrappier than what you find on the big screen. TV also keeps old-school 2-D animation alive, tapping into visual traditions older than CGI and the birth of Pixar. And yet, although another good crop has come in, I havent managed to write about animation this year. Therefore, in the year-end spirit of rectification, before Baby 2018 drops an Acme-branded safe on the head of Old Man 2017, I offer some more and less recent series worth your while (and, sometimes, your kids). Advertisement Niko and the Sword of Light debuted on Amazon in July. The path it treads is broadly familiar darkness lays on the land, an evil wizard dispatches beastly minions to stop the plucky underdogs journeying to undo him though it finds its own way through the territory. Niko (Andre Robinson) is a 10-year-old hero, grown for the job but prematurely out of his cocoon; he has only a partial grasp of how the world works. There is a princess-heroine (Kari Wahlgren) and the inevitable furry wisecracking sidekick (Tom Kenny, who elsewhere is SpongeBob and the Ice King). Even at its darkest, the series feels like fun. Sample line: Are the waters in the Pools of Destiny drinkable, or are they for external use only? The animation is economical but fluid; the drawing, which recalls the work of Don Bluth (An American Tail, Dragons Lair) graceful; the backgrounds inviting. Disney XDs Duck Tales revives the late-'80s series, inspired by Carl Barks Uncle Scrooge comics, wherein Donald Ducks rich uncle has adventures with his grandnephews. The reboot, by Matt Youngberg (The Batman) and Francisco Angones (Wander Over Yonder), is most definitely set in the 21st century, but it has been made both with respect for the canon and the will to revise it. Its smart and self-aware. Nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie, traditionally distinguished only by the colors of their caps and shirts, have been given individual personalities, celebrity voices (Danny Pudi, Ben Schwartz and Bobby Moynihan, respectively) and oddly square heads. Webby, a cousin by proximity, also gets a personality upgrade and Kate Micucci to play her. Scrooge himself is played by David Tennant, the 10th Doctor, sporting his native Scottish accent. Assuredly not for tots is Big Mouth, a Netflix series co-created by Nick Kroll and starring Kroll and Oh, Hello partner John Mulaney as best friends facing puberty. A sort of enlightened gross sex comedy, more Freaks and Geeks than Porkys, it gives weight and psychology to boys and girls alike. (Parents are mostly just embarrassing.) THE YEAR IN REVIEW: 2017 in Entertainment For many reasons, some legal, this series could exist only as a cartoon (or, I suppose, a puppet show), and that its animated puts the human characters on the same plane as the walking penises and talking vaginas they imagine; the hormone monsters that haunt them; and the ghost of Duke Ellington (Jordan Peele), who lives in Nicks attic and gives advice. Middle schoolers will know from the inside its catalog of anxieties and humiliations; still, not every parent will be comfortable with letting them watch, as if that were something they could stop. Also not for kids is Adult Swims The Jellies. From Tyler the Creator Tyler the co-creator here, with Lionel Boyce it follows the adventures of a family of jellyfish and their teenage human son, Cornell (Phil LaMarr). The jellyfish part is mostly a visual conceit; indeed, Cornell is shocked to learn hes adopted. It has the carefree violence, sexual weirdness and surreal tenor of the Adult Swim brand, but the episodes Ive seen tend toward an agreeable, even a sentimental resolution, somewhere between hip-hop satire and O. Henry. The art is elemental yet oddly sophisticated, adaptable to a wide range of pop culture references and parodies. (Director Aaron Augenblicks credits include Wonder Showzen, Ugly Americans and Superjail!; it was an appropriate hire.) The rollicking Home: Adventures With Tip & Oh, whose third season (in two years) commenced on Netflix in August, is descended from the 2015 film Home, adapted in turn from Adam Rexs 2007 childrens book, The True Meaning of Smekday, and is distinct from both. (Thurop Van Orman, who created The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, and Ryan Crego developed it for television.) Tip (Rachel Crow) is an energetic young teenager with a cigar box electric guitar she calls Lady Oblivion, a single mother (Ana Ortiz) and an extraterrestrial best friend, Oh (Mark Whitten, doing a turn on Jim Parsons film rendition). Oh is a sensitive, excitable violet blob, with mop-like lower extremities, whose people live both among humans and in a city floating over Chicago. The series is loud and bright, rendered in biting oranges, yellows, purples and greens, with patterned backgrounds that do not respect perspective. It goes all kinds of places: a dangerous water park, a cat planet, the mall (Im just 13 in a teenage dream, a pitch-corrected voice sings, I love capitalism), an alien DMV. Cher the real Cher has guested as Cher from space. Similarly themed but more delicately rendered is Amazons poetical, knockabout Danger & Eggs. Phillip (Eric Knobel), an egg who lives in a giant chicken his mother in a city park, and D.D. (Aidy Bryant), a girl daredevil with a father in permanent traction, are best friends. Phillip is a brake on her recklessness; she pushes him through his caution. (He is an egg, after all). To deviate from ones map is to be adrift for all eternity, says Philip, but D.D., whose favorite adjective, adverb and noun is bananas, wouldnt know what to do with a map if she had one. Press coverage has often pointed to the fact that Shadi Petosky, who co-created the show with Mike Owens, is transgender, and that LGBTQ+ inclusiveness extends through the cast, crew and into the stories. But the show cheerily opens it arms to the whole wide world; images packed with detail and activity reflect that embrace. Ian Jones-Quartey, who helped develop Steven Universe with its creator, Rebecca Sugar, and is the voice of Wallow on Bravest Warriors, is the creator of Cartoon Networks OK K.O.! Lets Be Heroes, an endearing superheroes (mostly) versus supervillains show set in a shopping center. Like Steven Universe and Bravest Warriors (and Adventure Time, on which Jones-Quartey also worked), its about family and friends and love, even as it is full of monsters and robots and creatures from space. The drawing, which uses a rough line, has a handmade feel; there is something appealingly simple (though flexible and expressive) about the design of the characters that makes you want to draw them yourself makes you want to go out and make more cartoons! robert.lloyd@latimes.com Follow Robert Lloyd on Twitter @LATimesTVLloyd ALSO An interview with Bravest Warriors director Breehn Burns Welcome to a land of enchantment in Over the Garden Wall Matt Groening discusses The Simpsons hitting 500 episodes Television review: Bobs Burgers In a move that seems particularly Grinch-like at first glance, a Tokyo restaurant has banned couples from eating there on Christmas Eve. According to Sora News 24, a Italian restaurant called Pia Pia announced last week that it would be banning romantic couples from dining there on Christmas Eve. The restaurant made the announcement via a post on the company blog, and by means of a large sign in the window that featured a pair of romantic, cuddling figures with a big X drawn through them. https://twitter.com/vega61433736/status/943806515672113152 Advertisement Christmas Eve is a big romantic holiday for couples in Japan. Friends and family typically eat together at home, but romantic couples tend to go out and have a splashy romantic dinner. Its a lot like Valentines Day celebrations in the U.S., and Italian restaurants are a particular favorite among couples, according to Sora News 24s Casey Baseel. Pia Pias romance ban is like a U.S. restaurant banning couples on Valentines Day, which some restaurants do, much to the delight of single people everywhere. Some people were grumpy about Pia Pias ban and said it was tantamount to discrimination against people in relationships, but the restaurant says its been doing its couple-free Christmas Eve promotion for about four years now, and the owner says its a big success. There are plenty of restaurants full of romance on December 24. For any single people who just want to eat spaghetti without being surrounded by love, theres Pia Pia. And for everybody skipping restaurants entirely on Christmas Eve, here are 31 simple recipes because the holidays are difficult enough. View slideshow More on Christmas The two Cambodian refugees living in Northern California had been convicted of crimes years ago and, under the Trump administrations more aggressive immigration enforcement policies, those offenses had placed them on a path toward deportation. But on Saturday, Gov. Jerry Brown announced the pardons of both men Mony Neth of Modesto and Rottanak Kong of Davis saying they had paid their debts to society and now lived honest and upright lives. Immigration is a federal, not state, responsibility, but attorneys for the men hope the pardons will eliminate the rationale for deporting them. Across the country, immigration attorneys are doing the same: seeking gubernatorial pardons in last-ditch attempts to forestall deportations or allow the deported to return to the U.S. Advertisement Targeting convicted criminals for deportation isnt a new idea; it was a priority under President Obama, who deported more people than any of his predecessors. But during the Obama administration, only those with serious crimes on their records were targeted for removal. President Trump has cast a much wider net. Shortly after his inauguration, Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Homeland Security to prioritize the removal of people in the U.S. illegally who have criminal convictions. In addition to speeding up the deportation of convicts, Trumps orders also called for quick removal of people in the country illegally who are charged with crimes and waiting for adjudication. And federal officials began to act swiftly. In June, immigration authorities in Michigan rounded up more than 100 Iraqi nationals with criminal backgrounds. A month later, about 40 of them asked Republican Gov. Rick Snyder for pardons. Among those seeking a reprieve was Usama Hamama, 54, who co-owns a market in the Detroit area. Hamama, who came to the United States as a refugee when he was 11, was convicted of felony assault and carrying a gun in a vehicle in 1988. He was sentenced to two years in prison. Since 1992, he has faced the threat of deportation, but that hadnt been a real possibility until the Trump administration. Hamamas attorney, Bill Swor, who works closely with the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, described his clients crime as a low-level road rage incident. Since then, he said, Hamama has raised a family and opened his small business. A pardon would wipe clean this offense and his record, Swor said of Hamama, who is being held in a federal immigration detention facility in Michigan. He was in the country legally when the offense occurred, so a pardon takes us back to that status. Last month, Hamamas 12-year-old daughter, Lindsey, wrote a letter to a federal judge overseeing her fathers case. She also sent a copy to the governor. All I want for Christmas, she wrote, is my dad home and nothing else. The governors office has not made a decision on a pardon. Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican, received a similar plea this one from an Army veteran with a felony drug conviction. Miguel Perez Jr., 39, joined the military in 2001 as a legal permanent resident and served two tours in Afghanistan. In 2008, he was convicted of distributing less than 100 grams of cocaine. Perez, a native of Mexico, served half of his 15-year prison sentence but had his residency revoked as a result of the conviction and is being held in a detention center in Wisconsin. Rauner hasnt decided whether hell grant the pardon. Gubernatorial pardons dont guarantee an immigrant facing deportation could remain in the U.S., but they might have an effect, said Jason Cade, an associate professor of law at the University of Georgia, who characterized it as a case-by-case issue. For example, Cade said, if an immigrant has a drug conviction that makes them subject to deportation and that conviction is pardoned, then deportation should no longer be an option. The bottom line is that full and unconditional pardons should absolutely be effective as a defense against deportation in cases where the conviction triggers certain removal categories specifically those targeting aggravated felonies or multiple criminal convictions, said Cade, who has written extensively on immigration law. Though the federal government may still have grounds to deport someone, Cade said, a pardon might lead authorities to exercise favorable discretion. But that hasnt always happened. This year, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, pardoned Liliana Cruz Mendez, a mother of two who lived in the suburbs outside Washington. Cruz Mendez, who was in the country illegally from El Salvador, was stopped for a minor traffic infraction in 2014; her car had a blown-out headlight. George Escobar, senior director at CASA an immigrant rights group in the Washington area called McAuliffes pardon a show of solidarity for her cause and the belief she should not have to leave this country. We had hoped that it would sway Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said Escobar, who had worked to secure her pardon. Unfortunately that was not the case. Federal immigration officials deported Cruz Mendez this summer. But for others, especially people with green cards or other legal status, pardons have helped. Another common thread: living in a state with a Democratic governor who perhaps is looking to push back against the Trump administration. In May, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, pardoned Rene Lima-Marin, who in 2008 was mistakenly released early from prison, where he was serving time for a robbery conviction. Lima-Marin, who had fled Cuba in the 1980s, got married, had a son and started working. Six years later, in 2014, Colorado officials realized the mistake and took him back into custody. This year, days after a judge released Lima-Marin, Hickenlooper pardoned him. Even so, Lima-Marin sits in an immigration detention center, though his attorneys are hopeful he will be released. In terms of rehabilitation, he demonstrated an ability to contribute to the fabric of his community and Colorado, Hickenlooper said during a news conference around the time of the pardon. He rebuilt his life. Hes become a law-abiding, productive member of his community. But in a different case this fall, Hickenlooper denied a pardon request from Ingrid Encalada Latorre, who has found sanctuary in churches throughout Colorado for much of the last year. Latorre, a native of Peru, has been living in the United States illegally for 15 years. We carefully look at each case and take a holistic approach when considering an application, Hickenlooper said in an email. Clemency is not the solution to our countrys broken immigration system. In California, Brown, a Democrat, has issued pardons that touched the lives of those facing deportation as well as those already removed from the country. In 2015, Brown pardoned Eddy Zheng, an immigrant fighting deportation after spending more than two decades in prison for a robbery conviction. Zheng and his family immigrated to the U.S. in the 1980s from China. He remains in the U.S. and became a naturalized citizen in this year. The pardons announced Saturday were granted to Neth, who was convicted on a felony weapons charge in 1995, and Kong, who was convicted on felony joyriding in 2003. In his pardon message, among several dozen issued, Brown said that since Neth and Kong left prison, both had gone on to become law-abiding citizens. Of Kong, he added, Indeed, several individuals wrote in support of Mr. Kong, describing him as kind and generous, and as a role model to those who face insurmountable challenges in their lives. Last spring, Brown pardoned two former Marines, Erasmo Apodaca Mendizabal and Marco Antonio Chavez, as well as former soldier Hector Barajas Varela. All three had received honorable discharges from the military but later were convicted of crimes and eventually deported. An immigration judge reinstated Chavezs green card in November after Browns pardon. On Thursday, after 15 years in Mexico, Chavez returned to the U.S. Moments after walking across the border near San Diego, he told reporters that he could hardly believe that this year his Christmas morning would begin with a hug from his relatives. Former Marine Marco Chavez, right, is hugged by combat veteran Nathan Fletcher, who along with others worked to get Chavez back into the U.S. after he was deported to Mexico 15 years ago. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune ) kurtis.lee@latimes.com Twitter: @kurtisalee The top leadership of the Miss America Organization has resigned, sweeping out officials implicated in an email scandal that targeted past pageant winners for abuse based on their appearance, intellect and sex lives. CEO Sam Haskell resigned from the Atlantic City, N.J.-based organization on Saturday, a day after he was suspended by the board. Also on Saturday, President Josh Randle and Chairman Lynn Weidner resigned. The organization announced the resignations a day after dozens of former Miss Americas signed a petition calling on the groups leadership to step down. Advertisement The emails were leaked to the Huffington Post, which first reported on them Thursday. 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. 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. In separate statements, the Miss America board confirmed the resignations of Randle, who became president in May and at 29 was the youngest to hold that position with the organization, as well as Haskell and Weidner. 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. Several of the emails targeted Mallory Hagan, who won the 2013 pageant, claiming she had gained weight after winning and speculating about how many men she had sex with. Miss New York Mallory Hytes Hagan after she was crowned Miss America 2013 in Las Vegas. (Isaac Brekken / AP ) 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 Associated Press 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 is 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. 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. For two years, the Nigerian military has claimed to have defeated Boko Haram, the Islamist militant group that has terrorized the countrys northeast since 2009. But even if the government has regained much of the territory once controlled by the group, the fight is far from over. Close to 2 million people remain displaced in northeast Nigeria, civilian victims who have become highly vulnerable to the threat of regular suicide bombings, food insecurity and even exploitation by their own security forces. A series of particularly deadly bombings in November and December killed dozens of people across the northeast. On Dec. 16, insurgents attacked an army convoy accompanying World Food Program-hired trucks in the northeastern state of Borno, the birthplace of Boko Haram. WFP spokesman George Fominyen said in an email that the convoy included 25 commercial trucks WFP had hired for transport, and that four people were killed, including one driver and his assistant. One truck was burned and another was taken, he said. Boko Haram has gained notoriety in part for its repeated practice of strapping bombs to young girls and sending them off to detonate in crowds. Elizabeth Pearson, a researcher at Kings College London, tracks female suicide bombings by Boko Haram. Through Dec. 12, she had recorded 83 such incidents this year. Thats a roughly twofold increase from the 37 incidents she tracked in 2016. Advertisement In 2015, there were a lot of reasons to feel like the military had made really good inroads into what Boko Haram was doing, but at the moment it feels that the situation is more out of control, she said. The attack on the WFP convoy came just days after the Nigerian government announced it would release $1 billion from an excess oil account to fight Boko Haram a decision that runs contrary to the militarys narrative that the group was defeated long ago. The move has raised questions about what the money will be used for and whether or not it will even be put toward the crisis in the northeast at all. Many have expressed concerns over how releasing such an immense amount of money will open up possibilities for corruption, especially with the 2019 presidential elections looming. If the money will be channeled to the humanitarian situation then its a welcome development, said Idayat Hassan, director at the Abuja-based Center for Democracy and Development West Africa. But if its basically just another fight in the military war, then its just a waste. In addition to the daily threat of violence, the conflict has set off an extensive humanitarian emergency. Recent data from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs shows that more than 5 million people are food insecure, and millions are suffering from acute malnutrition. Now, as the government seeks to secure Borno State, it is planning to fortify certain towns and their immediate surrounding areas. This strategy has raised alarms that the government will essentially relinquish the remaining areas of the countryside to Boko Haram, forcing vulnerable civilians to decide between leaving their properties and livelihoods or staying in areas where the military is not going to protect them. There are also concerns that it will allow for Boko Haram to infiltrate some of these fortified towns. If people are primarily farmers or fishers, what will they actually be doing in those garrison towns? Hassan said. The opportunity to farm or fish will be taken away from them, so youre not trying to end the insurgency and make them self-sufficient in the way people want. The past two years have proven that military might and money is not all it will take to defeat Boko Haram, which once controlled an area the size of Belgium. There is still a deep distrust of the government in northern Nigeria, an area that was left to fend largely for itself during Goodluck Jonathans former presidency, and which has seen less progress than it would like during President Muhammadu Buharis first term. The United Nations and Human Rights Watch have collected dozens of allegations from civilians who say they were sexually assaulted by Nigerian security forces, often in camps meant for people already displaced by violence in the region. Others have seen their family members locked up indefinitely after being accused of collaborating with Boko Haram. In a conversation in a community of displaced people in northeast Nigeria in May, a woman named Amina said Boko Haram kidnapped her daughter and grandchildren in May 2016. When the military liberated them, the children showed up in the town where their grandmother was staying, but without their mother. They said the military falsely suspected the mother was a voluntary wife of a Boko Haram militant, and threw her into a makeshift prison in one of their barracks in Maiduguri. Her family hasnt seen her since. We are afraid to go there, because if you want to go to the barracks, you have to have money to beg them, Amina said. But I have nothing. How can I ask for anything? Joe Siegle, director of research at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, said that at least by committing $1 billion to fighting Boko Haram, the government is publicly acknowledging that there is much more to be done. But it isnt just a matter of coming in with a stronger military presence because resources should also be focused on civilian engagement. What the government needs to be doing now is winning the trust of the local population, he said. Thats the real battle, the next chapter here thats where theyve failed. OGrady is a special correspondent. Perus president on Sunday granted disgraced former President Alberto Fujimori a pardon on humanitarian grounds, signaling the end of a decade of imprisonment for corruption and human rights charges. Fujimori was president from 1990 to 2000 but was forced from office after charges emerged that he was involved in illegal search operations, mass murder of leftists and the payment of millions of dollars to his former security advisor Vladimiro Montesinos. He was serving a 25-year prison sentence. Rumors that a pardon was in the works emerged Thursday after current President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski narrowly survived a congressional vote to oust him after opponents fell short of a two-thirds majority needed for removal. Legislators were reacting to moral incapacity charges related to $782,000 in payments made to his investment firm by the Brazil-based Odebrecht construction firm. Advertisement Kuczynski, who said he knew nothing of the payments, survived the vote because 10 members of the opposition bloc of congress members controlled by Fujimoris son Kenji unexpectedly abstained from voting. Congressman Clayton Galvan told a TV interviewer on Friday that the abstaining members were reacting to a plea that the elder Fujimori made from jail not to remove Kuczynski because it would derail the pardon that he expected to receive this week. Neither Kuczynski nor his advisors have confirmed that a deal was made in which Fujimori, who is reported to be in poor health, would be pardoned in exchange for Kuczynski staying in office. On Saturday night, Fujimori, 79, was transferred from Barbadillo Prison to a Lima hospital for treatment of heart problems. On Sunday, one of his doctors said he had been moved to the intensive care unit of Clinica Peruana Japonesa. The government said the pardon is effective immediately and that Fujimori can go free as soon as his doctors say he is medically fit to leave the hospital. Fujimori and his family have been campaigning for a pardon for several years. His daughter Keiko is overall leader of the majority Fujimorista faction in congress and twice an unsuccessful candidate for president. The disgraced former president enjoyed enormous popularity in Peru in the 1990s for his successful military campaign to rid the nation of the leftist Shining Path rebel group. He also dedicated public funds to build new schools and roads in remote areas of the nation. But reports of videotaped bribes paid by Montesinos to judges and politicians and other corrupt practices turned public opinion against Fujimori shortly after he began serving his third presidential term in 2000. Rather than face justice, Fujimori resigned and fled to Japan. In 2005, he went to Chile and tried to negotiate his return to politics with Perus then-president, Alejandro Toledo. Instead, the Chileans arrested him and extradited him to Peru in 2007 to face trial. The pardon is certain to spark outrage from some Peruvians who say the crimes of Fujimori, which included the alleged backing of secret death squads and the sterilization of thousands of indigenous and peasant women, were serious enough to warrant life in prison. Kuczynski, whose administration was weakened by the congressional vote last week and who still faces an inquiry on alleged corruption, may be further debilitated by the political fallout from the pardon. Special correspondents Leon reported from Lima and Kraul from Bogota, Colombia. Irish Water revealed that they could not be sure whether water usage at older houses was shared with neighbours, later confirming that domestic properties in Portlaoise had no meters at all. The admission came after Portlaoise couple Karl and Katie Meehan found yellow beads in their water that came from someone else's water treatment system. Further investigation by the Leinster Express found 16 meters in Peppers lane to measure business water usage, showing the lack of Irish Water's knowledge of its own water metering system. The Enva oil treatment plant in Portlaoise failed another odour test, with further complaints by residents. The Leinster Express announced the return of its Laois People of the Year Awards, to take place in early 2018. Cannabis worth 100,000 was seized by gardai on the motorway near Portlaoise, along with 85,000 worth of cocaine, ecstasy and MDMA, and amphetamines worth 45,000. Heartless thieves targeted a building site in Portlaoise, stealing copper boilers and cylinders and ripping out copper piping. Tthe crime happened at Ashewood Walk near Beladd where local developer Aston Homes was building homes. There was a spate of burglaries across Laois, with cash, jewellery and power tools among the items taken. Five houses were hit in the Ballylinan area in early March. Others were burgled in Rosenallis,Mountrath and two in Portlaoise. 500 litres of oil was stolen from a Ballylinan home. Portlaoise councillor Noel Tuohy claimed that people were letting their dogs defecate in Portlaoise cemetery, with the council asked by Cllr Willie Aird to take on extra staff to combat dumping. Research showed that the Electric Picnic is worth 8 million to Laois, with half spent in Stradbally village. Laois councillors effectively banned windfarms. They had set a 1.5km setback distance in the new county development plan, but added a map removing all areas zoned for wind. Council management warned that the vote could be overturned, which it later was. People Over Wind succeeded in delaying construction at Cullenagh Wind Farm when a High Court judge decided to refer a planning decision to the European Court of Justice. Laois County Council sealed a deal with Supermacs MD Pat McDonagh to buy 76 acreas of motorway land at Togher, for 1.75 million, with the aim to attract new industry to Laois. What was your personal highlight of 2017? Seeing our PATH group going from strength to strength Did you achieve all you wanted to achieve in 2017? No. I didn't get to finish some courses I'd started What was your biggest disappointment/regret of 2017? Don't do regrets or politics but disappointed in our Government. What was a standout moment for you in 2017 in the cultural sphere A very good read is "All will be Well"by Fr. Paddy Byrne Who was the standout personality for you in 2017? A standout personality for me is our local curate Paddy Byrne a man well grounded and in touch with reality. What are your goals/ambitions for 2018? To push for an outreach centre in Portlaoise where people will be listened to and encouraged . What is on your 'To Do' list in 2018? To listen more intently to people What is your biggest fear for 2018? Climate change and waste. Aside from yourself who would you like to see be successful in 2018? Senator Frances Black a woman with wise words of my friends What sporting event would you most like to attend in 2018? All Ireland Hurling Final What cultural event would you most like to attend in 2018? Andrew Boccelli concert in Dublin Who would you say is 'One to Watch' in 2018? Donald Trump. He holds a lot of power in his hand too much maybe What are your hopes for Laois in 2018? That our hospital here in Portlaoise will be upgraded and used to it's full potential. THE Limerick man who died in a motorway car crash in England has been named as Shane Stokes, originally of Lisnagry. Widespread tributes have been paid to the 29-year-old, who died on Saturday - hours before travelling to catch a plane back home for Christmas. The following morning, he was due to travel to catch a flight back to Shannon for Christmas. His girlfriend and co-passenger Ashley is understood to be in a serious condition in hospital. A message sent by UL Bohs confirmed the "terrible news", with his father Gerry a former director of rugby there. He had planned to travel to Shannon Airport with his wife to welcome their son home late on Christmas Eve. "It's just such a tragedy, I cannot comprehend it. It's a parent's worst nightmare," said local Fianna Fail councillor Joe Pond, "Christmas is supposed to be a joyous time of year, and for something like this to happen, for two parents expecting their son home is just awful." The Fianna Fail councillor called on the local community to rally around the Stokes family - whose grandparents had owned a pharmacy at the Dublin Road - at this difficult time. "He was a lovely young man at the outset of his career," fellow councillor Marian Hurley added. A former Castletroy College student, Shane had moved to Britain to chase his dream of becoming a motor racing driver. He worked at the club owned by leading touring car driver Rob Austin at Rockingham in Northamptonshire. In a Facebook post, the driver said Shane was a "good luck charm" since joining the club. "He has progressed to become a pivotal and much loved member of our team and a true friend. He was strong and supportive for us in the tough times, something I will never forget and he was a larger than life character in the padlock who was loved by many. He was without question a special guy who had a heart of gold and he will be deeply and sorely missed," Rob wrote. A separate post added: "He was a gentle giant, and would help anyone, someone you could rely on, and who always gave 100%," the post added. Shane worked as a parts manager for Legends Racing UK, based in Cranleigh, Surrey. For more, stay with the Limerick Leader. Albany Former Gov. Eliot Spitzer took steps to end the controversial hiring practices that are the focus of an ongoing FBI investigation into Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration. Cuomo's office has characterized the federal probe as a "charade" and argued there is a longstanding practice of appointing people to jobs in the Executive Chamber while paying them through state agencies and public authorities. The system allows governors to make high-salaried political hires while escaping criticism for inflating their budgets. It's unclear why the FBI is investigating the practice that state officials said dates back decades. Spitzer took office at the beginning of 2007. A copy of Spitzer's 2007-2008 preliminary budget materials stated that his administration would change the hiring practice, which was widely used by his predecessor, Gov. George Pataki. It was part of a broader pledge by Spitzer to make state budgeting much more transparent. "This appropriation level supports Executive Chamber staff funded by other state agencies in 2006-2007 and prior years," the Spitzer records state. "Given the governor's commitment to increasing the transparency of state government, certain staff positions and related funding previously not reflected in the Executive Chamber budget have been included herein to more fully reflect the true cost of the Executive Chamber." Pataki's final budget had estimated there were 153 Executive Chamber employees. Spitzer's budget proposal from January 2007 listed an estimated 189 Executive Chamber employees a number that now included the budget lines Pataki had farmed out to agencies. Spitzer's budget documents stated that the Executive Chamber would be taking up about $3 million in staffing costs, which under Pataki had been paid for by 20 different agencies, not the Executive Chamber. The size of the Executive Chamber staff remained the same 189 in Spitzer's second proposed budget a year later. Darren Dopp, Spitzer's spokesman early in the governor's tenure, said he had argued internally to continue the practice of hiring on agency and authority lines to some degree. That was in part based on Dopp's experience working for Gov. Mario Cuomo. "I was one who argued on the inside not to do away with this ability," Dopp recalled. "I said: 'You (Spitzer) might want to use it one day for a task force or work group on some special project.' The example I gave was myself. During the Mario days, I was, for a while, on the Department of State payroll, but I worked on the second floor on a mandate relief project. When I said that, everyone more or less agreed, but I know there was an effort to reduce the practice." Spitzer resigned amid a prostitution scandal in March 2008, weeks before his second budget would have passed the Legislature. In the following two budget proposals of his successor Gov. David Paterson, who governed during the height of the Great Recession, the number of estimated Executive Chamber employees began to drop. Paterson's office had estimated that by March 2011, when Cuomo would pass his budget, there would be 164 Executive Chamber employees. In Cuomo's first budget proposal, his administration put the number of Executive Chamber employees much lower, estimating that 136 people would be on the Executive Chamber payroll as of March 2011, when his first budget would pass. Even as the Cuomo administration staffed up, the number of Executive Chamber employees it has estimated having in budget proposals has remained static: At 136 for every Executive Budget Agency Presentation during Cuomo's tenure, according to Division of Budget records. An analysis by the Times Union in November 2016 found that more than 40 percent of the Executive Chamber staff was actually on the payroll of public authorities or agencies. At the time, there were 209 Executive Chamber employees, according to documents obtained through an open records requests. But Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office said only 120 were being paid by the Executive Chamber. cbragg@timesunion.com 518-454-5303 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's latest emergency decree risks inciting political violence by giving legal cover to pro-government vigilantes, opposition parties and legal authorities warned. The order, declared in the Official Gazette on Sunday, grants sweeping immunity for acting against terrorism or attempts to overthrow the government. Civilians won't face legal consequences for actions against last year's coup attempt -- or more importantly -- anything that could be considered its "continuation," the decree said. Erdogan and his allies regularly accuse political opponents of furthering the agenda of coup plotters, raising concern - and fear - about how broadly the decree will be interpreted. Opposition parties led by the Republican People's Party, or CHP, said the measure provides immunity not just to those who fought back a failed coup attempt by a faction of the military on July 15, 2016, but to supporters of the government intent on stifling political dissent. "They've paved the way for anyone who claims to be fighting against terrorism to slaughter everybody else," Ozgur Ozel, a CHP parliament whip, said in televised remarks in the western province of Manisa. "They will unleash vigilantes on us in a future democratic rally and will face no charges." Ozel's comments were echoed across Turkey's normally fractured opposition spectrum. Meral Aksener, a former interior minister who leads the newly established Iyi Party, said in a Twitter post that the decree risks dragging Turkey into a civil war by allowing civilians to use weapons on the pretext of suppressing rebellion. It also legitimizes use of paramilitary forces, according to Ziya Pir, a lawmaker with the pro-Kurdish party HDP. Even Abdullah Gul, a former president who co-founded the AKP with Erdogan, warned of "events that could upset us all" and called for the law to be revised. Its wording is "inappropriate for legal language and is worrying from the perspective of rule of law," he said on Twitter, in an unusual criticism of his successor's policies. More than 200 people including civilians were killed on the night of the coup attempt. There have also been widespread accusations of violence against rank-and-file soldiers who were following their commanders' orders. The decree was vaguely worded in terms of its timeframe and its targets. Party spokesman Mahir Unal said it only applied to events that took place on July 15-16, 2016, but that timeline isn't spelled out in the order. Ayhan Bilgen, spokesman for the HDP, questioned why the act was written to apply to terrorism if the intent, as Unal said, was only to grant immunity for acts in the two days around the attempted coup. Tusiad, Turkey's largest business group, called for an overhaul of the decree and a complete end to the state of emergency, citing possible future grievances due to vague clauses in the law. Metin Feyzioglu, head of the national bar association, said in a video posted on Facebook that he was "horrified" by the decree, which he said appears designed to exempt pro-government actors from the legal consequences of political violence. He called on Erdogan to immediately retract it. "People on the streets are going to start shooting one another in the head," Feyzioglu said. "You just passed a law that allows citizens to kill one another, to lynch one another, without any punishment or compensation -- what have you done?" Sunday's decrees add to a long list of government decisions issued under the state of emergency declared after last year's failed putsch. Emergency rule allows Erdogan to govern with decrees that carry the force of law, bypassing parliamentary and judicial oversight. The head of Turkey's top court said earlier this year that the court has no authority to rule on the legality of emergency measures. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said after imposition of the state of emergency last year that it would never be used for decisions related to economic policies, but that also hasn't been the case. The latest batch of decrees included several economic measures, among them an executive order allowing the transfer of a majority stake in state-run lender Turkiye Vakiflar Bankasi TAO from the state foundation that owned it to the Treasury. A spokesman for Yildirim's office declined to comment when contacted by phone on Monday. The office of presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, who's accompanying Erdogan on a trip to Sudan, also said it couldn't immediately respond to opposition criticism of the measure. TOKYO - Japan and Australia are expected to broadly conclude in mid-January a visiting forces agreement (VFA), which would foster smooth operation of the Self-Defense Forces and the Australian military when either visits the other nation, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull plans to visit Japan and hold talks with his counterpart Shinzo Abe to confirm the agreement, according to sources close to both governments. With an eye to starting talks on a similar pact with Britain by the end of 2018, Tokyo intends to deepen international security cooperation through multiple avenues by strengthening coordination with "quasi-allies" - in addition to the United States - should circumstances on the Korean Peninsula and in the East and South China seas grow more severe. A VFA comprehensively stipulates the legal status of foreign forces engaged in temporary activities, such as joint exercises and disaster-relief missions, in a nation's territory. The broad agreement with Canberra would be Tokyo's first-ever VFA accord, though it has concluded a status of forces agreement with the United States premised on the long-term presence of its ally's forces in Japan. In the talks between Japan and Australia, which began in 2014, the two governments agreed to implement such measures as simplifying procedures when the SDF or the Australian military temporarily stay in either country for joint exercises and other missions, by exempting customs on carried items and granting permission to bring arms and ammunition. The two leaders are expected to confirm their agreement on these points at their meeting in January. In cases where relevant parties including defense forces personnel commit crimes in either country, the law of the country in which the crime was committed, in principle, will take priority. Tokyo and Canberra will continue talks on such cases, as additional time is necessary to clarify details on exceptions and the specific scope of the rules, among other issues. The two governments aim to officially reach an agreement on the VFA and begin implementation by the end of 2019. Behind Tokyo's effort to develop VFAs lies its recent focus on conducting joint drills between the SDF and foreign forces. In 2015, the Ground Self-Defense Force participated in U.S.-Australia joint exercises for the first time. The Air Self-Defense Force also plans to hold its first joint drill with the Royal Australian Air Force in Japan next year. In the meantime, Japan and Britain agreed to aim to conduct joint drills on a regular basis at so-called two-plus-two talks between their foreign and defense ministers on Dec. 14. They are pursuing a conclusion to the VFA with an aim to expand the drills. A VFA is expected to have the effect of "demonstrating a bilateral relationship of trust both within and outside" the two countries, according to a senior official at the Defense Ministry. Tokyo intends to expand its security cooperation network based on Abe's "free and open Indo-Pacific strategy" in a bid to strengthen deterrence against North Korea and to warn against China's maritime advances. The Kremlin is "concerned" about the possibility the U.S. might further expand sanctions on Russia, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "We don't want to be in a situation where our bilateral relations, which are already in a rather pitiful state, could face even bigger and possibly unbearable risks and dangers," Peskov told conference call Monday. "We have concerns about sanctions, but we don't know what they will be, since it's all still discussions that aren't based on any official information." Since the limits were first imposed in 2014, the Kremlin has sought to play down their impact, rarely admitting worry about new ones. But a new U.S. law that took effect in August calls for the Treasury to compile a list of business tycoons and companies seen as close to the Kremlin as potential targets for more sanctions. The law also calls for a report on the possible impact of imposing restrictions on the purchase of Russian government debt by U.S. investors. The "oligarch list" has raised fears among wealthy Russians, while debt limits could complicate the government's borrowing plans. Last week, as the U.S. added the names of several prominent Russians to its sanctions list, President Vladimir Putin approved a plan to issue special bonds to allow wealthy local investors worried about sanctions to bring money back into the country. "President Putin consistently says that we view these sanctions as illegal and that Russia in principle doesn't plan to discuss lifting them," Peskov said, adding that Russia would retaliate for any new measures the U.S. imposes. His comments came after Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov blamed the deep freeze in relations with the U.S. on "the Russophobic hysteria that has afflicted the Washington political establishment." In an interview with the official RIA Novosti news agency, he said that while Putin and President Donald Trump have spoken several times in recent weeks by phone, there have been no discussions of when the next face-to-face meeting might take place. "I don't think the term 'iron curtain' is applicable to Russian-American relations at present," he said. "More likely, we're talking about another episode of McCarthyism," he added, referring to the 1950s anti-Communist campaigning by then-Sen. Joseph McCarthy. A 1-year-old who was abducted by his father Sunday has been found safe, the Springfield Police Department in Missouri said Monday. An amber alert was issued Sunday for Eli Bandurovskiy, 1, after his father, Viktor Bandurovskiy, kidnapped him, police said. Authorities at one point believed the two could be in Houston, and that Bandurovskiy might harm his son. The San Antonio Police Department gave an early Christmas gift to some South Texas school districts who are still rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey. San Antonio police showed off their officers for a "hot cop" calendar, which raised more than $20,000, according to a video they posted. A 34-year-old mother from Mercedes may face the death penalty after Hidalgo County sheriff deputies say she suffocated her one-month-old daughter, according to a ValleyCentral.com report. On Saturday, the sheriff's office received a call from Maria Guadalupe Cardenas, 34, who told dispatchers she just killed her infant. Deputies responded to the home around 1:24 p.m., according to the report. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. A man who appeared at last weeks sitting of Longford District Court charged under the Public Order Act was sentenced to 200 hours community service following a hearing into the matter. John McKeon (29), 97 Gleann Riada, Longford appeared before Judge Seamus Hughes charged with engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour at Townspark, Longford on September 22, 2017. Outlining the evidence to the court, Inspector Donal Sweeney said that on the date in question, gardai responded to a call about a man acting suspiciously in the Townspark area of the town. When they got there Mr McKeon was on his bicycle outside Aldi and he was roaring and shouting down the phone, added Inspector Sweeney. Gardai tried to speak to him but he became aggressive and started to shout at and abuse them. He was then arrested and taken to Longford Garda Station. Meanwhile, the court heard that when gardai arrived at the scene they parked alongside the defendant in the hope of having a conversation with him. They identified themselves, the court was told and when gardai asked Mr McKeon to put down the phone, he refused and continued shouting and roaring. He then put the phone down and started shouting and roaring at the Gardai, Inspector Sweeney continued. He told the Gardai to f**k off and attempted to cycle away. The court was then told that the defendant had 69 previous convictions including convictions for assault and endangerment. Judge Hughes then asked the defendant if he was a native of Longford and Mr McKeon told him that he wasnt but had lived in Mullingar and subsequently moved to this area with his girlfriend. Somebody from Aldi rang the gardai and said you were acting the maggot outside the store, the Judge fumed at the defendant. Garda Fallon saw you shouting on the phone and then you turned on him - what sort of a pup are you? You have no respect whatsoever. Judge Hughes then ordered the defendant to engage in 200 hours community service. You show up and do a satisfactory job - no ifs or buts about it, he added before bringing matters to a conclusion. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Left Wins in Nepal heralding Prospect of Political Stability by Barun Das Gupta In the parliamentary elections in Nepal held recently, the two Communist PartiesK.P. Sharma Oli-led Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist) and Pushpa Kanta Dahal (Prachanda)-led Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) have won the majority, relegating the Nepali Congress to the third position. The CPN(UML) won 81 seats, followed by the CPN(MC) with 36. The NC had to be satisfied with just 23 seats. What is more, the two Communist Parties, which were once at daggers drawn, have decided to bury the hatchet and are reportedly planning to merge and form a single Communist Party. Nepals politics was bedevilled by instability almost for ten years since the monarchy was overthrown in December, 2007. No party could gain an absolute majority and due to their mutual rivalries no stable government could be formed. Even the framing of a new Constitution was delayed due to this. This time the Nepali Congress failed to make the mark largely because of the inability of its leader, former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, to spell out the partys political policy and what it would do if returned to power. The decision of the two CPs to fight the elections together was yet another blow to the NC and made it jittery. It tried to hurriedly stitch together a joint front with the Madhesi parties which are strong in southern Nepal. What is more, in its eagerness to keep the Left out of power, the NC also took in the Rashtriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) which stands openly for restoration of the monarchy and making Nepal a Hindu Rashtra. In the just held elections, the RPP managed to win only one seat, signifying its total rejection by the people. It may be recalled that when the Nepali Constitution was being drafted, the BJP wanted Nepal, an overwhelmingly Hindu majority country, to declare itself a Hindu Rashtra. But the two CPs were firm in their resolve to make Nepal a secular state which it eventually became, much to the chagrin of the Hindutvavadis of India. The BJP is believed to have tried to influence the Constitution-makers of Nepal in favour of a Hindu Rashtra. This did not go down well with the people of Nepal who took it as an unwarranted interference by Indias ruling party in Nepals domestic politics. What strained relations between the two countries further was the blockade of the Indo-Nepal border in September, 2015. Outwardly, the blockade was organised by the Madhesis, the people of Indian origin settled in the southern part of Nepal, because of the perceived discrimination made to them in the draft Nepali Constitution. But the Nepali people knew it well that the blockade had the full support of New Delhi. The blockade was unwise and counter-productive. By bringing Nepals economy virtually on the brink of a collapse, the Indian rulers not only alienated the Nepali people but drove Nepal closer to China. Being a landlocked country Nepal has been entirely dependent on her supplies through India. The blockade lent an urgency to building the China-Nepal railway link, connecting Tibet to Nepal and thus opening for Nepal an alternative route for essential supplies. After the present elections, New Delhi will have to reconcile itself to the reality that it can no longer adopt the attitude of Big Brother to Nepal. A fine-tuning of our diplomacy in relation to Nepal is imperative. The Indian Governments suspicion that a Left victory would ipso facto bring Nepal under the greater influence of China also did not contribute to forging closer Indo-Nepal ties. K. P. Sharma Oli not long ago enjoyed the confidence of New Delhi. But Indias dealing with Nepal drove him closer to China. New Delhi will have to disabuse itself of the perception that Nepal is pro-China and anti-India. The reality is otherwise. Last month, Nepal cancelled a $2.5 billion hydel project which was to have been built with Chinese assistance. The contract to build the biggest hydro-electric project to generate 1400 MW of power was given to the Gezhouba Group Corporation of China. It was Nepals Energy Minister, Kamal Thapa, who is also the countrys Deputy Prime Minister, who announced the cancellation, citing irregularities in awarding the contract to the Chinese company. (The contract was reportedly given without inviting tenders.) India, on the other hand, is building two hydel power plants in Nepalone by the GMR group and the other by the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam, each with a capacity to generate 900 MW of power. As Nepal has vast hydro-electric potential, Indo-Nepal cooperation in this field will be of great mutual benefit. The rising hostility of China towards India makes it incumbent on India to widen and deepen friendship and cooperation with Nepal. Preconceived notions and opinions about Nepal have to give place to a pragmatic and realistic policy based on the realisation that Nepal is a sovereign country and that India will have to take and treat it as an equal. The author was a correspondent of The Hindu in Assam. He also worked in Patriot, Compass (Bengali), Mainstream. A veteran journalist, he comes from a Gandhian family and was intimately associated with the RCPI leader, Pannalal Das Gupta. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > When Rahul Comes .......! by Binoy Viswam The mood in the Congress can be called a mood of euphoria. Congress workers, young and old, are celebrating Rahul Gandhis elevation to the presidentship of the Congress. They are destined to believe that this promotion would bring about a sea-change in the course of the history of their party and the nation. They have every right to be jubilant after a long period of distress and disappointment. Leaders like A.K. Antony went to the extent of drawing parallels between the happenings at the 1929 Lahore Congress and the present seanario. It was at the Lahore session of the Congress 88 years ago that Jawaharlal Nehru took over the reins of the party from Motilal Nehru. Moreover it was at that session that the Congress adopted the goal of poorna swaraj (complete independence). Until then, the party, founded in 1885, was demanding only dominion status under the British crown. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his own style compared it with the change of guard in the Mughal dynasty. As it often happens, debates revolved around this. Such war of words is just much ado about nothing. Matters related to policies are never discussed in such kind of debates. People should seek answers from Rahul and the Congress on pertinent questions related to policies. The country is eager to know about Rahul Gandhis ideas as regards the future India, in which direction he intends to lead the Congress? Conspicuously Rahul Gandhi is silent on such serious matters, though in recent months he has been more vocal than in the past. This was not the case with Nehru. At the historic Lahore session Nehru took over the stewardship of the party in order to give a new vision to the Congress. Nehru was eager to give a new face and new soul to the Congress to transform it into an instrument to fight for poorna swaraj. In his presidential speech Nehru said; Brick by brick has our national movement been built up, and often on the prostrate bodies of her martyred sons has India advanced. .....When everything is changing it is well to remember the long course of Indian history. Few things in history are more amazing than the wonderful stability of the social structure in India which withstood the impact of numerous alien influences and thousands of years of change and conflict. It withstood them because it always sought to absorb them and tolerate them. Its aim was not to exterminate but to establish an equilibrium between different cultures. Aryans and non-Aryans settled down together recognising each others right to their culture, and outsiders who came, like the Parsis, found a welcome and a place in the social order. With the coming of the Muslims the equilibrium was disturbed, but India sought to restore it, and largely succeeded. Unhappily for us, before we could adjust our differences, the political structure broke down, the British came and we fell.... ....Great as was the success of India in evolving a stable society, she failed in a vital particular, and because she failed in this, she fell and remains fallen. No solution was found for the problem of equality. India deliberately ignored this and build up her social structure on inequality, and we have the tragic consequences of this policymillions of our people who till yesterday were suppressed and had little opportunity for growth.... .........India also will have to find a solution to this problem, and until she does so, her political and social structure cannot have stability. That solution need not necessarily follow the example of any other country. It must, if it has to endure, be based on the genius of her people and be an outcome of her thought and culture. And when it is found, the unhappy difference between various communities, which trouble us today and keep back our freedom, will automatically disappear.... .....Yet we cannot ignore the problems that beset us and that make or mar our struggle and our future constitution. We have to aim at social adjustment and equilibrium, and to overcome the forces of disruption that have been the bane of India.....We have three major problems - the minorities, the Indian states, and labour and peasantry..... I shall only repeat that we must give the fullest assurance by our words and deeds that their culture and traditions will be safe.... ...For India means the peasantry and labour, and to the extent that we raise them and satisfy their wants, will we succeed in our task. And the measure of the strength of our national movement will be the measure of their adherence to it. We can only gain them to our side by espousing their cause, which is really the countrys cause. The Congress has often expressed its goodwill toward them, but beyond that it has not gone. The Congress, it is said, must hold the balance fairly between capital and labour and zamindar and tenant. We have to decide for whose benefit industry must be run and the land produce food. Today the abundance that the land produces is not for the peasant or the labourer who work on it, and industrys chief function is supposed to be to produce millionaires. Our economic programme must, therefore, be based on a human outlook and must not sacrifice man to money. When someone talks about Nehru and the Lahore Congress and tries to intertwine the same with Rahul Gandhis ascendance to presidentship, the above words of Nehru (in fact the whole text of his presidential address) should be read and reread. Without understanding the spirit of Nehrus presidential address at Lahore there is no meaning in making any comparison. Needless to say, gigantic changes have taken place in the socio-political content of the country since 1929, the year of the Lahore Congress. The space occupied by the Congress has also been drastically changed. Congress under the leadership of Nehru and guidance of Mahatma Gandhi became the the biggest mass force in the struggle for independence. Indias freedom movement was the convergence of various streams of struggle committed to the cause of national emancipation. It was the Communist Party which for the first time placed the goal of complete independence before the national agenda. Workers and peasants movements, students and youth, organisations of young revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, the INA led by Subhash Chandra Bose, RIN Mutiny etc. had contributed to the victory of the freedom struggle. The Congress, the biggest movement amongst all, maintained some sort of a love and hate relationship with many of these movements and forms of struggles. Such conflicts and contacts also form part of the Congress legacy. At this juncture a political student may naturally ask whether Rahul Gandhi is aware of that legacy. The Congress in post-independence India underwent a lot of changes though its class character remained basically unchanged. For several decades it held absolute control over political power. Till 1967, for two decades it had the monopoly of power. During its long history since 1885, the Congress party has witnessed several ups and downs and today when Rahul assumes the post of President the party it is down to the lowest position it has ever experienced. Challenges before the Congress as well as the nation are of grave nature. Fundamental principles on which the Indian Republic was built are under attack. The situation has become more complex as this attack is unleashed by the present ruling forces themselves. They are completely controlled by an organisation which played no role in the making of modern India, including the freedom struggle. Their ideology always remains in bitter conflict with every idea of pluralism. It is not accidental that sovereignty, democracy, secularism and socialism found its place in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution. It was the natural outcome of the Indian struggle for independence of which the present rulers are consciously ignorant. That is why they are bent on suppressing the values of secularism with their concept of Hindu Rashtra, a theocratic state. Their enmity to Nehru breeds from their enmity to secularism and scientific temper for which Nehru was an ardent fighter. One of the important questions at this point of time is whether Rahul Gandhi is equipped to lead his party in this great war of ideas that is, secularism versus theocracy. This is the moment for the Congress to do serious introspection. They should ask themselves why the party fell into such a deep crisis. Why many of its leaders, including stalwarts, left the party and joined ultrareac-tionary and communal BJP? Why did the dividing line between the Congress and BJP narrow down to such a pathetic level? The debacle of the Congress was not an overnight phenomenon. It was rather a long process due to socio-economic and ideological problems. In fact the downfall of the Congress gathered speed during the 1990s, when the party landed in the lap of globalisation. In its absolute subservience to neo-liberalism the Congress forgot its own legacy. It bade farewell to the ideas upheld by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. Joining the bandwagon of globalisation, the Congress was paving the way for its ruin. The Congress governments at the Centre and in States were immersed in scams and corruptions. The party, which used to swear in the name of Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru, nakedly became the advocate of corporate plunder and large scale corruption. Vast sections of Dalits, OBCs and minorities, traditional supporters of that party, were alienated. Till this day none in the Congress was dared to analyse the reasons for this erosion of their base. These gigantic failures of the Congress opened the doors of opportunity for the Sangh Parivar led by the RSS. Thats how the BJP captured political power in the 2014 elections. During the BJP rule the country has witnessed the real face of communal fascism. As a true follower of Mussolini and Hitler, the BJP is trying to divide the nation in racial-communal lines. It has further made India a country of the hungry and poor. In the recently published Global Hunger Index, India stands at the 100th place among 116 nations. Young people of India are knocking at every door in search of jobs. Predictions say that 67 per cent of jobs will be curtailed in the coming days due to automation. Farmers suicides, child deaths, malnutrition etc. point to the real face of Indian development. In order to hide their failures the RSS is playing up vicious communalism in the name of faith and God. Their propaganda mills work overtime to convince the people that there is no alternative to the BJP rule. People, who cherish national values, hope for a broad platform of secular, democratic and Left forces to fight the communal menace. Rahul comes to the centre-stage in such a grave political situation. How is he gearing up himself to address these issues? Nobody expects the Congress to become a party with a Leftist character, even though Nehru had nourished such a dream in the early days. But for a revival the Congress has to undergo drastic changes. It should recapture its secular credentials and democratic ethics. For that Congress workers in general and Rahul in particular have to rediscover Nehru and carry out major policy changes. The future of the Congress depends on this, not on any peripheral medicament. Would Rahul Gandhi be able to understand the gravity of the challenges before him? Critical days before 2019 elections may provide one the answer. The author, a former Minister of Forests and Housing in the erstwhile LDF Government in Kerala, is a member of the National Executive of the CPI. Australia 1. Have any new laws or amendments been passed in the past year that will have an impact on IP rights? There have been no legislative changes in 2016, to date. 2. Has the jurisdiction signed any IP-related treaties or joined any IP-related agreements? Australia China Free Trade Agreement The China Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) entered into force on December 20 2015 and will be fully implemented by January 1 2029. With Australia's exports to China in between 2014 and 2015 comprising more than a quarter of Australia's total exports to the world, China is Australia's largest trading partner. ChAFTA contains a section on intellectual property, which affirms existing IP obligations and provides a framework for future cooperation. It includes provisions dealing with issues such as national treatment, enforcement, border measures, geographical indications and cooperation. Trans Pacific Partnership On February 4 2016 Australia was one of 12 Pacific Rim countries to sign the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). The TTP is a regional free trade agreement which covers a range of trade and economic areas, and contains an important chapter on intellectual property. The IP chapter of the TPP sets out a minimum level of protection that parties to the agreement must meet. The Australian Government considers that the "TPP Intellectual Property Chapter is consistent with Australia's existing intellectual property regime", however some minor legislative change may be required if another signatory questions Australia's implementation of the agreement. 3. Have there been any notable changes at the IP Office in terms of practice, procedures or leadership? And if so what impact have they had so far? Fee changes IP Australia has announced plans to simplify its fee structure for the IP it administers, reducing so-called "touch points" with its clients and aligning itself better with international practice. The changes reflect IP Australia's innovation policy to support small businesses, as well as the Australian Government's red-tape reduction initiatives. The changes, designed in consultation with key stakeholders, including the Law Council of Australia and the Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia, are intended to become effective on October 28 2016. "Australia is now out of step with the rest of the world on the best method issue" The more important changes will see trade mark owners pay less per registration, and patent owners pay more after the rights have been held for 10 years (encouraging patent owners to make an assessment of the value of continuing to hold the rights). The cost structure for obtaining copies of documents from IP Australia, as well as opposition and hearing fees across each of the IP rights, will also be simplified to increase efficiency and reduce red tape. IP Australia has published a comprehensive Cost Recovery Implementation Statement, which provides further information on how it recovers costs and its implementation of the new fee changes. Myriad Guidelines After the High Court's decision in D'Arcy v Myriad Genetics Inc [2015] HCA 35, (see question 4), IP Australia sought public consultation on how to modify its examination practices to align with the High Court's findings. On December 15 2015, IP Australia released examination practice guidelines, which were incorporated into the Patent Manual of Practice and Procedure (a reference manual for patent examiners that defines the authorised current practice that applies to the examination of applications). The guidelines reflect the law as understood by the Commissioner of Patents, and provide guidance to examiners, as well as inventors and IP professionals, on the Patent Office's approach to the issue of patent eligible subject matter. The guidelines set out four questions to be asked, on a case by case basis, when determining patent eligibility. These are: 1. What is the substance of the claim (not merely its form)? 2. Has the substance of the claim been "made" or changed by man, or is it "artificial"? 3. Does the invention have economic utility? 4. Does the invention as claimed represent a new class of claim? The guidelines expand on and provide further guidance on the manner in which IP Australia will apply the four steps. It must be noted however that it will ultimately be up to the Courts to determine how the Myriad decision will be applied. 4. What have been the most notable patent cases in the courts in the past year and why? Best method Two recent Federal Court cases have highlighted the consequences for patentees who fail to satisfy the best method requirement under Australian law. Under Australian law, patent applicants are required to disclose in their specifications the best method known to them at the filing date for performing the claimed invention. Although Australia has had a best method requirement since the Patents Act 1952 came into force, the requirement has received little judicial consideration before this year. Recently, the Federal and Full Federal Courts have clarified the scope of the best method requirement in two separate cases, Les Laboratoires Servier v Apotex Pty Ltd [2016] FCAFC 27 (Servier) and Sandvik Intellectual Property 4 AB v Quarry Mining & Construction Equipment Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 236 (Sandvik). Servier v Apotex The patent at issue in Servier, Australian patent number 2003200700, was directed to the arginine salt of perindopril (perindopril arginine), its hydrates and pharmaceutical compositions thereof. Perindopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, is used for the treatment of hypertension and related conditions. Due to the inherent instability of perindopril, the preparation of a suitable pharmaceutical form for administration was problematic. The specification indicated that the arginine salt surprisingly exhibited improved stability whilst maintaining good bioavailability. With regard to the preparation of perindopril arginine, the specification simply stated that it was "prepared according to a classical method of salification [salt formation] of organic chemistry"; that is, a standard method known in the art. No other details relating to the preparation of the claimed arginine salt were provided and no specific method was referred to by citation or otherwise. However, evidence considered by the Court indicated the patentee had prepared perindopril arginine via two distinct methods before the filing date. Neither of the specific methods was disclosed in the specification. "It is hoped that the DArcy judgment will be restricted in its future application to the specific fact situation" The primary judge held that the mere reference to the use of a classical method of salification was "wholly inadequate". In particular, the primary judge indicated Servier had used a particular method and parameters that produced a guaranteed result, whereas the complete specification described a very general method of performing the invention. As such, the patent was found to be invalid on the ground that it failed to meet the best method requirement. Of note, the Court also found that the invention was held to be novel, inventive, and fully described (except for best method), and the claims were fairly based. Servier had argued at first instance and on appeal that all claims were directed to a product and, as such, the best method requirement should be satisfied by the identification of the best product per se (the claimed compound). However, on appeal the Court held that the nature and extent of the disclosure required to satisfy the best method requirement depend on the nature of the invention itself. The Court acknowledged that in some cases where the claim is to a product, there is no requirement to provide a method of using or making that product. The Court noted, however, that in the case of the patent at issue, the particular salt formation and the methodology to prepare such a salt had more importance than might be the case where the claimed invention was a product for which these characteristics were irrelevant. The Full Federal Court found that, by omitting sufficient description of the methods used to prepare perindopril arginine, Servier had failed to describe in the complete specification the best method known at the filing date of performing the invention. Servier applied to the Court to amend the specification after grant to remedy the deficiencies with regard to the best method, but the Court declined to exercise its discretion to allow the amendment. While the Court did not comment on the allowability of the amendment, it held that the nature of the amendment and the ground of invalidity sought to be overcome are important matters for the Court to consider in exercising its discretion. In this instance, Servier had received advice from its attorneys during the course of prosecution recommending that further examples be added to the specification (if possible) to satisfy the "written description requirements". Servier's failure to act on this advice contributed to the Court's decision to reject the application for amendment. Servier subsequently sought leave to appeal to the High Court, but its application was refused. Sandvik v Quarry Mining The patent at issue in Sandvik was directed to an extension drilling system for use in drilling bores, in particular for coal mining. The Federal Court found the patent was invalid for failing to meet the best method requirement. The Court heard evidence that during the course of development of the drilling system one of the "real issues" to be addressed was the design of an effective water seal. However, technical drawings which pre-dated the filing of the complete application and which described an improved sealing arrangement for use with the drilling system were not disclosed in the specification at filing. The Court found that the improved seal did not amount to some minor or incidental dimension, but was in fact "the ultimate evolution of the seal" and "a superior design". "The new chief executive [of IPOS], Daren Tang, is very open to receiving feedback and acting on the feedback that he receives" In accordance with the approach in Firebelt Pty Ltd v Brambles Australia Ltd [2000] FCA 1689, the applicants argued that the detailed characteristics of the improved seal did not specifically relate to "a method of performing the invention" and were therefore irrelevant when considering the disclosure of the best method. To this end, there was no indication in the specification that the inventors regarded the seal as an important feature of the invention for which they were seeking protection and none of claims referred specifically to the seal per se. However, the Court held that the inventors were aware that the improved water-sealing arrangement was critical to the efficacy and quality of the ultimate form of the invention as at the date of the filing of the complete specification and, as such, the best method of performing the invention necessarily included that arrangement. In omitting this information from the specification, the applicant had failed to describe the best method known to them at the filing date. Sandvik has sought leave to appeal the decision to the Full Federal Court. However, as part of associated undertakings, Sandvik has not sought leave to amend the specification to remedy the best method deficiencies. A uniquely Australian situation While the United States has moved to curb the consequences for failing to meet the best method requirements, and most other countries do not have a best method requirement, these recent Australian decisions highlight the importance of including the best method in patent specifications destined for filing in Australia. Indeed, Australia is now out of step with the rest of the world on the best method issue. Key stakeholders and peak industry bodies, including the Australian Law Council and the Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys (IPTA), have called for reform of this provision to realign Australia with international practice. In the absence of reform, and in view of the more stringent standards for amendment under the Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Act 2012 which came into force in 2013, it is paramount that patent applicants in Australia ensure the best method known to them of performing the invention is included in the specification at the time of filing. Utility One of several requirements for patentability under Australian patent law is that the invention as claimed is useful. However, it is relatively rare for invalidity to be found on that ground. In those few cases, the failure to provide utility was usually in the inability for the invention as claimed to fulfil an expressed objective of the invention. In a recent decision of the Federal Court, Ronneby Road Pty Ltd v ESCO Corporation [2016] FCA 588, "inutility" was found in a circumstance where the patent specification indicated several advantages which would be achieved by the invention. The court found that only some of those advantages were, on the evidence, achieved and invalidity was found on that basis. The invention concerned replacement wear members for excavating buckets of the type typically used on mine sites and the like. In effect, these wear members form teeth at the edge of the bucket and cut into the ground. They are subject to harsh conditions and heavy loading and require periodic replacement. This aspect of the case focused on a paragraph within the summary of the invention which said that the invention would provide the advantages of enhanced stability, strength, durability, penetration, safety and ease of replacement of the wear members. The assessment of utility was in relation to the invention as claimed and the passage referred to was construed as saying that all six of the advantages would be achieved. The evidence accepted by the court was that only some of the claims only achieved some of the advantages but not all and inutility was found on that basis. Although not clear from the decision, one presumes that those advantages were all achieved by preferred embodiments of the invention as described in detail in the specification. Despite the finding of invalidity for inutility, the defect can be corrected by amendment. The amendments needed would be within the scope of amendments permitted in the patents legislation and a simple change to the paragraph in question would probably achieve that. Although allowance of amendments at this stage is discretionary, from a subsequent part of the decision it seems that the court was prepared to allow or to consider amendment in this case. However this does not mean that corrective amendment will always be permitted where a court finds invalidity on this ground and it is a clear message to all of those drafting patent specifications when making promises, however expressed, as to the advantages and benefits of an invention. Disclosure and support requirements The patent in question in CSR Building Products Limited v United States Gypsum Company [2015] APO 72 related to fire resistant building panels with a gypsum core containing high expansion particles, encased by two cover sheets. Different manufacturing parameters resulted in panels of differing weight and fire resistance. The specification provided details and fire resistance test results from 20 different panel configurations, which used the same high expansion particles. Requirements not met The delegate held that the disclosure requirements of s 40(2)(a) were not met as the specification did not provide enabling disclosure for panels with fire resistant properties. There were a number of elements which determined whether a panel was fire resistant but the patent did not disclose how to control these variables to ensure a fire resistant product. In addition, the prohibitively high cost of assessing whether a panel met fire resistant standards meant that adjusting the composition of the panels and assessing whether it met the relevant standards was a burden which went beyond "reasonable trial and error". As a result, attempting to develop a fire resistant panel beyond one already described in the specification was unreasonable as it required significant experimentation and expense. Limited technical contribution In terms of the support requirements, it was found that the technical contribution to the art was limited to only the specific example compositions disclosed in the specification, which were shown to produce panels with the desired fire resistant properties. The claims themselves were to "gypsum panels that contain high expansion particles and are fire resistant". It was held that there was no disclosure of how to produce a product which met these claims beyond the compositions already specifically described. In addition, it was found that not all panels using high expansion particles had satisfactory fire resistant properties. As a result, the Delegate found that the technical contribution to the art was more limited than the subject matter of the claims, and therefore the patent failed to comply with the support requirements at section 40(3) of the Patents Act. Important guidance This decision provides guidance on how the Patent Office will interpret the new disclosure and support requirements introduced to the Patents Act 1990 pursuant to the Raising the Bar amendments. In particular, it highlights the requirement that the breadth of the subject matter of the claim should not exceed the technical contribution to the art described. High Court weights in on gene patents Myriad In a decision handed down on October 7 2015, the High Court unanimously allowed the appeal from the decision of the Full Federal Court in D'Arcy v Myriad Genetics Inc [2014] FCAFC 115. In this decision, the High Court held that claims 1 to 3 of the Myriad patent directed to isolated nucleic acids coding for mutant or polymorphic forms of the BRCA1 polypeptide do not meet the requirement of manner of manufacture and are therefore non-patentable. Critical in the court's decision was that the real invention (as opposed to the actual words of the claim) was the information present in the claimed sequences. The claims were not to be simply read as claims to "chemical compounds". The court held that as the information possessed by the claimed sequences was not "made" and that as the claims properly construed were claims to "information", they did not constitute patentable subject matter. The court also noted that the claims in question cover a "very large, indeed unquantified" class of isolated nucleic acids bearing the requisite information, and that allowing patent protection for this class risks "a chilling effect upon legitimate innovative activity outside the formal boundaries of the monopoly". A further factor in the decision was the court's view that "if the claims are properly the subject of a patent, the patent could be infringed without the infringer being aware of that fact". Creating uncertainty It is expected that this decision will lead to more patents being challenged on the ground of not a manner of manufacture in future revocation proceedings. Many believe the ruling has created uncertainty over what is now considered patentable, however it is hoped that the D'Arcy judgment will be restricted in its future application by the courts to the specific fact situation; namely in relation to naturally occurring human nucleic acids. 5. How does the IP environment compare with a year ago what has improved or got worse? Several decisions over the last year have improved the IP environment by providing some guidance on how certain laws will be applied. Importantly we now have Patent Office guidance in relation to the grounds of disclosure and support introduced by the Raising the Bar Act in April 2013. Conversely, the D'Arcy decision has caused considerable uncertainty, pending future application by the courts, particularly in biotechnology and for claims for inventions in new fields of technology. While the Patent Office guidelines offer some direction for now, the industry awaits to see how the Federal Court will apply the decision. Australia also has a number of areas of law that are out of step with international practice. This may cause difficulties for international applicants unaware that specifications may need to be modified before being filed in Australia in relation to, for example, best method and utility, as considered above. Singapore 1. Have any new laws or amendments been passed in the past year that will have an impact on IP rights? If so please provide details. There have been no legislative changes in 2016 so far. 2. Has the jurisdiction signed any IP-related treaties or joined any IP-related agreements? Singapore has signed up with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). Both agreements have IP provisions which member countries should abide by. "Singapore appears to treat the own name defence as a narrow one" The TPP is not yet in force, and if all countries have not ratified by February 4 2018, it will enter into force after ratification by at least six countries, with a cumulative GDP of more than 85% of all the signatories. Interesting aspects of the TPP relate to how geographical indications are eligible for protection as trade marks, and how the term of copyright is "not less than life of author plus 70 years after the author's passing". Regarding the AEC, the objective is for a single market for goods, services, capital and labour. With the AEC, there is a push for all member countries to be members of the PCT and the Madrid System. There is also a directive for increased cooperation and collaboration among IP offices of the member countries, potentially leading easier filing of IP in the ASEAN region. 3. Have there been any notable changes at the IP Office in terms of practice, procedures or leadership? And if so what impact have they had so far? In late 2015, there was a change of the chief executive of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS). The new chief executive, Daren Tang, is very open to receiving feedback and acting on the feedback that he receives. This is positive for the IP industry. There have been amendments made to the patent examiner's manual, which provide updated guidelines for the patentability of computer-implemented inventions and for isolated materials/microorganisms. The guidelines provide patent applicants with some clarity in relation to the patentability of computer-implemented inventions and for isolated materials/microorganisms. The updated guidelines may be construed to indicate more stringent requirements on patentable subject matter than in the past. There have also been new guidelines issued for post-grant amendments of patents. With effect from June 30 2016, IPOS will assess post-grant amendment based on these criteria: No additional matter is disclosed; The protection of the patent is not extended; Whether relevant matters are sufficiently disclosed; Whether there was any unreasonable delay in seeking amendments; and Whether the patentee has gained an unfair advantage by delaying amendments which are known to be needed. It should be noted the first two points are found in the legislation, while the rest are due to rulings in two patent cases which will be discussed in the following section. 4. What have been the most notable IP cases in the courts in the past year and why? Patents post-grant amendments Two recent patent cases which have led to the issuance of guidelines for post-grant amendment at IPOS are Ship's Equipment Centre Bremen GmbH v Fuji Trading (Singapore) Pty Ltd &Ors [2015] SGHC 159, and Warner-Lambert Company LLC v Novartis (Singapore) Pte Ltd [2016] SGHC 106. In both cases, the plaintiff requested leave from Court to amend the patents, but the respective requests were refused. It appears that it will be more difficult to obtain post-grant amendments for patents in the future. In view of the respective rulings, patentees should be more cautious given the difficulty in obtaining post-grant amendments for patents. However, we would like to suggest some pointers for patentees as follows: Patentees should be aware of additional criteria listed in the IPOS guidelines when filing post-grant patent amendments; To avoid uncertainty, applicants may consider filing amendments during the examination stage, before grant; It may be worth delaying grant if the applicant is aware of unfinished prosecution in other jurisdictions; Alternatively, a divisional application may be filed such that options are reserved for the patentees' best interests; and "Unreasonable delay" with regard to seeking post-grant amendments should be avoided, meaning that the patentee will have to be in regular communication with their patent attorney(s) to ensure that the requisite tasks are promptly carried out. Trade marks the own name defence The Court of Appeal recently issued a decision in The Audience Motivation Company Asia Pte Ltd v AMC Live Group China (S) Pte Ltd [2016] SGCA 25, which provides guidance on the use of the own name defence for trade mark infringement. The applicant took action for infringement of the registered mark and the defendant sought to rely on the own name defence. The defendant was successful in the first instance, but the Court of Appeal overturned that decision. The court held that the defendant's use was not in accordance with honest practices as there was evidence that, before the defendant's incorporation, a related entity had misrepresented itself as a Singaporean company named AMC and the early designs of the offending marks bore an uncanny resemblance to the registered mark. This suggested an intention to misrepresent itself as the applicant and, further, the defendant could not provide a satisfactory alternative reason for adopting the offending marks. Singapore appears to treat the own name defence as a narrow one, which requires the infringing party to demonstrate both objective and subjective good faith when adopting and using the name. Furthermore, the Singapore courts have now expressly extended the scope of the defence to trading names. 5. Are any major developments expected in the coming year? The Registered Designs legislation is undergoing review and amendments are expected in the coming year. The reason that we are aware of the changes is due to the fact that IPOS has engaged practitioners in Singapore and sounded out the feasibility of some suggested amendments. Feedback has been transmitted to IPOS, and we are awaiting progress. Based on the suggested amendments, we are hopeful that the Registered Designs legislation will be usable for aesthetic objects of modern times. 6. How does the IP environment compare with a year ago what has improved or got worse? We believe that the IP environment in Singapore is more favourable compared with a year ago. The change of the chief executive of IPOS is a positive development, as IPOS is now more receptive to feedback that they are receiving and is more open to working with IP professionals in Singapore. We also note that awareness of IP is increasing, leading to more IP enquiries, although this has not yet translated to more work at this juncture. Compared with a year ago, a substantial number of contentious IP matters have been settled, and as such, the general perception that contentious IP matters are rare in Singapore is flawed, since nearly all contentious IP matters are settled in a confidential manner. Paul Dewar Paul heads up Davies Collison Caves Sydney patent litigation practice group and practises predominantly in the Federal Court of Australia. Paul has particular expertise in relation to pharmaceutical patent litigation and has a detailed understanding of the operation of the ARTG and PBS. Pauls experience in the pharmaceutical field includes handling matters in relation to anti-virals, cancer drugs, API solid state forms and particle size distribution, bone biology, osteoporosis, antibodies and pro-drugs. Charcoal from tropical forests has a terrible effect on the environment, but it also puts food on peoples tables. Nigeria is one of the worlds largest exporters and some of it even ends up on German barbecue grills. Felling, transporting and piling up logs of wood is back-breaking work. Sometimes were in the bush for weeks before weve collected enough wood, explains Domingo Philip (above), who heads the team of young men. They cover the two meter (78 inch) high pile of wood with earth and start up a fire. The wood now needs to smoulder for about 11 days. Then the charcoal is ready for Philip and his men to sell. The area where they cut the wood is Edumanom Forest Reserve. The 9,000-hectare tropical forest lies in the oil-rich Niger Delta in southern Nigeria. Its home to Nigerias last chimpanzees. But the fragile ecosystem is in danger, not only from the oil industry but also from the woodcutting. The trees are cut down, and the burning process produces fumes that are harmful to the people and the environment. It poisons the groundwater and the surrounding soil. Moreover, immense carbon emissions are produced. But Philip and his men live from this business. They sell the charcoal to local households, bakeries or traders that take it to the big cities. A 50-kilogram (110-pound) sack costs the equivalent of about 3 ($3.56). Traders in the city, however, get a lot more for the charcoal. They pack it in paper bags and sell it on to Europe and Asia. I have one Arab client who really sifts through the charcoal to check the quality, says Abubaker Usman, a local producers in the town of Bauchi. He exports the best quality charcoal and sells the rest locally in Nigeria. Charcoal sells for the equivalent of 3 on the local markets Hidden tropical woods According to the UN, Nigeria exported 80,000 tons of charcoal for approximately 25 million ($29 million) in 2007, which makes it one of the biggest exporters of charcoal worldwide. Germany, on the other hand, is the biggest importer in Europe, taking in 250,000 tons (50 million pounds) of charcoal per year. Very few Germans, however, know that theyre running their grills with a charred piece of tropical swamp forest. According to the environmental organization Tropical Forest Trust (TFT), 34 percent of the imported charcoal comes from Poland, while charred wood from tropical forests in Nigeria and Paraguay each make up 15 percent of the imports. But even the charcoal from Poland contains tropical woods. In Poland charcoal from around the world is repacked and then sold to neighboring countries. Loopholes in the European Timber Regulation makes such things possible. The regulation came into force in 2013 and was established to stop illegal wood and paper products from entering the EU. But while tropical woods are tightly regulated, charcoal does not even appear in the paper. Why certain wood products are not included in the regulation is a puzzle to me, Johannes Zahnen from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) told DW. For several products its basically up to the traders to ensure that their products are legal. Zahnen and his colleagues conducted their own investigation into 20 of these products. Theyre sold at gas stations, supermarkets and hardware shops across Germany. The study found that 80 percent of the sacks they examined were labeled with incorrect information about the origin of the products. Some even contained wood from protected tree species. The marketing strategies are often sloppy or contain outright lies, says Zahnen. On closer examination, for instance, a sack that was labeled clearly as containing no tropical wood actually consisted entirely of tropical wood. The consumer is practically left out in the cold and has no chance to do anything about it, Zahnen explains. For many here at the riverside, the logging business is an important source of income Could the trees disappear? More than half of the worlds felled wood is turned into firewood or charcoal, according to the UN. Three-quarters of the charcoal production takes place in Africa and about 98 percent of the charcoal stays on the continent. That is because while Europeans mainly use the charcoal for barbecues in the summer, African households use it for cooking every day. In the Nigerian town of Bauchi, the business is booming. Kerosene is so costly. Thats the reason why people use charcoal, says charcoal trader Ibrahim. From his profits he was able to build a house. There is little awareness about the environmental hazard of the woodcutting. The bush does not finish, so as they cut trees, many more will grow, says Rachael John, who uses the charcoal to roast plantains at a local market. In the dry season in particular, local farmers turn to charcoal production for survival. Yet by doing this, they not only contribute to global warming but also destroy their own livelihood. Each year, Nigeria loses approximately 350,000 hectares of fertile land to desertification and soil erosion. According to Nigerias National Council on Environment, the countrys current forest cover is under 4 percent. In October 2017, the office recommended a ban on charcoal exports. Johannes Zahnen sees this as a short-term solution to curb the export of illegal wood products. If the charcoal comes from sustainably managed plantations, the exports business could actually help the country, he says. Modern production methods could increase the production five-fold, but the problem has to be addressed at its root. For instance, the amount of charcoal needed could be reduced by using charcoal-saving stoves. Such stoves cut the costs at the household level and produce less harmful smoke for the people using them. In addition, theyre often easy to build with locally available products like clay. Such simple methods can reduce the demand and therefore also the effect on the environment, says Zahnen. Muhammad Bello and Aliyu Muhammad Wazir contributed to the report. TODAYS WORD is decommission (dee-kuh-mish-uh n). When he pulled him over for driving with bald tires and no brake lights, the police officer told Bill that his 1978 Ford LTD II should be decommissioned. SUNDAYS WORD was natatorium. It means a swimming pool, especially one that is indoors. Example: If youre watching a horror movie and someone puts on a bathing suit and enters the natatorium alone, you just know something bad is about to happen. TODAY IS: Christmas One of the earliest references to celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ is in a homily by John Chrysostom, a 4th century archbishop. Passover, Lent and Easter were celebrated long before Christmas, making it a relatively new addition as far as church holy days are concerned. As Christianity spread into northern and western Europe, Christmas adopted many of the customs associated with the winter solstice, such as decorating with evergreen trees and their boughs, holly and a bearded man delivering gifts. In medieval times, Christmas was a solemn observance of the birth of Christ, and very little feasting and singing took place. TRIVIA QUESTION: What traditional Christmas decoration is actually a parasite? SUNDAYS TRIVIA ANSWER: On Sept. 11, 1977, Bing Crosby recorded the TV special Bing Crosbys Merrie Olde Christmas. During that special, he sang a duet with another famous musician in a segment that has often been described as surreal. Who was that other musician? The answer: David Bowie. In the special, Crosby sings Little Drummer Boy while Bowie sings a new song with original lyrics titled Peace on Earth. Ziggy Stardust himself seems like an odd choice to duet with Crosby. Later on, Bowie said that the main reason he appeared on the show was because I just knew my mother liked him. A few days after taping, Crosby described Bowie as a clean-cut kid and a real fine asset to the show. He sings well, has a great voice and reads lines well. I once read a news story about a study done about which wines people say they like. In the study, researchers served two or three identically priced wines. They told people one bottle cost $10 or $15, another bottle cost $30 or $40 and the third bottle cost $80 or $100. I'm just guessing here. Don't quote me on these numbers. What matters is researchers found most people said they liked the more expensive wines better, even though all the wines cost the same price. I don't buy the study. I know I personally expect a lot more from a wine that costs $100 versus one that costs $10. That's why I'm always thrilled when I come across a great-tasting wine that costs less than $10 a bottle. I don't think that means I like cheap wine. I think that means I appreciate a great bargain. And in recent years, it seems like there's more great bargains than ever, especially from Europe. Don't get me wrong. I love wine from the United States. But I often find it really hard to find great wines for under $10 a bottle from California, Oregon or Washington State. Raise the limit to $15 or $20, though, and you'll discover many fantastic North American wines. But when it comes to $10 or less, several European countries are king. In particular, I love many of the affordable, dry wines produced in Spain and especially in France. I admit it. I'm a complete Francophile. I don't speak a lot of French. But I love their food. (Croissants, crepes, creme brulee) I love their movies. (Breathless, Diabolique, Le Samourai). I love their people. (Yes, the people. They're great!) I love Paris. (The streets, the museums, the bars.) I love the French countryside. (The villages, the fields, the mountains.) And man, do I love their wines. True, many French wines can easily cost a fortune, especially in Bordeaux and Burgundy. But there are many fantastic bargains to be found here as well. So while I didn't set out to have a nearly all-French list, 8 out of the 10 wines I chose for the Top Ten Wines Under $10 For 2017 come from France, including my number one wine. And if you're a frequent reader of this column, it will probably come as no surprise that the top spot went to a beautiful, dry red wine from France's Rhone region, the land of bargains and beautiful, dry wines. Top 10 Wines Under $10 for 2016 Top 10 Wines Under $10 for 2015 Top 5 Wines Under $10 for 2014 Top 5 Wines Under $10 for 2013 Let me add that all the wines listed below have been reviewed before in the last year and all of the reviews first appeared in other reviews I wrote. The prices listed are also the prices I paid when I reviewed the wines earlier this year. But enough stalling. Let's get to the list. And hope you have a wonderful holiday season. 10) 2016 Atalaya Laya ($8.99 at Table & Vine in West Springfield) REGION - Almansa, Spain GRAPES - Garnacha Tintorera, Monastrell TASTING NOTES - Dry yet fruity, full-bodied and smooth, this intense, robust red wine packs a powerful, fun punch. Beautiful blend of grapes grown at higher elevation (around 3,000 feet above sea level) from a lesser-known wine region in the eastern part of Spain. Really love this wine's flavors, which have a roasted cherry-like taste at first followed by a refreshing, long finish with hints of licorice and salted caramel. Let me add that the cherry flavors grow more intense the longer the wine sits in the glass. Can enjoy this wine on its own or pair it with pretty much any roasted or grilled meat. Highly recommend. 9) 2016 Novellum Chardonnay ($9.99 at Table & Vine) REGION - Vine De Pays, France GRAPES - Chardonnay TASTING NOTES - Another affordable gem from Domaine Lafage, one of my favorite wineries in southern France famous for making great, affordable red and white wines. This understated Chardonnay hits all the right notes - clean and soft finish with hints of butter, sea salt and a hint of lemon. Also love this wine's long aftertaste which lingers for close to minute afterwards. This wine truly shows how an affordable Chardonnay should taste. It's not over the top. It's not too oaky. It strikes just the right balance and goes great with seafood, soft cheese, dessert or even on its own. Really love this wine. 8) Grifone Primitivo Fine Old Wine Zinfandel (Under $5 at Trader Joe's) REGION: Puglia, Italy GRAPES: Primitivo TASTING NOTES: If I had to recommend just one wine out of the 13 reviewed here, this absolute gem would easily be my first choice. Velvety smooth yet slightly robust, this powerhouse packs a real punch right out of the gate. An hour later, the wine tasted even smoother and had a rich, nutty aftertaste. The next day, this wine was even smoother and had an even longer aftertaste. Great on its own or with grilled meats, I can't say enough great things about this rich, robust red wine. One of the best wines out there for under $5 a bottle. Highly recommend! 7) Cheval Gris Gris De Gris Rose ($24.99 for 3 Liter box at Table & Vine) REGION: Sable de Camargue, France GRAPES: Grenache, Carignan TASTING NOTES: This light, refreshing rose wine from Southern France has an understated elegance and subtle, clean finish. Pale pink in color, this wine tasted almost like a Chenin Blanc or other, dry, crisp, French white wines at times. My wife and I tasted this wine several times recently and both commented on how crisp and refreshing the wine tasted. Let me add that if you like a bit of fruit flavor in your Rose wine, you might want to try one of the other wines listed below. This wine's more for people who crave dry wines France is famous for producing. In the beer world, this wine reminds me of what they call session beers, meaning you can have a few over a few hours and not feel wiped out. The driest of the three, Rose box wines reviewed this week, this one is the one I could easily see myself drinking for hours on a hot, lazy, summer afternoon. 6) 2007 Chateau Penin ($9.99 at Provisions in Northampton) REGION: Bordeaux, France GRAPES: Merlot, blend TASTING NOTES: This wine was one of my favorite ones of the five reviewed here. In fact, depending on when I tasted the wine, this one sometimes was my favorite wine of the five reviewed here. Immediately after opening the bottle, the wine tasted dry, full and had a long, muted aftertaste. But about an hour after the bottle was open, the wine took on a barnyard-like smell (think fresh cow manure). An hour after that, the wine had a delightful, dry, chalky aftertaste. Some of you are probably rolling your eyes as you read this and thinking, "This wine sounds crazy." Or rather, I sound a little nutsy cuckoo. But if you love dry, austere red wines that change over time, you'll probably love this one as much as I do. Highly recommend. 5) 2014 Vino San Estaben Malbec Reserve ($9.99 at Table & Vine) REGION: Cotes du Lot, France GRAPE: Malbec TASTING NOTES: One of the great things about tasting several wines made with the same grape side by side is you get the see the versatility of the grape. In the case of this tasting, anyone who thinks all Malbecs are big and bold simply needs to taste this wine. The 2014 Vino San Estaben Malbec Reserve had a smooth, velvety taste I would normally associate with a Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine from southern France or Bordeaux. However, like many Malbecs, I also noticed a subtle hint of cherries, blackberries and dark chocolate in the aftertaste. A really nice, easy-drinking wine. 4) 2015 Les Deux Moulins Sauvignon Blanc ($9.99 at Table & Vine) REGION: Loire Valley, France GRAPES: Sauvignon Blanc TASTING NOTES: My favorite wine of three reviewed this week, this one's also easy to spot in a wine store with its distinctive blue-and-white checkerboard patterned label. Of the three wines reviewed this week, this one is the driest of the three. In fact, I would describe this wine as bone dry with hints of minerals and other crisp flavors you often find in wines grown in limestone-rich soil. I'm not positive if the soil where the grapes were grown for this wine were made of limestone. But the winery's website does describe the soils at the winery as being "composed of gravel and schist." The result - one of my favorite, dry, white wines for under $10 a bottle. Highly recommend. 3) 2015 Jean-Marc Burgaud Les Vignes De Thulon Beaujolais Villages ($9.99 at Table & Vine) REGION: Beaujolais, Burgundy, France GRAPES: Gamay TASTING NOTES: This refined wine changed the way I think about wines from Beaujolais. It was also the most interesting and mature wine I tasted in this group. That's why I like to think of this wine as the wise, older brother of the three. Anyone who thinks Beaujolais wines only taste sweet should try this dry, red wine. This wine reminded me of a Syrah or other, dry, medium body red wines. Straight out of the bottle, the wine tasted like a mixture of roasted cherries and walnuts. A half hour after I opened the wine, its dry, intense flavors smoothed out a bit but were still definitely present. When served chilled, the wine surprisingly changed a bit and had a slightly fruity flavor I normally associate with Beaujolais wines. As for the wine with cheese and the next day, I still enjoyed the wine but not as much as when I first opened the wine and within the first hour or so. 2) 2016 Bieler Pere & Fils Aix En Provence Rose ($9.99 at Table & Vine) REGION: Provence, France GRAPES: Grenache, Syrah TASTING NOTES: This beautiful, dry, light rose has been one of my favorite, go-to wines for several years. What I love about this wine is how refreshing this wine tastes and how easy it is to drink. No decanting. No waiting. Just great, dry, refreshing wine straight out of the bottle. The wine also has a slight hint of roses and a clean, crisp finish. And at less than $10 a bottle, it's affordable rather than something you have to wait to open for a special occasion. Highly recommend. 1) 2013 Tortoise Creek "Le Charmel" Rhone Valley Costieres de Nimes ($9.99 at Table & Vine) REGION: Rhone, France GRAPES: Syrah, Grenache TASTING NOTES: While I enjoyed all three wines, I enjoyed this wine the most. This full-bodied, peppery wine had a strong bite the first time I tasted it with steak. In fact, the wine made my lips tingle a bit the first time I tried it. But I wasn't about to give up on this wine. Instead, I was intrigued by the wine's unique, complex character. And sure enough, two hours later, this wine did not disappoint. What really impressed me was how much this wine changed from the first tasting. Instead of being spicy and peppery, this wine was rich and robust and had a plummy, jam-like taste the second time I tasted the wine two hours later. The same was true the next day, only the wine was now even smoother. What a journey. Let me add that I tried this wine again this past weekend and loved it just as much. In particular, this wine tasted great two hours after opening the bottle and spectacular the next day. A great wine well worth the wait - and all for under $10 a bottle. Highly recommend. Cheers! (Next Week - Low Calorie Box Wine.) Wine Press by Ken Ross appears on Masslive.com every Monday and in The Republican's weekend section every Thursday. Follow Ken Ross on Twitter LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Authorities say a gift-wrapped box of horse manure addressed to U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin (mih-NOO'-shin) was found near his home in Los Angeles. The package was found Saturday night in the tony Bel Air neighborhood after it was . The Los Angeles Police Department's bomb squad was called to the home and , finding a pile of horse manure inside. Police said the package had been gift-wrapped and was marked as being from "the American people." Police said the Secret Service was taking over the investigation. A Secret Service spokesman said the agency was aware of the incident but declined to comment further. A spokesman for the Treasury Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday. BRIDGEWATER - A 26-year-old man died after he ran into the travel lane of the highway following a car crash and was struck and killed by another car Saturday night. Darkeem Kelow, of Boston, died on the scene at about 9:20 p.m. Two other people were also injured in the crashes, Massachusetts State Police officials said. Kelow was driving a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox south in the left lane of Route 24 when he struck a 2004 Honda Civic also traveling south. The male passenger in the Honda was injured and taken to Good Samaritan Hospital for treatment, police said. Kelow then got out of his car and ran into the left lane of the northbound side of the highway and was struck by a Ford Escape. The operator of that car was also injured and brought to the Good Samaritan Hospital, police said. Police are still investigating why Kelow initially struck the Honda and then ran into the highway. No citations were immediately issued, police said. The crashes are being investigated by troopers from the Middleborough Barracks, the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office, State Police Collision Analysis Reconstruction Section and State Police Crime Scene Services. State Police were assisted by Bridgewater EMS, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. EASTON - A 50-year-old man was seriously injured when an assailant shot him in a pool house early Christmas morning. The victim was taken to an area hospital by ambulance after he had been shot in the shoulder and side of his torso. His injuries are serious but not believed to be life-threatening, Police Chief Gary Sullivan said. The preliminary investigation determined the shooting was not random and the victim was targeted, he said. The shooting happened at about 2:50 a.m. at 77 Massapoag Ave. When police arrived they were directed to a pool house in the rear of the property. Officers determined the victim was inside the pool house when the assailant shot him from outside the building, Sullivan said. HOLYOKE - A 53-year-old hiker had to be rescued from Mount Tom after he injured his ankle while walking in the woods Sunday. The man was injured at about 11 a.m. while hiking up the access road that leads to the radio towers and the ski area. He was able to call 911 on his cell phone and kept in communication with the Fire Department as a crew worked to rescue him, Fire Capt. Kevin Cavagnac said. "Six firefighters and a Holyoke Police officer made the hike to the top of Mount Tom, which was covered in a layer of ice from the recent freezing rain," he said. The seven were able to stabilize the man and placed him in a metal basket stretcher. But carrying him down the mountain was difficult and the total rescue took three hours, Cavagnac said. A minimum of six people are needed at a time to carry the basket. The rescue team slowed the descent by tying ropes to trees and using a belay system, Cavagnac said. The victim was brought down the mountain safely and was brought to the hospital by ambulance for treatment, he said. SEEKONK - A 29-year-old from Pawtucket Rhode Island was killed when he ran into traffic on Route 195 while allegedly trying to evade police Saturday night. Massachusetts State Police officials have identified the victim as Anthony Perry. The man was struck by a woman driving a Honda Odyssey van at about 8:25 p.m. near Exit 1 on Route 195. Seekonk Police initially tried to pull over the car Perry was driving. He refused to stop, drove behind the Motel 6 on Fall River Avenue and then allegedly fled on foot, State Police said. Police did not say why they tried to stop him. "The suspect ran onto Route 195. 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 the preliminary investigation," State Police said. The driver of the van, whose name has not released, and her two passengers were not injured. The driver has not been cited in the crash but it remains under investigation, police said. Troopers from the Dartmouth Barracks, the Bristol County District Attorney's Office, State Police Collision Analysis Reconstruction Section, State Police Crime Scene Services and Seekonk Police are all investigating the crash, police said. AMHERST - More than a dozen volunteers were chopping potatoes, making salad and roasting ham hours ahead of the annual Christmas meal Monday at Not Bread Alone at the First Congregational Church. The snow did not thwart the crew from its mission, although a few were late because of slippery roads. About 70 diners turned out for the meal. While many volunteers were from the Jewish Community of Amherst, as is tradition, other cooks and cleaners were first-timers inspired because they wanted to give something back to the community. Patricia Rector said she had been working with Lucio Perez, a Guatemalan immigrant who has taken sanctuary at the church. She heard about the meal and wanted to help. She said she loves church kitchens and the chance to learn something new. She was joined by her husband, Steve Ransford, who said their kids were in Seattle. "We're empty nesters," he said. Rector said she learned members of Ransford's family had been serving a meal in Syracuse, New York, last year and she said "it was moving to me, to spend Christmas in service." Helping, she said, "is really a spiritual component to me." She was also delighted to see the meal preparation, the menu and the flowers on the table. "Every human being deserves beauty and a sense of community," she said. Rebecca Lorfils, a graduate student at the University of Massachusetts, was volunteering for the first time, as well as making her first batch of corn muffins. She was using a mix so it wasn't as daunting as it might have been. "I thought would be a good way to celebrate," she said of helping out. Diners, meanwhile, began coming in early for the meal that included roast turkey, garlic "smashed" potatoes, salad, roast ham, Brussels sprouts, and myriad desserts like a pumpkin pie following a recipe of Julia Child's aunt. Anyone arriving early could munch on English muffins and sip tea or coffee. But that meant walking from Craig's Place, where some homeless individuals took shelter Christmas Eve, about a mile away in the snow. Alicia Noble and her boyfriend Anthony Polk made the trek. Both had eaten at Not Bread Alone before and knew they would be getting a great meal. And although Noble said she wished she could be with her mother, who lives in Northampton -- there were no buses running Monday -- she and Polk both said they were happy to be at the kitchen. She was expecting many more from the shelter to make their way to the church. "The shelter's like our family," she said. As the morning progressed, more found their way in as the sun made an appearance, too. STURBRIDGE - Police investigators are asking for help to identify a suspect in a credit card fraud. The crime occurred in the Stop & Shop and Shaw's grocery stores in the town. A man caught on camera at the stores is wanted for questioning in the fraud. Anyone with information on the fraud or anyone who can identify the person is asked to contact Sgt. Larry P. Bateman at 508-347-2525 ext. 325. Federal tax cuts passed into law this week are likely to cut into Montana state revenue by $70 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 $70.3 million in tax year 2018, Revenue Director Mike Kadas said. By TOM LUTEY [email protected] http://mtstandard.com/news/state-and-regional/montana-revenue-officials-expect-an-average-m-annual-funding-loss/article_3ce72254-e093-58eb-b86d-26d04f003ce8.html At LinkedIn, employees at the worlds largest online professional networking website enjoy a smorgasbord of perks, from gourmet meals to on-site dry cleaning to car washes and oil changes. Yet in the uber-competitive world of attracting and retaining top talent, some Bay Area tech companies have been turning to a benefit that may not be as flashy as adoption assistance or doggy day care, but could have a profound impact on something much bigger: their employees health. By TRACY SEIPEL | [email protected] Advertisement The answer, Janine Jones found, was promising. In a paper published in December in Psychology in the Schools, Jones describes her work last spring at a Seattle-area middle school where African-American girls participated in an after-school program designed to create community around and pride in black culture and identity. Those who did expressed greater confidence and reported, both on their own and through teachers, more connection to and involvement with school."There are a lot of girls who check out in school when they feel like they're not seen, not understood or invested in by school personnel. There are a lot of negative perceptions of African-Americans, and the perception they receive is that it's not a good thing to be black," said Jones, director of UW's School Psychology Program. "We may think it's easier to avoid it than to address it. But if we start addressing oppression by countering it with the humanness of who these kids are, we're more likely to keep them engaged and feeling a sense of belonging."For this study, Jones adapted a cultural enrichment curriculum called Sisters of Nia (a Swahili term for "purpose") and, with the help of the principal at a Federal Way middle school, invited African-American girls to join an after-school program that met once a week for six weeks. In Jones' abbreviated version, the cultural program focused on a new principle each week: purpose, unity, respect, self-determination, cooperation and believing in oneself. The girls participated in interactive lessons, discussing issues such as myths and stereotypes of African-American women, and recorded their thoughts in a journal. The program culminated in a Kwanzaa ceremony, which aimed to further bond the girls and symbolize their achievement, Jones said.Meanwhile, a control group formed to focus on a mindfulness curriculum; at the end of the six weeks, the curriculum swapped, so that the cultural group then focused on mindfulness, and the control group received Sisters of Nia, for another six weeks.The groups were small -- half a dozen girls in each. But while the size appeared to encourage community-building in the Sisters of Nia group, Jones said, the control group never really got off the ground. Attendance was sparse, the mindfulness program appeared to hold little interest for the girls, and by the time the curriculum was scheduled to change, only two were attending at a time. The original Sisters of Nia group, on the other hand, took on the mindfulness activities and continued, on their own, to discuss the Nia principles and other ideas they had encountered.Jones and her research team used student and teacher surveys to gauge the girls' self-concepts and ideas about racial identity, as well as their level of engagement in school -- defined by multiple measures of their attendance, effort and attitude. The researchers found that, over the six weeks of the cultural enrichment program, school engagement among participants increased, whereas it decreased among students in the control group.Sharper differences were noted in measures of racial and ethnic identity, which were even more pronounced six weeks after the conclusion of the Sisters of Nia program. Among those participants, their degree of identification as African-American and their positive feelings about other African-Americans increased significantly over time. The girls also expressed a higher affinity for a "humanist" racial ideology, a belief that they fit in with people of all races, that their racial heritage has value in society and that their race should not exclude them from being part of the larger community.The fact that the girls reported these feelings long after the cultural program was over speaks to how strongly the ideas resonated with them, Jones said. There was no other direct connection to Sisters of Nia, she added, since the group leader was different for the mindfulness program, and none of the activities was related to the previous curriculum."They were relying solely on relationships with each other. It took time to marinate and become part of how they saw themselves," she said. "I would want a child to have higher self-esteem when we finish a program like that, but it's even better for it to continue to grow later on."Jones believes the findings point to ways to build community and identity among young teens. While this curriculum, and some of the related ideas about race, were specific to African-Americans, such ideas and lessons could be adapted for other racial and ethnic groups, as well, she said.Even more importantly, Jones said, learning about cultural diversity and heritage, as well as dispelling stereotypes, can be applied in whole-class settings, not just designated for certain ethnic groups."It's about how hearing the humanness of the other person -- encouraging people to develop relationships with people who don't look like them, makes all of us grow," she said.Source: Eurekalert Al Drago-Pool/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump delivered a Christmas Eve message on Twitter, saying hes proud people are wishing each other a Merry Christmas. "People are proud to be saying Merry Christmas again," Trump tweeted. "I am proud to have led the charge against the assault of our cherished and beautiful phrase. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!" Trump has bemoaned the use of more generic messages like "Happy Holidays" in the past, promising on the 2016 campaign trail that Americans would be saying Merry Christmas again. Today is a day that I've been looking very much forward to all year long, the president said as he spoke at the 95th annual National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony last month. Its one that we've heard and we speak about and we dream about and now, as the president of the United States, its my tremendous honor to now wish America and the world a very Merry Christmas. Trump's predecessor, President Barack Obama, used the term "Merry Christmas" every year while he was in office. The president is spending the holiday at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida estate, where the guests will be dining on an assortment of food for Christmas Eve dinner, including turkey, beef tenderloin, cornbread, creamy kale, popovers, mashed potatoes and turkey gravy, various local vegetable dishes, a seafood display including local fish and shellfish, and a variety of desserts. Earlier in the day, Trump and first lady Melania Trump participated in NORAD Santa Tracker phone calls, with the president speaking to six children and his wife talking to nine. The president also took part in a Christmas Eve video teleconference with members of the military. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. East Hampton The number of volunteers in Fire and EMS agencies has been steadily declining nationwide. East Hampton and the surrounding towns have been no exception to the problem. By taking an EMT course and joining their local fire or EMS agency, residents can provide an incredible amount of help to their community. In an effort to help recruit new members, the East Hampton Volunteer Ambulance (EHVAA), a private, non-profit organization, is hosting an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course beginning Jan. 8. EVHAA Chief of Service Donald Scranton hopes that by hosting the course, members of the community will take advantage of this unique opportunity to serve the East Hampton community by providing a rapid, safe response to medical emergencies with timely, professional care of the sick and injured. The East Hampton Volunteer Ambulance provides 24-hour service to the residents and visitors of East Hampton, Haddam Neck, Middle Haddam and Cobalt; as well as surrounding towns when needed. East Hampton residents who successfully complete the EMT course and meet agency requirements will be eligible for full reimbursement of EMT course costs. But this course isnt just limited to East Hampton residences. In fact, every town around East Hampton also relies heavily or entirely on volunteers to respond to calls for help in the community and many of those agencies will also reimburse the course costs for new volunteers. The course will run at the ambulance station, located at 4 Middleton Avenue, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning January 8th and concluding April 5th from 6 to 10 p.m. EHVAA is utilizing the experience and resources of Code One Training Solutions, LLC of East Hartford to deliver the state-approved 180-hour EMT program. After meeting certification requirements, the newly minted EMTs will respond to emergency calls to provide efficient and immediate care to the critically ill and injured, and to transport patients to appropriate medical facilities People interested in joining East Hampton EMS should contact the EHVAA directly by calling 860-267-9679 or by emailing Chief@ehems.org. Auxiliary recruiting new members KILLINGWORTH Killingworth Volunteer Fire Company Auxiliary is welcoming prospective members. Membership is open to any resident of Killingworth, 18 years or older, interested in supporting the members and efforts of the Killingworth Fire Company. Residents age 14 to 18 are also welcome as Junior members. Monthly meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at the Killingworth Fire House, 333 Route 81, across from Killingworth Elementary. Interested individuals are welcome to attend. Further information may be obtained by contacting Michelle at rumblingrock@sbcglobal.net Portland Library to hold passport day Portland Public Library, 20 Freestone Ave, Portland, will hold a passport day on Saturday, Jan. 20, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The snow date is Jan. 27. A United States passport is a means of identification valid with all United States agencies; it is often preferred in domestic travel and is required for international travel. Due to the time involved in processing a passport, it is best to be prepared for the possibility that you will be required to carry a passport. The Portland Library and the United States Postal Service have teamed up to offer a convenient and time-saving opportunity to apply for or renew a passport at the library. To come prepared to have the USPS help you complete your application or renewal, find information including fees, payment methods, and application forms available at the Library Information Desk or the nearest Post Office. You may also check the library website for more information (www.portlandlibraryct.org). You may either have your passport photo taken at the event for $15, or bring your own passport compliant photo. You will need to bring proof of citizenship, photo ID, and your payment(s) in the form of checks or money orders. Note that multiple checks or money orders may be required for a single application. No sign-up is necessary; just drop in. With all requirements met, most passports will be sent in four to six weeks. The National Passport information Line 1-877-487-2778. Relay for Life at HK kickoff is Jan. 31 HIGGANUM/KILLINGWORTH The American Cancer Societys Fire Truck Pull at the Relay For Life of HK will take place on Saturday, June 23 at HKHS. The event is a teambuilding, fundraising, cancer-fighting event where teams of 12 people compete to pull the truck a designated distance in the fastest time. A kickoff for the 2018 Relay For Life/Fire Truck Pull will be held on Jan. 31, 6:30 p.m. at the Haddam Volunteer Firehouse Company 1, 439 Saybrook Rd, Higganum. To register visit www.relayforlife.org/hkct AT the June 23 truck pull, teams will rally together to raise money however they see fit. The minimum amount of money that a team must raise is $1,200 (or $100 per person) to participate. All money raised benefits the mission of the American Cancer Society to save lives, celebrate lives and lead the fight for a world free from cancer. The winning team will receive bragging rights and a trophy. Middlesex Habitat to hold Home Applicant Meeting CROMWELL Middlesex Habitat for Humanity is inviting all interested military families and individuals to attend an applicant meeting for a Habitat for Humanity home. The meeting will be held on Thursday, Jan. 4, 6:30 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church, 345 E Main St, Portland. The snow date is Jan. 11. The purpose of the meeting is to provide information about the Habitat for Humanity application process for homeownership. At this time, Middlesex Habitat will distribute applications for the Military Build program. Any eligible military family interested is highly encouraged to attend the meeting to get an application for the next Habitat house in Portland. Construction of the house will begin in spring 2018, and Middlesex Habitat is now starting the selection process. Any military family interested is highly encouraged to attend should they wish to be considered for this 3-bedroom Habitat home. Children should not attend the applicant meeting. For more information call Alexis Maliga at 203.379.4827 or email at Alexis.Maliga@cancer.org 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. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 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. SLENDER MAN KILLING: Teen sentenced for shocking crime 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. More for you Car barrels into busy Melbourne intersection filled with... 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." - - - The Washington Post's Peter Hermann and Magda Jean-Louis contributed to this report 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. On December 25, commencing at 6 p.m. for approximately 15 minutes, Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, held a telephone talk with H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The overview of the telephone talk is as follows. 1. In the beginning, Prime Minister Abe expressed his congratulations on National Day of the United Arab Emirates. 2. Both leaders agreed to continue to cooperate for further enhancement of the bilateral relationship including the economic and educational fields. We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. Children dressed in Santa Claus costumes wave as they participate in Christmas celebrations at a school in Chandigarh, India, December 20, 2017. REUTERS/Ajay Verma - RC131068DD60 It is time for a party this Christmas! Santa Claus fulfilled wishes of equity investors as benchmark indices rallied over 30 percent from last Christmas. The S&P BSE Sensex rallied from 25,807 on 26 December 2016 to 33,940 recorded on 22nd December 2017. In the case of Nifty, the index rallied about 2,500 points in the last one year. Indian market is going through a big bull run and the party is happening in small and midcaps which looks slightly overpriced but analysts think that the party is not over yet in the broader market and the momentum could well continue in the year 2018. We saw a remarkable rally from 8000-10500 from Christmas to Christmas is a big reason for a grand party to investors. The global equity market is going through a bull run but we also did well despite some bottlenecks on the domestic front, Santosh Meena, of Swastika Investmart Ltd, told Moneycontrol. Domestic liquidity is a key driver of Indian equity market Bull Run especially the Midcap and Smallcap space which witnessed eye-popping returns to investors, he said. The benchmark indices might give another 10-15 percent return in the year 2018 but there will be plenty of action in quality individual stocks, suggest experts. The focus of the investors has turned towards budget as the upcoming union budget will be the biggest trigger for the stock markets. The reforms which were initiated this and the last year be it Demonetization or GST should play out over 2018 and 2019. Market participants would focus on the governments plan to spend and kick-start the economy through further investment in the infrastructure and job creation industries, D.K. Aggarwal, Chairman and Managing Director, SMC Investments, and Advisors told Moneycontrol. It is recommended to investors to invest in quality stocks on every decline after doing proper homework. By quality stocks, we mean stocks that have greater clarity on their earnings trajectory and have strong fundamentals such as good management, return ratios, etc., he said. Here is a list of 10 stocks which global brokerages initiated coverage for the first time. The minimum holding period is 12 months in which these stocks could give up to 23% return: Credit Suisse: Hindustan Zinc | Rating: Neutral | Target: Rs 325| Return 12% Hindustan Zinc is an integrated mining and resources producer of zinc, lead, silver, and cadmium. It is a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources and is the world's second-largest zinc producer. Credit Suisse has initiated a neutral rating on Hindustan Zinc with a target price of Rs 325 expecting the company to expand the volume to 1.2 mt mined metal production by FY20. It also expects cost moderation as it shifts to 100 percent underground mining. EBITDA/tonne is likely to stay healthy with decent free cash flow generation, it added. The research firm is of the view that silver prices have and output is expected to grow while zinc prices have peaked. Despite planned volume growth, Hindustan Zinc is fully valued, it said. In a bull case scenario, Credit Suisse has a target of Rs 380 assuming higher commodity prices. Chand Group is one of the largest publishing and education services enterprise, founded in 1939, based in New Delhi. The publishing house prints books for primary as well as higher education including engineering, and commerce. The company operates from 110 offices and branches. Credit Suisse has initiated an outperform rating on S Chand and Company Limited with a price target of Rs 625. It expects a compounded growth rate of 14 percent, 13 percent and 25 percent of revenue, operating income and earnings per share by March 2020. The house believes that lower borrowing cost and the tax rate is likely to accelerate earnings per share. adding that the management is looking at two acquisitions in Western India state board and Cambridge international board. Axis Capital: JSW Energy | Rating Buy | Target: Rs 100| Return 12% JSW Energy is a division of JSW Group which caters to various areas of power including generation, transmission, and trading. The companys presence extends across India and also includes stakes in a coal mining Company in South Africa. Research and broking firm Axis Capital has initiated a buy rating on JSW Energy with a target price of Rs 100. It believes that strategically located assets result in high plant load factor adding that declining share of merchant volumes and a higher share of PPA is likely to increase earnings visibility which will substitute 50 percent of imported coal with cheaper domestic coal. The under-leveraged balance sheet is likely to aid inorganic growth while balance sheet has the capacity to acquire up to 3GW capacity, it added. Axis Capital: Mahindra Logistics | Rating: Buy | Target: Rs 525| Return 17% Mahindra Logistics operates in two distinct business segments, supply chain management, and corporate people transport solutions. It provides customized integrated third-party supply chain and people transport solutions to companies across multiple industries. Axis Capital has initiated a buy on Mahindra Logistics with a target price of Rs 525. The house is of the view that focus on non-automotive and reducing dependence on M&M group is likely to aid margin wherein M&M group's contribution may reduce to 38 percent by FY20 as against 54 percent in FY17. The firm believes that better client mining and new client additions are likely to drive growth while gross margin may remain largely stable across SCM and PTS business. GST is likely to drive clients focus on improving supply chain efficiency, it said. Axis Capital expects 28 percent earnings CAGR and firm return ratios are given limited capex and also expects premium valuations to sustain on MLLs strong positioning. Motilal Oswal: Oberoi Realty | Rating Buy | Target: Rs 580| Return 23% Oberoi Realty is a real estate developer based in Mumbai. The company has developed over 39 projects at locations across Mumbai. Its main interest is in residential, office space, retail, hospitality and social infrastructure properties in Mumbai. Research and broking firm Motilal Oswal has initiated a buy on Oberoi Realty with a price target of Rs 580. It believes that sharp focus and trusted brand are the key strengths adding that the company is likely to be a key beneficiary of likely consolidation post RERA. Portfolio expansion may provide consistent cash flows. A recent foray into affordable housing should help it enjoy tax incentives adding that low net debt provides ample room to acquire large land parcels in the Mumbai. The house expects revenue and net profit to grow at a compounded rate of 47 percent and 56 percent respectively by March 2020 while high operating margins is likely to be backed by premium pricing. In a bull case scenario, Motilal Oswal has a price target of Rs 638 per share. Ventura Securities: Everest Industries | Rating: Buy | Target: Rs 712| Return 22% Everest Industries specializes in providing building products and building solutions for commercial industrial and residential sectors including roofing, ceilings, walls, and flooring. Ventura Securities has initiated a buy on Everest Industries with a price target of Rs 712. It is of the view that government policies are likely to promote housing sector which is a positive sign adding the boards and panels segment may lead to better profitability. New product launches are likely to maintain growth momentum. The house believes that change in product mix is likely to boost profitability. It expects revenue, operating income, and net profit to grow at a compounded rate of 11 percent, 53 percent and 173 percent by March 2020. ICICIdirect: Narayana Hrudayalaya | Rating: Buy | Target: Rs 340| Return 14% Narayana Hrudyalaya is a chain of multi-specialty hospitals in India, with its headquarters in Bengaluru and operates a chain of hospitals, heart centres, and primary care facilities across India. Narayana Health was founded by Devi Shetty and has its flagship hospital in Bangalore. Research and broking firm ICICIdirect has initiated a buy on Narayana Hrudayalaya with a target of Rs 340. It believes that government drive on affordability favours companys cost-efficient and affordable model. Improvement in case mix is likely to boost average realisation per operating bed. The company is well poised to thrive in the domestic healthcare delivery and expects RoCE to improve to 19 percent by FY20 as against 12.5 percent in FY17. It also expects revenue/net profit to grow at a CAGR of 17 percent/34 percent over FY17-20. Edelweiss Investment: GNA Axles | Rating: Buy | Target: Rs 455| Return 12% GNA Axles is the supplier and manufacturer of ring gears, rear axle shafts, shafts assemblies gearbox exporter of auto parts like gear, axel and starter drive engine headquartered in Jalandhar, Punjab. Edelweiss Investment has initiated a buy on GNA Axles with a target of Rs 455 per share. The house is of the view that strong presence in exports and the domestic market provides competitive edge while cost reduction and the new initiative is likely to fuel the rise in topline and bottom line. Edelweiss expects strong growth momentum in North America heavy truck market which may drive exports while on the other hand, healthy domestic demand scenario in M&HCV and OH is likely to drive domestic business. In a bull case scenario, Motilal Oswal has a target of Rs 505 on GNA Axles. IIFL: Mphasis | Rating: Buy | Target: Rs 810| Return 10% Mphasis is an IT services company based in Bangalore, India. The company provides infrastructure technology and applications outsourcing services, as well as architecture guidance, application development and integration, and application management services. It serves financial services, telecom, logistics, and technology industries. Research and broking firm IIFL has initiated a buy on Mphasis with a target of Rs 810. The firm believes that the company is in middle of a turnaround in its growth and profitability profile. It is of the view that strong deal wins and optimization of cost pyramid is likely to drive revenue. IIFL expects revenue/EPS to grow at CAGR of 10 percent/12 percent over FY17-20 with 13 percent dollar revenue CAGR. The firm also expects Mphasis to continue returning cash to shareholders on a consistent basis. Credit Suisse: Vedanta | Rating: Outperform | Target: Rs 345| Return 9% Vedanta is a natural resources company with operations in zinc, lead, silver, copper, iron ore, aluminium, power and oil & gas. It is the largest mining and non-ferrous metals company in India and has mining operations in Australia and Zambia[2] and oil and gas operations in three countries. Global research firm Credit Suisse has initiated an outperform rating on Vedanta with a target of Rs 345. It believes that aluminium business is the most important for incremental profits adding that global supply-demand and surging raw material prices bodes well for aluminium. Volume projections are below company guidance, and remains a risk to rating, the research firm said. The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Rajnath Singh 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. 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. I am trying to decide if I feel gipped or blissfully unencumbered. I have been a wife for 16 years and a mother for nearly a decade, and I just realized my little family has no Christmas traditions to speak of. About the only thing we do each year is attend the 11 p.m. candlelight church service after eating dinner at Outback Steakhouse. But can Alice Springs chicken and a Caesar salad really be my Christmas tradition? I come from a long line of non-traditionalists. Growing up, there were only two things that we always did at Christmastime. My brother and I watched A Christmas Story together, and we went to my grandmothers for turkey and dressing, chocolate pie, mashed potatoes and broccoli and rice casserole. But now my grandparents are gone, my brother lives in New Zealand and my mother is gluten free. Going to dinner at grandmas house is a totally different experience these days. I mean, have you ever tried to have holiday dinner without gluten? It cant be done! I decided that maybe it was time for me to take charge, make some traditions of our own. Years ago, my sweet friend Lesley Jeffcoat told me her family always got a set of matching pajamas on Christmas Eve to wear for Christmas day. At first, I thought, how fun! But in reality, it turned into more work than I wanted. First you have to track down a bunch of matching pajamas. But, because you know I am weird about laundry, I had to wash and dry them all before anyone could wear them. No thanks, too much else to do. Midnight laundry is not fun laundry. Next I tried limiting gifts to just three, like the magi. But I love to buy presents, and limiting myself was too stressful so thats out now, too! This year, I am looking for something new to try out. Ive been polling Facebook and scouring the internet for inspiration. Now, I dont mean to sound boring but there are some crazy Christmas traditions out there yall! In Iceland, they celebrate the tradition of the Yule Cat, or Jolakotturinn. Similar to lumps of coal in America, but so much worse. In the land of ice and snow, parents tell their children that they will be eaten by a giant, murderous feline if they dont do their chores. And people wonder why I am not a cat person! I am also not a goat person, so its a good thing I dont live in Austria, Bavaria or any of the Slavic countries where Krampus, an evil goat demon, is playing bad cop to jolly old St. Nicholas good cop. Each year on the fifth of December, young men don creepy wooden masks, cowbells, chains and hairy goat costumes to run through town in a Krampuslauf (Krampus run). And theyre not kidding around, either. During this little fun run, they scare and occasionally beat the bystanders. Krampus, like Santa, also enjoys visiting all the houses in town. He might leave bundles of sticks for bad children or he might just hit them with the sticks instead! What is it about sticks and Christmas? My kids love a pinata, so I was fascinated by the Tio de Nadal, or Christmas log, tradition of Spains Catalan region. Its nickname is also the poop log, and soon youll see why. The log is hollow, has a smiley face drawn on it, little stick legs and wears a red Santa hat. Beginning Dec. 8, kids there feed nuts and fruit to their Christmas log each day. Then on Christmas Eve, they beat their log with sticks until it magically excretes candy and small gifts. Hence, the logs nasty nickname. Now, I know lots of families have traditions that revolve around food. But I dont cook well so I try to stick to breakfast casseroles. But now I am giving serious consideration to the Japanese tradition of eating Christmas dinner at KFC. According to Google, the Japanese did not traditionally celebrated Christmas with a particular kind of meal. Some clever marketing and that savory original recipe now means about 3.6 million Japanese families feast on KFC every year. Now thats finger lickin good! I also enjoyed reading about the Norwegian custom of hiding household brooms on Christmas Eve. Its a centuries-old practice meant to thwart witches and evil spirits who were believed to come out that night looking for a sweet new ride! I dont know if I believe that or not, but I could get on the bandwagon if it meant not doing any last-minute housework! So, now Ive certainly got lots of ideas to choose from! While I am a mean mom and expect exemplary behavior during Christmastime, I probably will not be introducing the Yule Cat or Krampus to the kiddos. Our Elf on the Shelf, John Cena, is creepy enough for me. I really like the idea of hiding the broom, but may expand it to include vacuums, dish cloths and toilet brushes, too! I could just enjoy my freedom and do nothing! Keep the bar set low. Now that I think on it, maybe Alice Springs chicken and a candlelight service are my perfect Christmas traditions. After all, theyre the things Ive been doing since I became a mother on Christmas Eve 10 years ago. Ill cry when the congregation sings Silent Night in the darkness. I will give thanks for being an imperfect mother to amazing children. And I will thank God for sending his only son to us so that we may have eternal life. See? Perfect. Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you have a wonderful holiday filled with all the people and traditions that bring you joy! Melanie Nicholas is a full-time momma, writer and mommy blogger. She and The Hubs have two uh-mazing children, Parksalot, 9, and Bodacious, 6. You can follow her amazing adventures fighting grime and insecurity on Facebook @MelNicholas13 and at TheBathwaterBlogs.com. Her column appears in the Midland Reporter-Telegram every other week. GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 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 they're forbidden to cross. RELATED: A 17-year-old YouTube star insulted a notorious drug lord. He was found with at least 15 bullet wounds. Now Playing: It's a Romeo and Juliet story in the age of uncertain border politics. Two lovers were recently married at the U.S.-Mexico border. In order for the couple to marry, Border Patrol agents opened the "Door Of Hope," a gate separating San Diego and Tijuana, for one hour. This love affair marks the sixth time that the gate has been opened in the last four years. The gate only opens for family reunions or weddings like this one. The couple, American Brian Houston and Mexican Evelia Reyes, met three years ago in Tijuana and fell in love. They speak every other day on the phone and hope that eventually they'll be on the same side of the border. Will such weddings be possible if Trump builds his wall? Video: Vocativ Usually, there are no weddings at the annual hour-long border opening. Certainly, there isn't supposed to be a convicted drug smuggler. Now U.S. officials are struggling to explain how they failed to spot Houston's 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 administration's crackdown. "Turns out we provided armed security for a cartel wedding," a spokesman for the local Border Patrol union told the San Diego Tribune. Houston's 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. "He's 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. Houston's 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 he's 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 Children's 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 don't want anybody with a criminal record to be allowed to do this," Morones said. Houston hadn't 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. It's 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, 'We're 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 can't go there and she can't 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 Houston's conviction. "The surprise wedding aroused agents' suspicions," he wrote. "As a result, database queries were completed after the ceremony that revealed Mr. Houston's 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 he's 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. "He's very sorry the Border Patrol was put in this position, but he had no reason to believe they wouldn't know about this," Babcock said. "We thought it would be as simple as if they didn't want him to have this wedding or ceremony, he'd 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 Trump's promise to wall off the entire border. The couple hasn't 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 Houston's drug bust troubles were behind him, Babcock said. Now it's unclear when and if they'll end. "It was supposed to be a story about love and his responsibility," Babcock said. "Now everyone's pointing the finger." KABUL, Afghanistan - A suicide bomber struck outside the Afghan national intelligence agency headquarters near the presidential palace in the capital on Monday, killing six civilians, officials said. The Islamic State militant group asserted responsibility for the attack through its Amaq News Agency and said "30 elements from the Afghan National Directorate of Security" were killed. The bombing comes a week after militants stormed a training center of the agency in Kabul. Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said three other civilians were wounded in Monday's rush-hour attack in Shash Darak, a Kabul neighborhood with several government offices and a heavy security presence. Police cordoned off the area, which links eastern parts of Kabul to the city center. Witnesses said the attack occurred outside the main entrance to the security compound. "Uniformed forces closed off the main roads. Ambulances were seen leaving the scene, apparently taking casualties to hospitals," said Qadir Salem, a bystander. Mariam Attaie, a commuter who was heading to work when the attack occurred, wrote on her Facebook page: "My day has been started with sorrow and grief, I was just few meters away from today's explosion, my ears stopped working for few minutes." In recent months, Kabul has been repeatedly targeted by suicide bombers with ties to the Islamic State and the Taliban. The Islamic State has been ratcheting up attacks on government buildings and, most recently, Shiite mosques in Kabul, exacting a heavy civilian toll. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 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. RELATED: Records: Fired SAPD detective failed to disclose DNA evidence in sex crimes 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. "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." STATE ISSUE: Concerns over untested rape kits abound 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." RELATED: Fired SAPD sex crimes detective files appeal, claims punishment was 'excessive' 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. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 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. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Cristian Gonzalez, a kindergarten student at Finley Elementary in Laredo, received the greatest gift this Christmas. His present was the presence of his father. After serving nine months in Kuwait as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S. Army Sgt. George Gonzalez returned home just in time for the holidays to surprise his son. On Thursday, Cristian and his fellow classmates were huddled together in the school library for a visit from Santa Claus. The group of five and six-year-olds squealed with excitement as Santa handed each of them a gift. Cristian patiently waited for his own box topped with a bow as Santa got down to the last couple of gifts in his bag. But tears were beginning to well in his eyes when he looked around to find everyone except him had a present. Little did Cristian know that his present was not small enough, and far too special, to fit in Santa's bag. Santa assured Cristian he didn't forget his gift and made a call to one of his elves who told him his gift was so large it had to be kept in the librarian's office. RELATED: Army dad surprises kids with touching reunion at Trautmann Middle School Cristian, consumed with worry about his gift, walked over to the door of the office where his father waited eagerly to embrace him. "My heart was racing," Gonzalez said. "I was excited and nervous. I just wanted to see him already." The door swung open and Cristian's eyes grew with disbelief at the sight of his father. Finally, after almost a year of praying every night for his dad to come home, Cristian was in his father's arms. The father and son reunion highlighted the significance of family, especially during this time of year. Before the reunion and presents, Joe Garza, Finley Elementary principal, or Santa Claus, spoke to the kindergarten class about being with their families during the holidays. "It's all about family," he reminded the young students. Both father and son were elated about being able to spend Christmas together. Cristian said he was also happy his dad could now sign him out of school early and wants to go bowling soon. Gonzalez said he can't wait to simply spend time with his son. "I just want to be with him, that's pretty much it," Gonzalez said. Although more presents await Cristian under the Christmas tree, he said having his dad home is the best gift he has ever received. MORE ON LMTOnline.com: Local World War II veteran, parade marshal reminisces time in war This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A witness helped San Antonio police track down a robbery suspect who officers believe shot a deaf man on Saturday evening. Police responded to a shooting call around 6:45 p.m. Saturday at a Church's Chicken parking lot in the 2400 block of Basse Road in San Antonio's North Side. A witness told police he heard a loud bang and saw a man fall in the parking lot. The 39-year-old shooting victim was shot in the leg and expected to survive. RELATED: SAPD: Woman hit family in SUV head-on in drunk driving crash According to police, the witness noticed the suspect was fleeing and followed him. The witness was able to give police the suspect's description. An officer spotted the suspect who matched the description, and after further investigation, police accused him of the aggravated robbery. Police arrested Sergio Adrian Hernandez, 23, on suspicion of aggravated robbery. His mugshot was not available Monday. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com | Twitter: @FaresInSA HONG KONG - The eldest son of President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines resigned his post as the vice mayor of the Philippine city of Davao on Monday after his teenage daughter implied he had beaten her, prompting an all-out social media war between the two. Paolo Duterte quit his job just days after deadly floods and a large building fire struck Davao, the largest city on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. The city is a stronghold of President Duterte, who gained his national reputation for being tough on the drug trade during his long tenure there as mayor. NEW DELHI - Tehmina Yadav is a Muslim woman married to a Hindu man. The other night, she was hanging ornaments on a Christmas tree. In India, a country that is about 80 percent Hindu, Christmas is becoming big business. Airlines play Christmas music, online vendors sell holiday gift baskets, and one especially enterprising young man, Kabir Mishra, rents out a contingent of Hindus dressed as Santa Claus. "I can provide as many Santas as you want," he said. Sitting next to her Christmas tree at home in Delhi, Yadav said that in India, there was nothing strange about non-Christians celebrating Christmas. Indians have always observed a dizzying number of festivals regardless of religious affiliation, and even though Christians represent only 2.3 percent of the population, Christmas is recognized as a government holiday. But as far-right Hindu groups have gained traction, India has changed. Christmas has now found itself caught in the cross hairs. An ideological battle The authorities recently detained 32 carolers and the priests who came to help them. The wife of a prominent politician was excoriated online for endorsing a Christmas charity event, and earlier this month, a far-right Hindu group sent letters to schools warning them that celebrating Christmas would be done "at their own risk." The group threatened unspecified consequences. "We are afraid of Christmas this year," A.C. Michael, the national coordinator of the United Christian Forum, an Indian advocacy group, said in a statement. Shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, some officials in his government pushed a short-lived campaign to change the official recognition of Christmas to "Good Governance Day." It is all part of a broader ideological battle that has produced countless acts of violence and harassment across India based on religious identity. While reflecting on decades of celebrating Christmas, Yadav expressed concern that what used to be just a fun holiday had become increasingly policed and intertwined with religion. "Earlier on, you celebrated everything," she said. "You kind of absorbed everybody's culture and tradition without questioning it. Now, you don't. Religion has become a new mantra for people." When British colonizers came to India, they brought Christmas with them. Sanjay Srivastava, a sociology professor at Delhi University, said the global spread of consumerism had helped popularize the holiday, especially among a moneyed Hindu elite. But as Christmas and other Western holidays like Halloween have gained popularity, Indian cities have also become more segregated along religious lines, he said. Christmas is often celebrated by Indians looking to appear cosmopolitan, he added, but who do not necessarily see Christianity as having a "legitimate role in the cultural life of the country." In some parts of India this month, tensions over the holiday erupted into confrontations. On Dec. 14, carolers affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church were assaulted by a mob in a village in the state of Madhya Pradesh. But instead of charging members of the mob with a crime, the police arrested the carolers under a law against inflaming religious sentiments. Eight priests who came to the police station to help were also detained. Outside the station, their car was set on fire. "We are pained, and we are shocked," said Cardinal Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, at a news conference in New Delhi. "This incident creates further anxiety in the minds and hearts of the Christian faithful and the minorities in the country." Preparations move forward Amruta Fadnavis, the wife of the chief minister of Maharashtra state, also provoked a major controversy by promoting a Christmas charity event for poor children in Mumbai. Social media exchanges became so intense that Fadnavis wrote a follow-up message on Twitter affirming that she was a "proud Hindu." Last Monday, the Hindu Jagran Manch, a far-right Hindu group, sent letters to schools in the north Indian city of Aligarh warning administrators of repercussions if they celebrated the holiday in classrooms. The local police said they would provide security in all schools and colleges in Aligarh on Monday. A Christmas celebration in a village in Rajasthan was also disrupted on Tuesday, according to news reports, when a different Hindu group descended on a community center there, throwing away hymn books and accusing participants of trying to convert locals. Chetan Rajhans, 34, a spokesman for the Sanatan Sanstha, a right-wing Hindu organization, said Christmas promoted a "Western culture of materialistic immorality." "Christmas is a festival that is not conducive to Indian culture or tradition, and it is in schools that the first level of conversion begins," he said by telephone, referring to classroom celebrations in which Santa distributes presents and children "begin to get attracted towards Christianity." "We have started copying European culture in the garb of celebrating Western festivals," he added. But despite these contentious questions hanging over the holiday, Christmas preparations moved forward in much of the country, with vendors reporting brisk sales of Christmas-themed gift baskets, stuffed Santas and miniature Nativity scenes. "Every year, it's just crazy," said Radhika Anand, who helps manage Christmas events at a big shopping center in Delhi. "It doesn't matter if you're not a Christian. Indians believe in celebrating." At Tehmina Yadav's home, Reyhaan, 13, her son, has submitted his Christmas list (a typewriter and a camera), and earlier this month, Yadav started planning the food menu: a leg of ham, quiche and a cheese board. Other families said that they ate typical Indian sweets like gulab jamun, a ball of dough dipped in liquid sugar, on the holiday. Minhazz Majumdar, 48, Yadav's sister, said the growing emphasis on identity politics in India meant religion, caste and holiday celebrations were becoming increasingly used to polarize communities. "The India we grew up in was definitely more inclusive," she said. "It has not descended into madness totally, because there are still people who are trying to show the universality of our cultural experiences, but it's like a pot that is on the boil." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A passenger on a flight from Houston to Washington D.C. has accused United Airlines of giving her first-class seat to U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. D-Houston, and then threatening to remove her from the plane for complaining and snapping a photo of the Houston congresswoman. "It was just so completely humiliating," said Jean-Marie Simon, a 63-year-old attorney and private school teacher who used 140,000 miles on Dec. 3 to purchase the first-class tickets to take her from Washington D.C. to Guatemala and back home. Now Playing: To a Congresswoman Video: Fortune When it came time to board the last leg of her flight home from George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Dec. 18, after a roughly hour-long weather delay, Simon said the gate attendant scanned her paper ticket and told her it was not in the system. Did you cancel your flight?, the attendant asked. "No," she said she replied. "I just want to go home." Her seat, 1A, was taken, she was told. Simon was given a $500 voucher and reseated in row 11, Economy Plus. Simon later learned that Jackson Lee was in her pre-purchased seat and has alleged that the congresswoman received preferential treatment, which United denies. "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. "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 that she cancelled her ticket. She sent a reporter a screenshot of the United website showing only one "inactive" reservation a flight to Houston in August to visit her daughter that she had to cancel because of Hurricane Harvey. A United official said screenshot doesn't show the December flight as cancelled because she ultimately took the flight. The official provided another screenshot of United's internal software system and said that it showed the flight had been cancelled on a mobile app, though a reporter was unable to independently verify that on Saturday because of the system's coding. Jackson Lee issued a statement on Saturday afternoon saying: "I asked for nothing exceptional or out of the ordinary and received nothing exceptional or out of the ordinary." Simon said she saw Jackson Lee board the plane with a flight attendant before all of the other passengers, but did not know who she was until another passenger told her after they were seated. A mechanical problem with the plane delayed take-off and after about 50 minutes, she said, passengers were invited to consult with a gate agent about alternative flights. Simon said she went to the front and snapped a photo of Jackson Lee and told a flight attendant that she knew why she'd 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. "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." Simon said she replied that she just wanted to go home. She said the plane took off at 12:50 p.m. and she arrived home that night, still upset. Simon wrote a letter to airline's CEO and posted it on Facebook and Twitter. A "resolution manager" called her Saturday morning and apologized at least a half-dozen times, she said. She said she wants a formal, written apology from United. "It's just impossible to suspend disbelief and swallow that story that I cancelled my flight," Simon said. United has suffered a string of customer relations gaffes this year. In June, a woman said she was forced to give up her 2-year-old's $969 seat on a flight from Houston to Boston and hold him for roughly three hours because the airline sold the seat. In April, Dr. David Dao was forcibly removed from a United Express flight in Chicago to make space for crew members headed to Louisville, Ky. The airline announced policy changes after that incident and its CEO, Oscar Munoz, has promised a "culture shift toward becoming a better, more customer-focused airline." 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. RELATED: Oil industry plans to spend $100 billion in U.S. fields next year 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. RELATED: Slowdown in the Eagle Ford shale 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.'' --- Bloomberg's Ryan Collins contributed. At the end of this banner stock market year, you can bet that major business publications will be naming their investor of the year. You can stop now. I have the winner, and nobody is even close when it comes to his total return on investment: Vladimir Putin, the Russian president. A recent report in The Washington Post, quoting intelligence sources, said Putin may have spent less than $500,000 to hack our last election and help (though Hillary Clinton helped much more) Donald Trump become president. And Putins payoff is Trumps first year: a president who is simultaneously eroding some of our most basic norms, undermining some of our most cherished institutions and shepherding a mammoth tax bill that will not make America great again. If you assume, as I do, that Putin wants to see an America that is not an attractive model for his own people or others to emulate, and that he wants an America run by a chaos president who cannot lead the West, then Trump is his dream come true, whether or not there was any collusion between them. Just do the math: On norms, weve grown numb to a president who misleads or outright lies every day. Different newspapers measure this differently. The Washington Post says Trump has averaged 5.5 false or misleading claims every day in office, putting him on pace for 1,999 in his first year. According to The New York Times, Barack Obama told 18 distinct falsehoods over his entire eight-year presidency, while Trump, in his first 10 months in office, has told 103 separate untruths, many of them repeatedly. In terms of institutions, Trump has personally disparaged the FBI, the CIA and the Justice Department. His head of the Environmental Protection Agency has turned the EPA over to the fossil fuel industry. Ditto at Interior. His IRS is being starved of funding to do its job. And his secretary of state is gutting the State Department, shedding our most experienced diplomats and replacing them with no one. But this erosion of institutions is not all on the White House the Republican congressional leadership went along for the ride, spurning proper congressional oversight of the tax bill. It was just rammed through. And then theres the future: Putin never could have dreamed up this deformed Trump-GOP tax bill, but it is precisely how you dont make America great again. We actually have a tried-and-true formula for that one employed by every great American president since our founding. It has five parts, and this bill pretty much ignores all five. First, weve always educated our citizens up to and beyond whatever the main technology of the day was. Now that it is the computer and artificial intelligence, it should be some form of postsecondary education for all and then lifelong learning. Second, we invested in the best infrastructure roads, rail, ports, airports, telecom. This tax bill not only makes no provision for that, it actually erodes such investments in many states. Third, we had the best rules to incentivize risk-taking and to prevent recklessness. I am all for cutting corporate taxes and payroll taxes but Id offset them with a carbon tax that would simultaneously combat climate change and stimulate renewable energy. Fourth, we had, in the last century, the most open immigration policy to attract the most high-I.Q. risk-takers as well as lower-skilled workers. I dont have to tell you where Trump is on that. Fifth, we had the most government-funded research to push out the boundaries of science so our companies could pluck the best ideas to start new industries. The surge in the deficit created by this tax bill will curtail precisely such research. So there you have it: a tax reform bill that defies all five principles that made us great for two and a half centuries. Matt Damon gave an interview to ABC News last week in which he offered the following observation: Theres a difference between, you know, patting someone on the butt and rape or child molestation, right? Both of those behaviors need to be confronted and eradicated without question, but they shouldnt be conflated, right? Crazy, right? Minnie Driver, Damons co-star in Good Will Hunting, thought so. There is no hierarchy of abuse that if a woman is raped (it) is much worse than if a woman has a penis exposed to her that she didnt want or ask for, she told The Guardian. You cannot tell those women that one is supposed to feel worse than the other. Kirsten Gillibrand agrees: I think when we start having to talk about the differences between sexual assault and sexual harassment and unwanted groping, you are having the wrong conversation, the Democratic senator from New York said at a news conference when asked about calling on Sen. Al Franken to resign. You need to draw a line in the sand and say none of it is OK. None of it is acceptable. Of course none of it is OK. The supposedly petty sexual harassment that so many women have to endure, from Hollywood studios to the factory floor at Ford, is a national outrage that needs to end. Period. But what about the idea that we should not even discuss the difference between verbal harassment, physical groping and rape? Heres a guess: A vast majority of Americans, men and women, would agree with Damons comment in its entirety. Another guess: A majority of women would not accept Drivers suggestion that the unwanted sight of a mans genitals, as wrong as it is, is anywhere near as traumatic as the unspeakably violent experience of rape. If, as Driver put it, there is no hierarchy of abuse, then should Harvey Weinstein and Al Franken be punished in the same way? Should George H.W. Bush be subjected to the same obloquy as Louis C.K.? All societies make necessary moral distinctions between high crimes and misdemeanors, mortal and lesser sins. Gillibrand, Driver and others want to blur such distinctions, on the theory that we need a zero-tolerance approach. That is legally unworkable and, in many cases, simply unjust. What about a case such as Glenn Thrush, The Times reporter who was suspended after being accused of inappropriate sexual behavior and, The Times said Wednesday, will keep his job but not his White House beat? Or what about Stephen Henderson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Detroit Free Press columnist and editorial page editor (and an acquaintance of mine) who was recently sacked from his job? Henderson is widely admired as a pillar and champion of his hometown. And Henderson has apologized for his behavior, which he said happened years ago and involved sexually themed conversations with a co-worker outside of work along with a couple of rejected passes at a woman working in another department. Wouldnt the apology, plus, say, a monthlong suspension, have sufficed? Dont we have the moral capacity to distinguish between aggressive sexual predation and run-of-the-mill romantic bungling? And do companies really have the resources, or the right, to police and adjudicate the private behavior of their employees? It will not serve the interests of women if #MeToo becomes a movement that does as much to wreck the careers of people like Henderson as it does to bring down the Weinsteins of the world. Nor will it do much to convince men that #MeToo is a movement that is ultimately for them if every sexual transgression, great or small, vile, crass or mostly clumsy, is judged according to the same Procrustean standard. Now to the inevitable rejoinder: As Minnie Driver told The Guardian: The time right now is for men just to listen and not have an opinion about it for once. Listening is always essential. But one-way conversations go down about as well with most men as they do with most women. Every woman, and every thoughtful man, is rooting for #MeToo to succeed, not just by exposing male misbehavior but also by transforming it for the better. It wont get that far if people like Gillibrand and Driver drive its high ideals and current momentum into the ground. Bret Stephens writes a column for the New York Times. By Express News Service SRI NAGAR: Despite more than 200 militants being killed by security forces in Kashmir this year, there has been a rise in militant recruitment. According to police, 117 youths joined militant ranks in Kashmir in 2017, the highest figure in the last seven years. According to police data, more than 90 youths from south Kashmir, comprising the four districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian, joined militancy this year. South Kashmir was the epicentre of last years unrest after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8, 2016, and continues to be a trouble spot for security agencies. ALSO READ: Kashmir 2017- A year of comparative normalcy, but permanent peace eludes the valley As per the figures, 12 youths took up arms in Anantnag, 45 in Pulwama and Awantipora, 24 in Shopian and 10 in Kulgam. At least 17 youth turned militants in north Kashmir comprising three districts of Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora. Four youths joined militant ranks in Kupwara, six in Baramulla and seven in Bandipora, the document states. Bandipora, was once the hub of counter insurgents, has become a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) stronghold. At least six top LeT militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Hajin area of Bandipora last month. A Garud commando of Indian Air Force was also killed in the gunfight. The police statistics reveal that five youth joined militants in Srinagar and four in central Kashmirs Budgam district this year.The figure stood at 88 in 2016, 66 in 2015, 53 in 2014, 16 in 2013, 21 in 2012 and 23 in 2011. The situation in Kashmir after Burhan Wanis killing is one of the factors of over 110 youth joining militant ranks this year. This is not worrisome as we have killed over 200 militants this year, a police official said. The more militants are killed, the more over ground workers of militants have to become militants to fill the gap. He said security agencies were analysing why youth, especially the educated ones, were joining militancy, and remedial measures would be taken to prevent youth from taking to guns. SRI NAGAR: Despite more than 200 militants being killed by security forces in Kashmir this year, there has been a rise in militant recruitment. According to police, 117 youths joined militant ranks in Kashmir in 2017, the highest figure in the last seven years. According to police data, more than 90 youths from south Kashmir, comprising the four districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian, joined militancy this year. South Kashmir was the epicentre of last years unrest after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8, 2016, and continues to be a trouble spot for security agencies. ALSO READ: Kashmir 2017- A year of comparative normalcy, but permanent peace eludes the valley As per the figures, 12 youths took up arms in Anantnag, 45 in Pulwama and Awantipora, 24 in Shopian and 10 in Kulgam. At least 17 youth turned militants in north Kashmir comprising three districts of Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora. Four youths joined militant ranks in Kupwara, six in Baramulla and seven in Bandipora, the document states. Bandipora, was once the hub of counter insurgents, has become a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) stronghold. At least six top LeT militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Hajin area of Bandipora last month. A Garud commando of Indian Air Force was also killed in the gunfight. The police statistics reveal that five youth joined militants in Srinagar and four in central Kashmirs Budgam district this year.The figure stood at 88 in 2016, 66 in 2015, 53 in 2014, 16 in 2013, 21 in 2012 and 23 in 2011. The situation in Kashmir after Burhan Wanis killing is one of the factors of over 110 youth joining militant ranks this year. This is not worrisome as we have killed over 200 militants this year, a police official said. The more militants are killed, the more over ground workers of militants have to become militants to fill the gap. He said security agencies were analysing why youth, especially the educated ones, were joining militancy, and remedial measures would be taken to prevent youth from taking to guns. Ramananda Sengupta By Express News Service Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal tweeted before their arrival. Soon afterwards, he posted a picture of the two women waiting at the foreign office, saying: The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our commitments. Subsequently, he released pictures of the meeting, showing Jadhav, looking weary and haggard in a blue suit at least two sizes too large for him, speaking to his wife and mother divided by a glass wall. Later, Faisal told journalists in Islamabad that Jadhavs mother Avanti Jadhav and wife Chetna Jadhav underwent a security check before being taken to the room for their meeting, which started at 2.18 pm and lasted almost 40 minutes. The wife (right) and mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad on Monday. Indian diplomats, including Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh, accompanied Jadhavs family and were present during the meeting, which was conducted in a specially prepared room via an intercom through a glass partition, he said. WATCH: Pakistan Foreign Ministry addresses the media in Islamabad #KulbhushanJadhav https://t.co/4s7kyRfhIO ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 He also clarified that the presence of Indian diplomats during the meeting between Jadhav and his family did not mean Jadhav had been given consular access. After the meeting, Jadhavs family went back to the Indian High Commission. They later returned to India via Oman. According to Pakistan, Jadhav was arrested on March 3, 2016, in a counter-intelligence operation from Mashkel area of Balochistan, and confessed on camera that he was an Indian Navy officer working for Indian intelligence agencies. On April 10 this year, he was sentenced to death by a military court for espionage and sabotage. Faisal's tweet had made it a point to identify Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, with his military title. Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav from its restive Balochistan province after he reportedly entered from Iran. It claims that he was in possession of an Indian passport that identified him as Hussein Mubarak Patel. India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy. India says the confession was forced, and denies any intelligence links. #KulbhushanJadhav's mother and his wife at Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad after their meeting with him ended. Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh also present. pic.twitter.com/kpWP7VVUzm ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 Faisal also tweeted that the meeting was arranged in light of "Islamic traditions and based on purely humanitarian grounds." TV footage showed Jadhav's mother Avanti and wife Chetankul entering the ministry building's Agha Shahi Block, accompanied by India's Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh and a Pakistani woman official. After they went in, the door shut behind them. Pakistan Foreign Office later released pictures of Jadhav talking to his wife and mother from behind a glass screen. The communication between them was through an intercom device. The meeting started at around 1.35 pm and lasted about 45 minutes, after which the entire party re-emerged and was driven away in a white SUV. Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 The two women had arrived in Islamabad earlier today via Dubai on a commercial flight, and spent about 30 minutes at the Indian Embassy before being driven to the Foreign Ministry. They are expected to stay at the Indian Embassy for a few hours before retracing their path back to India later this evening. Before the meeting, the security check of the family was performed. Meeting between Commander Kulbushan Jhadev & his family in progress pic.twitter.com/THG925V1fO Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 All the information about the meeting emerged through Pakistani Foreign Ministry tweets and images. "The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our commitments," Faisal earlier tweeted along with a picture of the visitors. From Pakistan's side, Foreign Office Director for India, Dr Fareha Bugti, was present at the meeting. Jadhav's wife and mother greeted mediapersons with a namaste after arriving at the ministry but did not respond to their questions. They also did not talk to the reporters while leaving the building, although journalists kept shouting questions. Jadhav was at the ministry before his family arrived. It was not known where he had been kept before being transported to the Foreign Ministry. TV footage showed a convoy of around seven vehicles escorting Jadhav's family in the city. Police and paramilitary security forces, including sharpshooters, were deployed at the ministry to deal with any untoward security situation, officials said. The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pakistan . We honour our commitments pic.twitter.com/hILiMyp7Zl Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 Roads leading to the Constitution Avenue, on which the ministry is located, were closed for traffic. Special security passes were issued for those visiting the Foreign Office, the officials added. Pakistan had on December 20 issued a 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. It is expected to hold another hearing in March or April. It was a humanitarian meeting, it was not consular access. The Indian diplomat JP Singh was present and could see the meeting but was not allowed to meet, we extended the meeting by 10 minutes on request of Jadhav:Mohd Faisal,Pak Foreign Ministry Spokesperson #KulbhushanJadhav pic.twitter.com/wJZ4InjROS ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 Earlier today Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told a Pakistani media channel that Pakistan has granted India consular access to Jadhav since an Indian diplomat will be accompanying the prisoner's wife and mother. Khulbhushan Jadhav. (Twitter ANI Photo) In India, officials downplayed the comments, maintaining that the Indian diplomat was only accompanying Jadhav's family and it cannot be construed as "consular access". Jadhavs friends to continue campaign for his release Mumbai: Kulbhushan Jadhavs friends and well-wishers in Mumbai have pledged to continue their campaign for his release even as his mother and wife met him in Islamabad on Monday.As there is no evidence against Kulbhushan, the Pakistan government should release him immediately, said Tulshidas Pawar, a friend of Jadhav. Until he is brought back, our campaign will continue, said Sachin Kale, another of Jadhavs friends. (with inputs from agencies) Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal tweeted before their arrival. Soon afterwards, he posted a picture of the two women waiting at the foreign office, saying: The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our commitments. Subsequently, he released pictures of the meeting, showing Jadhav, looking weary and haggard in a blue suit at least two sizes too large for him, speaking to his wife and mother divided by a glass wall. Later, Faisal told journalists in Islamabad that Jadhavs mother Avanti Jadhav and wife Chetna Jadhav underwent a security check before being taken to the room for their meeting, which started at 2.18 pm and lasted almost 40 minutes. The wife (right) and mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad on Monday. Indian diplomats, including Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh, accompanied Jadhavs family and were present during the meeting, which was conducted in a specially prepared room via an intercom through a glass partition, he said. WATCH: Pakistan Foreign Ministry addresses the media in Islamabad #KulbhushanJadhav https://t.co/4s7kyRfhIO ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 He also clarified that the presence of Indian diplomats during the meeting between Jadhav and his family did not mean Jadhav had been given consular access. After the meeting, Jadhavs family went back to the Indian High Commission. They later returned to India via Oman. According to Pakistan, Jadhav was arrested on March 3, 2016, in a counter-intelligence operation from Mashkel area of Balochistan, and confessed on camera that he was an Indian Navy officer working for Indian intelligence agencies. On April 10 this year, he was sentenced to death by a military court for espionage and sabotage. Faisal's tweet had made it a point to identify Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, with his military title. Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav from its restive Balochistan province after he reportedly entered from Iran. It claims that he was in possession of an Indian passport that identified him as Hussein Mubarak Patel. India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy. India says the confession was forced, and denies any intelligence links. #KulbhushanJadhav's mother and his wife at Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad after their meeting with him ended. Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh also present. pic.twitter.com/kpWP7VVUzm ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 Faisal also tweeted that the meeting was arranged in light of "Islamic traditions and based on purely humanitarian grounds." TV footage showed Jadhav's mother Avanti and wife Chetankul entering the ministry building's Agha Shahi Block, accompanied by India's Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh and a Pakistani woman official. After they went in, the door shut behind them. Pakistan Foreign Office later released pictures of Jadhav talking to his wife and mother from behind a glass screen. The communication between them was through an intercom device. The meeting started at around 1.35 pm and lasted about 45 minutes, after which the entire party re-emerged and was driven away in a white SUV. Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 The two women had arrived in Islamabad earlier today via Dubai on a commercial flight, and spent about 30 minutes at the Indian Embassy before being driven to the Foreign Ministry. They are expected to stay at the Indian Embassy for a few hours before retracing their path back to India later this evening. Before the meeting, the security check of the family was performed. Meeting between Commander Kulbushan Jhadev & his family in progress pic.twitter.com/THG925V1fO Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 All the information about the meeting emerged through Pakistani Foreign Ministry tweets and images. "The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our commitments," Faisal earlier tweeted along with a picture of the visitors. From Pakistan's side, Foreign Office Director for India, Dr Fareha Bugti, was present at the meeting. Jadhav's wife and mother greeted mediapersons with a namaste after arriving at the ministry but did not respond to their questions. They also did not talk to the reporters while leaving the building, although journalists kept shouting questions. Jadhav was at the ministry before his family arrived. It was not known where he had been kept before being transported to the Foreign Ministry. TV footage showed a convoy of around seven vehicles escorting Jadhav's family in the city. Police and paramilitary security forces, including sharpshooters, were deployed at the ministry to deal with any untoward security situation, officials said. The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pakistan . We honour our commitments pic.twitter.com/hILiMyp7Zl Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 Roads leading to the Constitution Avenue, on which the ministry is located, were closed for traffic. Special security passes were issued for those visiting the Foreign Office, the officials added. Pakistan had on December 20 issued a 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. It is expected to hold another hearing in March or April. It was a humanitarian meeting, it was not consular access. The Indian diplomat JP Singh was present and could see the meeting but was not allowed to meet, we extended the meeting by 10 minutes on request of Jadhav:Mohd Faisal,Pak Foreign Ministry Spokesperson #KulbhushanJadhav pic.twitter.com/wJZ4InjROS ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 Earlier today Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told a Pakistani media channel that Pakistan has granted India consular access to Jadhav since an Indian diplomat will be accompanying the prisoner's wife and mother. Khulbhushan Jadhav. (Twitter ANI Photo) In India, officials downplayed the comments, maintaining that the Indian diplomat was only accompanying Jadhav's family and it cannot be construed as "consular access". Jadhavs friends to continue campaign for his release Mumbai: Kulbhushan Jadhavs friends and well-wishers in Mumbai have pledged to continue their campaign for his release even as his mother and wife met him in Islamabad on Monday.As there is no evidence against Kulbhushan, the Pakistan government should release him immediately, said Tulshidas Pawar, a friend of Jadhav. Until he is brought back, our campaign will continue, said Sachin Kale, another of Jadhavs friends. (with inputs from agencies) By IANS ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday described alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav as "the face of Indian terror" and said it would decide on consular access to him at an appropriate time. It added that the meeting between Jadhav and his family was not the last. READ | Pakistan releases new video of Jadhav "This is not the last meeting. Let me say it categorically," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammed Faisal told reporters after former Indian Navy officer Jadhav's wife Chetankul and mother Avanti met him for the first time after his detention in March 2016. Jadhav met his wife and mother at the Foreign Office for around 40 minutes, but interacted through a glass panel and intercom. READ HERE | Jadhav meets mother, wife for 40 minutes The arrested Indian citizen is on death row but his case is pending before the International Court of Justice. Faisal said December 25 was chosen to allow Jadhav meet his family because it is Pakistan founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah's birth anniversary. Meeting between Commander Kulbushan Jhadev & his family in progress pic.twitter.com/THG925V1fO Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 He said the two women spoke "openly and had a productive meeting" with Jadhav. "It was a positive gesture, extended on humanitarian grounds. We extended the meeting by 10 minutes on the request of Jadhav's family. It has nothing to do with legalities." The spokesperson also "categorically" denied it was a consular access even as Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh was present during the meeting, but seated at a distance. "The Indian diplomat could see the meeting but was not allowed to meet. It would have been consular access had the Indian diplomat spoken to Jadhav," he said, adding the Indian request for a possible consular access was with Pakistan and "would be taken up at an appropriate time". Faisal reiterated that the meeting did not mean any change in Pakistan's stance regarding Jadhav, who he termed "a spy and terrorist who has been sentenced to death". Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 "Jadhav is the face of Indian terror in Pakistan. He has confessed to killing Aslam Chaudhary. He expressed remorse for taking Pakistani lives. He is a serving naval officer, has confessed to being a RAW agent." Indian has always denied the allegations, saying Jadhav was abducted from Iran where he had gone on a private business trip and then brought to Pakistan. Earlier, Jadhav's mother and wife landed in Islamabad via Dubai around noon on Monday and will be departing for India later. ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday described alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav as "the face of Indian terror" and said it would decide on consular access to him at an appropriate time. It added that the meeting between Jadhav and his family was not the last. READ | Pakistan releases new video of Jadhav "This is not the last meeting. Let me say it categorically," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammed Faisal told reporters after former Indian Navy officer Jadhav's wife Chetankul and mother Avanti met him for the first time after his detention in March 2016. Jadhav met his wife and mother at the Foreign Office for around 40 minutes, but interacted through a glass panel and intercom. READ HERE | Jadhav meets mother, wife for 40 minutes The arrested Indian citizen is on death row but his case is pending before the International Court of Justice. Faisal said December 25 was chosen to allow Jadhav meet his family because it is Pakistan founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah's birth anniversary. Meeting between Commander Kulbushan Jhadev & his family in progress pic.twitter.com/THG925V1fO Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 He said the two women spoke "openly and had a productive meeting" with Jadhav. "It was a positive gesture, extended on humanitarian grounds. We extended the meeting by 10 minutes on the request of Jadhav's family. It has nothing to do with legalities." The spokesperson also "categorically" denied it was a consular access even as Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh was present during the meeting, but seated at a distance. "The Indian diplomat could see the meeting but was not allowed to meet. It would have been consular access had the Indian diplomat spoken to Jadhav," he said, adding the Indian request for a possible consular access was with Pakistan and "would be taken up at an appropriate time". Faisal reiterated that the meeting did not mean any change in Pakistan's stance regarding Jadhav, who he termed "a spy and terrorist who has been sentenced to death". Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 "Jadhav is the face of Indian terror in Pakistan. He has confessed to killing Aslam Chaudhary. He expressed remorse for taking Pakistani lives. He is a serving naval officer, has confessed to being a RAW agent." Indian has always denied the allegations, saying Jadhav was abducted from Iran where he had gone on a private business trip and then brought to Pakistan. Earlier, Jadhav's mother and wife landed in Islamabad via Dubai around noon on Monday and will be departing for India later. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy later in the day. High 29F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Low 17F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Mumbai: 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 USD 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. New Delhi: From Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh to Nashik in Maharashtra to Sikar in Rajasthan and most recently the voter outrage against the BJP in rural Gujarat farm distress emerged as the biggest threat to economic as well as political stability in 2017. Amid reports that agriculture will be the top focus of Budget 2018, the Narendra Modi government, in consultation with states, is planning to launch a new price support scheme for farmers to prevent distress sales at rates 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. Under the new scheme, the Centre will reimburse states for any losses capped at 30% of the procurement cost. The proposed scheme will ensure an assured price for the producer, mitigating the price risks faced by farmers after harvest. States will have to take ownership of the scheme, including which crop to procure and in what quantities. 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. The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) in its third meeting on Thursday under the chairmanship Bibek Debroy deliberated on issues of employment and agriculture with special focus on coming up with a policy on farm income. Farm income which includes providing proper remunerative prices to farmers and ensuring crop security is going to be a primary agenda in the days to come, said a member of the committee under conditions of anonymity. The NITI Aayog made presentations on options to enhance agri-productivity and the rural minister made presentations on Antyodaya mission for poverty-free panchayats. Eight states are slated to go for elections next year. On being asked whether multiple elections next year will impact policymaking, the member under said, It surely will. But that is the governments prerogative we are an advisory committee. We only suggest ideas. The proposed scheme comes in the backdrop of the record harvest of cereals and pulses in 2016-17, which led to wholesale prices plunging below MSPs. The price crash 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. Every time you try to search for Aamir Liaquat Hussains show, it will show you an Error 404. Hussain, a controversial and influential TV anchor in Pakistan, has been barred from making TV, print or social media appearances. Two weeks ago, Islamabad's High Court passed a verdict barring the anchor from making appearances till further notice after a petition filed said that Hussain had been engaged in inciting hatred and violence in the country. The petition demands that the TV anchor be banned for life for repeatedly abusing his influence on air. The judge is hearing the petition while putting Hussain on a temporary ban. So, why did Hussain get into trouble? The petitioners lawyer Shoaib Razaq had argued that while Hussain does not have any Islamic degree or certification, he calls himself an aalim (religious scholar). The petitioner said that the anchor has been using his television show Aalim Online to spread hatred. The petitioner also said that the TV anchor has handed out fatwas (religious edicts) on kufr (cardinal sin) and treason which have put the lives of a number of people in danger, reported Dawn. Hussain was a politician before he became a television anchor. He been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from 2002 to 2007 and served as the Minister of State for Religious Affairs till he resigned in 2007. On January 10, the court will decide whether Hussain should be banned for life. New Delhi: The menace of chain snatching in Delhi hasn't even spared the First Secretary of Indias Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Eenam Gambhir. At home in Delhi on a vacation, she was out for a walk on Saturday night, when two bike-borne men drove away after snatching her mobile phone in Rohini. In her police complaint, Gambhir said, Two men on a motorcycle stopped near me and my mother and started asking for directions to the Hanuman Mandir. Raising the hand in which I was holding my iPhone 7, I pointed towards the temple. Just then, the pillion rider snatched the phone from my hand and they drove away. According to police, the iPhone had a US-registered SIM card and contained crucial work-related documents Police said they have filed a case under Sections 356 (assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person), 379 (punishment for theft) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) Officials told News18 that they have formed several teams and are scanning CCTV footage from the area. But even after over 36 hours, cops have failed to nab the snatchers Delhi Police have failed to curb the menace of chain snatching. There are at least 24 snatching cases reported across the city every day. Till November 30 this year, 7,870 cases of snatching were registered. According to police data, only 4,154 of these cases were solved. New Delhi: Noida is Emergency's Child, if one may call it that. Yamuna or Jamuna ji's languid flow skirts Delhi before it re-enters Haryana and ends at the Okhla Bird sanctuary. On the east end of the Okhla Barrage, in April 1976, the then Uttar Pradesh chief minister Narayan Dutt Tiwari laid the foundation of New Okhla Industrial Development Area. Thus the acronym Noida. One can safely assume from its very baptism that Noida was meant to be developed as an industrial area. Tiwari, apart from other things, once carried Sanjay Gandhis sandals. Those were the heady days of Emergency. Sanjay Gandhi wanted to shift from Nehruvian Socialism. Maruti would come later, but the signs were clear. So Noida was meant to be the satellite industrial town near the national capital. How and when Noida metamorphosed into a residential township is not clearly registered in the annals of its short history. Maybe because it was a process over the last four decades as migrants continuously poured into Delhi to breach the natural frontiers etched by Yamuna in the east. A Jamuna-paar house once was considered infra-dig. Humans, like water, have a remarkable ability to adjust and adapt to the pit-bottom. So Noida soon became Nevada a Las Vegas straddling the mountainous west in the United States. Nevada-Nevada-Nevada the raucous helpers of killer Blue-line buses in Delhi would shout while soliciting customers at Connaught Circus in Delhi. And people thronged to Noida. In droves. They travelled every day in and out of the town to work packed in rancid DTC buses like sardines and later in the Metro. Chandni Chowk traders moved from congested lanes of Old Delhi to spacious new condos in Noida, and long commute became a daily habit. Around housing societies with five-star amenities, developed shanty towns and slums a subsidiary economy on the margins. Sahib wanted a driver. Memsahib wanted a domestic help. Interestingly, in all these years, as Noida transformed from an industrial to a predominantly residential township, for its civic needs it continues to be administered by a developing authority. Noida has no municipality, no civic body which is accountable to the people. It is like the Delhi Development Authority(DDA) doubling up as Municipal Corporation of Delhi(MCD) and New Delhi Municipal Council(NDMC). So why is Noida an exception? A senior bureaucrat currently posted in the city sees a babu-neta nexus in the genesis of the malediction. In late eighties, two CMs Vir Bahadur Singh and ND Tiwari lost their jobs just after visiting Noida. Noida was a cash rich cow and bureaucrats wanted to keep netas away from it. Thats how the myth around Noida jinx was born and took route, he says. Even if the jinx kept politicians away from the town, it did not stop them from exploiting its burgeoning economy. In the past, ruling dispensations and dynasties have deputed family loyalists and reliable aides to handle Noida and manage the cash flow that it generates. Even if the chief ministers did not visit the jinxed city for the fear of electoral defeat, hand-picked babus were posted here to do the needful. I am very happy. Due to his dress, few people find it fashionable to believe that CM Yogi Adityanath is not 'modern enough' but it is Yogi Adityanath Ji who has done what CMs of UP never did- he came to Noida. Faith is important but blind faith is not desirable: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/glLxFbixpa ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 When I became CM, ppl told me of a few places where no CMs went because they were inauspicious. I was clear I would go to all those places in my first year itself. There were superstitions associated w/Noida & in his own style,Yogi Adityanath Ji rose above them & came to Noida-PM pic.twitter.com/4agNoWadHz ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 Ironically, in all these years it has taken a politician in saffron robes to defy the curse of Noida in his first year in office. And Yogi Adityanath has, to the discomfiture of Babu-Neta nexus, promised to return and keep a close watch on the developments here. New Delhi: Former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is on death row in Pakistan for allegedly spying for India, met his family members in Islamabad on Monday afternoon in a carefully choreographed event. The meeting lasted nearly 40 minutes but Jadhav, and his wife and mother, were separated by a glass screen and only spoke through an intercom device. Pakistan said it could not allow physical contact due to security implications. The meeting, Jadhavs first with his family since his arrest in March last year, took place at the heavily guarded Foreign Affairs Ministry building, and came after months of representation from both nations after the International Court of Justice stayed his execution in May. Pakistan portrayed it as a humanitarian gesture to mark the birthday of the countrys founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah, but soon after the meeting ended, called him the face of Indian terror and released another video of his confession to several attacks in the country. Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted. The tweet made it a point to identify Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, with his military title. Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav from its restive Balochistan province after he reportedly entered from Iran. It claims that he was in possession of an Indian passport that identified him as Hussein Mubarak Patel. India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy. Faisal also tweeted that the meeting was arranged in light of "Islamic traditions and based on purely humanitarian grounds." TV footage showed Jadhavs mother Avanti and wife Chetankul entering the ministry buildings Agha Shahi Block, accompanied by Indias Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh and a Pakistani woman official. After they went in, the door shut behind them. The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pakistan . We honour our commitments pic.twitter.com/hILiMyp7Zl Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 Pakistan Foreign Office later released pictures of Jadhav talking to his wife and mother from behind a glass screen. The meeting started at around 1.35 pm and lasted about 45 minutes, after which the entire party remerged, and were driven away in a white SUV. The two women had arrived in Islamabad earlier today via Dubai on a commercial flight, and spent about 30 minutes at the Indian Embassy before being driven to the Foreign Ministry. They are expected to stay at the Indian Embassy for a few hours before retracing their path back to India later this evening. All the information about the meeting emerged through Pakistani Foreign Ministry tweets and images. "The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our commitments," Foreign Office Spokesperson Mohammad Faisal earlier tweeted along with a picture of the visitors. From Pakistans side, Foreign Office Director for India, Dr Fareha Bugti, was present at the meeting. The wife and mother greeted media persons with a namaste after arriving at the ministry but did not respond to their questions. They also did not talk to the reporters while leaving the building, although journalists kept shouting questions. Jadhav was at the ministry before his family arrived. It was not known where he had been kept before being transported to the Foreign Ministry. Later, in a press conference, Pakistan claimed that both Jadhav and his happy were very happy with the meeting and "spoke openly". It also said that Jadhav was in excellent health, but made sure it pointed out that the meeting does not amount to consular access and would have no bearing on the case in ICJ. The Indian government has so far not responded. TV footage showed a convoy of around seven vehicles escorting Jadhavs family in the city. Police and paramilitary security forces, including sharpshooters, were deployed at the ministry to deal with any untoward security situation, they said. Pakistan on December 20 had issued visa to Jadhavs 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. It is expected to hold another hearing in March or April. Former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhavs wife and mother met him for the first time after his detention in March 2016, but they were seated across a glass partition at the Pakistan Foreign Office. The two women reached the Pakistan Foreign Office in Islamabad amid tight security arrangements on Monday morning. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Foreign Office has clarified in a statement that they have not granted India consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav. The Pakistani media had earlier reported that the Pakistan government has granted consular access after denying the same for 22 times in a row. According to a report by Geo News, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif had said so. In India, officials however downplayed the comments by the Pakistani minister, maintaining that an Indian diplomat was only accompanying Jadhavs family and it cannot be construed as consular access". Jadhavs family is expected to leave Pakistan soon after the meeting. Indias Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh is also accompanying the family for the meeting. Twenty-two months since Kulbhushan Jadhav was taken into illegal detention in Pakistan, his family will finally get a glimpse of him on Monday. An official from the Ministry of External Affairs is also accompanying the two to Pakistan. Stay tuned as Aakarshuk Sarna brings you LIVE updates: Read all the Latest News , Breaking News , watch Top Videos and Live TV here. New Delhi: Twenty-two months after Kulbhushan Jadhav was taken into illegal detention in Pakistan, his family will have the glimpse of him on Monday. It will be an emotional journey for his wife and mother who are travelling to Pakistan for a brief meeting an official from the Ministry of External Affairs has accompanied them on a commercial flight from Delhi. After 22 requests for consular access were denied to India, Pakistan made a sudden offer to allow Jadhavs wife a meeting with him on what they claimed, humanitarian grounds. Interestingly, India had been seeking a visa for his mother Avanti Jadhav all along. There was apprehension on part of India to let the wife travel alone to Pakistan. India told Pakistan she will be accompanied by her mother-in- law and sought a sovereign guarantee for their safety and security while in Pakistan. After these demands were met, modalities for their travel were decided by India. Pakistan's foreign ministry spokesperson tweeted on Sunday that India's Deputy High Commissioner to Islamabad will be accompanying Jadhav's wife and mother in Pakistan. Just a fortnight ago, Pakistan made a written submission to the International Court of Justice where it once again made the same charges of espionage and subversive activities against Jadhav. India has clarified that he was a former navy personnel who was doing legitimate business at Chabahar port in Iran. In fact, India has been seeking answers as to how he landed up in Balochistan from where he was apparently arrested. India believes he was kidnapped and false charges were foisted on him. After a military court in Pakistan handed him death penalty in April this year, India moved the ICJ. It is now a bid to save Jadhav from the gallows and bring him back that India is pursuing forcefully at The Hague. India has made a strong case saying his human rights have been violated apart from the fact that Pakistan has defied norms of international diplomatic relations by not allowing consular access even once. Islamabad: Pakistan on Monday said that Kulbhushan Jadhav's meeting with his family in the presence of an Indian diplomat did not constitute "consular access" and repeated its old allegations against the Indian prisoner. Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal briefed the media after the meeting of Jadhav with his mother Avanti and wife Chetankul this afternoon. "This meeting was not consular access as we had told India that its diplomat would see the meeting but was not allowed to speak or participate in it," Faisal told reporters. India's Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh, who accompanied the visitors, was not allowed to speak or listen to the conversation of meeting and he knew it, Faisal added. "All decision on consular access will be taken on basis of law and interests of Pakistan," he said in response to a question about granting the consular access. Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies. The Foreign Office also issued a new video message of Jadhav in which he is seen thanking the Pakistan government for arranging a meeting with his wife and mother. The video played during the press conference was recorded before Jadhav's meeting with his family, officials said. "I requested a meeting with my wife and mother and I am thankful to Government of Pakistan for this gesture," Jadhav said in the brief video message. The Foreign Office earlier released pictures of Jadhav talking to his wife and mother from behind a glass screen. The communication between them was through an intercom device. "We promised 30 minutes of the meeting but Jadhav and his mother requested towards the end of meeting that it should be increased and we did it. The meeting went on for 40 minutes," the spokesperson said. He said that the meeting was positive and the two sides talked thoroughly. "It is not the last meeting. It should be categorically registered," he added. Faisal also said that the family was told several days before the meeting that there would not be any physical contact. The family and Indian government knew about it. He said the meeting was not connected to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case and Pakistan had already responded to the ICJ on December 13. "Jadhav is the face of Indian terrorism in Pakistan" but still his family was allowed to meet on humanitarian and Islamic grounds," Faisal claimed. Faisal said that since Pakistan has allowed Jadhav's family to meet him, India should also allow the families of detained Kashmiris to meet their relatives. He said Pakistan wanted that Jadhav's family should be allowed to meet the Pakistani and Indian media. But India requested that media should not be allowed to speak to family. "We wanted to know why he was using fake passport and use it to enter India at least 17 times. We also wanted to know about the family getting pension if he was retired as India says," the spokesman said. Faisal said that the wife and mother of Jadhav "thanked Pakistan, FO and our team for the meeting while going away." He alleged that Jadhav was sentenced to death due to his involvement in terrorism. In his mercy petition filed to the Army chief in June, Jadhav admitted his involvement in various militant activities in Balochistan and Sindh. He also showed a medical test of Jadhav conducted on December 22 that he was in fine health. Faisal said the details of 15 persons with whom Jadhav was in contact in India were sought from India but it has not responded. "We will vigorously pursue this," he added. Jadhav 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 claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province 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. Pakistans gesture of allowing the family of Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian national who has been in Pakistani custody for the past 22 months, is not something which is merely humanitarian but tactical, coming ahead of a written submission it has to make at the International Court of Justice, which is hearing the case. The hard fact remains that despite Pakistans claims that Jadhav was an agent of R&AW, he was in fact abducted from Iran, a third country, by Pakistani intelligence agency ISI. The Pakistan government is not doing a favour to India or the international community by allowing Jadhavs family to meet him. It is duty bound to do it. In fact, it has violated the Vienna Convention by not allowing the Indian officials and the family consular access. It is a clear case of yet another international violation by Pakistan, and Islamabad has to decide that if it has to be on the right side of international law or become an international pariah. Pakistans Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif claims that the country has made a concession by allowing Jadhavs family to meet him, but reality is that Pakistan needs to demonstrate to the international court that it is abiding by the global norms. Pakistan has made another cardinal mistake by not allowing the family to meet Jadhav alone. If it is serious about dubbing it as a goodwill gesture, then it must walk the talk on this. It will be an emotional moment for the family to be united after all the agony. To turn this into a publicity stunt is far from being humanitarian. Pakistan had the opportunity to prove to the world that its a mature country and should have kept Jadhavs meeting with the family a secret affair, away from the media glare. Undoubtedly domestic power play in Pakistan is dictating the outcome of the Kulbhushan Jadav case. Its the hardliners in Pakistani security establishment Vs the realists. But Pakistan must realise that by taking a cussed view in the Jadhav case it runs the risk of not only creating a larger wall of hostility with India, there is even bigger risk of a permanent anti-Pakistan feeling amongst the Indian masses. If it does go ahead and curb terrorism against India, takes action against 26/11 perpetrators, and hands over Jadhav back to India, the tide can turn. It will be beneficial for Pakistan as it can gain from an economic relationship with India. On the other hand, a hostile and non-cooperative attitude in this case can jeopardise the chances of mending the fences between the two neighbours. The Indian government, which has gone all out in the Jadhav case, must demonstrate its resolve to ensure that he is brought back home. In the past there have been instances of countries at war exchanging prisoners. And despite a chill in India-Pakistan relationship, both sides should realise the enormous diplomatic stakes involved in this case. To the credit of the Narendra Modi government, both the Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj have been proactive in helping Indians in distress abroad. In this case too, they need to use their good offices to engage with the Pakistani leadership to secure Jadhavs release. Diplomacy is a game of give and take, and there are enough Pakistani prisoners in India. Away from the media glare, the two countries should discuss a prisoner swap on humanitarian grounds, this can only happen if India convinces Pakistan that it has a lot to lose if it does not treat Jadhav fairly. India now has enough global clout and it must impress the key Pakistani friends in the global community to bring Jadhav back. Dealing with an irrational actor, in this case Pakistan, is not easy. For Narendra Modi government, which faces elections in 2019, it will be an excellent morale booster to bring Jadhav home in 2018. Clearly, it will have to deliver something to Pakistan in exchange so that both sides can claim diplomatic victory. That should be a logical outcome of the case. Both sides will do well to ensure that these negotiations happen in the interest of the larger relationship between the two countries, because any foolhardy decision on the part of Pakistan will cause irreversible damage in already bruised Indo-Pak ties. The author is a senior journalist and foreign policy commentator. Views are personal Jaipur/ New Delhi: As the ghost of Padmavati continues to haunt us, the chairman of Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) seems determined to exorcise the nation of the story of the Rajput princess that has given sleepless nights to many. The CBFC has set up a panel of historians to consult before it can release Sanjay Leela Bhansalis film - starring Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh. One of the panelists RS Khangarot, professor of History in Agrawal PG College in Jaipur, Rajasthan told News18.com, Poetic license does not mean you make history, or change history. The history professor is set to meet CBFC chief Prasoon Joshi in January next year. Khangarot, who has worked on an academic paper on Jodha Akbar, was consulted by film maker Ashutosh Gowariker during the shoot of his film. However, the film was not released in Rajasthan. Padmavati should not be seen as a Bhansali versus Karni Sena, or Bhansali versus Rajput, but it should be seen as Bhansali versus history debate. I think the film should be historically correct, you must not deviate from the facts, said Khangarot. For the Jaipur professor, the major point of concern is-- Padmavatis Ghumar dance. Khangarot called it a feudal dance, popular in Western Rajasthan that Padmavati did not perform. It is an unconscious effort to maintain balance between nature and human life. And it is performed within female quarter. There is no male around. In Rajasthan there is another dance called Chari, where fire burns over the brass pot. They have mixed the two dance forms, it is a deviation, he said. Khangarot also feels that the film has mixed legend with history. There is Padmavati in history as told in folklore and as legend as narrated by Jayasis Padmavat. There seems to be an attempt to mix legend with history, he said. The history professor gave the example of Richard Attenboroughs Gandhi to emphasise on how films based on historical characters should be made. He said there is too much emphasis on romanticizing Jauhar, which comes with a context and cant be seen in isolation. Jauhar was followed by Sakka, when men left for war with the message that they wont return. We cant show Jauhar in isolation, he said. The other panelist, retired professor BL Gupta from Rajasthan University, who was earlier accused in being involved in an examination question paper leak racket said, his schedule to meet Joshi is not decided but will make sure there is no distortion of history. Commenting on the attempt by the CBFC to set up the panel, retired professor of Rajasthan University, Rajiv Gupta said, This is in violation of freedom of expression. All art cant be reality. He said that the film has fallen in the hands of caste assertion, where the Rajput are trying to assert their importance of glorious past by occupying the center of this controversy. Bhind: A dalit family was compelled to cremate a dead family member outside their house after upper caste locals allegedly did not allow them to use the village crematorium in Bhind, Madhya Pradesh. Kaptan Valmiki, (60), resident of Lohrikapura village in Bhind, died after prolonged illness at Gwalior hospital in the wee hours on Sunday. The family took the body to the village crematorium for last rites but were stopped by some upper caste men. With no option left, Valmikis son Lal Singh arranged a funeral pyre close to their house. We could not keep the body for long so we had to perform the cremation outside our house, Lal Singh said. District Collector Ilaya Raja T has ordered the sub-divisional magistrate(SDM) and senior police officers to conduct a probe and submit a report. SDM Dr Yunus Qureshi said the police and revenue employees have been sent to the village. Later, all encroachment on the land was removed. Following a complaint lodged by Lal Singh Balmiki, resident of Chandokhar Mazra (Lohri Ka Pura) village, two local men, Lokendra and Anil Singh Tomar, were arrested, police said. District Superintendent of Police Prashant Khare said the accused had encroached on the one-acre land earmarked for village crematorium, and had even sown wheat there last year. Lokendra and Tomar also hurled cast-related abuse at him, Balmiki said in his complaint at Endori police station. Locals claimed that the collector has recently handed over piece of land for crematorium but that too was seized by the village musclemen. There is no other cemetery in the village, they said, adding that prior to establishment of this burial ground, they used to perform last rites on a village road. Lokendra and Tomar were booked under IPC sections 447 (criminal trespass), 506 (B) (criminal intimidation) and under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Khare said. (With inputs from PTI) For years, Abu George's bar in Damascus's Old City served imported beers under portraits of famous foreigners Che Guevara and Marilyn Monroe -- but the brews on offer now are Syrian-made. When war broke out in 2011, Syria's two main breweries halted production, leaving consumers sipping on foreign, and more expensive, beers. But as fighting has subsided across much of the country this year, a new pair of local lagers has hit the markets. Tiny pubs line a cramped alleyway in the historic heart of Syria's capital, where a group of girls dressed in white distribute free bottles of "Afamia" to passers-by. Customers at Abu George's bar reach out for a few of the brown bottles, emblazoned with a blue and gold label proclaiming Afamia to be the "Beer of Syria". "It's a lovely initiative," says Ghassan Salloum, who co-owns the popular watering hole. "The beer will be well-received -- people want a national brew." The bearded 61-year-old floats between tables to top up the bowls of salted peanuts that inevitably accompany chilled ales, as loud music drowns out the clinking of beer bottles. "I've been here for 20 years, since a time when the national beer was really in demand," Salloum says, and Syrian spirits have continued to be a favourite. Before 2011, two local brews dominated the Syrian market: Barada, produced at a brewery outside Damascus, and Al-Sharq, based in second city Aleppo. Syrian brews once more Al-Sharq shuttered its doors as violence in Aleppo escalated. The Barada brewery was ravaged by fighting, with Syria's government blaming "extremists" and rebels accusing the army of shelling it. "I was very sad when the war destroyed the breweries, so today I'm happy to have Syrian beer again," said Elias, a 27-year-old customer at Abu George's. He sipped on a cool Afamia, named after the celebrated city of Apamea in central Syria. The Afamia brewery on the eastern edge of Damascus had been all prepped for production in 2010, but after Syria's conflict broke out early the next year, the factory shut down and the lagers never hit the stores. But the owners resumed production at the end of this summer and the bottles are now being distributed widely, from Damascus to central Homs and all the way to Tartus on the coast. Along the "bar boulevard" in the Old City, Afamia promoter Sabbah Khaddur looks on as cases of the brew are delivered to pubs. "I was scared I'd never have Syrian beer again. I really wanted to taste a beer that had a Syrian name," Khaddur, 42 said. The dream, he says, would be to see Afamia become "one of the biggest breweries in the region", competing with locally produced ales in Lebanon or Egypt. Czech ingredients Along Syria's Mediterranean coast, a second brewery is churning out another brew -- with Czech help. After the war erupted, many countries cut off diplomatic ties with Syria, and economic sanctions by the United Nations and Western countries complicated trade. But the Czech republic was one of the few states not to sever relations, and brewery-owner Bassel Abbas is taking advantage of this. To produce his Arados pilsners, Bassel Abbas is bringing in everything from hops and barley water to caps, labels, bottles, and expertise from the Czech republic. "The Czech embassy kept its doors open, so the contact is easier between our two countries," says Abbas. But the beer itself, he insists, is 100 per cent Syria-produced. Green bottles are sterilised and filled on a conveyer belt at the brewery in Safita, a town Abbas says he chose because it was spared the violence that tore through other parts of Syria. A simple white sticker identifies the beer as Arados, named after an island off the coast of Tartus. "The primary materials are all Czech and weren't included under the sanctions," says Abbas, 37, who lived in the Czech republic for years. Arados hit the bar scene this summer and sells for 435 Syrian pounds a bottle (80 cents) compared with foreign brews which cost 600 pounds ($1.50). Neither Arados nor Afamia are sharing their sales numbers yet, but Abbas says he has struggled to promote his brand in a country "where advertising alcoholic drinks is not allowed". "But it's not just a question of profit," Abbas says. With so many around the region and the world associating his homeland with war, bombardment, and jihadist groups, "this beer presents a picture of Syria that's far away from extremism". Airbnb has an estimated three million people with stays booked via the platform for December 31, as revelers from around the world head off to see in 2018 in a different country. According to recently published data from the accommodation platform, the USA -- and New York, in particular -- is the most popular destination for NYE. More than 200 countries will welcome guests celebrating New Year's away from home. They hail from over 210 countries and territories, including Togo, Tajikistan, Surinam and the Faroe Islands. This year, revelers are first and foremost heading to the USA, according to the bookings made on Airbnb. France is the second most popular destination, followed by Brazil, Mexico and Canada. In terms of cities, New York comes top of the list for NYE getaways, with Paris second and London third, ahead of Tokyo and Sydney. Airbnb has also seen bookings up in cities in Ecuador, Colombia and Nicaragua for NYE festivities. These three destinations have seen the strongest growth in reservations. In France, and more specifically in Paris, the Champs-Elysees is likely to host visitors from all around the world this New Year's. Londoners lead the way, booking the most trips to the City of Light for the occasion. Revelers will also come from New York, Seoul, Los Angeles, Sydney, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Amsterdam and Melbourne. It's that time of the year when everything becomes prettier and shinier as festivities begin to unfold. As we gear up to celebrate the festival of Christmas, Bollywood celebrities have already extended their best wishes and some of them have even shared their joyous moments on social media. While some are celebrating with friends and extended family, others have jetted off for vacations. Anushka Sharma, who is all set to throw a grand reception with husband Virat Kohli on Tuesday, wished her fans and loved ones. "May the spirit of the Christmas fill your home with peace, joy and love. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!," wrote the newly-wed. May the spirit of the Christmas fill your home with peace, joy and love. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas! pic.twitter.com/pf75ZEFfb2 Anushka Sharma (@AnushkaSharma) December 25, 2017 Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna, who are currently vacationing in Cape Town with their kids Aarav and Nitara, decided to ring in the festival in a quintessential Bollywood style. Twinkle shared a video of them dancing around a Christmas tree on Twitter and wrote, "When Mr K convinces me to dance around trees again:) Merry Christmas folks! #Jingleballe." When Mr K convinces me to dance around trees again:) Merry Christmas folks! #Jingleballe pic.twitter.com/4wuJazowRX Twinkle Khanna (@mrsfunnybones) December 24, 2017 Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif attended Karan Johar's Christmas party and shared a wonderful photo on Instagram. While Alia captioned the photo as, "merry with katy," Katrina shared the same photo and wrote, "Merry christmassssss." Merry christmassssss A post shared by Katrina Kaif (@katrinakaif) on Dec 24, 2017 at 10:55am PST Salman Khan, who is currently basking in the success of his latest film Tiger Zinda Hai, shared a video snippet with the team including Katrina Kaif and Ali Abbas Zafar. He wrote, "Merry Xmas from Tiger and Zoya ..." Merry Xmas from Tiger and Zoya ... A post shared by Salman Khan (@beingsalmankhan) on Dec 24, 2017 at 10:31am PST Bollywood actor Varan Dhawan decided to spend the eve with the children at St. Catherine of Siena school and orphanage. Merry Christmas A post shared by Varun Dhawan (@varundvn) on Dec 24, 2017 at 10:49am PST Smile A post shared by Varun Dhawan (@varundvn) on Dec 24, 2017 at 10:56am PST Preity Zinta, too, spent the eve with children wrapping up presents. She shared an adorable video wishing her fans and loved ones and wrote, "Wish you all a Happy Christmas with loads of love, peace & happiness. #happychristmas #goodenoughfamily #happyholidays #sasuraldiaries." An elated Dia Mirza shared a boomerang video on the occasion and wrote, "Happy Christmas and Happy Holidays!!! #2017" Bengaluru: The self-confessed Shiv Bhakt and a Janeudhari Brahmin Rahul Gandhi has risen the hopes of Karnataka Congress which is going to face a do or die Assembly election in April/May next year. Many state Congress leaders and party workers feel that the new avatar of the newly elected Congress president will help the ruling party in beating the BJP in its own game. The BJP has already set the tone for the polls by raking up Hindu Muslim issues. It has continued a strong attack on the Congress calling it an anti-Hindu party. Issues like Tipu Sultan Jayanthi, the perceived minority appeasement by Siddaramaiah government etc have already replaced BJPs much touted development agenda. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been roped in as a star campaigner to woo Hindu voters. The Union minister Ananthkumar Hegde who is known for his anti-Muslim stance has been touring the state to mobilise core voters of the party. But the Congress looks unfazed. The recently concluded Gujarat poll campaign and an impressive performance by the party have boosted the morale of the workers in its last bastion Karnataka. Most of the party workers and the leaders who spoke to News18 agree with Rahul Gandhis new approach. They actually want him to visit at least a dozen important Hindu temples and meet the powerful seers to beat the BJP in its alleged communal polarisation game. A top leader of the state unit and a confidante of Rahul Gandhi said that Congress had never been an anti-Hindu party. Speaking to News18 on condition of anonymity he said it is a fact that Congress is the original Hindu party and a nationalist party. The BJP hijacked it by branding us as an anti-Hindu party. Our leaders also walked into that trap. We are now trying to correct what has gone wrong for us in the past. Most of the Congress leaders are Hindus. All our Prime Ministers and 90% chief ministers have been Hindus. How can you call us anti-Hindu?. He said that Rahul Gandhi was not practicing a soft Hindutva and he was doing what every religious Hindu does. He said in Gujarat the BJP has failed in its Hindu versus Muslim politics. The people have realized that Congress is not against the Hindus and Rahul Gandhi is a practising Hindu. All their poisonous campaign against Rahul Gandhi have backfired. He will certainly talk about values and greatness of Hinduism in Karnataka. Another top leader, who spoke to News18 also on the condition of anonymity, attacked TV panelists and secular activists who are criticising Rahul Gandhis new brand of politics. He said Finally, we have to win the majority community back if we want to return to power. There is a clear distinction between Hindus and Hindutva fanatics. If we dont identify ourselves with the real Hindus, they might go with the fanatics helping the BJP. These so-called secularists must choose between a real Hindu tolerant of all other faiths and the communal BJP. Let them write articles, editorials, talk, tweet etc. We must win the country back. Otherwise the radical elements will destroy India. In an interesting development, CM Siddaramaiah is also openly identifying himself as a religious Hindu. Hitting back at Yogi Adityanath, Siddaramaiah claimed that he was a better Hindu than the UP CM. Siddaramaiah, who is currently touring the state, does not forget to remind the voters that his name is Siddarama and his family deity is lord Rama. Speaking to News18, he said BJP is full of fake Hindus. They use it to fool people and to win elections. We are the real, tolerant, inclusive Hindus. We love our religion and respect others faith. My family has built a Rama temple at my village Siddaramanahundi near Mysore. My parents named me Siddarama because of their devotion for the god Rama. He dismissed the charges of the BJP that the Congress was practising soft Hindutva. He said that there was nothing called soft Hindutva and a frustrated BJP was coining such words to confuse the voters. According to top KPCC leaders, Rahul Gandhi is expected visit major Hindu temples and seers across the state during the poll campaign. He is likely to visit 1300-year-old Sharada Peetha at Shringeri in Chikkamagaluru district to seek the blessings of the Shankaracharya Sri Bharati Theertha Swamy. This respected monk was held in high esteem by Rajiv Gandhi and P V Narasimha Rao. His predecessor Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamigal Chandrashekhara Bharati was a guru to Indira Gandhi and many other top leaders of the Congress. The state Congress wants Rahul to visit famous religious centres like Kukke Subramanya, Dharmasthala, Kollur, Udupi, Gokharna, Chamundeshwari temple at Mysore, Yediyur Siddalingeshwara temple etc. To endear him to the dominant Lingayat caste, who are mostly with the BJP, the Congress is planning to take Rahul to 110-year-old Dr Shivakumara Swamy of Siddaganga mutt in Tumkur, Moorusaavira Mutt in Hubli, Sharanabasappa Appa at Gulbarga, the Vokkaligas seer Nirmalananda Natha Swamy at Adi Chunchanagiri and a few other important religious leaders. Dismissing the fears that it might antagonise Muslims and Christians, who constitute over 13% of the votes in the state, a Congress leader said, It does not mean that Rahul Gandhi wont visit holy places of Muslim and Christians. He may visit Sufi shrines and even the Churches during the poll campaign. The entire campaign will be secular. We wont do communal politics. We just reach out to everyone. Hindus are not BJPs property. Even in the past both Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi used to visit Hindu temples and mutts across Karnataka. Both mother and son had excellent rapport with the powerful seers and temples in the state. According to an old party worker Rahul is just following their footsteps and doing nothing new. Chennai: Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Monday said no state minister met J Jayalalithaa during her hospitalisation and indicated that only her close aide VK Sasikala and her family had access to the late chief minister. "No minister met Amma (Jayalalithaa)," he told reporters. "The nurse used to go... they (Sasikala and family) used to go," he said. Asked why others could not meet Jayalalithaa, Panneerselvam said they were told that she could contract infection. "We didn't go (to her room) out of good intention that she should not contract infection. We wanted her to return in good health... they (Sasikala) would come out and tell Amma is doing well, eating. We could only say okay...thank you.. We were in grief that Amma was ill," he said. He recalled that he took care of the portfolios held by Jayalalithaa during her hospitalisation last year. Panneerselvam, who took over as chief minister following Jayalalithaa's death, later revolted against her close aide Sasikala, alleging that he was forced to make way for her elevation to the top post of the state. He also recalled he had said in February that the people of the state wanted a probe into Jayalalithaa's death. Following a patch-up between camps led by himself and Chief Minister K Palaniswami in August, the government constituted a one-man inquiry commission to probe the circumstances leading to the September 22 hospitalisation and medical treatment provided to her till her death on December 5. The TTV Dhinakaran faction had released a video purportedly of Jayalalitha in the hospital recently ahead of the RK Nagar bypoll. The footage of about 20 seconds, aired by TV channels, showed the AIADMK supremo in a nightdress, looking frail and sipping a drink with the help of a straw. Chennai: It was a day before polling and just hours after a video of the late Jayalalithaa surfaced that we were doing the rounds of RK Nagar to feel the 'pulse' that we met a man who claimed to be a driver on election duty. "Will you listen to what I have to say too?" asked a voice from behind some parked vehicles. We stopped. "I am a government driver and for the past two days, I have been deputed to drive an IRS officer around the RK Nagar constituency. That officer is an election observer. I have observed that all the raids and alerts that they were working on were related to the 'cooker' symbol (TTV Dinakarans election symbol as an Independent). Why don't they ever raid other parties, aren't the others giving money?" he asked in a hushed voice, adding, "I have stopped that duty. Do they take us Thevars for granted?" Thevar is the dominant community to which the Mannargudi family belongs and VK Sasikala, Jaya's close aide and Dinakaran's aunt was an influential voice in the community who feel targeted. We didnt pay much heed to that interview at the time as we were more focussed as we were more concerned with the repercussions of the Jayalalithaa video. But soon after the results and the angry voices that came forth on the counting day, it all made more sense. "It's the money, not masses," said columnist S Gurumurthy, when asked what led to TTV's win but is that the only factor? This one line answer, however, doesnt explain the margin of over 50 percent of the 1.7 lakh votes polled in RK Nagar. For some months, there has been an undercurrent in the AIADMK bastion that TTV Dinakaran is being unfairly targeted by many central agencies. He has faced charges of corruption, the wrath of the Enforcement Directorate, raids by the Income Tax department and had even spent a few weeks in jail. All of these combined, Dinakaran has emerged a hero of sorts a hero who is willing to face every test 'for his people'. Dinakarans sympathisers see him as a hero who can keep his cool under the most trying circumstances and one who usually has an answer for most things. He works quietly in the background to focus on getting what he wants and more importantly, Dinakaran has emerged as the one who has kept team EPS-OPS despite their BJP support on their toes with his taunts, threats and pressure tactics. "He is a mass leader because he has been harassed and targeted time and again, but he still doesn't toe the lines of these central agencies. Look at the others, they are so willing to bow down to the diktats of the outsiders (hinting at the BJP) who want to meddle in the affairs of our state," reasoned a TTV supporter at the RK Nagar counting centre. Another woman who had come to the counting centre had similar thoughts. "We don't know if he is the true heir to Amma, but he is so jovial all the time, even in the face of adversities," she said. Is TTV's victory more of a rejection of the BJP and the EPS and OPS combine, rather than a vote for TTV himself? How did someone, who was until yesterday the 'Mannargudi mafia' (as the family has been infamously known) become the man of the moment, a darling of the masses? Dinakaran himself believes this is a referendum on the EPS-OPS-led AIADMK government. "People standing up against the interference of some of the national parties in Tamil Nadu may be one of the factors, but the main reason behind the result is that the people wants this government to lose," he told News18 after the victory. "When winning is the only aim, the path that one takes hardly matters, and by all counts, TTV's playbook had all the right strategies. The DMK's inexplicable disinterest in campaigning, TTV's high voltage, in-your-face campaign challenging the central and state governments helped him immensely. This was no free and fair poll rather a free-for-all poll in which the only rule was not to get caught. And TTV accomplished this in great style," says political analyst and senior journalist RK Radhakrishnan. He single-handedly took on two of the biggest regional parties head-on and emerged triumphant in a historic win -- never before has an Independent won a by-poll. Also, never before has the DMK lost its deposit in an election in Chennai city since 1967. Political analyst Sumanth Raman points at how Dinakaran comes across as a cool customer. "He comes across as such a cool person -- so calm and composed, responsive to the media. He has been subjected to tremendous pressure. When there tax raids being conducted across 131 places connected to his family, he was seen smiling at a gau-puja at home. People were impressed by his calm demeanour," Raman says. Raman feels Dinakaran gained a lot of sympathy after being hounded by the central agencies and it did influence the voters. Money, of course, was a factor, but the anti-incumbency was an even bigger factor. Moreover, Tamil Nadu has been ruled by regional parties for decades the states voters don't easily endorse a national party. So, when the overwhelming feeling was that there was a 'betrayal' of the Tamilian's interests by the EPS-OPS camp, the support went to TTV. "I think he has the quality of being decisive and that has endeared him to the voter -- every ounce of logic said he should not contest because if he would lose badly, his career as a politician would be finished. But he took that chance, just like Jayalalithaa herself. Once a decision is taken, it is taken. He showed tremendous guts to even contest this election, as this could have ended his political career," points out Raman. This election establishes Dinakaran firmly in the Tamil Nadu Assembly -- indeed, the first from the Mannargudi family to be so. But that's not all. He already claims to have the support of 18 MLAs, and "many more sleeper cell MLAs," as he calls them -- MLAs who are in the EPS-OPS camp, but loyal to him instead. These are MLAs who are just over a year and a half old in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. They are in power and can rule till 2021. Hints of instability could well bring them closer to each other -- after all, who wants to lose power much ahead of time when you are not sure if the Amma brand will take you through a mid-term election that may be forced upon you. Both factions -- the merged EPS-OPS camp and the TTV camp -- are not averse to a merger of all camps and going back to the old AIADMK, where TTV had greater say in party affairs. This has been indicated even by the conciliatory gestures of some TTV camp leaders who spoke out on Sunday. They said that EPS and OPS must not be disheartened by their defeat as after all, they were members of a family at one point. Whether such a combination is possible and how uneasy it can be, is anybodys guess. However, the AIADMK is certainly wary of the power that Dinakaran wields over its party cadre and supporters and would want to make peace with him, rather than allowing the instability that Dinakaran promises to bring in. Lahore: Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed has opened the first office of the Milli Muslim League (MML) here, days after the Pakistan government said the group would breed violence and extremism in politics while opposing a plea seeking its registration as a political party. Saeed has confirmed that his organisation Jammat-ud-Dawah (JuD) would contest the 2018 general elections under the banner of the MML. The MML is the offshoot of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and JuD, according to the government. The MML had challenged the Election Commission's order in October that had declined its registration as a political party. Saeed yesterday inaugurated the office in Lahore's National Assembly-120 constituency from where a JuD member had contested by-polls in September. Despite refusal from the interior ministry to register the MML as a political party, Saeed pressed ahead with his plans to take the political plunge. The Pakistan government has requested a court in Islamabad not to consider Saeed-backed MML's plea seeking its registration as a political party, saying the group would breed violence and extremism in politics. The interior ministry has categorically made it clear that the state will not allow mainstreaming of jihad outfits. Saeed's visit and opening of political office in Lahore indicate that he has ambitious plans to enter into politics. During his visit on Mohni Road area adjacent to Data Sahib shrine, he listened to civic problems of people. People welcomed Saeed by showering rose petals on his vehicle in the area. The JuD headquarters in Chauburji also falls in NA-120. The MML had secured the fourth position with 6,000 votes, double than that of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamaat- i-Islami combined. Saeed, who carries a bounty of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities, walked free on November 24 after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. He was under detention since January this year. The banned JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the LeT which carried out the 2008 Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people were killed. Peshawar: With Hindus and Sikhs being forced to bury their dead due to lack of cremation ground, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has started building the facility from the chief minister's fund, a senior official has said. The chief minister has approved a fund of Rs 100 million funds for the annual development programme for cremation grounds, which would come up in Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Hangu, Nowshera and Peshawar. Ravi Kumar, Adviser to Chief Minister KP, said that there are more than 50,000 Sikhs and Hindus in Peshawar and due to lack of proper cremation place, they are unable to perform the last rituals of the dead and are forced to bury them. Those who are well-off, take their dead to Terak area near Kohat for cremation, but the poor people cannot afford it, he said. "Keeping in view the difficulties of Hindu and Sikh community, we have decided to build cremation grounds in Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan on priority basis," Kumar added. Vatican City: Pope Francis used his Christmas message on Monday to call for a negotiated two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, after US President Donald Trump stoked regional tensions with his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Francis spoke of the Middle East conflict and other world flashpoints in his "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) address, four days after more than 120 countries backed a UN resolution urging the United States to reverse its decision on Jerusalem. "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," he said, referring to the Israelis and Palestinians. "We see Jesus in the children of the Middle East who continue to suffer because of growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians," he said in his address, delivered from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to tens of thousands of people. It was the second time that the pope has spoken out publicly about Jerusalem since Trump's decision on December 6. On that day, Francis called for the city's "status quo" to be respected, lest new tensions in the Middle East further inflame world conflicts. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future independent state, whereas Israel has declared the whole city to be its "united and eternal" capital. Francis, leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, urged people to see the defenceless baby Jesus in the children who suffer the most from war, migration and natural calamities caused by man today. "Today, as the winds of war are blowing in our world ... Christmas invites us to focus on the sign of the child and to recognise him in the faces of little children, especially those for whom, like Jesus, 'there is no place in the inn,'" he said. OPEN HEARTS FOR REFUGEES Francis, celebrating the fifth Christmas of his pontificate, said he had seen Jesus in the children he met during his recent trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh, and he called for adequate protection of the dignity of minority groups in that region. More than 600,000 Muslim Rohingya people have fled mainly Buddhist Myanmar to Bangladesh in recent months. The pope had to tread a delicate diplomatic line during his visit, avoiding the word "Rohingya" while in Myanmar, which does not recognise them as a minority group, though he used the term when in Bangladesh. "Jesus knows well the pain of not being welcomed and how hard it is not to have a place to lay ones head. May our hearts not be closed as they were in the homes of Bethlehem," he said. He also urged the world to see Jesus in the innocent children suffering from wars in Syria and Iraq and also in Yemen, complaining that its people had been "largely forgotten, with serious humanitarian implications for its people, who suffer from hunger and the spread of diseases". He also listed conflicts affecting children in South Sudan, Somalia, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Ukraine and Venezuela. At his Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on Sunday, Francis strongly defended immigrants, comparing them to Mary and Joseph finding no place to stay in Bethlehem and saying faith demands that foreigners be welcomed. Moscow: Russia's central election commission voted on Monday to bar opposition leader Alexei Navalny from running in a presidential election next year, saying he was ineligible because of a past criminal conviction. The commission said the conviction, for which Navalny received a suspended sentence and which he has repeatedly described as politically-motivated, meant he could not run for president in March. Twelve members of the 13-member commission voted to bar Navalny. One member of the commission abstained, citing a possible conflict of interest. Polls show President Vladimir Putin is on course to be comfortably re-elected, meaning he could remain in power until 2024. Navalny, 41, has been jailed three times this year and charged with breaking the law by repeatedly organising public meetings and rallies. Vatican City: A topless activist from the feminist group Femen tried to snatch the statue of the baby Jesus from the Nativity scene in St. Peter's Square on Monday but was stopped by police as she grabbed it. A Reuters photographer said the woman jumped over guard rails and rushed onto the larger-than-life Nativity scene shouting "God is woman". She had the same slogan painted on her bare back. A Vatican gendarme stopped her from taking the statue and she was detained. The incident happened about two hours before Pope Francis delivered his Christmas message to some 50,000 people in the square. The group's website identified her as Alisa Vinogradova and called her a "sextremist". It says the goal of the group, which was founded in Ukraine, is "complete victory over patriarchy". A Femen activist staged a similar action on Christmas Day 2104 but managed to take the statue out of the crib before she was arrested. Palm Beach: On Christmas Eve, US President Donald Trump took calls from children, asking them what they wanted most from Santa, and revealing what was on his own wish list. One boy wanted building blocks. Another wished for his grandma to get out of the hospital. And as for Trump - who has sent a series of combative tweets since arriving at his Florida vacation home - he said he wants "peace for the country." "We've got prosperity - now we want peace," Trump told a child named Ryan, who called the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to check on Santa's progress. Every year on Christmas eve NORAD purports to track the flight of Santa and his reindeer-pulled sleigh, a tradition since 1955 when a department store misprinted a phone number, sending a flood of calls to a NORAD colonel, who played along. Sitting in a gold chair beside first lady Melania Trump in an ornate, tapestried great room, the president enthusiastically chatted with youngsters and their parents. Reporters in the room could hear only the president's side of the conversation. In his trademark brash style honed during a career in the New York real estate world, Trump predicted the kids would have the greatest Christmas ever. "I'll make a prediction - Santa is going to treat you well. Really well. The best he's ever treated you," he told one child from Mississippi, throwing in an invitation to come to the Oval Office sometime. Casper from Arlington, Virginia, was a child after Trump's own heart. "Building blocks! That's what I always liked too," the president exclaimed. "I predict that Santa will bring you building blocks, so many you won't be able to use them all," he said. As for Ryan, he told Trump he wanted his grandmother to come home from the hospital. "That is great. That's better than asking for some toy or something," Trump said. 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. Istanbul: A Turkish judge ordered four prominent journalists and senior staff from the opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper to remain in jail for at least two more months during their trial, accused of supporting the organisers of last year's failed coup. Editor in chief Murat Sabuncu, attorney Akin Atalay, correspondent Ahmet Sik and accountant Emre Iper, some of whom have already been detained for 14 months, were ordered to be jailed until the next session of their trial on March 9. Prosecutors say Cumhuriyet was effectively taken over by supporters of Fethullah Gulen, a US-based cleric blamed by the government for last year's failed coup. The newspaper and staff have denied the charges and say they are being targeted to silence critics of President Tayyip Erdogan. Monday's hearing included drama in court, when the judge ordered Sik removed from the hearing for making political comments. Sik, who wrote a book critical of Gulen's movement at a time when it was an ally of the government, described Turkish authorities as "an authoritarian regime dedicated to cruelty", according to the newspaper. After he was ordered out, Sik said the case itself was political. "The days will come where you will be tried, do not forget this," he said, according to Cumhuriyet. "I hope you won't be tried in a court like yours." The court said the next hearing will be held in Silivri courthouse, the site of a large prison about 60 km (40 miles) west of Istanbul, to ensure security and order. The Turkish authorities have launched a crackdown since the failed 2016 coup, which they blame on followers of Gulen, who denies involvement. More than 150,000 police, teachers, university lecturers, journalists and other professionals have been sacked or suspended from their jobs and 50,000 people have been arrested. What political parties can be guaranteed of, as provided by law, is access to broadcasting services during an election period, in accordance with the regulations promulgated by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission which regulate the media during that period, said Mr Muganyura. Idaho Cops: Actually, There Could Be a Threat to the Community The Cavendish bananathat's the kind sitting in your kitchen right nowis "almost perfect," a scientist with Dole Food Co. tells the Wall Street Journal. Well, "laments," is the word the paper uses. That's because, as has been reported for the past couple of years, it looks doomed, and none of the 1,500 other types of edible bananas found on Earth have yet to be identified as a worthy replacement. The issue with the Cavendish is one of biology and disease: A fungus that attacks the fruit has struck in Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Middle East; the banana-heavy Latin America and the Caribbean have thus far been spared. And as the Journal explains, "Cavendish bananas are seedless, so their plants are genetic clones," which makes the fungus particularly potent. The steps being taken to find the next replacement are serious ones: The UN in October announced it's spending nearly $100 million in its quest to either stop the fungus or find new varieties. Filipino researchers are searching the 7,000 islands that make up the Philippines in hope of finding a worthy successor. European researchers went all the way to Papua New Guinea looking for the fabled "Giant Banana" plant. They didn't find it. Others are tinkering in labs, in an attempt to arrive at a disease-resistant mutated variety or a hybrid that isn't orange and doesn't taste like latex, as one scientist describes his former creations. The Times of London traces the history of the Cavendish, and notes that history is repeating itself: The Big Mike was once the banana king, but a fungus wiped nearly all of them out in the 1950s. (Read more banana stories.) It's a rare genetic illness and, in the Washington Post's telling, a "frightening" one. And it's one whose symptoms many sufferers were able to control for free, or a pittance. That's changed in an extreme and dramatic fashion in recent years, making the drug Keveyis yet another example of out-of-control drug prices. But this case has a twist: It's one of good intentions that took a turn. The drug was developed in the late '50s to treat glaucoma, and was sold under the name Daranide. But those suffering from periodic paralysis, which can cause spells of immobility, discovered it helped ease their symptoms. For the remainder of the 20th century, it came cheap; the Post puts its list price at $50 for 100 pills in 2001. But then Merck discontinued it, and those desperate to obtain it had to import it from abroad; the monthly cost increased to roughly $300. But in 2008, Taro Pharmaceutical Industries acquired Daranide with good intentions: The former chair's son suffered from periodic paralysis, and while he didn't use Daranide, he was aware of the need for it. Two years later, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries purchased a controlling stake in Taro, and in 2015, the drug was officially approved to treat periodic paralysis and relabeled as Keveyis. The new price: $13,650 for 100 pills. The Post asked questions in 2016, and Sun decided to drop the price to zerowhich was the price for a short time, until Strongbridge Biopharma late that year bought the drug and jacked the list price to $15,001 per 100 pills; it told investors that annual treatment would cost $109,500 to $219,000. Many insurers pick up the entire tab. The Hill reports Sen. Claire McCaskill is "demanding answers" on the price hike and on Tuesday reached out to the company. (Read more prescription drugs stories.) A search for a US military aircraft that disappeared near Papua New Guinea during World War II is getting renewed attention ahead of the 75th anniversary of its disappearance. The B-17, nicknamed the San Antonio Rose, was flying on a mission to bomb a Japanese shipping convoy on Jan. 5, 1943, when it was attacked by enemy fighters. All 11 crew members aboard the bomber were lost, including Brig. Gen. Kenneth Walker, the highest-ranking recipient of the Medal of Honor still listed as missing from World War II. His son, Douglas Walker, 84, of New Canaan, Conn., has been pushing for years to get the US military to search for the crash site. The US Senate on Wednesday passed a resolution recognizing the lost crew and encouraging the continued effort to recover their remains. The Pentagon agency that accounts for the nation's war dead killed on foreign soil said it plans to continue work on the case in 2018. "This case is particularly difficult because of the terrain," a rep for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency tells the AP. "The original thought was the plane had landed in water. There may have been some evidence it landed inland. It's a mountainous area, very remote. Very few people actually live around there." Some searches have been conducted in the eastern section of New Britain, a jungle-covered, mountainous island that's part of Papua New Guinea. An April ground exploration identified a wreckage area where the San Antonio Rose could have disappeared, but a follow-up mission was not able to locate the crash site. (Read more POW/MIA stories.) Fairfax police have charged a 17-year-old boy with the murder of his ex-girlfriends parents. Buckley Kuhn-Fricker and Scott Fricker were shot dead in their Virginia home early Friday, reports the Washington Post. Fairfax County Police Departments initial investigations revealed that the unidentified teen entered the home and was confronted by the couple. After allegedly shooting them, he turned his weapon on himself. The teen is in critical condition at a hospital, where FCPD says he is under police guard. The boy was charged with two counts of murder Saturday. No motive has been revealed, but multiple sources close to the family say they recently demanded that their 16-year-old daughter stop seeing the suspect after discovering he was a Nazi sympathizer. "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," Buckleys mother, Janet Kuhn, told the Post. The couple reportedly discovered that the teen was posting white power rants and praising Hitler on social media. Buckley alerted the teens high school principal and sent a message to the boys mother asking if she knew he was an outspoken Nazi. Their daughter ended the relationship hours before her parents were killed. None of the four other family members inside the house at the time of the shooting were injured. "Im in shock," Janet Kuhn told the Post. "I havent been able to cry yet." (Read more murder stories.) President Trump had a busy first Christmas Eve as commander in chief, partly spent as the Santa-tracker in chief. Trump and first lady Melania Trump took phone calls from kids calling in to NORAD to keep tabs on Santa's progress, reports the Hill. "What would you like more than anything else?" Trump, speaking from his Mar-a-Lago estate, asked one kid. "Building blocks, thats what I always liked, too, I always loved building blocks. Now they make them better. I predict that Santa will bring you building blocks, so many you wont be able to use them all." Other children were more somber, with one wanting a grandmother to get out of the hospital. "That is great, thats better than asking for some toy or something," Trump responded. Trump told one child that he personally wished for "peace for the country. Weve got prosperity, now we want peace." As for Santa's whereabouts, Trump said, per the AP, "Santa moves very quickly. He'll be at your house very late at night when you're sleeping." Trump talked to six kids, while the first lady talked to nine. (He also reportedly told friends at Mar-a-Lago that "you all just got a lot richer," hours after signing tax reform into law.) Queen Elizabeth II and senior members of the royal familyalong with newcomer Meghan Markle, Prince Harry's fianceearrived at a Christmas church service as a crowd of local residents gathered. Markle smiled and gave a brief wave on her way into the church in her first public appearance with the queen. Many well-wishers carried flowers to give to the royals. The queen was joined by her husband, Prince Philip, and close family members including grandson Prince William and his wife, Kate, who is expected to give birth to the couple's third child in the spring. Markle scored an invite despite a tradition of excluding royals' significant others before marriage. She and Prince Harry plan to marry at Windsor Castle in May. Elizabeth says in her annual Christmas message that the royal family looks forward "to welcoming new members into it next year." Elizabeth planned to use her brief message to pay tribute to the way the cities of London and Manchester pulled together after extremist attacks earlier this year. Remarks pre-recorded by the 91-year-old monarch will be televised later on Christmas Day, reports the AP. Excerpts released indicate Elizabeth praises the "powerful identities" of Manchester, hit by a suicide bomber in May, and London, which endured attacks on Parliament, London Bridge, and other landmarks. The queen says it was her privilege to visit young survivors of the attack on a Manchester concert hall. "I describe that hospital visit as a 'privilege' because the patients I met were an example to us all, showing extraordinary bravery and resilience," she says. Elizabeth also pays tribute to her 96-year-old husband, who this year stepped down from most public duties because of his advancing years. (Read more British royals stories.) Departing Republican lawmakers are playing the Ghost of Christmas Future, and they're warning their own party of grim results come Election Day 2018, reports the Washington Post. "When you look at some of the audiences cheering for Republicans ... you say, Those are the spasms of a dying party,' " Sen. Jeff Flake said Sunday. "By and large, were appealing to older white men, and there are just a limited number of them." Flake thinks President Trump is "drilling down hard on a diminishing base," and could see not only an independent challenger in 2020, but one from within his own partyand the Arizonan did not rule himself out of the running. "Clearly the Republican Party is going to experience losses. It remains to be seen whether well lose the majority," adds Rep. Charlie Dent. "I tell my colleagues ... youve got to be prepared for the worst. ... Its going to be a very tough year." Not that the president is buying that argument: Trump tweeted on Sunday that "The Fake News refuses to talk about how Big and how Strong our BASE is." But the size of the base may not be the only complication, reports the New York Times, which notes that there are scores of Democrats running for office, many in heavily Republican districts where the GOP often ran uncontested. I started seeing changes to US policy that concern me, says one political newcomer who practices immigration law. "To me that is not the America I know and love." Politico has a list of the top 10 House races to watch in 2018and also sees trouble in GOP land. (Read more Election 2018 stories.) Habitual gamers, the World Health Organization is worried about you. In its upcoming International Classification of Diseases, the WHO is adding something called "gaming disorder," reports New Scientist. A draft makes clear that the label would apply only to those whose habit consumes their lives to an extreme degreesay someone who misses work, gets fired, and continues playing. Under the definition, the "gaming disorder" fits those who can't control the habit despite such negative consequences, and this "pattern is of sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning." The playing may be constant or "episodic," and the disorder would typically be diagnosed if the pattern continues for at least year. A post at Forbes adds some context: "Before you get too Madden about this, keep in mind that this is not saying that playing video games is a mental disorder," writes Bruce Y. Lee. He adds that video gaming can be beneficial, provided it's not done to excess. Lee suggests that those wondering about their own habits might want to take a series of questions designed to detect addictions to drugs or alcohol ("Are video games usually the first thing you think about in the morning when you wake up?" etc.) And as Newsweek notes, the disorder has not been recognized as such by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a better-known guide used by mental health professionals in the US. (Read more gaming stories.) Five people are dead after a small aircraft crashed on Christmas Eve in Florida, and while the official investigation will take some time, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says one obvious factor is at play: "Clearly, no one should have tried a takeoff," he tells WFLA, referring to dense fog that was blanketing Bartow Municipal Airport at the time. In fact, Judd says he watched a video shot by a photographer who happened to be at the scene around 7:15am, and the twin-engine Cessna 340 was not even visible on the runway as it was taking off. Killed were pilot John Shannon, 70; his two daughters, Olivia Shannon, 24, and Victoria Shannon Worthington, 26; son-in-law Peter Worthington, 27; and a family friend, Krista Clayton, 32, reports USA Today. Judd says pilot Shannon was a longtime friend and a "good man," but the sheriff says he just can't understand the decision to take off for Key West. "You know, certainly, we wish we could rewind this and if we could, I would wrestle him to the floor to keep him from getting into this airplane this morning," says Judd. Shannon was an attorney in Lakeland, and the five were headed to a holiday celebration, notes the AP. Another factor of note: Shannon's pilot license allows him to fly solely by the instrument panel in low visibility. (Read more plane crash stories.) A topless "sextremist" attempted to grab the baby Jesus from a Nativity scene at the Vatican while yelling "God is woman" just hours before Pope Francis' Christmas Day address, Reuters reports. The woman, who also had "God is woman" painted on her back, hopped guardrails in St. Peter's Square and made a dash for the Jesus statue. She was apprehended and detained while trying to grab the figure. The woman is a member of Femen, a Ukraine-based feminist group with the goal of "complete victory over patriarchy." The group identified her as Alisa Vinogradova. Another member of Femen actually got the Jesus statue in St. Peter's Square before being arrested on Christmas three years ago. About two hours after the topless brouhaha, Pope Francis gave his address to 50,000 or so people in St. Peter's Square. "The winds of war are blowing in our world and an outdated model of development continues to produce human, societal, and environmental decline," the AP quotes the pope as saying. The pope went on to call for a two-state solution in the Middle East and peace with North Korea. (Read more Vatican stories.) Sorry! This content is not available in your region Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. New Delhi: Shahid Kapoor and Mira Rajpoot are undoubtedly one of the most adorable couples of Bollywood. They leave no stone unturned to give fans some major relationship goals everytime they are spotted together. While fans are still finding it hard to get over their sweetness, the 'Shaandar' star is ready to drool people over their chemistry yet again. The 36-year-old actor took to photo-blogging site Instagram and shared a couple of photos with darling Mira Rajput from a wedding ceremony they were recently part of. While one of the pictures has already garnered over 7,90,075 'likes', the comments thread of the other has been flooded with over 2,300 comments. In the snaps Mira is shining like a diamond in a Kamdani lehenga while Shahid's 'Desi Wedding' look in a Bandhgala paired with kurta and pants will surely make your heart skip a beat. Moreover, a set of beautiful cut stone jewellery from the studios of Anjul Bhandari completed Mira's look. The pictures also showcase their eternal love for each other leading fans to rank the duo as 'Jodi no. 1'. Check out the pictures of lovebirds here: A post shared by Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) on Dec 23, 2017 at 5:49am PST Y A post shared by Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) on Jun 20, 2017 at 2:22am PDT A post shared by Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) on Dec 23, 2017 at 3:00am PST @theanisha @anjulbhandari YY A post shared by Mira Rajput Kapoor (@mira.kapoor) on Dec 23, 2017 at 3:58am PST The much-loved couple tied their knot back in 2015 and had been blessed with a beautiful daughter in August 2016. Social media was going bonkers when the duo posed for their first ever photo shoot for a magazine cover earlier in November. Also Read | Padmavati row: Deepika Padukone-starrer not to hit screens before March 2018 On the work front, Shahid Kapoor who was last seen in Kangana Ranaut-starrer 'Rangoon', is currently gearing up for his forthcoming release 'Padmavati' which is yet to get a release date. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother have reached Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad along with Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh to meet the Indian nationalist. They have travelled to Pakistan by a commercial flight and are scheduled to leave by evening the same day. Earlier, Pakistan had agreed to give visa only to the wife of Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court on charges of espionage and terrorism. Earlier in April this year, Indian national Kulbushan Jadhav was handed a death sentence by a Pakistani Field General Court Martial (FGCM). Pakistan alleges that Jadhav was involved in espionage and sabotage activities in Karachi and Balochistan. However, India denying the claim had knocked the door of International Court of Justice (ICJ) who has temporarily stayed the death sentence of Jadhav till the hearing completes. Here are the Live updates: # Wife, mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav reach Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad along with JP Singh, Deputy High Commissioner #WATCH: Wife, mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav reach Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad along with JP Singh, Deputy High Commissioner pic.twitter.com/Dnp9eUc5je ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 # Kulbhushan's wife and mother to first visit the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. The meeting is expected to take place at 1pm (Pak time): Pak media # Indian national Kulbhushan has not been given consular access, reports Pak media quoting Foreign Office # Visuals from outside Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad # Shots of Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs premises in Islamabad; Indian national #KulbhushanJadhav's wife and mother to arrive here shortly to meet him # Sharpshooters at the foreign ministry's office where Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav will meet his wife and mother # Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother will meet him at the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad shortly # Indian national Kulbhushan's wife and mother reach Pakistan's Islamabad # Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Pakistan J.P Singh, to accompany Kulbhushan Jhadav's wife and mother in their meeting with the Indian national, reports Pakistan media. # India's Deputy High Commissioner won't be meeting Jadhav today # Pakistan grants India consular access to Jadhav # Pakistan foreign office tweets 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 # Visuals from Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad; Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother will meet him here For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Minister of State (MoS) Home Hansraj Ahir on Monday asked doctors of Maharashtras Chandrapura government hospital to join Naxal ranks after finding them on mass leave during his visit to the hospital. According to reports, Ahir was visiting Chandrapura to inaugurate a government hospital. Ahir after inaugurating the hospital said, The doctors very well knew I was coming. Despite knowing I am coming why did the doctors go on leave. He added that he is a democratically elected minister. If the doctors dont believe in democracy they should join Naxals. Also read: Put on white apron and spend one day as a govt doctor, AIIMS doctors ask PM Modi The MoS further added, One's, these doctors who do not have faith in democracy join Naxal ranks, we will shoot them with our bullets. On Saturday, doctors of AIIMS backing the protest by their counterparts in Rajasthan for higher pay and promotions asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "live" their life for a day to understand their stress. Also read| Karnataka: Lying on operation bed doctor forces Muslim woman to chant 'Krishna Krishna' In a letter to PM 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 misbehaviour of patient's kin during emergency situations. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Chennai: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday 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.' For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Three soldiers of Pakistan Army were killed and one injured on Monday after Indian Forces retaliated to unprovoked firing from across the border. The information was confirmed in a official statement released by Pakistans Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) to the media in the neighbouring country. Pakistani media reported that three Pakistani soldiers and one soldier was injured in unprovoked incident of firing at Rakhchikri sector of the Line of Control. The ISPR claims that one Pakistani soldier has also suffered in the unprovoked incident of firing by the Indian troops. One Army Major and three soldiers were martyred while one was injured in an incident of ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops on Saturday in Jammu and Kashmirs Keri (120 Infantry Brigade) Battalion area along the Line of Control. 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. Also read: Army Major, three jawans martyred in ceasefire violation in J&K's Keri Battalion Thirty persons including 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. Also read: Need to revisit teachings in madrassas, says Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa 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. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Ahmedabad: The new BJP government in Gujarat led by Vijay Rupani will take the oath of office and secrecy at a grand ceremony at the new Secretariat complex in Gandhinagar on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and Chief Ministers of States ruled by the NDA will attend the function. Rupani and his deputy, Nitin Patel along with several other leaders will be sworn in as Ministers by Gujarat Governor O.P. Kohli. Earlier on Friday, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced Rupani has been elected the leader of the BJP legislature party in Gujarat, and will continue as state's chief minister for a second term. Also read: Vijay Rupani continues to be Gujarat CM; assures to work for the welfare of people The BJP had registered a sixth straight Assembly poll win in the key western state on December 18, winning 99 seats in the 182-member House. Chief Minister Rupani and Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel had already tendered their resignations to Governor OP Kohli after BJPs Gujarat election victory. The 13th Gujarat Assembly was formally dissolved by the Governor while accepting the resignations. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: Pakistan has not granted India consular access to Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav, reported Pakistan media quoting Foreign Office. According to reports, Pakistan foreign minister Khawaja Asif said that Pakistan has given New Delhi consular access to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav in an interview to Geo news. He said an official of Indian High Commission would accompany Jadhav's wife and mother during their meeting with him, Geo News reported. When asked if it constituted "consular access as an Indian official would be present in the meeting", Asif categorically said, "Yes". "Had India been in place of us, it would not have given us this concession," he said. In India, officials downplayed the comments by the Pakistani minister, maintaining that the Indian diplomat was only accompanying Jadhav's family and it cannot be construed as "consular access".Jadhav: Khawaja Asif. Indian national #KulbhushanJadhav has not been given consular access, reports Pak media quoting Foreign Office pic.twitter.com/oOaOKPZlLp ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 Also Read: Live: Kulbhushan Jadhav to meet mother, wife in Islamabad today For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: Pakistani authorities said on Monday they have deployed sharpshooters at the foreign ministry's office where Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav will meet his wife and mother. Jadhav, 47, would be meeting his family on Monday at the foreign office in Islamabad. The exact time of the meeting is not immediately known but officials said it would be around midday or early afternoon. The duration has also not been confirmed but it may last for an hour, according to sources in the Foreign Office. Jadhav's family is flying to Islamabad via the UAE. Strict security measures have been taken on the occasion of Jadhav meeting his family at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), officials said. Police and paramilitary security forces including sharpshooters have been deployed at the MOFA to deal with any untoward security situation, they said. Roads leading to the Constitution Avenue, on which MOFA is located, have been closed for traffic. Special security passes have been issued for those visiting the Foreign Office, the officials added. Pakistan has announced it would issue photos and a video of the meeting and also allow the family to interact with media, if India agrees. Officials also said Jadhav's family would not interact with the media. Jadhav 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 India's appeal pending the final verdict by it. 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. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Prosecutors have announced the non-prosecution of four men over the alleged molestation of a woman inside a train carriage in Tokyo earlier this year, reports NHK. On July 19 at just past 7:00 p.m., Yusuke Saito and his three cohorts allegedly probed their fingers inside the underwear of the woman, a female office worker aged in her 20s, inside a carriage of the JR Saikyo Line as it traveled between Ikebukuro and Itabashi stations. On Thursday, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office announced the non-prosecution of the four suspects, who were accused of indecent assault. A reason for the non-prosecution was not given. However, investigative sources said that three of the four suspects reached an out-of-court settlement with the victim. For the fourth suspect, there was insufficient evidence against him, according to the sources. Upon his arrest, Saito admitted to the allegations, telling police, "To watch other passengers touch [the woman] got me excited, making me want to touch [her]." Two other suspects also admitted to the charges, while the fourth told police that he was present but could not reach the woman. According to police, the four suspects were not acquainted prior to the incident. They are believed to have committed the alleged crime together after communicating on an internet bulletin board site where persons post messages about molesting women on trains. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SOUTHBURY Almost a year ago, Glastonbury resident Elizabeth Kennedy was wondering how she could enjoy her new hobby birding during the winter months. A quick internet search led her and her friend, fellow new birder Dorina Ademi, to make the drive to Southburys Shepaug Dam Bald Eagle Observation Area, where eagles can be seen stopping for food as they migrate south. It was that trip, Kennedy said, that took Ademis love of birds to a new level. We got to see bald eagles for the first time, and I remember (her) eyes were just glazing over with so much excitement, Kennedy said, demonstrating how Ademis eyes followed the bird through the sky. That point forward, this girl has been obsessed with birding. The pair returned to Shepaug Saturday afternoon, along with 200 other groups visiting the dam for the opening day of this years eagle viewing season, which runs from late December to March. Volunteers, visitors and staff celebrated the day with educational displays, birds of prey presentations by the Connecticut Audubon Society and Horizon Wings, and of course eagle viewings. The site is usually visited by about 10 eagles a day looking for food, said Brian Wood, manager of land and recreation at New Milford-based FirstLight Power Resources, which owns and operates the dam. The electrical currents from the dams hydroelectric station, the largest hydroelectric station in Connecticut, break up the ice in a portion of the river. That, coupled with the fish that rise to the top of the river after passing through the dam, make the site one of the only places in the state eagles can stop to feed as they migrate. Once we start to generate, they hear the horn from the station ... and its like Pavlovs dogs, Wood said. They know the stations on (and) its time to go up to the river and eat. The observation area was added 31 years ago to the dam, which was built in 1955, Wood said. It was constructed far enough from the river that the crowds wouldnt disturb the birds as they feed. If the eagles were scared away before getting their fill of fish, Wood said, they would likely freeze before reaching the next place they could eat. He said, along with the 1973 Endangered Species Act and banning of harmful pesticides, the Shepaug feeding area has helped repopulate the once-endangered eagles. The birds have bounced back in Connecticut and across the country after facing near extinction several decades ago. In 1980, only 11 nests were recorded in the state, but that number is up to 139 in 2017. This is actually one of the greatest environmental success stories in the whole U.S., Wood said. The eagles were basically eliminated because of the pesticides. Once the pesticides got banned, the eagles started to reestablish. aquinn@newstimes.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 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. WEST HAVEN The city is getting ready to close Water Street and one-block stretches of three cross streets between Water Street and First Avenue to secure the future site of The Haven upscale outlet mall in the face of recurring vandalism and dumping, officials said. Also to be closed are the one-block stretches of Center, Richard and Main streets that run within The Haven site, between First Avenue and Water Street. The Haven site, which so far has seen just two properties demolished, runs roughly between the West River and First Avenue from Elm Street to Main Street. The move to close the street, hastened by recent illegal dumping and vandalism to vacant structures within the stretch of properties developer The Haven Group, LLC has acquired for the development, comes even before The Haven project gets all of its local approvals. The Havens site plan approval and related issues are expected to go before the Planning & Zoning Commission early in 2018. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Mark Zaretsky / Hearst Connecticut Media / Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Mark Zaretsky / Hearst Connecticut Media / Show More Show Less 3 of 3 The Board of Police Commissioners got the ball rolling on the street closures Tuesday night, voting unanimously to accept the idea in concept and forward it to other city agencies for study and comment. That will take some time, so nothing will happen immediately, said police board Chairman Raymond Collins III. It is not closing tomorrow, Collins said. Louis Esposito Jr., executive assistant to Mayor Nancy Rossi, said the next step is for the developer to meet with the Police Departments Traffic Division, and then theyll notify the public. While City Council approval is necessary to formally abandon a street, theyre not abandoning it at this point, Esposito said. Theyre closing it to prevent the vandalism and the vagrancy that has been occurring over there. This is a temporary closure, said Commissioner of Development Joseph Riccio Jr. The purpose is to stop the trash dumping and vagrancy, and theres been some reports of illegal activity down there. Additional steps beyond occasional police patrols are necessary because most of the properties are now vacant and its wintertime and its chewing up city resources, Riccio said. While Corporation Counsel Vin Amendola said hes still researching whats necessary in order to close the streets, Riccio said, It doesnt have to go to zoning because its temporary and its different from when the street is to be abandoned. The actual, permanent abandonment will have to go to zoning, he said. The Haven Group Executive Vice President Matt Armstrong has told the City Council that The Haven, which is expected to go before the Planning and Zoning Commission for its zoning approvals this winter, will be the only direct-waterfront, luxury retail center in the country, with 60 stores, seven restaurants, a public waterfront promenade. It would pay $2 million in annual property tax and create more than $15 million in incremental sales tax for the state, he said. The Haven would provide 800 full-time and 400 part-time jobs, plus 800 construction jobs using all Connecticut-based contractors, he said. Developers Sheldon Gordon, who has since passed away, and Ty Miller proposed to build the waterfront development project in two phases. Miller is proceeding with the project despite Gordons death, Miller and city officials have said. The first phase, proposed for an area along what is now Water Street south of Elm Street where the mouth of the West River widens into New Haven Harbor, would be 230,000-250,000 square feet with a waterfront promenade, open-air amphiteatre and boat-launch ramp for non-motorized watercraft. Riccio said he expects The Haven to come before the PZC in January and February, with a zoning regulations text change to include several properties along First Avenue, currently zoned residential, in the waterfront development zone likely to be on the Jan. 9 agenda. The Havens application for site plan approval is likely to come before the commission on either Jan. 23 or Feb. 13, Riccio said. 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 President Muhammadu Buhari has warned the Supreme Council of Sharia to watch against making baseless and divisive statements. President Muhammadu Buhari has warned the Supreme Council of Sharia to watch against making baseless and divisive statements. This was in reaction to the organizations claim that the President had let Muslims down by his failure to attend the emergency summit of Organization of Islamic Countries called by Turkey to discuss US declaration of Jerusalem as Israels capital city. Buhari spoke in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Saturday through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu. He said the allegation by the Supreme Council of Sharia was totally misleading and baseless. Shehu explained that the President had to go to France to attend the Climate Change Summit because he had earlier given a firm commitment to President Emmanuel Macron. According to Shehu, the President sent the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to represent him at the Turkey meeting of OIC. He explained, The Paris summit on climate change wasnt a junket. It was also about the problems of the Lake Chad region which affects Nigeria as well as the neighbouring countries. About 30 million lives are involved. Without the drying up of the lake, we would probably not have had the acute poverty that nurtured the environment for Boko Haram terrorism. Ex-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 suicide bombers.Abubakar, also known as Abu Muhammad, disclosed that Shekau had become crippled and warned other factional leaders of the group, such as Mamman Nur, Abbor Mainok, Abu Musad Albarnawi and Abbah Minok to repent from their wicked ways and embrace peace.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 newsmen in his cell in Maiduguri, regretted that a lot of innocent young girls were captured, tortured, hypnotised and used by Abubakar Shekau for suicide bombing.He said: I am calling on Abubakar Shekau, Mamman Nur, Abbor Minok and Abu Musad Albarnawi to lay down their arms and stop the senseless killings.Shekau has continued to demonstrate his cruelty and atrocities against humanity. He has 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, such as 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 everyday, thats none of his business.At some point, women became beggars to feed their children in Sambisa, while at least 13 children died of malnutrition and other hardship meted out on them by Shekau.This is the reason 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, let alone 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 with senseless killings.Shekau should remember that he was nobody but ordinary student. He should remember that he had only two sets of cloths when we were in Maiduguri. I remember ever telling him Brother Shekau, why cant you buy more cloths to wear? and he told me he was afraid of meeting God in the day of judgement.He should look at himself and ask himself if he has achieved anything from the senseless course. Despite all the looted wealth and power he has 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 him for the pains he inflicted on others? The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has appealed to Nigerians to be patient while the problem of petrol scarcity is being address... The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has appealed to Nigerians to be patient while the problem of petrol scarcity is being addressed.In a statement by National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, the APC acknowledge the difficulties Nigerians are currently experiencing as a result of the unfortunate fuel scarcity across the country; especially at this Yuletide period.It added: We understand 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.We also wish to note that while we accept the choice of the opposition PDP to make political gains out of the difficulties that Nigerians are experiencing as a result of this fuel scarcity, we however condemn their 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.We appeal for patience with the Federal Government as they make efforts to improve the situation and find lasting solution to this problem that has bedevilled every administration in our country, including the PDP administration under whose government, Nigerians would recall, the oil cabal enjoyed unprecedented prosperity. Oby Ezekwesili, convener of the BringBackOurGirls, BBOG, has berated the presidency over a TV documentary about President Muhammadu Buhari.... Oby Ezekwesili, convener of the BringBackOurGirls, BBOG, has berated the presidency over a TV documentary about President Muhammadu Buhari. Ezekwesili described the 55-minute documentary put together by the Media and Publicity department of the State House as marketing promo for Buhari She also faulted the presidency for coming up with such broadcast when Nigerians are struggling at fuel stations. She wrote on Twitter: Wawu. What a perfect time to unveil a personal marketing promo of President @MBuhari to his citizens who are mostly keeping vigil at fuel stations nationwide. Talk about evidence-based Dissonance by @AsoRockSMH Meanwhile, Nigerian presidency has lambasted Nigerians for attacking it over the film. Tayo Aboyebi, South-West Chairman of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), on Monday confirmed that massive loading ... Tayo Aboyebi, South-West Chairman of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), on Monday confirmed that massive loading of petrol was ongoing at different depots in Lagos. He assured that Nigerians that the current scarcity of fuel would end in the next two days. I am glad to tell you that the product is now available and today, being Christmas holiday, tanker drivers are waiting to collect the product. Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is now making use of Major Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) tank farms to distribute petrol. This is to accelerate the product to different locations. As I am talking to you, our members are taking the product out of depots to filling stations across the country. To make it quicker, NNPC is also using Folawiyo depot, Aiteo and NIPCO depots and I can tell you that the rate at which loading is taking place now, the crisis will soon be over, he told NAN. Atoyebi denied allegation of diversion of the product by his members, adding that such had not been reported to him. To the best of my knowledge no such cases have been reported to the union. It is not easy to divert the product because petroleum tankers loaded were being monitored to their destinations, he said. He urged Nigerians to desist from panic buying, adding that the product was now available. Nigerians should not result to panic buying now; petrol is available in depots unlike few days ago when the product was not available. The Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, said on Sunday that the state collected the sum of N121.6bn as statutory allocation and other earnings including the two tranches of the Paris Club loan refund between July 2015 and November 2017.According to a statement on Sunday, Aregbesola said this on Friday while appealing to workers to persevere more during the Civil Service Week.The labour leaders in the state on Friday announced that an indefinite strike would begin on December 27 following the refusal of the governor to pay them full salaries despite the receipt of N6.3bn as the third tranche of the Paris Club loan refund.But the governor said his administration had judiciously managed its meagre resources to pay workers, carry out welfare programmes and execute projects.Aregbesola disclosed that only 28 per cent of the states total workforce had been receiving modulated salaries, stating that the remaining 72 per cent of the workers had been earning their full salaries and were not being owed any outstanding salaries.While acknowledging the workers perseverance since the modulated salary initiative started due to the financial crisis, the governor said the famine season would be over by March 2018.Aregbesola said, From July 2015 when we started paying modulated salaries, our income from all sources, including gross allocation from the federation account, internally generated revenue and two tranches of the Paris Club Refund to November 2017, is N121.6bn.Meanwhile, our total personnel cost (excluding gratuities) within the same period would have been N104.4bn if we had paid the full salaries of N3.6bn every month. Our personnel cost therefore is 85.8 per cent of our total revenues from all sources.However, this is an academic exercise because before the allocations get to us, some deductions would have been made on commitments already made since as far back as the 1970s, up till now; and we are also paying modulated salaries.The reality, however, is that our net income is N61.7bn while our real total personnel cost is N63.98bn. This stands at 103.6 per cent of our total net revenue. I obtained these figures from the Accountant General of the State and you can individually verify them in his office.The implication of this grim statistics is that we have spent more on salaries and emoluments than our revenues from all sources. Primate Elijah Ayodele, founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has advised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to consult God befor... Primate Elijah Ayodele, founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has advised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to consult God before running for president in 2019. The Primate warned that if the Waziri of Adamawa fails to consult God, he may not get it right. The warning was contained in Ayodeles 2018 prophecies, where he called on Nigerians to be prayerful. He also predicted that President Muhammadu Buharis aides will create problems for him. Ayodele said Buhari will have to do a lot of alliance to boost his political chances. In a statement he issued, the cleric listed five politicians who are likely to be future president of Nigeria. He identified Governor Aminu Tambuwal, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and Governor Ibikunle Amosun. The clergyman also said Nigerians should pray against scarcity of food commodity in the country. The prophecies read: Bread will be scarce in the country, even garri. Some markets will be shut down, and lets pray against explosion in some markets. We should also pray so that we dont lose any Iyaloja or Babaloja. Iyaloja General should pray against multiple troubles, she should also be watchful of scandals. For the presidential election, this is what you should be expecting: Buhari will do a lot of alliance, he will try to settle so many things and try to balance right and left. But Buharis aides will create problems for him. The only people who can hold Buharis government are Fashola and Amaechi. 2019: Atiku wants to be president; its going to be serious. Only if Atiku consults God very well before he takes the right step, otherwise, Atiku may not get it right. The presidential candidate of the PDP will be imposed, he will not be democratically elected after their presidential primaries. These are the future presidents after 2019, if they are still alive; Tambuwal, Saraki, Fashola, Amaechi, watch these people. Watch Ibikunle Amosun, these are future presidents of Nigeria. It is not PDP or APC that can put things in order. Those two parties have nothing to offer Nigeria. The House will break because of Buhari 2019. An armed robber has died from his partners bullet during a foiled robbery attack on one Francis Chibueze on Bakery Road, Azikoro village, Yenagoa.Confirming the incident on Sunday, the spokesman for the Bayelsa State Police Command, DSP Asinim Butswat, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the armed robber mistakenly shot and killed his partner.On December 22, 2017, around 8pm, a two-man robbery gang attacked one Francis Chibueze of Bakery Road, Azikoro village, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.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-year-old man. The partner who shot him has been identified as Peter Napoleon, 23, Butswat told NAN.He said the suspect came to the Azikoro Police Station on December 23, 2017, to turn himself in.The spokesman said the suspect confessed to the 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. The Nigerian Army on Monday said its troops killed three Boko Haram insurgents and recovered 200 cattle in Borno.The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Sani Kukasheka, announced this in a statement in Maiduguri.Kukasheka said the insurgents had earlier carted away 200 cattle rustled at Makandari village of Kala Balge Local Government Area of Borno.He said that the troops engaged the insurgents on Saturday at Beneri village, killed two of them and recovered the stolen cattle.Kukasheka said that the troops also recovered one AK-47 rifle, an emptied magazine, two motorcycles and a National Identity Card, adding that the cattle had since been returned to the owners.Kukasheka disclosed further that the troops, in a separate operation, ambushed the insurgents at their crossing point at Firgi, Bama Local Government Area of Borno.The army spokesman revealed that the troops killed one insurgent, suspected to be an expert in Improvised Explosive Device, and recovered one gas cylinder.Troops of 21 Brigade, Operation Lafiya Dole, in conjunction with elements of 121 Battalion, on Friday, laid an ambush for Boko Haram terrorists at one of their suspected crossing points near Firgi, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State. One of the daughters of President Muhammadu Buhari, Halima Buhari (married to Bana Sheriff) has said that her father told her and her sibling that he has nothing for them but education.Halima said her father told her that she must study hard because he has nothing to offerHe came to my mothers room and he said look, I have nothing. I have nothing for you. And if you want to study, study hard and make it because this is what I have for you- your education, Halima said.Halima said this while speaking in a video documentary titled The Human Side of President Buhari.According to thecableng the 55-minute video, put together by the media and publicity department of the state, had ministers, aides of the president, and other members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) talking about how their feelings on Buharis management style, reception to counsel and his major strength.Speaking on what she wanted Nigerians to know about Buhari, Halima said her father is someone who is realistic.He came to my mothers room and he said look, I have nothing. I have nothing for you. And if you want to study, study hard and make it because this is what I have for you- your education, Halima quoted Buhari to have said.So, you better buckle up and study hard. And since then, I still have his image, just standing by the wall and telling us that. And I realised just how lucky I am because in this society that we are in, I wonder how many fathers will tell their children that.He is a very realistic father. This is the reality. He is showing us reality. And he always talks to us about the leaders that passed away without leaving anything behind and it didnt stop their children from making it.Other people who featured in the documentary were Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Babatunde Fashola, minister of power, works and housing; Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity; Nasir El-Rufai, Kaduna state governor. Akin Osuntokun, a former Political Adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, has given reasons why ex-Vice President, Atiku Abubakar may n... Akin Osuntokun, a former Political Adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, has given reasons why ex-Vice President, Atiku Abubakar may not defeat President Muhammadu Buhari, come 2019. Osuntokun, a former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, said though the Waziri of Adamawa has the financial strength and connection, North will vote Buhari because they are opposed to restructuring of the country. Speaking with Vanguard, the former Presidential aide observed that game changers like the All Progressives Congress, APC, national leader, Bola Tinubu and Obasanjo do not see Abubakar as a potential president. He said, The Muslim North does not support restructuring. They will oppose Atiku on account of that. Realistically, Atiku has the wherewithal financially and viable network to competitively vie for the presidency but if it comes down to a choice being between him and President Buhari, I think the president will carry the day. However, his coming to the PDP is an asset. The party will need the additional strength it brings in terms of financial and structural support. It does not mean he will emerge as the candidate of the party but he is a potential candidate for the party. He still has to go through the rigours of party primaries. The greatest obstacle he has is that there are formidable stakeholders and game changers in the system such as Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Buhari himself, etc, who cannot countenance him as a potential president. It's going to be one of the worst Christmas days in Nigeria's history as long queues at petrol filling stations in various par... In some locations in Ibadan where black market thrives, a litre of petrol sells as much as N400 per litre. These filling stations selling the product, operate only in the night , with vehicles queueing throughout the day. The scarcity, which has continued unabated in the city, has caused a lot of hardship on the residents who were preparing for the Xmas and New Year celebration.Many residents, who could not afford the high cost of transport fares, were seen trekking long distance due to exorbitant fares charged by commercial transport operators.Due to the scarcity of petrol , commercial transport operators have jacked up fares by over 100 per cent.Our correspondent, who went round the city yesterday, observed hundred of commuters trekking long distance due to scarcity of vehicles and commercial motorcycles in many parts of the ancient city.Many bus stops within the city were flooded with scores of commuters who were stranded as they waited endlessly to no avail.Transport fare that goes for N100 from Mokola to Ojoo is now between N200 and N250. The one from Gate to UI is now between N150 and N200 instead of N100.From Ajibode Junction to Ojoo is now N50 instead of N20. This applied to other areas .Many filling stations that were partially selling the product on Tuesday and Wednesday were under lock and key when our correspondent visited yesterday.A resident of Ologun-Eru told this reporter yesterday that some of the petrol station selling the product in his area are selling between N210 and N250 per litre.The scarcity has also afforded some youths in areas such as Mokola, Sabo and Ajibode to turn the situation in making brisk business by selling 4-5 litres of Petrol at the rate of N2000- N3000 depending on the bargaining power of the prospective buyer.A resident of Ajibode ,who begged not to be named, said he spent many hours at a petrol station to no avail.Another resident of Ibadan, who spoke with The Nation, noted that though the petrol still sold at the normal price in his area, but it would take one about five hours to get the product.He said: They are still selling at the normal price of N140. But it is a very long queue, you will spend up to five hours before you get it. But those selling black market, they sell four litres for N2000.A cross section of those who also spoke with our correspondent appealed to the government to find lasting solution to the persistent problem.In Lagos, the prices have skyrocketed as petrol is selling at N200 per litre in Lagos, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).NAN checks revealed that more filing stations have joined the growing numbers of stations without the product while few who had product sell between N 170 to N200 per litre with long queues.A NAN correspondent, who monitored fuel situation within Lagos metropolis around 7 a.m. yesterday, reports that most stations at Ikorodu, Epe, Imota, Ibeju-Lekki and Ajah were seen selling petrol at N200 per litre.At Be Happy, Mallo, Bravo, Domino, and Dhikram filling stations situated at Ikorodu was selling at N200 per litre while motorists were mandated to pay N50 as commission to the attendants, before they sell to them.Mobil, Oando and Total filling stations along Lekki-Epe Expressway was dispensing at N145 per litre but there were long queues while motorists were cited buying fuel from black market along the road.NAN also observed that some independent marketers filling stations branded with NNPC colour were also selling at N170 per litre with their dispensing meter showing N143 per litre.Black market operators at Monsinmi depot were selling a 30-litre gallon at N6, 000 with inter-state commercial and private motorists packed along the road to fill their tanks.Mr Ndu Ughamadu, spokesman of the NNPC has said the corporation has intensified efforts to flood the market with petrol.Ughamadu said six major marketers: Total, Forte Oil, Oando Plc, MRS, 11 Plc and Nipco Plc, are now loading products round the clock from their various depots in Lagos for onward trucking to all parts of the country.According to him, the supplies are mostly from cargoes of petrol imported to by NNPC which are daily berthing and immediately being made to discharge their products to stem the supply hiccups. The imported products are also being supplemented by supplies from the local refineries. NNPC assures Nigerians to remain calm and not to engage in panic buying as the end of the challenge is nigh.Marketers are strongly advised against hoarding as security agencies, working with industry regulators, would mete out appropriate sanctions to defaulters. NAN reports that the scarcity of petrol had brought hardship on many Nigerians as many cannot travel to celebrate the yuletide with their family in different villages.NAN also reports that many filling station have increased the pump price of petrol to N250 per litre while the black market are selling five litres of petrol between N2,500 and N3,000.Transport fare in Lagos metropolis has also increased by 300 per cent. Travelers stranded at Mararaba motor park as fuel scarcity persistsAs the ongoing scarcity of petrol continues to bite harder, passengers travelling for Christmas were stranded at Mararaba motor park in Nasarawa State on Sunday.NAN reports that as a result of the scarcity of petroleum products, transporters seem to be cashing in on the development, with fares increased arbitrarily.In Akure, Owo,Ondo Akokoland and other parts of Ondo State, the scarcity remains bad.At Ikare,Oke-Agbe,Akungba,Arigidi and other communities, people were trekking long distances due to scarcity and hike in fuel which had been affecting the area in the past three weeks.The situation in Ikare was so pathetic as a drop for taxi attracted between N150 and N200 depending on distance.The Nation observed that many people trekked from Ikare-Okeagbe- Erusu down to Oke-Agbe and Ogbagi.Transport fare from Lagos to Ikare-Akoko was N4,000 as against the usual N2,300.The black marketers selling in jerry can along Ikare Road were selling a litre for N600, while such petrol had been reportedly mixed with kerosine.As at the press time, only one filling station was selling at N300 per litre in Akokoland with similar situation in Akure and other major towns in the state. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy VALPARAISO Christmas is difficult when youre more than 8,000 miles away in a war zone, but even the memory of being a doorknocker is enough to bring Mitch Mullins, 66, to tears. Mullins and four other members of Disabled American Veterans Post 120, all Valparaiso residents, reflected last week on their Christmases during the Vietnam War. Command Sgt. Maj. Mullins was a chaplains assistant in 1966 in the U.S. Army. Among other duties, that included knocking on doors to break the news of a servicemans death. We got a call about 2 a.m. Christmas Eve, he said. It was very bad. We got to the house about 5:30 in the morning. We knocked on the door, and it was a young mother with two kids. We stayed with her and did everything we could. His duties included helping widows and parents make funeral arrangements. By 6:30, everybody in that neighborhood knew, Mullins said. Every year at Christmas, I say a little prayer for that family, Mullins said. That was one of two heartbreaking Christmases he remembers. He was serving in Bosnia when his father-in-law died, on Dec. 16, 1990. I was here a week, and then I had to go back, he said. And that was hard to do, to leave home right before Christmas. Carlos Arambula, U.S. Army Sgt. Carlos Arambula, 66, said when he arrived in Vietnam, the sergeant told him to get a drink of water. Thats the last time youre going to have ice in your water, the sergeant said. Arambula was a machine gunner. When we heard the bombs go off, we hit the ground and started shooting, he said. Once, he was shooting when his gun jammed. A combat engineer tapped him on the shoulder and told his crew not to move. A booby trap was right above them. The combat engineer disarmed it and saved Arambulas life. There were guys who lost limbs, lost legs and even lost their lives, Arambula said. He was one of the lucky ones lucky enough that on his way home, he had two 21st birthdays, the result of crossing the International Date Line. Arambula was accustomed to going out on operations in Vietnam that lasted two to three months. In December 1966, though, he got to spend three days at the base camp for Christmas. The mess really fixed up a great holiday dinner for us, he said. Midnight Mass was good that year, too. It was nice to just lay back and enjoy the holidays, he said. Arambula said he had a ticket to see Bob Hopes Christmas show at division headquarters that year, but then he was offered a chance to see Pope Paul VI. Pope, Bob Hope. Pope, Bob Hope. Arambula opted to see the pope, so his Bob Hope ticket went to another soldier. So the next morning, he packed up and went to see Bob Hope, Arambula said. And Arambula found out the pope wasnt going to visit Vietnam, after all. Roy G. Martin, U.S. Navy Machinist Mate 3rd Class Roy G. Martin, 72, was stationed in 1963 at the naval air station at Kenita, Morocco, Africa, during his first Christmas in the Navy. Martin was a disc jockey for the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service, playing records and reading news from the teletype after it was heavily redacted. He was given a letter from the king of Morocco to the American people to be read on the air following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. He still has that letter, Martin said. Among his memories was serving on the USS Tutitula, delivering fuel to keep the airport power plant running in the Dominican Republic to protect the capital from rebel troops. The Tutitula was the first naval vessel to run on jp5, a jet fuel, he said. We had the cleanest boilers you ever saw. Aboard ship for Christmas, we put lights up on the ship and stuff like that, Martin said. His two Christmases at a land base, in 1963 and 1964, were pretty cool. He danced, drank beer and had dinner in the officers club, the only time of year he was allowed inside. The first year, though, was difficult for his family back home. My mother cried; she was all upset, Martin said. John Diehl, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. John Diehl, 73, was in Vietnam for three and a half years halfway around the world. Among his duties were going out after firefights to bring back dead and wounded soldiers. He remembers making shepherds coffee, boiling water with the grounds at the bottom of the pot. God help the guy that stirred his coffee, he said. His first year, he had a small battery-operated Christmas tree from home. Christmas wasnt too bad until it got to Christmas Day, he said. Thats when it got the hardest. The mess hall served a great dinner, but the time off gave time to think. You look at the pictures of your family on the wall, he said. Diehl said his last Christmas during the war, he was with his family in Hawaii. Theres nothing like looking out the window on Christmas Day and seeing people surfing, Diehl said. The warm weather, though, wasnt unusual for him. We only had two seasons in Vietnam hot and rainy. Hot and hotter, he said. Among his wartime memories was helping bring home the 101st Airborne in 1973. Martin Glennon, U.S. Army Specialist 4 Martin Glennon, 68, was a combat medic in Vietnam. I thought maybe Ill get a nice hospital with a lot of nice nurses. But no, I get to be a combat medic, he said. He provided first aid, getting soldiers prepped to be put on the helicopters that would take them to that hospital. Martin tells about tragic experiences, including the 17-year-old father of two children who died when he hit a trip wire. And Waylon Norris, brother of famous actor Chuck Norris, was volunteered to walk point even though it was a suicide mission. Waylon was shot in the heart by a sniper. The soldier behind Waylon was hit in the shoulder and survived. Martin didnt see that lucky survivor for 47 years, until a reunion this year in Laughlin, Nevada. Martin flew into Las Vegas the day after the mass shooting there. For Christmas, Martin was able to return to base to escape, briefly, the horrors of war. He is now a chaplain. Through a Gideon New Testament, I was called on to serve him, he said. CROWN POINT The Lake County Board of Commissioners plans to reopen the cafeteria at the county government center. Commissioners voted Wednesday to allow Brad Strom, of County Cafe LLC, to lease the cafeteria in the government center's administration building for $1,500 a month. Lake County Attorney John Dull said county officials met with a number of potential vendors recently before choosing Strom due to his previous experience with White Lodging. Dull said Strom also operates food carts around the area. Commissioners closed the cafeteria early this year after the retirement of 80-year-old George Kostides, who had operated it for 36 years. The cafeteria had been in business since the government center opened in 1974. It served county employees and jurors serving in the Lake Circuit and Superior courts there. In other business, the commissioners approved an agreement with Aramark to provide food service at the Lake County Community Corrections center. Commissioners are privatizing food service for inmates of the Lake County Community Corrections center at 93rd and Main Street and, if successful, may extend the program to the Lake County Jail and the Lake County Juvenile Detention Center. Community Corrections Executive Director Kellie Bittorf said recently she recommended the Lake County Board of Commissioners hire Pennsylvania-based Aramark Correctional Service to feed her minimum security facility at a cost of $334,050 for the next two years. Her work-release center in Crown Point houses about 170 people convicted in local state courts. It is part of a statewide work-release center program to alleviate overcrowding in state-run prison facilities elsewhere. Bittorf said her staff has been preparing and cooking meals for residents, as the facility refers to them, for the last two years at an annual cost of about $375,000 since the former sheriff stopped providing food services from the county jail kitchen. Bittorf said she believes Aramark is efficient enough at food preparation to cut her current food budget in half. Lake County Auditor John Petalas told commissioners Wednesday that he asked Indiana State Police to investigate an apparent phishing scam that targeted him and Commissioner Kyle Allen. Petalas said he recently received an email that appeared to be from Allen asking him to provide him with $50,000. Petalas said he called Allen to confirm the note wasn't legitimate, and no money was transferred. Commissioners also announced they will auction tax delinquent real estate next spring, probably in March and May. INDIANAPOLIS State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, believes Indiana no longer can sit on the sidelines as auto manufacturers work toward developing and deploying self-driving vehicles, also known as autonomous vehicles, on Hoosier highways. "We want to encourage the development of autonomous vehicles; we have a lot of manufacturers here," Soliday said. "We want to assure the community ... that we're open for business." To that end, Soliday has been meeting with automotive industry stakeholders over the past six months to devise potential regulations governing the use of autonomous vehicles in Indiana since there currently are no enforceable federal standards. He plans to file legislation when the General Assembly convenes Jan. 3 that someday could make it possible for Hoosiers to sit back and read The Times while their vehicles take them to work, around town or throughout the state. Safety first Soliday, who leads the House Roads and Transportation Committee, explained at a recent legislative conference that his primary concern with autonomous vehicles is safety. He said he's discovered through seminars and study of autonomous vehicles, as well as by riding in them, that there's a significant gap between what developers hope they might be and what engineers currently can make them do. For example, in work zones, lanes can shift or end with little notice. Or there may be irregularities in the road striping that autonomous vehicles use to drive in conjunction with satellite-based location sensors. Soliday doesn't want construction workers endangered by self-driving cars. He said that doesn't mean autonomous vehicles will be required to improve road safety, as some of their proponents promise. But Soliday wants to be sure that autonomous vehicles don't make Indiana's highways more hazardous than they currently are. "We're not saying to operate on our roads you have to improve by 10 percent or 20 percent," Soliday said. "Just don't compromise what we've got." While the exact language still is being finalized, Soliday's legislation is expected to require autonomous vehicle makers submit their products for review and approval by a state committee comprised of technical experts before they can be used on Indiana roads. He said that's necessary to ensure the computerized driver isn't compromising the current level of road safety, as well as serving as a double-check on car companies that generally refuse to share their data on the effectiveness of autonomous vehicle operations. "Unless we are data-driven then it's very hard for me to buy into this: 'Just trust me, I'm big,'" Soliday said. "I'm not sure the public just trusts corporations because they're big, and we have to have room for the little guy to play on the playing field." "The safety standards should be the same for both." Soliday did not disclose who would serve on the technical committee, or what exactly they'll be looking for, but his forthcoming plan is supported by Gov. Eric Holcomb. The Republican chief executive in November listed autonomous vehicle regulation as one of his top priorities for the 2018 legislative session. Challenges ahead Soliday acknowledged that autonomous vehicle development is moving quickly. So he expects any law aimed at regulating them will need to be updated every year or so to keep pace with the latest improvements. At the same time, he's not convinced that manufacturers ever will get to the point where autonomous vehicles operate 100 percent of the time, on every road and in every weather condition, without any human control. "The vision-casters will say we can do it tomorrow. When you go to the test facilities they say, 'Well, not really.' So, who knows," Soliday said. He also pointed out that many autonomous features, such as lane-keeping assist, automatic braking and self-driving parallel park already are available in quite a few new car models, and perhaps the cost of going fully autonomous may keep humans behind the wheel but with a little extra help for years to come. Bob McCullouch, program manager at Purdue University's Local Technical Assistance Program, said motorists almost certainly will have to continue driving their vehicles, at least part of the time, since many local roads in Indiana are not striped, signed or otherwise prepared to accommodate the technology used by autonomous vehicles. He said the 14,000 miles of state-maintained highways across Indiana probably could handle self-driving cars and trucks without too many upgrades. But he noted there also are 84,000 miles of local roads in the state. "So a large part of our network will probably not be accessible to these kinds of vehicles unless we make some dramatic changes," McCullouch said. State Rep. Dan Forestal, D-Indianapolis, the top Democrat on the House Roads and Transportation Committee, said just because autonomous vehicles are not yet perfect in every situation, that doesn't mean Indiana should hold off on encouraging their development and use. "I think this is an exciting, very forward-looking bill," Forestal said. EAST CHICAGO One need look no further than an unassuming two-bedroom home on a street near St. Catherine Hospital to find a restored sense of humanity. Children sent to the Nazareth Home in East Chicago come from the worst of beginnings. From abuse, drug addiction to just about anything else, the infants and toddlers roaming the rooms of this small home have been through worse than most adults. But it isn't sadness or hopelessness that permeates these walls. It is love. The smiling faces of the 210 children placed at Nazareth, since the home was founded in 1993 by Sister Kathleen Quinn as a ministry of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, line the walls. Nazareth Home Director Jean Bowman said children come in looking bad, but that soon changes. "They completely change the demeanor in their face," she said. "They smile and they glow and they giggle and they start thriving and they learn. You see a complete change." Bowman said Quinn got the idea to open a foster home for infants while working at the hospital. "At that time, initially she saw a need for babies with AIDS, and then it quickly turned to abuse, drugs, neglect," Bowman said. The Nazareth Home accepts children from birth to age 6, and all are placed there through the Indiana Department of Child Services. Children typically stay up to a year, Bowman said. THE NECESSITY OF VOLUNTEERS Debbie Ferguson, of Highland, has volunteered at the home since its opening. The practicing nurse normally visits once a week and enjoys taking the children on field trips to the zoo or an apple orchard. "It's just fun to play with the kids and see how they grow," Ferguson said. "We've had some that have come so tiny and so sickly and now they're adults." Ferguson said she hopes the care the children receive at the home will help them realize there are a lot of good people in the world. She wants them to succeed in school and stay away from drugs so as to "not re-create what's happened to them." "I just hope that they do well in life," Ferguson said. She said it can be hard to see children leave the home, but many come back for an annual reunion. Those who leave are not forgotten. As evidence, a picture of each child who called the house their home hangs on the walls. A TOUGH START Bowman said the state allows a maximum of five children at the home at a time, but that an exception is made in the case of siblings to avoid separation. The home currently has six children, ranging from 6 months to 3 years old. "I've picked up a lot of babies that were born drug addicted," Bowman said. "I've picked up a lot of babies that have severe medical issues, and the parents are on drugs and don't take care of them right and are severely neglected." Bowman said she has noticed an increase in instances of babies being born addicted to drugs such as heroin and methamphetamines over the last few years. Bowman said within the past year, the home received a young boy who had third-degree burns on one of his hands after it had been allegedly dipped in boiling water by his mother's boyfriend. A 3-month old had been shaken so badly his eyes hemorrhaged and required surgery. One baby girl only a few weeks old had several broken ribs. "I have another infant that was severely abused when he was 6 weeks old and had a broken femur completely broke and a lacerated liver," Bowman said. Bowman said she and her staff are not nurses, but receive invaluable training through a Purdue University Northwest program in which nursing students instruct the staff. The home is aided by a dedicated team of volunteers, too, that come to cuddle babies, play with toddlers and do cleaning and other tasks necessary in any home setting. A total of 33 volunteers gave 2,017 hours of their time to the home last year. SUCCESS STORIES Bowman said it can be tough to witness the trauma the children have gone through, but there are plenty of success stories. One example is a malnourished baby the home received this fall whose survival was not expected. Bowman said he weighed only 8 pounds at about 8 months, and his body had shut down and gone into shock. "He's doing wonderful now," Bowman said. "He's gained like 5 pounds since he's been with us." Bowman said the Department of Child Services pushes hard to reunite children with their families, and estimated over half fall into that category. Others may be placed with relatives or into foster care. The individual love and attention given to each child was clear on a Saturday as a birthday party was held for a boy who turned 3. Bowman said the Dawn Brancheau Foundation helped make the celebration possible. "They sponsored us and gave us $1,000 to pay for all the kids' birthday parties throughout the year," Bowman said. The home relies heavily on generous donors, fundraising and grants. Bowman said a stipend received from the state covers only a small fraction of expenses, which totaled almost $514,000 last year. She said those who would like to help can contribute money and gift cards, or gather items such as diapers, cleaning supplies and toys. Information on how to contact the home can be found at www.nazarethhome.com. SISTERS STAY INVOLVED Although the staff today is comprised of all lay people, the sisters do still have a presence. Sister Margaret Anne Henss volunteered for years at the home prior to taking on a new assignment that allows her to visit only occasionally. "I see it as such a great ministry that we sponsor and I wanted to be a part of it," Henss said. She made it back to the home for the birthday party and fell right back into the routine as she bounced a content 6-month-old on her lap. Henss comes from a southern Illinois family in which she was the eldest of 13 children and grew up playing with babies. "It's been proven that if we don't get the love and care when we're little," Henss said, "it affects us as we're growing up." Campus atmosphere, classes and instruction can be daunting to any newly arrived student, but Chicago native Yosef Maynie found many ways to fit in quickly at Purdue University Northwest. It was easy to get involved here at Purdue Northwest and not get lost in the crowd," he said. Maynie transferred to PNW in 2013 and found that through strong faculty support and campus involvement he was able to excel academically. Before long, he was tutoring other students in mathematics a subject he had previously found challenging. He was a good student and was always asking questions. He was determined, motivated and a self-starter, professor of mathematics Anthony Elmendorf said. I really meshed with Professor Elmendorfs teaching style. His support helped me to master mathematics, Maynie said. Maynie discovered involvement in extracurricular activities was instrumental to accelerating his leadership skills, improving time management practices and assisting others. Going to a university isnt just about going to class and then going home, Maynie said. The experiences you have here make it valuable. Maynie has served as president and past-president for the National Society of Black Engineers since 2015. This organization has been the greatest help to me throughout my collegiate career. It has provided me with a job, an internship and research opportunities, as well as molding me into a leader on campus, Maynie said. I was able to learn how to budget finances, manage people, and also travel to places I had never been before for conferences. In addition to his involvement with NSBE, Maynie was a member of the student-led American Society of Civil Engineers and a participant on the Steel Bridge competition team. He represented his college as a senator on the Student Government Association and was a member of Brother 2 Brother, where he worked to increase retention rates of minorities at PNW. Being a member of an organization can increase grades and the value of the degree itself, he said of his active involvement in the student organizations. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering and a minor in mathematics on the Hammond campus. Maynie aspires to attend graduate school and eventually hopes to join the ranks of the engineers working for the city of Chicago. CHESTERTON For more than 30 years, Tony Ello assumed his 1984 high school class ring was lost forever. Then came a Facebook friend request this week from a Rolling Prairie woman named Donna Meyers. She found his ring, she said. As soon as I (got the message), I figured it was mine, right? Because how many people knew I lost a ring? Ello, 51, of Chesterton, said Friday. Donna Meyers said she was clearing out items in her home last week when out rolled this class ring she had long forgotten about, and she decided to investigate. Turning it over in her hand, the slightly tarnished class ring was decorated with a light blue stone imprinted with Chesterton High Schools iconic Trojan symbol. Etched on one side was a bowling pin and ball and inside the ring was Ello's name. I searched Facebook and found Tony (Ello) in less than a minute, Meyers said. He was the first name that popped up for me. For years, Ello assumed he probably misplaced it somewhere while visiting Tulsa, Oklahoma, for a bowling tournament in 1985 a year after he bought his ring. It was on that trip that I first remember not having it, Ello said. He searched various cars, his house even his parents sump pump pit in the basement, thinking it somehow wound up there. Finally, this week, Ello learned the true story of how he parted with his ring. In the mid- to late-1980s, Ello came in as a customer at the Pizza Hut in Michigan City, where Meyers worked as a young waitress. The young high school student apparently didnt have the cash to cover his whole tab, so he offered to leave his class ring with Meyers as collateral with the promise he would return with the rest of the money, Meyers recalled. He never did, but Meyers held onto it even keeping it in her purse for a few years, thinking he might come back for it, she said. I had good intentions, leaving the ring ... But I really don't remember," Ello said. Ello and his wife met with Meyers Friday night at McAlister's Deli in Valparaiso where Meyers handed him a small holiday gift bag containing his long-lost class ring. To show his appreciation, Ello exchanged with her a Christmas card and gift. Meyers said it's exciting to be able to return the ring to its rightful owner, especially after all these years. You always hear these 'long-lost' stories, Meyers said. Its neat to be a part of something like this." "It's definitely cool," Ello said. I never thought Id see it again. Look back at Christmases past in Nebraska, and all sorts of curious historical nuggets can be found. Consider an editorial by J. Sterling Morton in his Nebraska City newspaper in 1899: The founder of Arbor Day sharply attacked the concept of Christmas trees. Chopping down all those trees, he argued, posed a grievous threat to the nations tree stock. The generations following will want for lumber which these Christmas trees would have made, Morton told readers. Christmas trees have remained a mainstay, of course. Tree farms, including in Nebraska, have enabled an ongoing supply of Christmas greenery for succeeding generations. In 1924, Omaha merchants lined downtown streets with as many as 250 lighted Christmas trees, Tommy R. Thompson noted in a 1987 article in Nebraska History magazine. Nebraska writer Bess Streeter Aldrich (1881-1954) presented picturesque descriptions of prairie Christmases in many of her writings. Her home in Elmwood, preserved as a museum, is decorated each December to give a sense of old-time holiday seasons. Holiday shopping might not start much earlier today than in Christmases past. A 1905 J.S. Brandeis and Sons advertisement in The World-Herald announced its toyland would open Dec. 9. In the 1920s, stores were encouraging early shopping in late November. In mid-20th-century Omaha, the Brandeis stores ambitious holiday displays were an annual treat. Children were often startled when, among the displays, an oversized doll named Brandy spoke to them: There was a person inside the doll. Its no surprise that settler Christmases in the 1850s were a far cry from the holiday plenty many households enjoy these days. World-Herald columnist Erin Grace noted in 2013 that Herman Kountze, one of Omahas founders, said at Christmastime in 1856 that turkeys sold in Omaha for $5 apiece a princely sum in that era. Christmastime in 1918 was a somber time around most of the world, as a calamitous influenza epidemic brought death to millions. Here in Nebraska, there was almost no holiday season as were used to thinking of it, explained David Bristow of the Nebraska State Historical Society. Quarantine rules kept people in their homes, and there were no Christmas events. Hardship has weighed on impoverished Omahans from the citys beginning, Thompson noted: Charity work expanded with the arrival of a small group of Sisters of Mercy nuns on the steamboat Montana in the fall of 1864. Soon the sisters were providing dinner and gifts of clothing for the poor on Christmas Day. Thompson recounted generous efforts in the late 1800s and later by Omaha organizations, including The World-Herald with its Goodfellows campaign, to help those most in need at Christmas. Even with our great economic progress since humble settler times, that vital obligation continues, this Christmas and beyond. Just when you thought you had Christmas all figured out, Matthew Salton comes along with this new animated short, Santa Is a Psychedelic Mushroom. It makes the case that maybe, just maybe, the story of our modern Santa Claus, the omnipotent man who travels the globe in one night, bearing gifts, and whos camped out in shopping malls across the United States, is linked to a hallucinogenic mushroom-eating shaman from the Arctic. Specifically a historic Shaman from Lapland, in northern Finland, who tripped out on Amanita muscaria, the toxic, red-and-white toadstool mushroom youve seen in fairy tales so many times before. Elaborating, Salton talks with Carl Ruck, a Boston University professor who studies mythology, religion and the sacred role of psychoactive plants. And also Lawrence Millman. Writing at The New York Times, Salton adds: According to the writer and mycologist Lawrence Millman, the shaman would make use of Amanita muscarias psychoactive effects in order to perform healing rituals. The use of Amanita muscaria as an entheogen (that is, a drug used to bring about a spiritual experience) would enable the shamans to act as intermediaries between the spirit and human world, bringing gifts of healing and problem-solving. (Although these mushrooms are poisonous, the Sami reduced their toxicity by drying them..) Various accounts describe the shaman and the rituals performed in ways that are fascinatingly similar to the narrative of Santa. An all-knowing man who defies space and time? Flying reindeer? Reindeer-drawn sleds? Climbing down the chimney? The giving of gifts? The tales of the Sami shamans have it all. To learn more about the psychedelic origins of Santa, you can read this 2010 article published at NPR, Did Shrooms Send Santa And His Reindeer Flying? If you would like to sign up for Open Cultures free email newsletter, please find it here. If you would like to support the mission of Open Culture, consider making a donation to our site. Its hard to rely 100% on ads, and your contributions will help us continue providing the best free cultural and educational materials to learners everywhere. You can contribute through PayPal, Patreon, Venmo (@openculture) and Crypto. Thanks! Related Content: When Michel Foucault Tripped on Acid in Death Valley and Called It The Greatest Experience of My Life (1975) Artist Draws Nine Portraits on LSD During 1950s Research Experiment Aldous Huxley, Dying of Cancer, Left This World Tripping on LSD (1963) #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... I grew up in the city of Ferndale, a suburb of Detroit. Christmas was a very special holiday for our family and as one of three siblings, my parents made this time of the year especially memorable for us. My most favorite Christmas memory revolved around our visiting a unique place in Dearborn, Michigan for at least one year, called the Ford Rotunda. Henry Ford had the Rotunda built for the 1933 Century of Progress exposition held in Chicago that year. After the exposition was over, Mr. Ford had the Ford Rotunda dismantled and moved to Dearborn. Each year, approximately 1.5 million people visited the Ford Rotunda, which by 1961 was the fifth most popular tourist attraction in the U.S., just behind the Niagara Falls, the Smoky Mountain National Park, the Smithsonian and Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. This massive structure stood 130 feet high and looked like a pile of gears stacked up, surrounded by a 92 foot wide courtyard. In 1952, a dome was added over the courtyard, which weighed 9 tons. This dome became the first lightweight geodesic dome and was created by inventor R. Buckminster Fuller. The outside of the Rotunda was covered with 114,000 square feet of Indiana limestone. The inside walls of the building displayed murals depicting the Ford River Rouge assembly line. The outside grounds held 19 reproductions of what Henry Ford called the Roads of the World including: The Grand Trunk Railroad, The Oregon Trail, and Detroit's own Woodward Avenue (later in the century, in 1995, Woodward Avenue would become best known for its annual "Woodward Dream Cruise.") The inside of the Ford Rotunda was filled with a spectacular Christmas display called Christmas Fantasy. New attractions were brought in each year. Thousands and thousands of colored lights and ornaments made the Rotunda simply sparkle and was dazzling to both children ... and adults. Starting in 1953, the Rotunda displayed a 37-foot-tall Christmas tree. This tradition continued for the next nine years. There was also a life-size Nativity set, which the National Council of Churches called the true spirit of Christmas. Santa's workshop was very elaborate and amazed all of the children, who stood wide-eyed in wonder. But then tragedy struck ... on November 8, 1962, while workers were preparing the Rotunda for the upcoming Christmas season, a fire broke out. A propane heater was accidentally turned over on the building's tar roof, which quickly caught on fire. Within a few minutes, reported by The New York Times, "the octagonal top of the building resembled a huge chimney, with smoke and fumes pouring out." Everyone got out of the building safely, but the Ford Rotunda burned to the ground in less than an hour. As a 6-year-old boy, I personally felt the loss of this very special place and as an adult at this time in my life, I still have fond, yet painful memories of losing the Ford Rotunda to this massive fire. The next year, The Ford Motor Company did a study and found it would cost $15 million to rebuild the Rotunda. Unfortunately, the company decided not to rebuild. For many people, who enjoyed the simply wonderful Christmas displays at the Ford Rotunda, this was a true loss ... along with also being a loss for future generations who have never realized what they have missed when the Ford Rotunda burned to the ground in 1962. They are "retired" now, but if asked about Christmas traditions when they and I were young, these two special ornaments might describe years of delightful family events. They might remember that women mostly orchestrated the celebrations. Mothers especially acted as tradition keepers, passing along those special, unique ways our families observed holidays. Those customs became memories we cherish and try to continue today. A distant German heritage fascinated us as children. My mother, adopted from Germany as a very young child, cherished things that reflected her country of origin. She and Dad conversed in German when they shared secrets needing to be kept from us. At Christmas, Mom played our piano and sang German carols such as Stille Nacht and O Tannenbaum. She baked sweet-smelling raised breads and cutout cookies using Grandma's cutters; sent out seasonal cards; hung friends' Christmas cards on a cord strung around our living room ceiling; and helped us arrange our Christmas Nativity Creche. As a yearly touch, Mom decorated our front door with her Wisconsin-based parents' vintage brass sleigh bells, with their familiar jingle-jangle, to guide Santa to our house. An ethnic touch sparkled from our Christmas tree decorated with a hodgepodge of handed-down, children-made, and fragile glass ornaments. Those included paper chains, stars, and tinsel as well as Mom's delicate German hand-blown glass ornaments--birds, bright patterned balls, and shiny bells. Each year we carefully unpacked these ornaments from tissue paper cushions in their cardboard-divided box. Today only these two amazing ornaments remain -- a colorful bird perched on a springy clip and a cracked, chipped bell. The bird's worn but bright paint hints at earlier appeal. A feather substitutes for a spun glass tail. The bell misses pieces out of its rim. Eight happy tree-decorating children, cats, dogs, and three family house moves produced those inevitable injuries during decades of loving use. These run-up-to-Christmas days, when I bring out my own decorations and glimpse again those two delicate glass ornaments, I remember how Mom created remarkable memories by sharing a little German heritage especially at Christmas time. This year women in our family are busy baking, decorating, and preparing for gifting once more. Mom's ornaments remind me that we repeat Christmas traditions yearly because they bring family members together in familiar experiences; in those ways, love passes from generation to generation. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Several Pantagraph-area builders have been elected to positions with CENTRAL ILLINOIS BUILDERS of AGC. They are specialty contractor delegate, Brian D. Rich, G.A. Rich & Sons, Inc., Deer Creek; and directors, Doug McCoy, McCoy Construction Co., Pontiac; and Al Slagel, and Michael Slagel, both of Vissering Construction Co., Streator. CROWNE REALTY LLC of Bloomington-Normal, specializing in full service real estate since 2000, has opened at branch office at 142 S. Main St., Morton. Megan Sargent will serve as managing broker alongside Tom Armstrong and Quentin Quiram, both builders and licensed Illinois real estate brokers. Vic Armstrong, former owner of Armstrong Builders, has joined the Bloomington-Normal home office. COUNTRY FINANCIAL has honored three employees with its community service award: Personal lines underwriting auditor Lindsey McCormick founded and serves at Fox Creek Elementary Promise Council. Business retirement services administrator Jamie Czesak devotes her time to Heart of Illinois Down Syndrome Association. CSO business analyst Kara Aberle volunteers at Boys & Girls Club of Prairie Central. LIZ HARRIS, agricultural educator at Normal Community High School, has received the Teachers Turn the Key professional development scholarship from the National Association of Agricultural Educators. EUREKA A Eureka man is giving his time and knowledge to help students succeed. Brian Boggs holds tutoring and homework help sessions on Tuesday evenings at Eureka Public Library, 202 S. Main St. The free sessions are for any middle or high school students who would like an extra boost in understanding science, math, English composition or history. "Brian came to the library with the idea and asked if we were interested and if we could provide a space," said library program coordinator Cindy O'Neill. "He told us he thought it would be a good way to give back (to the community). We are really happy to work with Brian to make this service available." Boggs, an engineer at Caterpillar who has lived in Eureka for 10 years, said the STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and math) are critical, and he wants to help students understand the concepts. "As an engineer, I think science and math education is really important," he said. "I also feel comfortable helping with English composition because I've done 30 years of writing and communicating at Caterpillar." As for history? Well, he just really enjoys the subject. "So it occurred to me that now I should put my money where my mouth is and actually start trying to help other people, just as I did with the homework help I gave my two daughters when they were growing up," he said. Boggs spoke to teachers and the principals at the middle school and the high school, and they are making students aware of the opportunity for extra help. The program, held in the Children's Library on the lower level, began at the start of the school year. So far, middle school students have attended, mostly for math and science help. Parents and other family members may sit in on the sessions, according to O'Neill. "Parents are welcome to be there to watch or to help or even learn something themselves," she said. "For many parents, it's been a long time since they studied this material," Boggs noted. "In many cases, if you don't use it, you don't remember it. For some parents, it can be a little refresher so that they can listen to the conversation, pick up some ideas and go on and help their students on their own. "But sometimes it's easier for students to discuss this with someone who's not their parent. There's not that sometimes uncomfortable dynamic that says, 'Mom or Dad is trying to teach me something.' Often, parents seem happy to have somebody else there to help." Boggs is available from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays when Community Unit School District 140 is in session. To reserve a half-hour, one-on-one session, call the library at 309-467-2922. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information, email Boggs at homeworkhelp@mediacombb.net. President of Groupe Nduom, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom has advised operators of rural banks to build and protect their integrity as against quick fixes as that is the surest way of remaining in business. Dr Nduom said this when he addressed managers of rural banks from the Brong Ahafo region in the regional capital of Sunyani. The owner of over 65 companies spread across three continents says he has learnt a great lesson in business, believing that integrity is as important in business as is capital. Recounting his own experiences, he cited a situation in which the United States Financial Regulatory Authority only allowed him to take over a bank in Chicago after satisfying themselves that he has passed the integrity test. I will say this to you, I was alerted to an opportunity to buy a distressed Black owned bank in Chicago in the United States of America; you wont believe it if I told you that my wife and I were interviewed more than once on different issues. Dr Nduom is of the firm belief that for the integrity he had built around himself throughout his life in the corporate world to entrepreneurship, there was no way he was going to get the opportunity to take over the ISF bank in Chicago, Illinois. I am telling you that I was interviewed more than five hours by officials of the American Financial Regulatory Authority to be sure that I have done nothing untoward in my life that was against the United States financial system. Things I have forgotten I have done were all brought up during this session. Imagine I had done something wrong during my time at Deloitte and Touche and in any other organisation when I was in that country, what would have become of me today. Almost all of the opportunities I have had from Ghana through to Liberia, I have gotten them because people believed I have lived my life beyond reproach. The meeting brought together managers of rural banks from the Brong Ahafo region and selected Groupe Nduom franchises namely Gold Coast Investments, GN Mobile Money, FD Mobile, PenTrust and GN Bank Remittances. Groupe Nduom was in the Brong Ahafo region to sell the companys unique services to the rural banks that are most suited to benefit from such services. The meeting follows from similar ones held in the Western, Volta and Greater Accra regions. Source: today Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Petty traders and other non-formal taxpayers in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis have called on the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to institute mobile tax collection devices to enable them have easy access to pay their taxes. According to them, they were always ready to comply with their tax obligations, but due to the distances from the GRA offices, they found it difficult to pay their taxes. This came to light during a tax education campaign organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in collaboration with the GRA in Takoradi to educate traders on the need to pay their taxes. The Nationwide campaign on tax compliance on the theme our taxes-our future" is to enable the NCCE reach out to economic groups, artisans, transport operators, chiefs, community leaders and other identifiable groups on tax compliance. Other informal taxpayers such as hairdressers, artisans, beauticians, store and shop owners as well as taxi drivers also suggested to the GRA to consolidate their taxes to facilitate payment and called on government to reduce some of the taxes to enable them stay in business. Mr Lan Kwame Tugbenu the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Director of NCCE said activities undertaken as part of the month-long campaign include; dawn broadcasts at community information centres, talks in churches, market centres and lorry stations. He pointed out that government would only be able to provide the needed amenities such as schools, hospitals, roads, electricity and other basic needs if people complied with their tax obligations and appealed to taxpayers to comply with their tax obligations to help increase revenue for development. The Regional Director said as much as it was their responsibility to pay the appropriate taxes, it also behoved on them to demand accountability from their various Metropolis, Municipal and District Assemblies. He pointed out that, it was an offence punishable by law for non-registration of businesses and tax evasion and urged all to endeavour to pay their taxes regularly. They also discussed issues on; benefits of tax payment, registration of businesses, tax returns, taxable gifts and offences and penalties. Source: Ghana Web Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Founder and Leader of Glorious Word Power Ministry International, Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah has described renowned lawyer and Member of the Council of State, Sam Okudzeto as a poor person the reason why the latter is not willing to pay his tithes. The former President of the Ghana Bar Association has lashed out at pastors who demand tithes from their church members. According to Mr. Okudzeto, he does not believe in the concept of tithe because it is a blackmailing tool for pastors to demand money from their congregants, adding that pastors are using an old mathematical concept of the old testament to entice innocent congregants to give them money which ends in their personal pocket. In a recent interview on Good Evening Ghana show on Metro TV lawyer Okudzeto lamented about the springing up churches particularly in the capital Accra as a result of the monetary benefits pastors are making from the church business. I have a different concept of tithe and I have argued with pastors about it. They are using the tithe to blackmail people to give money and I say it is wrong. I give but I dont pay tithe and I help those who are in need. They are using the book of Malachi to entice people to give and that money does not go to the needy but to enrich themselves. That is why everyone is opening a church. Every corner you turned in Accra there is a church. He lamented. He further admonished Christians to come out from the illusion that their blessings are tied onto payment of tithe. God does not bless you because you pathetic. God blesses you because you worship him. He blesses you because love your neighbor as yourself and you provide for him when he has need. That is what God wants us to do. We are turning the bible upside down. He stated. But Rev. Owusu Bempah appearing on the same show on Thursday slammed the legal luminarys position on tithe urging him not to discourage people from paying tithes if hes not prepared to pay himself. He believes in the Bible and he should read Acts 4:32-35 when Peter asked the Nazarenes(Christians) to go sell their properties and bring the proceeds to be used for the work of God, what he said is more than paying your tithes. When Ananias and Saphira sold their property and pocketed some of the money they got and told a lie, the Holy Spirit killed them instantly. What will this man (Sam Okudzeto)have done if he were to be around at that time? What this man is saying is a taboo, if hell not pay tithe he shouldnt discourage others from paying. I know this man because Ive seen him before if you look at the books hes surrounded himself with, I dont how much hes worth, but he needs help. Maybe he does not pay his tithe because he has no money. If he says Pastors only enrich themselves and dont do good to the needy thats a big lie. If youre looking for people who are generous, its pastors. Im not blowing my own horn but if I should tell you the number of people whose education I fund youll never believe it. Ive not forced anyone to pay his tithe to me, but people from all over the world bless me every time. Source: Kasapa FM Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams born 12 May 1957 is the Presiding Archbishop and General Overseer of the Action Chapel International (ACI) ministry, headquartered in Accra,, Ghana. He is the founder of the Charismatic Movement which started 40 years ago in Ghana and other parts of West Africa. Archbishop Duncan-Williams is also the Founder and President of Prayer Summit International (PSI). In 2017, Archbishop Duncan-Williams was named by the New African Magazine one of The 100 Most Influential Africans. He became the first non-American to lead the prayer for the incoming President and Vice President of the United States of America (USA) during the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Archbishop Duncan-Williams and his wife Rosa Whitaker of The Whitaker Group have been named one of Africas power couples. In 1957, Archbishop Duncan-Williams was born to Florence Bruce despite the fact that doctors had earlier told her that her pregnancy was a risk to her health and, therefore, conducted a medical procedure to terminate the pregnancy. Months later, Mother Florence discovered that Baby Nicholas survived the medical procedure. It was then discovered that she was actually carrying twinswith baby Nicholas being the only survivor. His father, E.K. Duncan-Williams, an Ambassador, politician and chief, became actively involved in Nicholas life at the age of 16. With 43 sisters and brothers, Nicholas primarily raised himself learning the art of survival through difficult circumstances at a very young age. While growing up, on multiple occasions, he nearly lost his life. In 1976, on the bed of afflictionafter tragically losing three of his fingers, Nicholas Duncan-Williams, was converted by nurses, Mrs. Raji, an Indian lady and the Acquah sisters, who evangelised to him on his hospital bed at now Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra. From that moment he gave his life to Christ and made a vow that he would spread the gospel throughout the nations and serve God for the rest of his life After receiving his Holy Ghost baptism in the Church of Pentecost, he attended Bishop Idahosas Church of God Mission International Bible College in Nigeria to be trained as a pastor. After returning he founded the Christian Action Faith Ministries (CAFM) and the Action Chapel International (ACI). The CAFM was the first Charismatic church in Ghana. The Christian Action Faith Ministries has its headquarters at Action Chapel International, which is one of Accras largest mega-churches. Having started as a prayer meeting in his fathers house, CAFM moved to several locations (Fadama, Tradefair, International Students Hall, Diplomatic Shop) as it grew till it eventually came to find its headquarters at Spintex Road, where the Prayer Cathedral is located since 1992. Since then CAFM has grown across Ghana, Africa and the world with branches across Europe and North America. He is also the Founder of an NGO Compassion in Action Africa that is transforming schools under trees into 21st-century primary educational facilities while also providing clean water and other forms of support. Compassion in Action also supports an orphanage with 150 children and a drug rehabilitation facility with 120 people recovering from drug addiction. Archbishop Duncan-Williams is the Founder of Dominion University, based in Ghana, which aims to train a new generation in excellence and ethical leadership for ministry, government, and business. He is also the founder and visionary of Dominion Television, a Christian lifestyle channel that is broadcast across 16 nations in Africa. Source: Today Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video . You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen. But do you recall St. Nicholas of Myra, the man behind Santa Claus? The jolly old elf of Christmastime lore is an embellishment on the historical persona of a Christian pastor from the fourth century. Our forbearers adapted his legacy to suit their cultural needs, altering his attributes as they went along. As a result, the man behind our favorite holiday fable is shrouded in myths and misconceptions. Here are five. Myth No. 1: St. Nicholas was a white European In the vast majority of depictions, Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, and Father Christmas are portrayed as white-skinned Europeans with rosy cheeks and white beards. Former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly could have pointed to innumerable examples from film, art, toys and advertisements when, in a 2013 broadcast, she asserted that "Santa just is white." But Nicholas had a Mediterranean complexion and spoke Greek. He was born sometime after 260 in Patara, a port town on the coast of modern-day Turkey. The region had been colonized by the Greeks centuries earlier. The racial category of "white" wasn't one the ancient world was acquainted with, and it would not have occurred to anyone at the time to describe themselves in that way. Myth No. 2: St. Nicholas was a jolly man in a red coat. From 1931 to 1964, artist Haddon Sundblom painted enchantingly warm scenes of Santa's home and hearth for the Coca-Cola Co. Norman Rockwell depicted Santa for the Saturday Evening Post looking cheerful and glad. And before that, Thomas Nast drew Santa for Harper's Weekly with his traditional red coat, white beard, round belly, and pipe. Nast can be credited with working out the major aspects of Santa's look in his fanciful and imaginative drawings, which date to the second half of the 19th century. But Nicholas would have worn a simple tunic and cloak, like other Christian ministers of his era. No heavy furs needed on the Mediterranean coast. Nor would he have been decked out in embroidered robes of red or green, complete with miter, stole, gloves, and rings, as is often the case in ornamental "Old World" statuettes of the saint. Christianity was an outlawed, persecuted, minority religion for about two-thirds of Nick's life. He probably would not have had the financial resources to acquire such an outfit, and even if he had, it would not have been prudent for him to traipse about town wearing it. Nor was the saint noted for his cheerful disposition. In what was arguably the most important incident from the life of Nicholas, first recorded in the mid-sixth century, he intervened in a court proceeding and halted a beheading. At the last minute, he stopped the executioner from performing his duty and then confronted the judge who had given the sentence. Nicholas berated the judge, Eustathius, until he admitted that he'd accepted bribes. The episode was not about jovial generosity but rather a hard-nosed resolve to oppose injustice. So much for "ho ho ho." Myth No. 3: St. Nicholas's gift-giving inspired his legend A National Geographic article tracking Nicholas's transformation from saint to Santa cites a "better-known tale" in which "three young girls are saved from a life of prostitution when young Bishop Nicholas secretly delivers three bags of gold to their indebted father, which can be used for their dowries." In describing Nicholas's festive metamorphosis from bishop to Kris Kringle, the History Channel's website likewise claims that the account of the three dowries is "one of the best known of the St. Nicholas stories." While this is the legend that most directly connects Nicholas to his role in contemporary lore as a dispenser of gifts, his persona came alive thanks to an altogether uglier story. In the Middle Ages, the most popular tale about Nicholas involved a grisly murder mystery. Perhaps the earliest version dates to the mid-10th century and Lower Saxony. It goes like this: An evil innkeeper lured three children in, chopped them up, and stuffed them into wooden pickling barrels. Nicholas arrived, uncovered the foul deed, and miraculously reassembled and restored the poor children to life. The gruesome account became an instant hit. Traveling performers reenacted the drama in towns and villages across Europe. Thanks in part to this story, Nicholas became recognized as the protector and patron saint of children. Myth No. 4: St. Nicholas punched a heretic Nicholas's historical reputation as a dour opponent of wrongdoing has sometimes been carried too far. At the Council of Nicaea in 325, the legend goes, Nicholas punched the arch-heretic Arius, who argued that Jesus in his capacity as the Son was not co-eternal with God. By the 1500s, church frescoes and icons were depicting Nicholas slapping Arius. Maybe you've seen the more modern memes online: A stern-looking Byzantine saint says: "Deck the halls? Try deck the heretic." In another, he says: "I came to give presents to kids and to punch heretics. And I just ran out of presents." Denizens of the Internet have become so delighted with the story that they've even written songs about it "I Saw Santa Punching Arius," for example. It is true that the intact skull of Saint Nicholas, enclosed in a tomb in Bari, Italy, shows evidence that his nose had been severely broken. But there is nothing to suggest that it was a result of landing a haymaker on Arius. The incident appears for the first time in the late 1300s, more than 1,000 years after Nicholas's death, in the writings of a Venetian named Petrus de Natalibus. In the earliest version, Nicholas slaps "an Arian." It could not have been Arius himself, who was not in attendance at Nicaea, since he was not a bishop. Myth No. 5: St. Nicholas's remains have not been uncovered This fall, sensational headlines appeared across the Web: "Body of St Nicholas buried in Demre, claim officials" and "Santa dead, archaeologists say." Archaeologists working on the ancient Church of St. Nicholas in Demre, Turkey,recently detected an open space or chamber beneath the tiled floor. Although they have not opened it or inspected it, they are hopeful that the chamber contains the undisturbed bones of the saint. Based on their efforts, one may have concluded that, before this year, the final resting place of Saint Nicholas was unknown. But it's unlikely that the tomb under the church really holds the remains of Nicholas, which have indeed been uncovered many times. After his death, sometime between 333 and 343, Nicholas's Demre tomb became an international destination for Christian pilgrims on the way to the Holy Land. Then, in 1087, 62 sailors from Bari, Italy, came ashore, smashed open the tomb and hastily removed the bones, taking them on board their ship and delivering them to Bari on May 9. Ten years later, Venetian sailors entered the church at Demre, scraped together all the remaining bone fragments they could find and took them to Venice. Researchers at the Relics Cluster at Keble College, Oxford University, have dated a pelvic bone fragment attributed to Nicholas to the fourth century, which aligns with the traditional life span of the saint. The bone, acquired from a collection in Lyon, France, now resides in Morton Grove, Ill. More likely than not, St. Nicholas rests across the globe and of course, in our hearts. Adam C. English, chair of the department of Christian studies at Campbell University, is the author of "The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus: The True Life and Trials of Nicholas of Myra." He wrote this for the Washington Post. Chesapeake Energy has reached a settlement to resolve longstanding disputes over royalty payments for shale-gas drilling. The deal hinges upon Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro resolving a separate state lawsuit. Read more Chesapeake Energy Corp. has agreed to pay Pennsylvania landowners $30 million to settle federal lawsuits over its disputed gas-royalty payments. But the deal hinges on state Attorney General Josh Shapiro also resolving a lawsuit against the shale-gas producer. Chesapeake's lawyers told a federal judge in Scranton last week that they had reached a deal to settle several longstanding class-action suits, according to a transcript of the status meeting. The settlement would provide payments to all 14,000 Chesapeake gas leaseholders, and the landowners would also be allowed to "reset" their leases to clarify the terms under which they are paid royalties, or their share of gas sales. But the Oklahoma City gas producer said it won't go forward with the deal unless it also resolves a lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania in 2015 by former state Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane that alleged Chesapeake cheated landowners by making large deductions from their royalty payments. "We want global peace," said Daniel T. Donovan, a Chesapeake lawyer with the firm Kirkland & Ellis in Washington. "We want to move forward for a better relationship, different relationships with the lessors, but we need global peace." Representatives of the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office told U.S. District Judge Malachy E. Mannion that it and Chesapeake are still far apart in negotiations to settle the state's suit over unfair trade practices, which also names Anadarko Petroleum Corp. "At this point in time, our major divide is on money," said Joseph S. Betsko, a senior deputy attorney general. Mannion encouraged the state to press forward to resolve its case, which is being heard in Bradford County Court. "We all know, I will tell you, that these cases are going to resolve, and they aren't going to go to trial," said Mannion. "It's going to be a question of whether or not we spend significant amounts of money and time, or whether we kind of get on the real-life practical train on both sides and find a way to get to the end." The litigation against Chesapeake encapsulates long-standing complaints by many landowners about the practice by Marcellus gas producers of deducting post-production costs from royalties. The complaints escalated after gas prices fell and the amount of the deductions were magnified. The state's Guaranteed Minimum Royalty Act of 1979 provides that owners of mineral rights receive a minimum one-eighth share, or 12.5 percent, of the sale price of their oil and gas. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that the royalty is based on the price at the gas well, which allowed producers to subtract the "post-production" costs of moving gas to market. Chesapeake, the state's largest producer, has been the most aggressive about billing landowners for costs. The lawsuits alleged Chesapeake charged landowners high costs by overpaying affiliated companies for services, reducing some royalty payments below zero, and essentially docking landowners for the gas produced on their properties. The proposed settlement, which was negotiated over four years before a federal mediator by representatives of 12 law firms, would provide the average Chesapeake leaseholder with about $2,140, adjusted according to the size of the property. But perhaps of greater value to aggrieved landowners is Chesapeake's agreement to amend existing leases to more clearly spell out the terms under which landowners would be paid. "Every Chesapeake lessor will get to pick how their royalties are paid going forward," said Donovan. "This is the big issue." Landowners could opt to be paid royalties based on a local published "in-basin" gas price, with no deductions. Or they could choose to allow Chesapeake to market the gas, at potentially higher prices, but pay a proportionate share of the post-production costs. Such a "net-back" arrangement is similar to the disputed method the company now uses to calculate payments. "This is a reset for each royalty owner," Donovan said. Chesapeake could pull out of the deal if Shapiro's office does not settle the state lawsuit, essentially creating political pressure on the state by landowners who may be eager to accept the gas company's offer. "Probably the biggest challenge from Chesapeake's point of view is that someone would need to convince the Chesapeake board of directors that they should authorize payment of $30 million to settle the alleged royalty practice claims and still face the risk of continued litigation with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General," said Daniel T. Brier, a Scranton attorney representing Chesapeake. The state's attorneys argued that their case is different than the landowners' lawsuits and involves the state's role in policing the marketplace and punishing wrongdoing. The attorney general's case got a boost on Dec. 15, when Senior Judge Kenneth Brown in Bradford County rejected some crucial preliminary objections filed by the gas producers and allowed the case to proceed under the state's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. But the Bradford County judge also ruled that the Attorney General's Office could not recoup its legal costs in the state action, nor damages for the landowners. The gas companies could face state fines if they lose. In addition, the judge certified the state case could be immediately appealed to Commonwealth Court to settle some novel questions of law, which means the Bradford County case could drag on for years before it is resolved. Taquanna Kellam-Walker, 21, overcame a rough beginning and got her life on track. Read more One was abandoned by her parents. Another, just to live past 15, had to block out large swaths of her childhood. A third believed that her toxic upbringing made suicide preferable. What follows are stories of three resilient women born into poverty, a handed-down legacy of choked-off hope. Yet somehow, each overcame crushing obstacles to advance from a hard beginning to a happy ending or, at least, an ongoing progress report of: so-far, so-good. Taquanna Kellam-Walker When your mother's a Camden drug addict who dies of an overdose, and your father didn't even know you were born, what do you think your chances are of getting somewhere in this world? "I was in foster care my first four years," said Kellam-Walker, 21, one of eight siblings. Her father eventually heard about her and moved her to Northeast Philadelphia. She dropped out of Abraham Lincoln High School in the 11th grade because the baby growing inside her became a distraction from precalculus. Teen pregnancy in her family was as inherited a trait as brown eyes. "Well, you can't stay here," her father exploded, throwing her out of the apartment the day she told him. She was carrying her phone and a charger, and nothing else. "You're old enough to have a baby, so go figure life out," he said. She went to an aunt, who, before slamming the door, offered a hater's prediction of how things were going to go: "You're like your mom," she said. "You're not gonna be nothin' in life." Her boyfriend told her to live at his aunt's place in Chester, where she slept on the couch for five months. The boyfriend stayed for one. The aunt ordered Kellam-Walker to apply for federal aid, then sucked up the benefits, working the teenager like a slot machine. Miserable and eight months pregnant, Kellam-Walker connected with a program run by PathWays PA, a nonprofit headquartered in Folsom, Delaware County, that helps women and children. The agency secured Kellam-Walker an apartment for 18 months. It taught life skills, parenting, and household management. She now works 50 hours a week full time at a CVS, part time at PathWays, counseling pregnant teens. She earned her GED, and is taking classes at Community College of Philadelphia, working toward a four-year degree in social work to make things easier for her and Leionni, now 3. "She's really motivated, and she's helping other young people," said Cristina Lim, a PathWays program manager. "I pay for my own apartment in West Philly, and I bought a 2000 Plymouth Neon," Kellam-Walker said. "I just woke up one day and said, 'Gotta man up, gotta grow up. I want things. "And now I'm proving my aunt wrong: I'm not nothin.'" Alyssa DeAngelo At night in Chester County, homeless families sleep in churches. A dearth of shelters in the 21st richest of America's 3,100 counties makes it necessary, the arrangement coordinated by the local affiliate of a national outfit called Family Promise. For four months, Alyssa DeAngelo, 23, of Oxford, slept on cots with her fiance and two boys, ages 2 and 4, in one of the white-steepled sanctuaries amid million-dollar estates. What brought them there was poverty, family abuse, clinical depression, teen pregnancy, and the awful luck that attaches like a parasite to a hard life. "I have severe anxiety, diagnosed when my parents split," said DeAngelo. "And things happened to me I block out." Alyssa, according to Susan Minarchi, executive director of Family Promise of Southern Chester County, "had a very rough childhood. But she wants to get things right for the family." Sometimes, DeAngelo said, she feels herself slipping back into depression. "It's dark," she said, "and scary in a way you can't express." But DeAngelo is fighting. With the help of Family Promise, she got a bank teller's job for $13.75 an hour. She splits rent in an apartment with another teller. DeAngelo's fiance manages a Philadelphia Burger King and sends money. The ultimate family goal is marriage and a house. She is working on an associate's degree and plans to get a B.A. as a certified sign-language translator. A chance encounter with a deaf customer in the bank inspired her choice. DeAngelo believes God has a plan for her. "But those two baby faces always looking at me" provide enough rocket fuel to propel her, just in case she's wrong about input from the divine. "Failure," she said, not smiling, "is not an option." Amanda Dobbs Today's the day to drive the car off the Schuylkill and die, Amanda Dobbs resolved eight years ago. "Your suicide would be such a positive thing for others," Dobbs, 42, of Eastwick, told herself. Till then, she had done everything right: waited until she was married to have her son, Robert; attended trade school and community college; worked a solid job as a surgical tech. But a childhood of abuse, of her now-dead mother's multiple men touching her, of frequent moves in and out of rundown apartments, caused Dobbs' brain to crack apart, she said. "Post-traumatic stress, major depressive disorder," Dobbs said. She could no longer work. Her husband, Robert, lost his nursing assistant job at the same time, and the family squatted for three months in an uninhabitable house. Then came the day on the Schuylkill. Dobbs edged the car toward a drop-off near Route 1 when she heard a sound: Robert, a toddler in the rear child seat, had murmured. In her melancholy, Dobbs had forgotten he was there. "He saved my life," she said, tearing up. Dobbs institutionalized herself, and has continued treatment. An adept cook, she heard about Philabundance Community Kitchen, a culinary-training program run by the hunger-relief agency. Dobbs thrived, becoming class valedictorian. As part of the group, she appeared on ABC-TV's The Chew in 2016. Robert now works three jobs (for a security firm, a limo service, and school bus company). Meanwhile, with contacts she made, Dobbs started her own catering business, Virtuous Food and Events. Recently, she cooked for 200 people at an event at the Philadelphia Ethical Society. "Amanda is amazing," said Philabundance spokeswoman Stefani Arck-Baynes. "She went from homelessness to business owner." On Christmas, Dobbs and her son, now 9, expect to feed the homeless. "It keeps my son humble," she said. "And helping others gets me out of myself. "That's a blessing." Dr. Susan Gamble, 53, chief of podiatry at the VA Hospital in Philadelphia, holds her mini schnauzer Phoebe as she stands in front of their new home on Harvard Avenue in Collingswood. Read more Homeowner Susan Gamble likes to think of her freshly painted yellow bungalow in Collingswood as her "Christmas miracle." With time running out, Gamble hurriedly closed the deal for the house and moved in a week ago, just hours after she sold her home in nearby Haddon Township. A few days earlier, it had appeared that needed last-minute repairs on her new home could put the sale in jeopardy. Gamble, a podiatrist, became the first to acquire a home in Collingswood under a program launched in February by the borough to fix up abandoned properties that have become eyesores in the South Jersey community. At least 40 properties have been targeted for renovations and put up for sale at market value. "I love it. I'm very happy," Gamble, 53, said standing on the sidewalk in front of her house on Harvard Avenue. Like many communities around the country, Collingswood was hard-hit by the recession several years ago. Unable to pay their mortgages, some homeowners walked away, leaving it to Collingswood to figure out what to do with dozens of vacant properties scattered throughout the borough of 14,000. Many were bank foreclosures and in disrepair, making it virtually impossible to sell them. Mayor James Maley said the project began with 40 homes on the rehabilitation list. Developers have taken on the task of fixing 25 of the properties, leaving the borough with 14 to complete, he said. Crews are already at work on a house on Lees Avenue, he said. "Once people saw that we were serious and were going to be doing this, a whole lot of people stepped up," Maley said. "Our list is whittling down a lot, from where we started." Gamble's bungalow was vacant for eight years and had fallen into disrepair. It was renovated from top to bottom, with new floors, heating system, appliances, aluminum siding, and windows. Maley said it was sold at market value, $205,000, and the borough recouped the $160,000 it had invested in the property. Maley said the process took longer than expected largely because of legal issues. Collingswood gained the rights to a handful of properties under court order through the state's Abandoned Properties Rehabilitation Act, which allows municipalities to seize control of abandoned properties. The municipality must devise a plan to rehab each property and put it on the market. Unlike Camden, which has used eminent domain to seize properties, Collingswood is taking control of the bank-owned properties through receivership. The borough will not take title to the properties. At one time, there were as many as 90 abandoned homes in the 2.6-square-mile borough, though individuals fixed up about half of them, Maley said. "These buildings are in really bad condition," Maley said. "It can be very complicated and difficult." Gamble, chief of podiatry at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, said the process of closing the deal was "tortuous." Some repairs were completed after she moved in, such as a new roof and a French drain in the basement. Nevertheless, she said she had no regrets about downsizing from a bigger home in Haddon Township and buying the bungalow. The house on Harvard Avenue looks strikingly different than it did in February when crews began hauling debris from the basement. The outside then was white with peeling pink trim. Inside, vines were growing through a cracked window. Yellow tape blocked the entrance to the home's only bathroom, where a hole in the floor offered a peek into the basement. Last week, it had a sparkling new kitchen with granite countertops, windows that let in plenty of sunshine, a fireplace, and an expanded front porch where Gamble has placed wicker furniture that she plans to enjoy on summer days. Still unpacking, with boxes around the house, she put up a Christmas tree the first day thus her Christmas miracle. The renovations were done by workers from St. Joseph's Carpenter Society and initially were expected to take about four months. The 30-year-old nonprofit has renovated nearly 1,000 abandoned properties, mostly in the city of Camden. Over the past several years it has expanded to Gloucester City, Merchantville, and Pennsauken. "We ended up doing a lot of work," said Pilar Hogan Closkey, executive director of the society. "It was in pretty bad shape." Maley said Collingswood has borrowed about $1 million to rehabilitate eight to 10 properties. The abandoned properties project will act like a revolving fund as the first homes are rehabilitated and sold, Collingswood will use the proceeds to begin work on the next batch of houses, he said. Closkey said her group continues to focus primarily on rehabilitating houses in Camden. St. Joseph's was asked by Collingswood to provide expertise to help other communities target troubled neighborhoods, she said. Neighbors on Harvard Avenue welcomed the completion of the first rehab on their stable and well-kept block. For years, after the owner of the house abruptly moved out, they tended to the abandoned property, mowing the grass, shoveling snow, and decorating it for the holidays. They tried unsuccessfully to purchase it, hoping to fix it up, then pressed the borough to do the job. "If you raise enough hell, you have a definite interest in seeing it occupied," said Michael Davis, 72, who has lived on the block for 46 years. "I hope she has better luck with it." Journi Black Rodgers, 4 months, was photographed by her father, Sam Black, at St. Christophers Hospital for Children on Christmas Eve. Read more Thanks to the kindness of strangers and, evidently, a dash of holiday spirit, an infant who was seriously injured in a raccoon attack inside a North Philadelphia rooming house will have a safe place to live when she gets out of the hospital, according to the baby's uncle. By 4 p.m. on Christmas Day, 598 people had donated a total of $18,736 to a GoFundMe page set up to help the family of 4-month-old Journi Black find a suitable home to rent. "Hi, I just want to thank each and [every one] of you from the bottom of my heart," Journi's mother, Ashley Rodgers, posted to the page. "I really appreciate all the help we are getting." Rodgers and the baby's father, Sam Black, both 28, spent Sunday at Journi's side at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Rodgers said she never expected such an outpouring. Throughout the day, people showed up at the hospital to drop off toys and clothes for Journi in hopes of brightening the family's Christmas. "I'm good. She's good," Rodgers said during a phone interview, as her daughter cooed in the background. The goodwill and generosity of donors came on the heels of an Inquirer and Daily News column by Jenice Armstrong on the family's plight. West Philadelphia resident Heather Klusaritz, who donated $80, said that as a mother of two boys, age 9 and 6, she instantly felt for the family. "As a mother myself, I can't imagine having to search for safe and affordable housing for my kids and to have to worry about the safety of my children and my home," she said Sunday. Black said he's been so consumed with his daughter's recovery that he hasn't really had time to think about anything else. "We are just taking it one day at a time," Black said. "My focus is getting my daughter back to full strength and making sure her scars and everything is healed so she can live the rest of her beautiful life. "All the money in the world is not going to bring back what happened to my daughter that won't change the scars, the nightmare that she had to go through," he said. The attack unfolded on Dec. 20 at about 8:30 p.m. Jouni was asleep on a bed inside a home on the 2100 block of North 22nd Street. Suddenly, Rodgers heard her daughter's screams. She rushed into the room to find Journi on the floor with blood all over her face and clothes. The raccoon had raked her daughter's face and eyes with its claws, leaving gashes, the mother said. On Thursday, the baby underwent four hours of surgery. She was left with 65 stitches to her face and head. Rodgers had just moved into the house the day before with Journi and her son, Jordan, 6. Rodgers, a security guard, said it was all she could afford at $375 a month. Officials from the Department of Licenses and Inspections last week issued a zoning violation to the property owner for running a rooming house. They also ordered the landlord to obtain a rental license and to repair broken windows and damaged walls and ceilings to keep out pests. The baby's uncle, Kenneth McDuffie, said Sunday that the GoFundMe donations will be used to help the family find housing. "It will be safe. It will be secure. It will be wildlife- and rodent-free, a place where they are comfortable and they are safe," McDuffie said. "We can't always predict what is going to happen in the future, but we want to make sure that [Rodgers] and her family are safe." It was unclear Sunday night when Journi would be released from the hospital, Black said. The father was heartened to see his daughter eating baby food and giggling. "As long as it takes, we'll be here for her," he said. 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. George Manstein, as a young doctor in the Army in Italy during World War II. Read more George Manstein, 99, who lent financial support to Israel's Shaare Zedek Medical Center and Philadelphia-area Jewish institutions while enjoying a decades-long career as a plastic surgeon in the region after emigrating as a child from what is now Ukraine, has died. Dr. Manstein, of Abington, died Dec. 2 of end-stage senile deterioration of the brain. He had worked for more than 40 years in the plastic surgery department at Philadelphia's Einstein Medical Center until the late 1990s, more than half of that time as the unit's chair, his son, Mark "Rick" Manstein, said Sunday. He worked for several more years after that at Holy Redeemer Hospital in Montgomery County. Dr. Manstein, whose father was a tailor, was born Dec. 25, 1917, in a small village near the city of Lviv in modern Ukraine, which he fled with his family as a young boy following the Russian Revolution. He first arrived in Buenos Aires before reaching the United States in 1922, his son said. Dr. Manstein graduated from Central High School when he was 15, having skipped two grades, and enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a medical degree in 1941. He returned to Penn to study surgery after serving as an anesthesiologist in the U.S. Army's medical corps during World War II, then joined Einstein in 1956 as what would for years be its only plastic surgeon. Aside from his local work, Dr. Manstein retained a longtime affiliation with Israel's medical and plastic surgery communities after going to the country in the weeks following the Six Day War of 1967 to aid those injured during the conflict. He and his wife, Marial, a chemist who died last year, were avid donors to Jerusalem's Shaare Zedek hospital, which named its plastic and maxillofacial surgery and microsurgical unit for the couple. Dr. Manstein also served as a member of Shaare Zedek's International Board of Governors and was the first non-Israeli member of the Israel's professional society for plastic surgeons, son Mark said. Local institutions supported by Dr. Manstein included Beth Sholom Synagogue in Elkins Park and what is now the Abramson Center for Jewish Life senior care facility in North Wales. Mark Manstein, who shared a practice with his father, said that the elder Dr. Manstein enjoyed being able to reap the financial successes of the practice, but that he also loved the work itself. "It was much less of a business and really like a friendship with the patients," he said. "He liked to make people happy," said a grandson, Joshua Tartakovsky. In addition to son Mark, Dr. Manstein is survived by sons Carl and Robert, daughters Celia and Joanne, and 18 grandchildren. He was buried Dec. 3. Embed from Getty Images Some scientists believe the combination of two graphene layers could create a lightweight material that can stop bullets. Researchers from the City University of New Yorks Advanced Science Research Center discovered that by combining no more than two layers of graphene, they would be able to create an ultra-thin material that, when it is struck by a fast-moving projectile like a bullet, it suddenly hardens and protects the wearer, Morning Ticker reports. Graphene is a sheet of a single layer of carbon atoms that is arranged in hexagonal fashion. Scientists have discovered that graphene has some extremely unusual properties, as it is the strongest material that has ever been tested and it very efficiently conducts heat and electricity. It was first observed by an electron microscope back in 1962, but it wasnt until 2004 that scientists were able to isolate and characterize graphene. Here is the full statement from the research center: Imagine a material as flexible and lightweight as foil that becomes stiff and hard enough to stop a bullet on impact. In a newly published paper in Nature Nanotechnology, researchers across The City University of New York (CUNY) describe a process for creating diamene: flexible, layered sheets of graphene that temporarily become harder than diamond and impenetrable upon impact. Scientists at the Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) at the Graduate Center, CUNY, worked to theorize and test how two layers of graphene each one-atom thick could be made to transform into a diamond-like material upon impact at room temperature. The team also found the moment of conversion resulted in a sudden reduction of electric current, suggesting diamene could have interesting electronic and spintronic properties. The new findings will likely have applications in developing wear-resistant protective coatings and ultra-light bullet-proof films. This is the thinnest film with the stiffness and hardness of diamond ever created, said Elisa Riedo, professor of physics at the ASRC and the projects lead researcher. Previously, when we tested graphite or a single atomic layer of graphene, we would apply pressure and feel a very soft film. But when the graphite film was exactly two-layers thick, all of a sudden we realized that the material under pressure was becoming extremely hard and as stiff, or stiffer, than bulk diamond. Angelo Bongiorno, associate professor of chemistry at CUNY College of Staten Island and part of the research team, developed the theory for creating diamene. He and his colleagues used atomistic computer simulations to model potential outcomes when pressurizing two honeycomb layers of graphene aligned in different configurations. Riedo and other team members then used an atomic force microscope to apply localized pressure to two-layer graphene on silicon carbide substrates and found perfect agreement with the calculations. Experiments and theory both show that this graphite-diamond transition does not occur for more than two layers or for a single graphene layer. Graphite and diamonds are both made entirely of carbon, but the atoms are arranged differently in each material, giving them distinct properties such as hardness, flexibility and electrical conduction, Bongiorno said. Our new technique allows us to manipulate graphite so that it can take on the beneficial properties of a diamond under specific conditions. The research teams successful work opens up possibilities for investigating graphite-to-diamond phase transition in two-dimensional materials, according to the paper. Future research could explore methods for stabilizing the transition and allow for further applications for the resulting materials. This work was funded by the BES Office of the Department of Energy and the complete list of authors includes Yang Gao, Tengfei Cao, Filippo Cellini, Claire Berger, Walt Heer, Erio Tosatti, Angelo Bongiorno and Elisa Riedo. The Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY) elevates scientific research and education at CUNY and beyond through initiatives in five distinctive, but increasingly interconnected, disciplines: environmental sciences, nanoscience, neuroscience, photonics, and structural biology. The ASRC promotes a collaborative, interdisciplinary research culture with researchers from each of the initiatives working side by side in the ASRCs core facilities, sharing equipment that is among the most advanced available. The papers abstract reads: Atomically thin graphene exhibits fascinating mechanical properties, although its hardness and transverse stiffness are inferior to those of diamond. So far, there has been no practical demonstration of the transformation of multilayer graphene into diamond-like ultrahard structures. Here we show that at room temperature and after nano-indentation, two-layer graphene on SiC(0001) exhibits a transverse stiffness and hardness comparable to diamond, is resistant to perforation with a diamond indenter and shows a reversible drop in electrical conductivity upon indentation. Density functional theory calculations suggest that, upon compression, the two-layer graphene film transforms into a diamond-like film, producing both elastic deformations and sp2 to sp3 chemical changes. Experiments and calculations show that this reversible phase change is not observed for a single buffer layer on SiC or graphene films thicker than three to five layers. Indeed, calculations show that whereas in two-layer graphene layer-stacking configuration controls the conformation of the diamond-like film, in a multilayer film it hinders the phase transformation. Scientists believe it could be used to create solar cells, light-emitting diodes (LED), touch panels, or even phones. Researchers think that it would be possible to create graphene supercapacitors that would be able to replace electrolytic batteries as an energy storage device. And the auto industry is even experimenting with making cars out of this material. The graphene market remains small, but it is emerging. The global market for graphine was $9 million in 2012, but as more breakthroughs like the most recent one see the light of day, we could see graphene completely change our everyday lives. The full statement from the research center follows below. Imagine a material as flexible and lightweight as foil that becomes stiff and hard enough to stop a bullet on impact. In a newly published paper in Nature Nanotechnology, researchers across The City University of New York (CUNY) describe a process for creating diamene: flexible, layered sheets of graphene that temporarily become harder than diamond and impenetrable upon impact. Scientists at the Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) at the Graduate Center, CUNY, worked to theorize and test how two layers of graphene each one-atom thick could be made to transform into a diamond-like material upon impact at room temperature. The team also found the moment of conversion resulted in a sudden reduction of electric current, suggesting diamene could have interesting electronic and spintronic properties. The new findings will likely have applications in developing wear-resistant protective coatings and ultra-light bullet-proof films. This is the thinnest film with the stiffness and hardness of diamond ever created, said Elisa Riedo, professor of physics at the ASRC and the projects lead researcher. Previously, when we tested graphite or a single atomic layer of graphene, we would apply pressure and feel a very soft film. But when the graphite film was exactly two-layers thick, all of a sudden we realized that the material under pressure was becoming extremely hard and as stiff, or stiffer, than bulk diamond. Angelo Bongiorno, associate professor of chemistry at CUNY College of Staten Island and part of the research team, developed the theory for creating diamene. He and his colleagues used atomistic computer simulations to model potential outcomes when pressurizing two honeycomb layers of graphene aligned in different configurations. Riedo and other team members then used an atomic force microscope to apply localized pressure to two-layer graphene on silicon carbide substrates and found perfect agreement with the calculations. Experiments and theory both show that this graphite-diamond transition does not occur for more than two layers or for a single graphene layer. Graphite and diamonds are both made entirely of carbon, but the atoms are arranged differently in each material, giving them distinct properties such as hardness, flexibility and electrical conduction, Bongiorno said. Our new technique allows us to manipulate graphite so that it can take on the beneficial properties of a diamond under specific conditions. The research teams successful work opens up possibilities for investigating graphite-to-diamond phase transition in two-dimensional materials, according to the paper. Future research could explore methods for stabilizing the transition and allow for further applications for the resulting materials. This work was funded by the BES Office of the Department of Energy and the complete list of authors includes Yang Gao, Tengfei Cao, Filippo Cellini, Claire Berger, Walt Heer, Erio Tosatti, Angelo Bongiorno and Elisa Riedo. The Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY) elevates scientific research and education at CUNY and beyond through initiatives in five distinctive, but increasingly interconnected, disciplines: environmental sciences, nanoscience, neuroscience, photonics, and structural biology. The ASRC promotes a collaborative, interdisciplinary research culture with researchers from each of the initiatives working side by side in the ASRCs core facilities, sharing equipment that is among the most advanced available. The papers abstract is as follows. Atomically thin graphene exhibits fascinating mechanical properties, although its hardness and transverse stiffness are infe-rior to those of diamond. So far, there has been no practical demonstration of the transformation of multilayer graphene into diamond-like ultrahard structures. Here we show that at room temperature and after nano-indentation, two-layer graphene on SiC(0001) exhibits a transverse stiffness and hardness comparable to diamond, is resistant to perforation with a diamond indenter and shows a reversible drop in electrical conductivity upon indentation. Density functional theory calculations suggest that, upon compression, the two-layer graphene film transforms into a diamond-like film, producing both elastic deformations and sp2 to sp3 chemical changes. Experiments and calculations show that this reversible phase change is not observed for a single buffer layer on SiC or graphene films thicker than three to five layers. Indeed, calculations show that whereas in two-layer graphene layer-stacking configuration controls the conformation of the diamond-like film, in a multilayer film it hinders the phase transformation. Debbie Dowdal loves decorating for the holidays or at least, she used to. On the Sunday before Christmas Eve, she sat at a long picnic table covered in crinkly green plastic near the back of a Northfield meeting hall that had been transformed into a green and red winter wonderland party, thinking about when she would decorate her own home this year. I used to want to put everything up by the middle of November and my husband would say, At least wait until the day after Thanksgiving, she said. My daughter loved it, too. And every day that I think Im going to put them up, I just ... Christmas has been different these last two years since Dowdals daughter, Brandy, died from a heroin overdose in April 2016 at 35 years old, leaving her three children with their grandparents. Nearly one year later, Dowdal lost her husband of 40 years, Tom, to illness. Dowdal, of Galloway Township, became part of a growing number of grandparents who are raising grandchild-ren when parents have died from drug overdoses, are incarcerated for drug-related activities, in active addiction or are in treatment. The families are forced to build a new normal. You get good at hiding it, the pain. You learn to cry at night by yourself instead of in front of the children. You have to be there for them, she said. A national problem More than 2.6 million children in the United States are being raised with grandparents or other relatives, a growing number many experts say can be attributed to the rise of parental heroin and opioid addiction. Nationally, more than 40 percent of children in foster care with relatives in 2014 were removed from their parents care because of parental alcohol or drug use, up 38 percent in 2008, according to the Generations Uniteds Raising the Children of the Opioid Epidemic 2016 report. About one in three children in foster care in New Jersey in 2014 was being raised by grandparents or other relatives, among the highest rates in the country. Substance abuse is a huge one we see, said Sheena Garrett, Kinship Program manager at Family Service Association of South Jersey. Sadly, its sometimes because a biological parent passed away or grandparents get custody when the (state Department of Protection and Permanency) removes the children. Dowdal has helped raise her grandchildren Randy, 20, Jasmine, 11, and Rylee, 7, since they were born, as Brandy struggled with addiction, but she held onto hope that her daughter would succeed in recovery. Those hopes came to an end when Randy found his mother unresponsive in the familys Galloway Township home last year. Were aware of how hard it is for grandparents who may be grieving for their own children and grieving the circumstances that led them to raise their childs children, said Cindy Herdman Ivins, president and CEO of the Family Service Association. Helping where they can Dowdal, wearing a green Christmas elf T-shirt, watched Rylee, Jasmine and Randy play, make crafts and visit Santa at a holiday party held by the Stop the Heroin organization last week at American Legion Post 295 in Northfield. The childrens paternal grandmother, Victoria Champion, snapped a photo of all three of them with Santa, holding their bags of presents. Champion tries to be there for the children as much as she can since their father, her son Ronnie Nefferdorf, died at 39 in February from an overdose. Dowdal said it helps to talk with people like Tammy Schmincke, co-founder of Stop the Heroin, who knows exactly about how addiction can hurt a family. Schmincke and her husband, Bill, started the organization in honor of their son Steven, who died in April 2016 of a heroin overdose, leaving behind two daughters and an unborn son he never got to meet. The Mays Landing couple is now raising their two granddaughters while their mother seeks treatment for her own battle with addiction. If you look around, you will see that there are too many mothers here, Tammy said. You know, when people call me and need help, I put aside my own pain and loss and do whatever I can to help them, because there are so many of us who lost children, and these kids lost their parents. The Schminckes organization has helped 154 people into sober living, and the couple said they want to do more for the children the most innocent victims of the addiction epidemic who are left behind. While they are able to manage child care and activity costs for the girls, Tammy Schmincke said she knows other grandparents and families cant. Most grandparents, if not all, are living on Social Security benefits, Garrett said. If you have one or two grandchild-ren, you have to now find a way to pay the mortgage, different bills on a small amount of money. And now they have to figure out how to financially take care of (the children). Community services Community programs that specifically offer support and services for grandparents or relatives caring for young children are available, but not everyone knows where to look, Ivins said. At Family Service Association of South Jersey, a United Way organization serving South Jersey counties, experts offer kinship and grandparent programs that help families navigate guardianship issues, child welfare cases, eligibility for survivor stipends and other funding, emotional hardship and more. Ivins said they expanded services at the association when they identified growing needs in the communities they serve, especially in recent years. Dowdal said although Brandy was in and out of their home, she missed only one Christmas with the kids in all those years, even while she was in active addiction. As the first Christmas without both her husband and daughter comes around, the grandmother said, the loss is palpable, but the children still deserve a good holiday. What Tammy and Bill did for the families and the kids, its really amazing, she said. I think one day Ill just call up my family members and say, Hey, get over here and help me decorate for these kids. While Congress was passing the landmark federal tax cut law on Wednesday, Gov. Chris Christie was offering an answer to New Jersey critics of its limit on the deduction of state and local taxes. Starting next year, people cant subtract all of their state and local taxes, including on property, from their income subject to federal tax. The Republicans $1.5 trillion federal tax overhaul will only allow a combined $10,000 deduction for such taxes. Most people in the state dont pay enough state and local taxes to make the itemized deduction of them worth more than taking the standard federal deduction. Christie is a resident who does, and he said the state should respond to the federal $10,000 cap by letting residents deduct their property taxes in full on their state income tax returns. Currently they can only deduct up to, yes, the same $10,000 limit now allowed by the federal government. The governor said his property taxes are $41,000 a year. Now, instead of deducting that whole amount on his federal 1040, hell be limited to $10,000. So now thats $31,000 in additional taxes that Im paying just on the property taxes, Christie said. But its not. If Christie did his own tax return, he would know that the $31,000 is an increase not in his tax due but in his taxable income. The resulting additional tax would be about a quarter of that, or $7,750. Even that smaller amount would be only partly offset by the increased property tax deduction he proposes for state income tax returns. Since the state tax rate is about a third of the top federal income tax rate, an increased deduction would only provide one-third relief. The new federal limit on deducting state and local taxes will fall hardest on the wealthiest New Jersey residents. And those making more than $1 million a year were already targeted by Gov.-elect Phil Murphy for a new tax to raise $600 million to fund public education and reduce property taxes. Senate President Stephen Sweeney said this month hes worried about the impact of this potential double hit on the states high-income earners. He said hell appoint a task force to assess the impact of the federal tax cuts and then decide whether the Legislature should go forward with the millionaires tax. Maybe Christies proposed state deduction could be part a deal to make the millionaires tax more palatable, which would be funny since Christie is an ardent foe of the millionaires tax and vetoed it five times. The state treasurer told him the higher property-tax deduction would reduce revenue by about $160 million, about a quarter of what the millionaires tax would bring in. None of these tax issues affect average residents directly. But now even the Democrats are worried that taxes on the richest residents might cause them to flee the state, taking their businesses, spending and tax payments with them. That would hurt everyone. The answer might be to give top earners something they want in return for shouldering an even bigger share of the tax burden, such as a solid commitment to reducing spending and the size of state government. A new tax plus a spending cut would do more to stabilize New Jerseys finances and be fairer to the middle-class residents, whose taxes are the highest percentage of their income. Trump a needed fighter A lot of people are unhappy with Donald Trump being president. Hes unorthodox and combative, but we needed a fighter who would put America first for a change. His personality is incidental, what hes striving to do for the country is paramount. Hes trying to reverse Americas decline, which we all should want. Heres a sampling of what needs to be corrected immediately: The highest corporate tax in the world, causing companies to flee the country, taking millions of jobs with them. Excessive government regulations strangling the creation and running of small businesses. Straightening out Obamacare so families and sick people arent saddled with overwhelming premiums and drug costs. For our protection, restoration of the military shamefully degraded by President Obama to the point where military experts question its ability to win a war if attacked. The constant undermining of the Constitution and religion as the left deceitfully plots to convert the republic into an atheistic socialistic state. President Trump is trying to rectify all this. The left hates him for it and wants to destroy him. He is upsetting their agenda for a godless socialistic world. Forget the man, think of the country and the people, and which way this epic battle should go. The answer should be clear. Hope that he succeeds so I can still say to all: God bless and merry Christmas. Donald R. Ackermann Barnegat County landfill smells Atlantic County stinks, or at least the growing section around the landfill. The smell of incompletely burned methane is now detectable from Galloway Township to much of Egg Harbor Township. This is our garbage we are smelling and our tax dollars pay to dispose of it. It is offensive to residents and tourists who are greeted by the horrible odor just as they exit onto the Black Horse Pike. Every town in the world deals with this and there are several solutions that have been proven to work. The county never should have allowed it to get this bad. It should take action to fix it immediately. Greg Smith Linwood Disturbing security search Regarding the Dec. 6 letter, Disrespectful search: I as a senior citizen feel very disturbed about the treatment the writers mother was given at Atlantic City International Airport. The security personnel embarrassed her and went about it the wrong way. I agree they need more training and should check out the real people who have issues getting on planes. Was this poor women treated this way just to make it look like someone was doing their job? It makes the airport look bad. Barbara Phillips Egg Harbor Township New Delhi, Dec 21 : In his first comments after being acquitted in the 2G case, former Telecom Minister A. Raja on Thursday said he stood vindicated as accusations that he took Rs 200 crore in bribe to allocate lucrative radio wave spectrum were false. He also said that it had been "repeatedly proven that the presumptive loss to the exchequer which formed the basis for the conspiracy theorists to run amok was cooked up. "I have felt somewhat vindicated all along even prior to this judgment because the beneficial results of my actions are evident to and being enjoyed by the nation's public, especially the poor," Raja said in a statement. He said as Telecom Minister, he had brought "revolution in the telecom sector" in India. "It is not unknown to history that a person who did a revolution is often termed as a criminal." Earlier in the day, a special court here exonerated the DMK leader and all other accused of all charges of corruption in the case. Raja alleged that "vested interests manipulated public perception by leveraging the media and sensationalising fabricated allegations" against him. Raja, who was jailed for 15 months for his alleged wrongdoing, said Judge O.P. Saini had held that it was not just a case of "prosecution failing to prove its allegations but a case where the prosecution case itself was false". This, he said, "was my submission from the very first day". Raja added: "My firm belief in the rightfulness of my actions as well as my faith in our nation's justice system has been validated today. "All my actions as telecom minister had been for the benefit of the masses, to make wireless service more economical and widely available, in line with National Telecom Policy (NTP) and the recommendations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). "As an advocate myself and a public servant I had full faith in the judiciary and I cooperated fully with the trial and did not seek even a single day adjournment. "I also had the courage and confidence to step into the witness box and gave evidence and offered myself for cross examination by the CBI, which is very unusual in criminal trials in India," he said. "I may note that the learned trial judge has repeatedly observed that my evidence was cogent, credible and consistent with the official records, in contrast with the evidence of the prosecution witnesses whose evidence has been rejected as untrustworthy." Rio De Janeiro, Dec 22 : Former Brazil and AC Milan striker Ricardo Oliveira has agreed to join Atletico Mineiro after parting ways with their Brazilian Serie A rivals Santos. Oliveira will be tied to the Belo Horizonte club until the end of the 2019 pending a medical, Atletico said in a brief statement on Thursday, reports Xinhua news agency. The 37-year-old was a free agent after Santos reportedly declined to accept his request for a new two-year deal, offing him a 12-month contract instead. After joining Santos for a second time in 2015, Oliveira scored 76 goals in 140 matches for the Peixe. He also represented the club in 2003, when he netted 21 times in 32 matches to earn a move to Spanish side Valencia. He has been capped 16 times for Brazil's national team and scored five goals. Cairo, Dec 25 : A campaign backing Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said on 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, Xinhua reported. 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. Cairo, Dec 25 : Nine terrorists were killed in a security raid conducted in the northeastern Egyptian province of Sharqiya, Egypt's Interior Ministry announced on 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, Xinhua reported. 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. Lima, Dec 25 : Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski has granted a full humanitarian pardon to imprisoned former leader Alberto Fujimori, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence for corruption and human rights violations. On Sunday, Kuczynski granted the pardon for the 79-year-old Fujimori, who governed Peru from 1990-2000, after the latter was taken from his prison cell to a private hospital on the weekend to be treated for blood pressure problems, reports Efe news. Fujimori had presented a request for a pardon on Decemver 11 and that a medical board evaluated him and determined that he suffered from a "progressive, degenerative and incurable illness", adding that the conditions in prison pose a serious risk to his life, health and physical wellbeing. Kuczynski last week faced a move by the opposition in Peru's Congress to force him from office for graft, but he avoided being deposed due to the votes in absentia of lawmaker Kenji Fujimori - Fujimori's son - and nine other legislators with the Popular Force, which was considered to be the start of an alliance in favour of a pardon. On Saturday, Fujimori was taken to a private clinic here for a bout of tachycardia and problems regulating his blood pressure, local media reported. Fujimori is a controversial figure in Peru, having been accused by many of staging a "self-coup" to transform the country into a dictatorship and being at the centre of a vast corruption network, while others claim that he ended a serious nationwide economic crisis and crushed the Shining Path guerrilla insurgency. Of Peruvian-Japanese heritage, Fujimori ended his presidency in 2000 by fleeing to Japan to escape the huge corruption and human rights scandal that had enveloped his administration, and the Peruvian Parliament impeached him and removed him from office. However, he was arrested by Chilean authorities in 2005 and extradited to Peru two years later. In December 2007, Fujimori was convicted of ordering an illegal search and seizure, and was sentenced to six years in prison, and in April 2009 he was found guilty of human rights violations and sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in killings and kidnappings by the Grupo Colina death squad during his government's battle against leftist guerrillas in the 1990s. Islamabad, Dec 25 : The mother and wife of Kulbhushan Jadhav reached Islamabad on Monday for a meeting with the alleged Indian spy sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court. According to itinerary details obtained by Geo News, Jadhav's mother Avanti and wife flew in to Islamabad via Dubai. They will meet him at the Foreign Office on Monday and are slated to leave the same day . Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh will also be present at the meeting, which will last for 30 minutes, according to the Foreign Office spokesperson. The roads leading from and to the Foreign Office building have been closed to traffic ahead of the meeting. A Mumbai-based former naval officer-turned-businessman, Jadhav was arrested on March 3, 2016, and was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism. After persistent demands by New Delhi, the Pakistan government finally permitted the meeting terming it as "purely on humanitarian grounds". India has maintained Jadhav's innocence and said he was kidnapped from Iran where he had gone for handling his businesses after superannuation from the Indian Navy. Despite the death verdict, Pakistan last week reiterated that he was not under a threat of an immediate execution as his mercy petitions were still pending. Guatemala City, Dec 25 : Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales has announced of moving his country's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Morales made the announcement on Sunday, just a few days after Guatemala joined the US recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reports Efe news. "Dear people of Guatemala, today I spoke with the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, we talked about the excellent relations we have had as nations since Guatemala supported the creation of the State of Israel," the President posted on Facebook. He stressed that one of the most important issues to address was "the return of the Guatemalan Embassy to Jerusalem". "I have given instructions to the Chancellor to initiate the respective coordination," the President said, referring to the transfer of his diplomatic mission to the holy city. The President said recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is "the correct route" and that Israel is an "ally of Guatemala and we must support it". Morales added that "we are absolutely certain that it is the right route", although only nine countries voted in support of the decision at the UN. In addition to the US and Guatemala, Honduras, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Togo and Israel were among the nine countries supporting the status of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. Morales added that during the 70 years of diplomatic relations with Israel, he has always considered Israel an ally whom it must support. New Delhi, Dec 25 : India has an ambitious target of providing higher education to 40 million students by 2020 and to achieve the goal it should allow foreign universities to operate in the country -- either through partnerships or letting them open their own campuses, says the Vice Chancellor of a top-rated Australian university. Ian Jacobs, a surgeon-turned-academician heading the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, is exploring how his institution can cater to the enormous demand and avail the massive opportunities in India's education sector, one of the world's largest. But the environment around and the structure of India's education system is challenging amid tight regulations even as reforms planned in the sector are exciting for international institutions and education businesses. "The structure of higher education and regulations around it in India make that quite challenging. We are looking at how to do that and exploring innovations to do that," Jacobs told IANS during a trip to India. "At the moment, it is not possible for an international university to open its own campus in India. But it may be possible for us to partner with an Indian university so that we can bring to India the depth of experience that we have in quality higher education at a very large scale. That is what we are exploring. It is quite a complicated environment to do that." India has set an aggressive target of achieving 30 per cent gross enrolment ratio (GER) in higher education by 2020. GER is the total enrolment in higher education among the population in the age group of 18-23. According to the Ministry of Human Resource Development, India's GER was 24.5 per cent in 2015-16, a quantum jump over the last decade when it was a mere 10 per cent in 2004-05. But the enrolment ratio is still low compared to China's 26 per cent and Brazil's 36 per cent. To achieve the 2020 target and allow more and more young men and women access to higher education, Jacobs said, his university was ready "to contribute and create opportunities for new jobs and play a role in opening up the young people's eyes to the opportunities for their life. "We provide higher education of quality on a large scale. And that is something India very badly needs. The ambition in India is to educate many millions of young people to degree level." UNSW offers courses in art and design, arts and social sciences, environment, business, engineering, law, medicine and science and has a range of scholarships for international students. Jacobs said India also needed foreign university collaborations because the scale of operations of high-quality educational institutions in the country would not be able to deliver on the government's target and the country's need. "India, of course, needs high quality (education), but it also needs scale and UNSW can contribute to expand that scale. We can provide it partly by students from India coming to UNSW. "But the real exciting thing would be to be involved in India -- providing higher education to Indians in India. We are looking to partner with existing universities. We are looking how to do that. We are at a very exploratory stage." UNSW's Pro Vice Chancellor Laurie Pearcey said the Indian government's Institutions of Eminence or the 10+10 initiative -- to give 10 public and 10 private institutions unprecedented administrative and financial autonomy -- has thrown up possibilities for partnering with foreign universities. "Once these 20 universities are identified, they will operate with a high level of autonomy and international partnerships through joint degrees, through articulation agreements, through large international research collaborations... All of that would be made possible on a scale that is currently not really accessible for foreign universities in India," Pearcey said. He said the proposed Foreign Educational Institutions (Regulation of Entry and Operations) Bill that seeks to permit foreign players into the higher education system could make things better for the country. The Institutions of Eminence initiative "is really exciting... that is going to give India a chance to develop autonomous institutions which can do great research and will give the great education", he added. He also felt tight regulations in the education sector in India come at the expense of collaborations with world-class institutions. "Regulation is a good thing but at the end of the day the government is interested in quality and at the same time that does come at the expense of collaboration." Former Indian diplomat Amit Dasgupta, UNSW's Country Head in India, said besides the 10+10 initiative India needed 400 new universities and 40,000 new colleges to achieve a 30 per cent GER by 2020. "If you need to upgrade, if you need to have quality faculty, one has to ask what is the purpose of higher education. "And that purpose will determine the kind of collaboration. If the purpose is only employability, that is one approach. If the purpose is innovation and research, that is another approach. But I think all of this gets combined somewhere and I think this upgrading is going to only happen through collaboration with world-class foreign universities." (Sarwar Kashani can be contactedl at sarwar.k@ians.in) Rio De Janeiro, Dec 25 : Former Brazil international forward Robinho plans to continue playing in 2018 despite being convicted of rape. An Italian court last month sentenced Robinho to nine years in prison for participating in the 2013 gang rape of a woman in Milan, reports Xinhua news agency. The punishment will not be enforced until the appeal process ends but Brazil does not allow for the extradition of its citizens, meaning Robinho would only risk being arrested if he left his home country. The 33-year-old, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, said he would weigh offers from interested clubs after parting ways with Brazilian Serie A side Atletico Mineiro. "Honestly, I haven't made up my mind," the former Real Madrid, Manchester City and AC Milan player told reporters on Sunday. "First I'm going to turn off the telephone and have a break. I want to rest with my family because the holiday period is short." Earlier, player agent Marisa Alija confirmed Robinho had opted not to renew his contract with Atletico Mineiro, whom he joined in February 2016. "Atletico gave us a deadline to respond and we couldn't do that within the given timeframe," Alija said. Islamabad, Dec 25 : The mother and wife of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav met the death row prisoner at the Pakistan Foreign Office here on Monday amid tight security. The 30-minute meeting started at 1.48 p.m in the presence of Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh, Geo News reported. Earlier, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mohammed Faisal tweeted a picture of Jadhav's mother Avanti and his wife seated ahead of the meeting, adding they were "sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our committments". In an earlier tweet, Faisal said that Pakistan permitted the meeting as a humanitarian gesture on the birth anniversary of the nation's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah. San Francisco, Dec 25 : Joining the race towards building self-driving cars, global chip manufacturer Qualcomm has begun testing its self-driving chipset technology in California. According to a CNBC report, California's Department of Motor Vehicles has issued the permit to Qualcomm for testing its technology. The chip maker has now started testing vehicles equipped with its technology in San Diego County, the report added. Nvidia and Samsung previously received permits to test self-driving cars in California. "We certainly expect to be a key player in the autonomous space," Nakul Duggal, Vice President of Product Management for Automotive at Qualcomm, was quoted as saying. Qualcomm in September announced "9150 C-V2X" chipset that lets cars communicate with other cars, as well as with infrastructure like traffic lights. The C-V2X technology encompass two transmission modes of direct communications and network-based communications, which are designed to serve as key features for safety conscious and autonomous driving solutions. It also complements other Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) sensors, such as cameras, radar and LIDAR, to provide information about the vehicle's surroundings, including non-line-of-sight (NLOS) scenarios. "The introduction of the Qualcomm 9150 C-V2X chipset builds on our leadership in automotive technologies, demonstrating our continued commitment to design and offer advanced solutions for safe, connected and increasingly autonomous vehicles," Duggal had said earlier. "Qualcomm also plans to send test vehicles to Michigan, China, Germany, Italy and Japan to be able to gather data on the chipset's performance in various locations and conditions," the report added. San Francisco, Dec 25 : The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Minnesota has come out in support of a teenager who is facing child pornography charges for sharing an explicit selfie of herself on Snapchat. The 14-year-old teenager sent the selfie to a boy she liked. The minor is now facing criminal charges from Rice County after authorities discovered that her male classmate showed the Snapchat photo to fellow students, Newsweek reported on Sunday. The teenager could face up to 10 years on the sex offender registry. In defence of the girl, the ACLU of Minnesota has said the prosecutor was abusing the intent of the law. While the intent of the law is to "protect minors from the physical and psychological damage caused by their being used in pornographic work depicting sexual conduct which involves minors", in this case, the state is doing the victimising, ACLU of Minnesota said in a statement. "To suggest that a juvenile who sends a sexually explicit selfie is a victim of her own act of child pornography is illogical," said the ACLU Minnesota's Legal Director Teresa Nelson, according to CBS Minnesota. "Child pornography laws are supposed to protect minors from predators," Nelson said. Sexting, which refers to a wide range of behaviours -- from sending sexually suggestive text messages to explicit photos or videos, is quite common. "Should more than one in every 10 teenagers be charged and placed on a sex offender registry for sending or receiving a sext? Of course not. Using the law to set an example and shame some teenagers undermines the seriousness and intent of child pornography laws," ACLU of Minnesota said. "I'm not a criminal for taking a selfie," the teenager was quoted as saying by ACLU of Minnesota. "Sexting is common among teens at my school, and we shouldn't face charges for doing it. I don't want anyone else to go through what I'm going through," she said. Islamabad, Dec 25 : The mother and wife of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav met him on Monday at the Pakistan Foreign Office here for about 40 minutes, but with a glass panel separating them and spoke through a speaker phone. The Pakistan Foreign Office released photos of Jadhav, who is on death row, meeting his family after a gap of 22 months. The meeting started at 2.18 p.m., according to the Foreign Office. Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh, who accompanied Jadhav's family, was seen watching the reunion from a distance. Foreign Office Director India desk Dr Fariha was also present at the meeting, which was videographed. Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammed Faisal tweeted images showing Jadhav speaking to his mother Avanti and wife through an intercom with a glass panel separating them. Pakistani authorities have said the meeting was allowed "purely on humanitarian grounds", but it did not allow one-on-one meeting between Jadhav and his family. Jadhav's wife and mother later left for the Indian High Commission before leaving for India. Islamabad, Dec 25 : In a public relations exercise, Pakistan on Monday arranged a meeting between Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav, and his mother and wife for about 40 minutes - through a glass panel - at the Foreign Office here but did not allow a private discussion between them. In a meeting described as a "grand gesture" by the Pakistan government on the birth anniversary of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Jadhav, who Islamabad claims is an Indian spy, came face to face with his 70-year-old mother Avanti and wife Chetankul after a gap of 22 months. Separated by a glass partition in the heavily-guarded building, they spoke through an intercom watched by the Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh who escorted them to the meeting. The interaction started around 2.18 p.m. Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammed Faisal tweeted images showing Jadhav speaking to his mother and wife in a specially prepared room. Singh was seen watching the reunion from a distance. Foreign Office Director India Desk Dr Fariha was also present at the meeting, which was videographed. Pakistani authorities have said the meeting was allowed "purely on humanitarian grounds", but it did not allow a one-on-one meeting between Jadhav and his family. Jadhav's family was later taken to the Indian High Commission before their return to India via Oman. His mother thanked the Pakistan Foreign Office for allowing the meeting. In an earlier tweet, Faisal shared a photo of Jadhav's mother and wife sitting in the Foreign Office. He said: "The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our commitments." After the meeting, the Foreign Office spokesperson called Jadhav "the face of Indian terror" and said it would decide on consular access to him at an appropriate time. It added that the meeting between Jadhav and his family was not the last. "This is not the last meeting. Let me say it categorically," Faisal told reporters after former Indian Navy officer Jadhav's wife and mother met him after his arrest on March 3, 2016 from Balochistan, as Pakistan claims. Jadhav's case is pending before the International Court of Justice. Faisal said the two women spoke "openly and had a productive meeting" with Jadhav. "It was a positive gesture, extended on humanitarian grounds. We extended the meeting by 10 minutes on the request of Jadhav's family. It has nothing to do with legalities," Faisal said. The spokesperson also "categorically" denied it was a consular access even as the Indian Deputy High Commissioner was present during the meeting. "The Indian diplomat could see the meeting but was not allowed to meet. It would have been consular access had the Indian diplomat spoken to Jadhav," he said, adding the Indian request for a possible consular access was with Pakistan and "would be taken up at an appropriate time". Faisal also said that Pakistan wanted the wife and mother of Jadhav to speak to the media, including the Indian media, at the Foreign Office in Islamabad. "This was done in the spirit that Pakistan has nothing to hide and like all of you seeks answers to many questions that remain unanswered. However, the Indian side requested that they wanted to avoid media interaction." Faisal reiterated that the meeting did not mean any change in Pakistan's stance regarding Jadhav, who he termed "a spy and terrorist who has been sentenced to death". "Jadhav is the face of Indian terror in Pakistan. He has confessed to killing Aslam Chaudhary. He expressed remorse for taking Pakistani lives. He is a serving naval officer, has confessed to being a RAW agent," he said. Meanwhile, in a video message released by the Pakistan Foreign Ministry as part of a propaganda offensive, Jadhav thanked Islamabad for the "grand gesture". "I requested a meeting with my wife and mother and I am thankful to government of Pakistan for this grand gesture," he said. The video also showed Jadhav saying that "he worked for Indian intelligence agency RAW, adding that he entered Pakistan through Iran". Jadhav also said that he was arrested by Pakistan's security agencies from Balochistan. 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. India has said that Jadhav is innocent and has maintained that he was kidnapped from Iran where he had gone for handling his businesses after superannuation from the Indian Navy. Despite the death verdict, Pakistan last week reiterated that he was not under threat of an immediate execution as his mercy petitions were still pending. New Delhi, Dec 25 : Indian diplomat Eenam Gambhir, who has become a known name for her strong criticism of Pakistan at the UN, had her cell phone stolen by two bike-borne men while she was out on a walk in Delhi, police said on Monday. Gambhir is posted as First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York. A 2005-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, she is currently home on a vacation. In her complaint, she told police that two men riding a black motorcycle approached her around 11.20 p.m. on Saturday in Rohini's Sector 7 and asked for the way to Hanuman Mandir. "When I raised my hand to direct them to the temple, the pillion rider snatched my iPhone and both drove away," she said. The diplomat told police she could not note down the registration number of the motorcycle since it was dark at the spot. A First Information Report under Sections 356 (assault or criminal force to attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person), 379 (punishment for theft) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code was lodged at the Rohini North police station. Beijing, Dec 25 : China expanded the area of islands occupied by it in the South China Sea in 2017 and constructed radar facilities, hangars among others in an area covering 290,000 square metres, an official report said. China, which claims almost 90 percent of the energy-rich South China Sea and is locked in a dispute with other littoral states, also stepped up its military presence in the hotly-contested waters. Its construction projects in the South China Sea region covered about 290,000 square meters in 2017, including new facilities for underground storage, administrative buildings, and large radars, according to a report released on nanhai.haiwainet.cn, a website jointly run by the National Marine Data and Information Service and the People's Daily Overseas Edition. The report added that China has reasonably expanded the area of South China Sea Islands, in order to enhance military defense capability within its sovereign scope and improve the lives of people living on the islands. Maritime trade worth $5 trillion passed through the South China Sea where China, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Taiwan have overlapping claims. Experts say the North Korean nuclear crisis has proved to be a blessing in disguise for China as it has kept the US busy and took its attention off Beijing's military build-up and land reclamation in the disputed islands in the past year. Bengaluru, Dec 25 : Four teams have been set up to look for a 29-year-old techie hailing from Bihar reported missing from here for over a week, police said on Monday. "We have formed four teams to search for Kumar Ajitabh, who left his house at Whitefield in the city's south-east suburbs on December 18 morning, apparently to sell his car to a buyer, but did not return home. His mobile phone is also switched off since then," Inspector Praveen Babu told IANS. Ajitabh, who hails from Patna, is an employee of British Telecom software development centre in the city. A missing complaint was filed by Ajitabh's friend with police on December 19, a day after he went missing. According to Ajitabh's brother Arunabh Kumar, the former had listed his car for sale on online portal OLX to raise money for paying fee for an MBA course at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Kolkata. "He (Ajitabh) went out to meet a prospective buyer to show his car on December 18. His phone was found switched off after he left home," Kumar told IANS. "We have not received any clues so far and are working to locate him," Babu said. Jaipur, Dec 25 : Rajasthan BJP MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja has courted controversy over his statement on cow smuggling, wherein he has warned those indulging in cow smuggling of imminent death. "I am saying it straight: If you indulge in cow smuggling, or indulge in cow slaughter, you will get killed (mera to sidha-sidha kehana hai, gau taskari karoge ya gau-kashi karoge to yun hi maroge)," he told the media in Alwar on Saturday. Ahuja, an MLA from Ramgarh in Alwar district who earlier too courted controversy, made the statement after an incident of alleged cow smuggling in Alwar district on Saturday. Cow vigilantes beat up a man accused of smuggling cows in Ramgarh area of Alwar district, while two of his associates escaped. Police later arrested Zakir Khan on charge of cow smuggling. He was admitted to a hospital in Ramgarh first but as his condition became serious he was referred to Alwar. Ahuja, however, claimed that Khan was not beaten by cow vigilantes but was injured when their truck overturned while they were trying to escape. The Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker said that cow smugglers took to rural roads through Alwar and Bharatpur areas to smuggle cows to Haryana from Mewar and Marwar regions of Rajasthan and whenever police or villagers tried to stop them they pelted them with stones or even fired. In November, cow vigilantes shot dead Umar, aged around 35, and injured another man in Govindgarh in Alwar district on suspicion of cow smuggling. In April, Pehlu Khan was beaten to death on suspicion of cow smuggling by vigilantes in Alwar district. Washington, Dec 26 : US President Donald Trump said he was proud to wish people a Merry Christmas, and so defend the beautiful time-honoured phrase against political correctness. "People are proud to be saying Merry Christmas again. I am proud to have led the charge against the assault of our cherished and beautiful phrase. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!" Trump said on Twitter. The President has insistently criticized the use of the expression "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" as a lack of respect for religious values, and has blamed progressives for what, in his opinion, is an offence against American citizens, Efe reported. Conservative evangelical movements, which make up part of Trump's base, have spread the scare of a "war on Christmas" being waged by secular elements of society and the politically correct, a concept first aired by former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly. This Sunday, in a message to US troops deployed abroad, the president noted that "we say Christmas again very proudly." Trump has lamented the move against Christmas promoted by his predecessor Barack Obama during his two terms in the White House, though the former president habitually used the expression. The US president is spending the Christmas holidays with his family at Mar-a-Lago, his private residence in Florida. AardvarkCompare Standing At AardvarkCompare, we join those around the world who adore Aardvarks, as we remember Misha the Aardvark. She was a wonderful, playful, Aardvark, beloved by those who knew her. London Zoo has lost one of its star attractions, and we have lost a friend." Misha the Aardvark died recently in a tragic fire at London Zoo. Misha was born on 20 June 2007 at the Royal Burgers zoo in Holland. She arrived in England's London Zoo during 2008. She was a firm favorite of both zookeepers and visitors, thanks to her warm and caring nature. Travel Insurance Marketplace AardvarkCompare mourns Misha's death, but asks that the world remember her in happier times. CEO Jonathan Breeze commented: At AardvarkCompare, we join those around the world who adore Aardvarks, as we remember Misha the Aardvark. She was a wonderful, playful, Aardvark, beloved by those who knew her. London Zoo has lost one of its star attractions, and we have lost a friend." Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East Apple has had a great 2017, growing its share price by about 50% and while adding $275 billion to its market cap. Apple didn't get there by accident. In 2017, it released a brand new iPhone, Apple Watch, and iMac, in addition to a number of new software products. The company doesn't look like it's slowing down in 2018 either. For Apple investors, whittling the company's wide-ranging initiatives down to just the most important can be a challenge. But, according to Abhey Lamba, an analyst at Mizuho, there are just two important factors to Apple's success in 2018. The iPhone X is Apple's much-hyped flagship phone. It has set a high bar for other phone makers with a gorgeous, bezel-less display, FaceID unlocking, and augmented reality features. Lines for the phone were predictably long at launch, and delivery dates for online orders initially stretched weeks past the planned date. Watching how this strong launch demand stretches into 2018 should interest Apple investors, Lamba told Markets Insider. Some analysts say the high price point and lack of features that users actually care about could hinder the phone's overall performance in 2018. Steven Milunovich, an analyst at UBS, has said that speculation about a "supercycle" for the iPhone X was overblown. Lamba is less sure but says he will be watching sales of the phone closely, especially in the first quarter next year. CEO Tim Cook has said Apple's services business would rival a Fortune 100 company by 2017, and it largely has, bringing in $29.98 billion in the most recent fiscal year. As its primary business of selling iPhones starts to run out of ways to expand, Apple could look to services as its next area for growth. Lamba said that selling iPhones is more of a "replacement business" now, and services are just one way the company could make up for the expected slowdown in revenue growth. The iPhone still represents a huge part of Apple's business, and will likely continue to do so in 2018. But Apple has said it wants to spend $1 billion on television content in the coming year and just bought music identification app Shazam for an estimated $400 million. The company's payments and cloud business are part of its services offerings too, and Lamba says it will be interesting to watch the moves the company makes in that sector in 2018. It will be "extremely hard" to match the legendary performance of the iPhone though, Lamba said. Lamba is cautiously optimistic on Apple. Its competition in the phone business is only getting tougher, and building another cash cow like the iPhone will take time and skill. That caution is what led Lambda to be one of the few analysts on Wall Street without a "Buy" rating for the company. Starfmonline reports that the court, superintended by Justice Wilson, witnessed a rare scene after the judge made such an offer to the convict, identified as one Owusu Ansah. The convict had been charged with theft and was appealing a four-year jail term handed to him. However, to the surprise of many in the court room, he failed to correctly recite the Lords Prayer. His inability to recite it irked the judge, who reportedly described the convict as stupid The report further claims that Justice Wilson is not new to offering such conditions to convicts, as he has previously done same in other cases. According to facts gathered on the case, the accused who studied at a private college in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were arrested by the police when they received several boxes containing the drugs which were delivered by a courier company at the apartment. Based on the criminal charge that was filed against them, the two suspects, Azmir and Achonye were accused of trafficking the drugs at an apartment in Petaling Jaya at 3.30pm on Sept 2, 2014, which is an offense under Section 39B (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. The presiding High Court judge, Datuk Abdul Halim Aman made the ruling after it was made clear that the prosecution had a first-seen or truth evidence on the case against the accused, Azmir, 28, and Achonye, 30. Mrs. Aborchie-Nyahe said this on the United Nations Human Right day when addressing Ghana United Associations (GUNA) members at the SSNIT Conference Hall Awudome in Accra. READ MORE: 68 top police officers promoted The United Nations Human Right Day is observed every year on December 10. According her, the right to human is very important and has therefore called on the Police Service to act accordingly when arresting suspects. She stressed that the police are the first point of call when it comes to peace therefore there is the need to exhibit very high professionalism and as well as encouraged the police to treat Ghanaians with high respect when it comes to arresting people who are assumed to be criminals. Now dont see the person in the act and you have rumors of stories of suspects at that stage the person is a suspect now if you dont find anything connecting the suspect to the crime you dont have to arrest she said. She noted: the police often violate the peoples right when one is reported at the police station. She added: the next step is the police to invite the person the reported person is workers and needs to asked permission from the employee before he or she can honor the police invite. READ ALSO: Koforidua Technical University female student sprayed with acid "It is the right of the citizens to do that but mostly the police will rather force suspect to report at the station violating on their right, we are going to speak again that act," she stressed . She added that these and many are the reasons United Nations observed human right day. It is a day set aside by the United Nations to commemorate the day on which in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the universal declaration of Human Rights. In 1950, the Assembly passed the Assembly passed the resolution 423(v), inviting all states and interested organizations like GUNA to observe the day. One person was injured and cash to the tune of GHC8,000, mobile phones, laptops and other electronic gadgets were taken away. The three masked robbers reportedly stormed the church at about 3:00am during prayer service. The attack brought the church service to an abrupt end, leaving the congregation in a state of shock. Head Pastor of the Church, Richard Amponsah-Acheampong, said the robbers were in the church for about 45 minutes. He also said the church will take measures to improve security around it premises. "We shall make proper arrangements with the policemen so that they will be there. We cant take it for granted, and it is my advice to all those who are planning such events to make arrangements with the police or any security agents that will protect them against such incidents," he said. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! READ MORE: 3 Ghanaian women assaulted and forced out of Tap Portugal flight for Caucasian passengers According to her, she was shoved against a glass door when she attempted boarding her flight. When I turned, my sister and friend were also trying to capture what was happening. What I realized was that, one the guys held my friend in the neck and pushed her into a metal chair. They were just shoving my sister and hitting them. They actually assaulted us, narrated in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM. The three Ghanaian women, who were heading to Sao Tome, had purchased their flight ticket four months ago. Initial reports had it that they were asked to vacate their seats for Caucasian passengers because the flight was overbooked. Speaking on that, Semuah-Oddom noted: I told her [the official] no, I cant accept that because as far as I am concerned, when it comes to overbooking, you have to call out to the passengers and ask for volunteers. READ MORE: Drunk passenger assaults Ghanaian woman on KLM flight as crew stood back People used to think doctors could forgo washing their hands before surgery. Knowledge is ever-evolving. Other facts might have been taught incorrectly because the truth is more nuanced than grade-school students can understand. The nine facts below probably changed since your school days, or were taught to you the wrong way. Re-educate yourself. THEN: America won its independence on July 4, 1776 NOW: America was not officially independent until seven years later, in 1783. THEN: George Washington's teeth were made of wood NOW: Washington's teeth were human teeth from his slaves and also made from ivory. A set of dentures that George Washington wore are kept at the Mount Vernon plantation house museum. The dentures are fashioned out of ivory and human teeth. THEN: Pluto is a planet NOW: Pluto isn't a planet We've known since the late 1800s that a ninth planet, after Uranus, potentially existed. In 1906, Percival Lowell, the founder of the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, even began a research project intended to locate the mysterious "Planet X." Then in 1930, a 23-year-old newbie at the facility found it. The discoverer, Clyde Tombaugh, had been tasked with systematically comparing photographs of the sky taken weeks apart to search for any moving objects. He eventually saw one and submitted his finding to the Harvard College Observatory. After an 11-year-old English girl named the new planet (for the Roman god of the underworld), we started including Pluto as a planet in our solar system. But in 2003, an astronomer found a larger object beyond Pluto which he named Eris, according to NASA. The new information caused a bunch of other astronomers to question what really makes a planet a planet, and they decided, based on size and location, that Pluto just didn't make the cut. Neither did Eris, actually. Pluto was demoted to a dwarf planet. Needless to say, elementary schools kids were pretty bummed. But there may be hope. Researchers have recently been debating whether to make Pluto a planet again. THEN: Diamond is the hardest substance NOW: Ultrahard nanotwinned cubic boron nitride is the hardest substance We've known about two substances harder than a diamond since 2009: wurtzite boron nitride and lonsdaleite, according to Scientific American. The first resists indentation with 18% more fortitude than a diamond, and the second a whopping 58%. Unfortunately, both substances are rather unusual and unstable in nature. In fact, the study's authors, published in the journal "Physical Review Letters," only calculated the new substances' hardness, instead of actually testing it using a tangible specimen. That makes the discovery a bit theoretical. But another contender was published in the January 2013 issue of the journal Nature. In the simplest terms, researchers compressed boron nitride particles to form "ultrahard nanotwinned cubic boron nitride." They simply re-organized the particles like an onion, or a flaky rose, or those little Russian dolls that fit inside one another, as the team explained to Wired. THEN: Witches in Salem were burned at the stake NOW: They were actually hanged Even if you didn't read Arthur Miller's " target="_blank"The Crucible" in high school, you probably learned somewhere that the townspeople of Salem burned witches at the stake. But that never happened, according to Richard Trask, a town archivist for Danvers (formerly known as Salem Village.) He also chaired the Salem Village Witchcraft Tercentennial Committee from 1990 to 1992 and wrote a book detailing the time period called " target="_blank"Salem Village Witch Hysteria." At the time of the trials, New England still followed English law, which listed witchcraft as a felony punishable by hanging not burning at the stake, Trask said. In Europe, however, the church labeled witchcraft heresy and did tie up suspected practitioners and light them on fire. You can see where the confusion started. THEN: Israelite slaves built the pyramids NOW: Egyptians workers built the pyramids themselves Even movies like "The Prince Of Egypt" perpetuate the idea that slaves built the pyramids. Although many think the Bible tells us they did, the book doesn't mention the story specifically. This popular myth reportedly stems from comments made by former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin when visiting Egypt in 1977, according to Amihai Mazar, professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. "No Jews built the pyramids because Jews didn't exist at the period when the pyramids were built," Mazar told the AP. Recent archaeological finds actually show that Egyptians built the pyramids themselves. Workers were recruited from poor families in the north and south but were highly respected, earning crypts near the pyramids and even proper preparation for burial. Slaves wouldn't have been treated so honorably. THEN: Folding a piece of paper more than seven times is mathematically impossible. NOW: The record stands at 13. Whether in art class or science, this rumor definitely spread among the masses. But Britney Gallivan, a California high school student, didn't bite. She, with some volunteers, bought a giant, $85 roll of toilet paper and proceeded to blow everyone's mind by folding it a surprising 11 times. She realized everyone else who tried had been alternating folding directions, and even developed an equation, based on the thickness and width of the specific paper, explaining why you shouldn't. Gallivan was a keynote speaker at the 2006 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics convention. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in Environmental Science in 2007. And since then, she's appeared on MythBusters. In 2012, students atSt. Mark's School THEN: The Great Wall Of China is the only man-made structure visible from space. NOW: Many man-made places are visible from space. Technically, this wasn't ever a solid "truth" just a fact third-graders ubiquitously included in their class reports and diorama presentations. In fact, rumors that you can see the landmark, not only from a spaceship, but all the way from the moon, date back as far as 1938. In 2003 though, the first Chinese astronaut finally shattered the myth. The party responsible, a man named Yang Liwei, admitted he couldn't see the Great Wall from space, according to NASA. Other photos surfaced here and there. The consensus became that you can, indeed, catch glimpses of the Wall but only under the right conditions (snow on the structure) or with a zoom-capable camera. You can also see the lights of large cities and major roadways and bridges and airports and dams and reservoirs. The moon factoid, however, is totally wrong. "The only thing you can see from the Moon is a beautiful sphere, mostly white, some blue and patches of yellow, and every once in a while some green vegetation," Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean told NASA. "No man-made object is visible at this scale." To further clarify, people probably mean these structures are visible from satellites orbiting Earth but that's not actual space. THEN: Five (or three) kingdoms of classification exist. NOW: There might be as many as eight kingdoms. Depending when you grew up, your middle school science teacher probably lectured about three main kingdoms of life animals, plants, and bacteria (monera) or five, including fungi and protists, too. Either way, we've expanded our classification of life since then. The more species we find and analyze, the more complex labeling life becomes. In addition to the five kingdoms above, we now know of archaea, previously thrown under monera. Archaea superficially look like other one-celled organisms called eubacteria, but they're completely different. Even larger systems exist which further divide eubacteria into two more kingdoms or separate chromista from all the other protists. In the U.S., however, we stick with six: plants, animals, protists, fungi, archaebacteria, and eubacteria. While the holiday can be celebrated in many different ways, perhaps no custom is more important than the time-honored Christmas Eve or Christmas Day meal. Still, these meals vary greatly depending on where they're taking place. Inspired by thisBookTable post by Rob Rebelo, Germans often serve fruity Stollen cake, along with a mulled wine called Gluehwein. Stollen is traditionally baked to have a hump, symbolizing the humps of the camels that carried the wise men to see Jesus. Many Bulgarians fast before Christmas, so on Christmas they nosh on stuffed vegetables, soups, and cakes. In Fiji, locals dine on banana leaf-wrapped fish, stuffed chicken, and pork made with a "Lovo," an earth oven made with heavy stones, like the one seen below. We've all heard of "figgy pudding," but in the United Kingdom, they actually eat it. Better yet, they cover their Christmas pudding with brandy and set it on fire. Italians celebrate Christmas by making a meal they call the "Feast of Seven Fishes," which features many different seafood items, like calamari, cod, anchovies, and clam linguine. France also serves seafood for Christmas, during the traditional Le Reveillon celebration. Meals usually feature lobster, oysters, and foie gras. In Sweden, a rice pudding, or Risgrynsgrot, is served during Christmastime. One of the bowls will have an almond submerged in its center, and the lucky one who gets it will have good luck for the rest of the year. In Costa Rica, locals usually eat pork tamales on Christmas, many using recipes passed down through generations. In Ethiopia, locals eat a "doro wat," a chicken stew served with flat bread. Forget the forks and knives, because like with many Ethiopian meals, you eat this with your hands. It's summer during Christmas in South Africa, so locals head to the Braai an African grill to cook up lamb, turkey, and pork. It's summer in Australia, too, so residents have a Christmas barbecue, cooking turkey and lamb. They also eat grilled prawns, like the ones below, in a longstanding tradition called "shrimp on the barbie." On Christmas, Ghanaians eat corn porridge, okra stew, rice, and a yam or plantain mash called "Fufu." For various reasons, most people in Antarctica spend their Christmas on ships. So, along with cooked meats, they must make do with canned or frozen vegetables. Egyptian Christians keep vegan on the three days before Christmas. A main staple during this time is Kushari, a macaroni, rice, and lentils dish that's topped with a tomato-vinegar sauce. Christians in India celebrate the holiday by eating traditional Biryani or curry dishes. To end the meal, they often eat kheer, a sweet and milky pudding. At midnight on Christmas Eve, Filipino Christians dine on massive whole suckling pigs, often featuring a bright yellow ball of cheese in its mouth. Promptly at 6 p.m. every Christmas Eve, Icelandic people sit down to a massive meal of cooked meats, including reindeer meat. In Argentina, locals dine on Vitel Tone (veal in tuna sauce) as well as turkey, pork, and bread. Oftentimes these meals will be enjoyed in a backyard BBQ style. In Finland, people sit down to a Christmas "Joulupoyta," a massive smorgasbord of food that includes ham, bread, fish, various casseroles and vegetables, and mulled wine. People in the United States enjoy eggnog during the holiday months, some more than others. Their inability to actualize their academic desires can be attributed to lack of determination and plans in their academic pursuit. Forget the fact or the excuse that the Nigerian academic environment is hostile, a lot of students only wish to graduate with first class without shedding a bead of sweat. This is possible though if a university or polytechnic is full of academic rogues. But fortunately, Nigerian universities and polytechnics are peopled with diligent professors who are experts in screwing students to become better. There are many factors that can hinder a student's pursuit of a first-class degree in higher institutions. Campus distractions are there to steal their time but these five mistakes play a major role in derailing a student's dream of graduating with distinction. Underrating 2 unit courses: A lot of Nigerian students tend to take three unit courses more seriously than those with smaller units. A two-unit can cause a huge damage to a flourishing grade if the student laxes. To bag a first class degree requires the student to have As in all courses without looking down one any of them from the first semester of the first year to the final year. Taking Internship and Project work with levity: University students are expected to go for an internship program at 200 level while their polytechnic counterparts have their Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme before getting to 200L to expose and prepare to meet after graduation, after which they go for another internship program for a whole year. However, it is believed that some students don't take these internship programs seriously. Some even believe it is just for the experience and has little or nothing to do with their grades. Depending on the course and the institution, Internship and project work are worth 12 to 15 units. So, imagine what a B or C would do to the cumulative grade of a first class student. Poor filling of the logbook, badly written internship reports and poor performance during the defense of industrial attachment can cost a student his or her first class dream. Partying: For a lot of students, partying is an escape from academic rigours. It is for them the only means to enjoy life as students. But this can be very counter-productive if done excessively. Partying has helped no one to become the best graduating student, and every student who aspires to become one would have to be moderate with partying or shun it to avoid a drop in his or her academic goals. Missing classes: You cannot afford to be pursuing first-class goals and at the same time be missing lectures. You know some Nigerian lecturers like it word for word, giving it back the same way they gave you. Missing such lecturers' class is like running away from your own goals. Missing classes can truncate your academic desires in more than one ways. Apart from affecting your continuous assessments, it also reduces your lecturer's estimation of you if class attendance matters in your school. Assisting others during exams: Most students consider this as an act of goodwill that involves helping someone in need, but this kind of Samaritan act is not recognized in academics. It is a negative kindness that could destroy everything a student has been trying to gather. Imagine a final year student with a strong CGPA caught assisting someone during exams. Imagine the catastrophe that would befall his grade simply because of his clemency. This act constitutes examination malpractice and every student aspiring to graduate with distinction must as a matter of obligation refrain from it. Any academic assistance you have for your friend must have been done before the exams start, not during the exams. ALSO READ: 5 ways to avoid being lured into cultism on campus It is the newest and first of its kind in Nigeria but many admission seekers do not seem to know much about his institution. Technical University or Tech-U for short will begin operation in January 2018 five years after the National Universities Commission, NUC officially recognized it as an academic institution. This university might in the next few years become a force to reckon with in technical education in Nigeria, which all other universities barely offer. So, there are five things you need to know about the first Technical University in Nigeria Ownership: It is on record that Tech-U, an initiative of the present administration in Oyo State, is the first Technical University in Nigeria and West Africa. Accreditation: The National Universities Commission, NUC has accredited all the available courses in the school. For now, the University has a total of 15 academic programmes. Facilities: Tech-U boasts of modern classrooms fitted with air-conditioners, an expansive 500-seater e-library, and fully furnished laboratories. All these are already in place to make learning enjoyable. Similarly, a well-secured, fully functional, and student-friendly hostel is in place to give the new students memorable learning experiences. Tuition fees: Students of this school may have to pay as high as N400,000 because according to the Vice Chancellor, Ayobami Salami, the university aims to operate with private sector orientation, adding that N400,000 per session is not outrageous. ALSO READ: Aims and Objective: "Merry Christmas world. @ 12:15am December 25 2017 I said yes to the man who totally completes me. My daddyyyy, my friend, my brother, my pastor, my perv my gossip partner. And my husband to be. God bless you and keep you safe for me." Talk about a perfect Christmas present! It was reported in July 2017 that the actress cum producer was pregnant with her first child and there was no news of a baby daddy then. We don't know what the lucky man looks like yet but we cannot wait to hear the wedding bells! Kadiri is a graduate of the prestigious university of Lagos where she studied mass communication. She joined the nollywood movie scene in 2009 and since then, she has gone on to make a name for herself in the industry. Merry Christmas and a happy engagement to the actress! On her way, she encountered Isaac who told her he would offer her #3000 naira in exchange for sex with her. She agreed. According to Ekpeyongs interrogation, trouble followed when it was time to pay. Isaac refused to pay her the agreed amount. He took her money and her phone then threatened to kill her and throw her in a well. I did not know the man before. He only stopped me and asked how much I would take for the service and I said 3000, Ekpeyong stated. But when we finished he refused to pay Rather he threathened to kill me and dump my body in the bush. He started dragging me out of his house and at the same time hit me on my head. He collected my Nokia Android phone and the money I had earlier worked for. He covered my mouth with a cloth to prevent me from shouting. He dragged me out of his copound to about five buildings away from his. At this point, I was so weak and I passed out. The net time I opened my eyes, I was inside a well. The luck I had was that the water level was just up to my chest. That was when I yelled for help A passer-by was said to have been alerted by the noise from the well and raised alarm. Ekpeyong was then rushed into Isolo General Hospital by the police where she was treated. The suspect is said to still be on the run. The suspects landlord claims his rent had long expired and that he issued him a notice to quit. Lagos State Police Command has intensified effort in search of the fleeing suspect. The minister, who was quoted by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Cosmas Uzodinma , as saying in Abuja also described these virtues as the recurrent themes of the message of Jesus Christ. On behalf of the Administration of the Federal Capital Territory, it is my pleasure to wish all FCT citizens, especially the Christian faithful a merry Christmas, he said. He, however, assured residents that the Administration would continue to work in concert with the security agencies to guarantee safety of lives and property in the FCT. Bello also used the occasion to thank FCT residents for their prayers as well as their sacrifices towards the development of the Territory in particular and Nigeria in general. In a report by Premium Times, the four-count charge dated November 30, 2017 and filed at the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja Division, has Innocents brother, Charles Chukwuma as the third defendant in the suit. The Arrest Innoson motors boss, Innocent Chukwuma was arrested by the EFCC at his residence in Enugu on Tuesday morning, December 18, 2017 after resistance from some alleged thugs. He was transported to Lagos where he was grilled by the EFCC operatives before he was granted bail on Wednesday night, December 19, 2017. His arrest follows allegations that he forged some documents in a transaction involving his bankers, GTBank. Battle with GTBank The auto businessman has been locked in a long drawn legal battle with GTBank over alleged arbitrary deductions in his bank account. The bank had accused Chukwuma of forging shipping documents to obtain under financial gratification for himself and his company. 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 charges bordered entirely on the allegations raised by the bank. It is not immediately clear if a judge has been assigned to hear the case or when proceedings would commence. Chukwuma's response Chukwuma had dismissed the charges leveled against him saying the EFCC lacks professionalism and legal intricacies. In a response to the development, 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, it seems like the EFCC does not have intelligent officers anymore. 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. GTBank response According to THE GUARDIAN, Christians have been advised to go to their various churches on time in order to ensure that proper security screening is carried out before service commences. Also, drivers in the state have been warned to avoid vehicle over-loading and reckless driving as it poses threat to lives, anyone in violation of this warning would be arrested and detained until after the celebration. The Statement further enjoined religious leaders to detest from making hate speeches and rather preach peace and unity to members of their congregation. It said All religious leaders and citizens are encouraged to preach peace and unity and avoid hate-speeches." According to reports, the use of certain items are banned during this period such as the use of Tricycles popularly known as Keke, and motorcycles on December 25, December 26, 2017, and January 1, 2018. Firecrackers are also banned, as well as any form of demonstrations whatsoever. Citizens are enjoined to report reasonable suspicions to the necessary authorities. People should report all suspicious persons and activities to the nearest OPSH location or police station. "In case of any emergency, citizens are advised to call the following numbers: 08021212139, 08149000091, 08090498333, 08074633336." The statement reads. Furthermore, the rumour as to breach of Security around Southern Kaduna was displaced. This rumour is being spread by faceless crisis merchants who only trend when they cause unnecessary panic among Nigerians. We wish to categorically state that there is no threat, crisis or breach of security anywhere around Southern Kaduna. The roads and all the communities around Southern Kaduna are, therefore, safe and free for passage. We urge residents, travellers and other law-abiding Nigerians to go about their normal daily activities, as they should be rest assured of security, especially during the Yuletide season. "We have beefed up adequate security in all areas under our command in accordance with international best practices to meet up any unforeseen circumstance. We, therefore, call on the general public to ignore the message in its entirety, In a Christmas message posted on his official Facebook page on Monday, December 25, 2017, the former president advised Nigerians to exhibit Christian virtues that will help to overcome any challenge thrown at them. The message read, "Christmas, the time when Christendom has chosen to celebrate our Lord Jesus Christ, is a time of unity and family. We celebrate the union of the divine with humans in Jesus and the fact that God has made room for us to be part of His family. "That being the case, let us exhibit those virtues and unite as one family under God to do good to each other and our nation. "I know of the sufferings our citizens are going through at this time and the challenges it poses. These challenges will pass, but Nigeria will remain. And we will remain united and familial. According to reports from The Punch, the National Chairman of SOKAYUF, Engr. Andrew Kure in Kafanchan on Sunday during an emergency youth stakeholder's meeting condemned the attack by the youths, while also heaping praises on the Operation Save Haven (OPSH) for their intervention. In his statement, he said The attack was perpetrated by a lone gunman suspected to be a fulani herdsman while a group of worshippers were having a Christmas Carol celebration late on the night of 23/12/2017. "We must commend the quick response of the security agencies, especially the special military task force set up to maintain peace and security in the area who got to the scene in good time. This singular act of professionalism by the OPSH forced the assailant to flee, in an attack that could have recorded more casualties." However, Kure calls for harmony among youths in the stead of blame games, he said We hereby call on the youths to come together and work for the collective peace and well-being of all, instead of apportioning blames." The National Chairman further called for the intervention of the state Governor in areas of security and welfarism, he is quoted as saying We want to reiterate our earlier call to the Governor of Kaduna State Mallam Nasiru Elrufai to adequately support the security agencies drafted to southern kaduna as its being done in other states of the federation, and also priotize the welfare and security of our people by providing good access roads to communities in the area as inaccessibility remains a major security challenge . We also appeal to youths in the area not to take laws into their hands but be on red alert and report any suspicious movement of person or persons to the security agencies for prompt action. Weve been reliably informed that the assailants have not gone to sleep. We therefore urge the the Federal Government, to as a matter of utmost urgency deploy more troops to Southern Kaduna so as to adequately cover all the flash points, he stated. Tinubu made the call in a Christmas message signed by his Media Officer, Mr Tunde Rahman in Lagos. He urged Nigerians to learn from the example of Jesus Christ who faced and overcame the greatest evil by uniting to overcome the countrys various challenges. The challenges facing the country are difficult ones. Let us unite to overcome our challenges and keep the hope alive. We must support President Buhari and complement his efforts in his resolve to stimulate the economy and reposition the country. The president needs our support, understanding and prayers. We must fully break the terrorism of Boko Haram and completely put down the last vestiges of the terrorists. We must continue to pray for the men in uniform who risk their lives to keep us safe and to end this scourge on the nation. I commend our troops battling the terrorists. I thank them again for their courage and bravery. Let us remember those who have been dispossessed of their homes and traumatised by the evil of these terrorists and pray that they all will be able to return home soon and begin their lives a new and better. Yet, we must do more than pray. We all have something to give, something to contribute to the greater good. As Jesus gave of himself that we may live better, we must give of ourselves that others around us may have a better life, he said. Tinubu also urged Nigerians to reflect and recognise how Jesus lived and what he lived for while celebrating Christmas. Christmas Day, is one of the most precious days of the year for it celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Be you Christian, Muslim or just a human being with a soul that yearns for peace, compassion and hope, Jesus Christ belongs to all of us. His teachings are universal in application and speak of truth eternal. He reached out to all. Jesus fed the poor and healed the sick. He spread compassion and charity and preached love and justice. There are no finer aims than these and we can do no better than to do all we can to follow his example,he said. The leader urged Nigerians to embrace and spread the gospel of love, tolerance and forgiveness this season and into the New Year. The thanksgiving service which was held at the Rivers State Ecumenical Centre in Port Harcourt, had in presence the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and his colleagues, as well as many fellow members of the party. Secondus stated that the PDP is ready and divinely positioned to bear the responsibilities of leading 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, and added that there cannot be an otherwise outcome in the next general election because it is (has been) approved in heaven. The National Chairman appreciated the Governor, Nyesom Wike and his colleagues for being instrumental in his assumption of the position, and above all thanked God for his blessings of making his aspirations a reality. Prince Uche Secondus, who is the newly-elected Chairman of the PDP National Working committee was previously the acting chairman from 2015 to 2016. He has also served twice as the chairman of the Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party. He is a businessman, politician and an elder statesman. It would be recalled that Ogundamisi campaigned and mobilized for Buhari in the 2015 Presidential election. However, with the airing of the documentary on Buhari at a delicate time of fuel scarcity and difficulty for the people, he has showed his displeasure. He said the Buhari documentary commissioned by Femi Adesina during fuel scarcity is an insult on Nigerians. The 55-minute documentary, The Real Buhari, aired on NTA between 8:00-9:00 p.m. on Sunday, will be replayed till Tuesday night on both NTA and Channels television according to the State House. The infomercial featured appearances by senior administration officials and political associates of the President, who all spoke beautifully about his outstanding democratic hallmarks. Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Babatunde Fashola, Nasir El-Rufai, John Odigie-Oyegun, some governors, ministers and a few other politicians were featured. In an interview, Femi Adesina (the Presidents Special Adviser on Media and Publicity), rhetorically inquired 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? Meanwhile, the President had earlier sympathized with Nigerians for the hardship posed by the fuel crisis. He said would not in anyway affect the electoral success of the ruling APC, stressing Atiku had just answered his popular name. He said the APC was aimed at repositioning the nation by creating leaders that would champion the positive cause of the nation; about 65 per cent of our political appointments were allocated to the youth. Masari said the era of do or die politics was over as individual character and his performance speak for him in a political warfare, not unnecessary pride and display of wealth. He said APC in the state and federal levels would not be deterred by elitist tendencies, adding that we are set to receive more defectors into the party by next year as many influential members of the opposition would be joining us soon. He said the party was willing and ready to accept and accommodate any individual who sought to defect into its fold, stressing politics was a game of number. He said his administration had, in the last two years, constructed many roads, schools, hospitals and intensified efforts on security in the state. A presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, gave the warning in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday. Shehu described as false, the accusation that Buhari was behind the removal of the erstwhile All Progressives Congress chairman in Kano State. The presidential aide was reacting to the allegations made by a political support group at a press conference in Kano. The group named itself Concerned Members of the APC in Kano State. He stated that at no time did the president involved himself in the internal conflict of any APC chapter in the country, and would never do so. 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 allegation linking Buhari to interference in the election or removal of party leaders across the country. He noted that Buhari was accused in the past of not taking control of the National Assembly by imposing some people on the legislature as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives. Shehu said that it was ironical that the president would now be accused of abandoning those principles to order the removal of the chairman. I am 100 percent convinced that this group, which is being associated with the respected senator representing Kano, Rabiu Kwankwaso, did not seek his permission before dragging President Buharis name into this matter. Kwankwaso knows President Buhari too well to reduce him to this level, he said. The presidential aide therefore advised the group to stop belittling the person and office of the president by dragging his name into their local party quarrels. The party said it is disheartening that Nigerians could not merrily celebrate the Yuletide due to the current biting economic hardship worsened by acute fuel shortage, all due to the shambolic policies, sheer incompetence and gross insensitivity of the APC-led Federal Government. According to The Tribune, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement released in Abuja today, 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." "Nigerians have become ravaged by the 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." Ologbondiyan blamed the incompetence of the APC government, and calls for co-operation with the opposition party for a change in fortune of the country, he said, 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." Conclusively, Ologbondiyan noted that "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. Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP six civilians in a car were killed when the attacker blew himself up. "Six people were martyred and three others were wounded," Danish said. "They were hit when they were passing the area in their Toyota sedan vehicle. We still do not know the target of the attack but it happened on the main road." The health ministry confirmed the death toll but put the number of wounded at one. An AFP reporter at the blast site said the attack happened outside the main entrance to an NDS compound. Security forces have swarmed into the area, closing off the main road leading to the building. Ambulances were seen leaving the scene, apparently taking casualties to hospitals in the city. "Our initial information shows a blast took place near an intelligence headquarters in Shash Darak neighbourhood of Kabul," deputy interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told AFP. The Islamic State claimed the attack in a statement via their Amaq propaganda arm. It was the latest claimed assault by the Middle Eastern jihadist group in Kabul, which in recent months has become one of the deadliest places in the war-torn country for civilians. Security in the city has been ramped up since May 31 when a massive truck bomb ripped through the diplomatic quarter, killing some 150 people and wounding around 400 others -- mostly civilians. IS has expanded its presence in Afghanistan since it first appeared in the region in 2015. It has scaled up its attacks in Kabul, including on security installations and the country's Shiite minority. Last week's attack on the intelligence training centre triggered an intense hours-long gunbattle which killed the two militants in an assault that was also claimed by IS. The resurgent Taliban are also stepping up assaults on security installations. On Friday, in an attack claimed by the Taliban, a suicide bomber drove an explosives-packed Humvee into a police compound in the southern province of Kandahar, killing at least six officers and destroying a building. Afghan forces, already hard-hit 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 began a training and support role. The nine other occupants of the small bus were injured, as were 15 travelling on the bigger bus, police said. "They were trying to catch a mass in Manaoag," police officer Vanessa Abubo told AFP, referring to a nearby town with a famous Catholic church. The centuries-old Our Lady of Manaoag church is a popular pilgrimage site in the mainly Catholic nation, featuring an icon of the Virgin Mary which the faithful say performs miracles. Agoo police chief Roy Villanueva told Manila radio station DZMM by telephone that the smaller vehicle had left its lane to overtake a third vehicle. The nine other occupants of the small bus were injured, as were 17 travelling on the bigger bus, according to an updated tally released by regional police. "They (the family) were trying to catch a mass in Manaoag," Agoo police officer Vanessa Abubo told AFP, referring to a northern Philippine town near Agoo with a famous Catholic church. The centuries-old Our Lady of Manaoag church is a popular pilgrimage site in the mainly Catholic nation, featuring an icon of the Virgin Mary which the faithful say performs miracles. Agoo police chief Roy Villanueva told Manila radio station DZMM by telephone that the smaller vehicle had left its lane to overtake a third vehicle. Authorities are investigating whether the driver, who Abubo said was among those killed, had fallen asleep or was under the influence, Villanueva added. The raid took place last Tuesday and subsequent DNA tests confirmed that a body recovered was that of Sheikh Jirani, a ministry spokesman told the official Saudi Press Agency. The ministry named the slain suspected militant as Salman al-Faraj, adding that he was wanted on suspicion of terrorism offences. Sheikh Jirani was kidnapped in December 2016 in front of his Awamiya home. The authorities said at the time that they had arrested three suspects. Considered close to the authorities, the judge had been the target of several attacks before his abduction. In a press conference Monday, interior ministry spokesman General Mansour al-Turki accused the judge's kidnappers and murderers of forming "an organised terrorist group that has relations with Iran and benefits from its support". Saudi Arabia's council of senior scholars -- comprised of only Sunni clerics -- has decried the murder. "This is a crime that must be condemned in the strongest terms and which reveals the threats posed by these terrorists," the committee said in a statement. Sheikh Jirani was critical of the protest movement among his fellow Shiites and accused leading clerics in the community of being too close to Iran and neighbouring Iraq. In 2011, his house and car were set on fire and members of his family barely escaped the flames. In 2012, his house was attacked again by armed men who failed to capture him. Awamiya, a town of around 25,000 people, has seen bouts of unrest since 2011 when protesters emboldened by that year's Arab Spring uprisings took to the streets demanding an end to alleged discrimination by the Sunni-dominated government. The Shiite community makes up between 10 and 15 percent of Saudi Arabia's population of 32 million. A latest wave of unrest erupted in the summer when authorities began tearing down the historic Musawara district of Awamiya. Authorities said that the walled neighbourhood's labyrinth of alleyways had become a breeding ground for "terrorists". The trial began on July 24, and after several conditional releases in previous hearings, four of the suspects remain behind bars. The judge ordered the four of them -- investigative journalist Ahmet Sik, the paper's chairman Akin Atalay, editor-in-chief Murat Sabuncu and accountant Emre Iper -- to stay in jail, defence lawyer Kemal Aytac told AFP. The next hearing will be on March 9 and take place in the Silivri prison complex, outside Istanbul, rather than the city's main courthouse where the trial has been heard until now. 'Judiciary controlled by government' Earlier in the hearing, Sik was ordered to leave the court by the judge because of his "political" defence statement that condemned the government and claimed it treated its critics as "terrorists". "There is a judiciary controlled by the government that is translating this 'terrorist' term into preposterous accusations," Sik, who has now been in prison for 360 days, told the court. During the fraught hearing, Judge Abdurrahman Orkun Dag refused to allow Sik to continue. "That's enough! If you want to play politics, become a member of parliament... I cannot allow him to defend himself like this. Take the defendant outside!" Dag said, ordering his removal. Angry supporters in the courtroom responded by shouting: "You are all going to be tried one day" and "Ahmet will get out, he will write again" causing the trial to be adjourned for lunch. Sik, already jailed from 2011-2012, wrote a book exposing former ties of members of the Turkish elite to the movement of US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of being behind last year's failed coup. 'Attempt to silence' The 17 current and former Cumhuriyet employees are charged with supporting through their coverage three organisations Turkey views as terror groups -- the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the ultra-left Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), and the Gulen movement. They face up to 43 years in prison if convicted. Their supporters say the charges are absurd and the daily says the trial is an attempt to silence one of the last independent newspapers in Turkey. Cumhuriyet is fiercely critical of Erdogan and has run front page stories that have angered the president. "This trial is a symbol of the attempt to silence freedom of expression in Turkey. It is a symbol of pressure on journalists,"Gulendam San Karabulutlar, a defence lawyer, told AFP. Dozens of supporters gathered outside the court in Istanbul, holding signs saying "You are not alone, we are not alone", "Justice for all" and "Freedom for all journalists". Some held Monday's issue of Cumhuriyet whose front page read: "Justice immediately". Some of the most high-profile suspects -- including political commentator Kadri Gursel -- have already been released but remain charged and on trial. Dozens of journalists have been arrested in Turkey since the failed coup as part of its crackdown on alleged threats to the state. In total, more than 55,000 people have been arrested, raising concern in Western capitals. According to the P24 press freedom group, there are 170 journalists behind bars in Turkey, most of whom were arrested under the state of emergency in place since July 2016. Mass began before the Trumps arrived, and Harlan had asked the congregation to put any phones and cameras away, describing them as an "intrusion." "We're here to worship," he said. Seated in the third row, Trump listened to Harlan's sermon, which centered on the power of words. Quoting Nelson Mandela on the importance of understanding "how precious words are and how real speech is in its impact on the way people live and die," Harlan highlighted the ability of language to educate and enlighten, but also to cause harm. "Your words can have as much destructive potential as they do healing," Harlan said. "God's word is pure light." A crowd lined up to shake Trump's hand during the peace-be-with-yous -- while the church's livestream cut to another angle as he stood up to take communion. Trump, who was accompanied only by his wife Melania, departed the church after midnight local time (0500 GMT), arriving back at Mar-a-Lago shortly before 12:30am Monday. Earlier Sunday, President Trump and the First Lady joined in the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tradition of tracking Santa Claus, taking calls from children who wanted to know his location. "What would you like more than anything?" the president asked one child. After the child responded, Trump said: "Building blocks, that's what I've always liked too. I always loved building blocks." Later in the evening, they enjoyed a Christmas Eve dinner menu which included turkey, beef tenderloin and seafood, along with side dishes such as creamy kale, popovers and mashed potatoes. Trump also took to Twitter to wish his followers a "Merry Christmas," once again lamenting what he described as an "assault" on the phrase. "People are proud to be saying Merry Christmas again", he wrote. Welcome to Railway Gazette. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of these cookies. You can learn more about the cookies we use here. OK Vneshprombanks $2 bln claim against its former president granted MOSCOW, December 25 (RAPSI) The Ninth Commercial Court of Appeals has included a 113.5- billion-ruble (about $2 billion) debt of ex-Vneshprombank president Larisa Markus in the list of creditors' claims on the banks request, according to court records. In October, the Moscow Commercial Court dismissed the claim lodged by Vneshprombank. The appeals court therefore overturned the ruling. In May, Markus was sentenced to 9 years in prison for embezzling 113.5 billion rubles and later was declared bankrupt on the request of VTB24 bank. In August, her sentence was reduced by 6 months. Investigators believe that Markus along with her brother Georgy Bedzhamov, who once co-owned Vneshprombank, created an organized crime group to siphon money from the bank. The group including former vice-president of the bank Yekaterina Glushakova allegedly granted loans to sub-companies and did not refund money to Vneshprombank. Allegedly, from May 2009 to December 2015, conspirators managed to embezzle about 114 billion rubles. Glushakova has been sentenced to 4 years in prison. Bedzhamov has been put on the international wanted list. An arrest warrant has been issued for him in absentia. St. Petersburg court extends detention of cadet charged with preparing terror attack MOSCOW, December 25 (RAPSI) A court in St. Petersburg has extended detention of A.F. Mozhaisky's Military-Space Academys cadet Vadim Osipov, charged with preparing a terror attack in the academy, until June 12, 2018, RAPSI correspondent reports from the courtroom on Monday. A prosecutor said that the defendant may flee or press the witnesses if released. In addition, he noted that in the past Osipov repeatedly left the place of service on his own volition and was in correspondence with unidentified persons. The first hearing in Osipovs case is set for January 9, 2018. Investigators believe that the cadet was involved in inducing and recruiting his course mates for terrorist activities and/or provided financial aid to terrorists. A book banned as extremist has been uploaded to his smartphone, according to investigators. Moreover, a copy book paper containing the barracks scheme and capture plan have been seized from him. Osipov claimed that he discussed the St. Petersburg metro terror attack that occurred on April 3 and actions of security services. The cadet stated that he had drawn the barracks scheme in order to think the safety system through and discuss shortcomings for self-education. The A.F. Mozhaisky Military Space Academy is a military educational institution providing training for specialists of the Aerospace Forces and other types of the Armed Forces in 40 different military specialties. Property details: Begin investing in affordable land!! The housing market is forecast to accelerate! Get your parcel of land now! they are not making any more of it. Greenville MSHUGE LOTWALK TO LAKEHIGHEST BIDDER WILL OWN PROPERTY The Washington County Area offers many amenities: Half Mile to Casino, Also Near Airport Half Mile to Lake Ferguson 3 Miles to Mississippi River THEY ARE NOT MAKING ANY MORE LAND!!! Property Address: 625 Pollock Greenville MS 38701APN: 16732600000 PPIN 21192Type:ResidentialLot Si... 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The festivities continue for a month and locals believe that every thing they sing about in 'kolyadka' comes true. Photograph: Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters In Germany, a person dressed as Saint Nicholas will visit homes and bring you blessings and good luck. But that's not all. Like you can see in the picture Saint Nicholas (centre) is accompanied by single men in traditional Bavarian attire known as 'Buttenmandl' and 'Krampusse'. Their costumes are made of animal skins and masks attached to large cow-bells used to make loud, frightening noises. While Saint Nicholas brings blessings and good wishes, the other two punish the idle. Photograph: Michael Dalder/Reuters In the holy city of Bethlehem, ahead of Christmas, believers wait for hours to pray in the Grotto, believed to be the place where Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus. Photograph: Marco Djurica/Reuters A woman is seen praying to an arrangement of dolls in in Xochimilco, on the outskirts of Mexico City. Mexicans believe the dressed up dolls represent baby Jesus. Forty days after Christmas, they carry large, decorated effigies of young Jesus to the church to be blessed. Photograph: Edgard Garrido/Reuters A child touches a figurine of baby Jesus during a commemoration on Holy Innocents Day in Antiguo Cuscatlan, on the outskirts of San Salvador. In Central America, around Christmas, celebrations are held in honor of children, termed the Holy Innocents. The ritual pays homage to children below the age of two who were ordered to be killed by King Herod, according to biblical passages. Photograph: Oscar Rivera/Reuters In Mexico, people attend a prayer mass 40 days after Christmas. After the mass, they carry with them elaborate dolls of baby Jesus to be blessed at the church. Photograph: Henry Romero/Reuters In Serbia -- where people follow the Julian calendar as opposed to the Gregorian one --Christmas comes 13 days late. A Serbian tradition involves burning oak logs symbolic of the Nordic Yule log. In Scandinavian homes, the yule log is symbolic of an entire tree that was brought home ahead of Christmas in ancient times. One end of this log/tree would be lit by a part of the log preserved from the past year. It would then be placed in the hearth or fireplace to burn through the 12 days of Christmas. Photograph: Ivan Milutinovic/Reuters Yasutaka Toriyama, a descendant of Japan's 'Kakure Kirishitan' (Hidden Christians), holds a cup of sake at Ikitsuki Island in Japan. On Christmas eve, the sacred relics -- a medal of the Virgin Mary, a crucifix and other revered objects -- are taken from a cupboard and placed on an altar. This ritual has been passed down through centuries from Japan's earliest Christians. Photograph: Kiyoshi Ota/Reuters A dancer is lifted by his companions in front of Olentzero or Father Christmas, and his helper (both not pictured), during Christmas Eve celebrations in Elorrio, Spain. In Basque tradition, children write letters or prepare a wishlist for the mystical Three Kings, who were believed to have followed the star and brought gifts to infant Jesus. On Christmas eve, the Olentzero, a pipe-smoking, wine-drinking coal man delivers presents to the children. Most children enjoy a second round of gifts on January 6, the day of the Reyes Magos (The Three Kings). Photograph: Vincent West/Reuters 'So far the youth were Modi's strength.' 'It now seems under pressure, and for good reason: Crisis in education, jobs, slowdown in manufacturing, and thereby trading,' points out Shekhar Gupta. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra A Modi and BJP President Amit A Shah at the party's parliamentary board meeting in New Delhi after the Gujarat election results. Photograph: Kamal Kishore/PTI Photo 'Writings on the Wall' is a metaphor we have used for almost two decades now as we travel around the country -- and sometimes in the neighbourhood -- mostly, but not necessarily during elections. Writings on the Wall, because invariably, if you read what is written there carefully, with the ears, nose and mind open, you can read what is on people's minds -- what is changing and what isn't and why. Often, though not always, these tell you who people want to vote for, or against. The last time we walked through poll-bound Gujarat in 2012, we noted that the 'walls' you needed to read in Narendra Modi's Gujarat were not the conventional ones as elsewhere, where you read graffiti or advertisements. In Gujarat, we noted in 2012, the walls had a different meaning. They were the endless series of blank grey or white lines of factories flanking the highways. These were the canals brimming with water. And, if you looked down from an airplane and the land was dotted with small water bodies and check-dams, you knew you were over Gujarat. The invincibility of Modi was written on these 'walls'. The important thing about Gujarat under Modi was the absence of evident economic or employment stress, resentment over the riches of the 'other', and pessimism. This has changed now. For sure, there is no desperation or pessimism of the kind we saw in Uttar Pradesh, especially in its east during the last elections, but there is unhappiness, and the young don' hide it. In villages, you see a sight more familiar in West Bengal -- unemployed young men hanging around in clumps, smoking, watching their phones, playing cards, and generally whiling away time. They aren't poor as in West Bengal -- they often have motorcycles. But they are jobless, and many have had temporary jobs before. In Charal village, in the heart of the Tata Nano zone, two such clumps have young people mockingly mimicking Modi's speeches and cursing their jobless fate. Of course, these are mostly Patidars so a special sense of anger is expected, but this isn't your usual, familiar scene in Gujarat. If you want to know where it is coming from, see Ahmedabad's walls. Along any wide avenue, these are painted -- wall-to-wall -- with advertisements of the kind we are familiar with in Punjab and increasingly in other parts of the country, selling easy admission to low-quality educational institutions overseas. Some were seen in Gujarat in the past too, but never in these numbers. Now, not just the walls, but the smaller hoardings, street-pole kiosks and unipoles are all filled with the same wares. America, England, Canada, and Australia we know from the many well-developed but now tired regions, notably Punjab. These are new to Gujarat in these numbers. Joining these destinations now is also a relative newcomer: Poland. Now Poland is no educational destination but when you are desperate to get out, any place will do. This speaks for three things: An undersupply of higher education, poor, unemployable quality of what is on offer, and joblessness. Much of the immigration from Punjab is now desperate, more in the nature of seeking economic refuge. From Gujarat, it used to be for business and enterprise. The current wave seems driven by economic compulsion and joblessness. In a still part-finished apartment building we find the 24 year old who is using this desperation to fuel his own unique politics. Hardik Patel has risen from nowhere to be the second-most popular leader of the Gujarati street -- albeit of one caste, the Patidars or Patels. Tens of thousands of young Patels follow his call, never mind tear gas and bullets. Following his processions or road shows brings back to me the popularity of the Assam students agitation leaders of the early 1980s. His followers are driven by blind loyalty. His is a cult. Hardik's core demand is OBC status and thereby job reservation for his community. At his road shows you'd also hear language for Modi not even his toughest political rivals use, least of all in Gujarat. I was struck by: 'Dekho, dekho kaun aaya, Modi tera baap aaya (See who's come, Modi, it's your dad).' It's nutty for a 24 year old. He hasn't risen from student politics though he enrolled for a BCom course in a local college. He is the product of a kind of the Patel khap movement. He got involved with his community]s campaign 'to save our bahu-betis from being taken away by other communities', he says. His basic impulse is deeply casteist, socially conservative, and rabble-rousing. He has clarity in his mind. "You want to know why I am popular. My grandparents had a hundred bighas of land, I have two. What happened to the rest? We've been selling land and surviving. Every Patel family faces that plight," he says. In Gujarat, he says, nobody can get married unless he has a job or a decent business. Neither is available now, so boys can't even get married. He may be new to demagoguery, but speaks with assurance which makes you either marvel at his precocious genius or want to check out his birth certificate. Is more than 50 per cent reservation even possible? How does it matter, he asks. Some special dispensation can be found. Right now, his only objective is to help defeat Modi whose government externed him from the state, put him under house arrest in Udaipur, Rajasthan, killed around 15 Patidars in police firing, and leaked intimate sexual recordings said to be of him with an unidentified woman. He loves to be reminded that he is too young to contest but insists he isn't interested in any office. I notice in the room Balasaheb Thackeray's framed portrait and his own pictures with Uddhav and Aaditya, who, he says, is 'brilliant'. Why Balasaheb? Do you idolise him? You see, the man never held any office, but Presidents and prime ministers came to his home to eat with him, he says, eyes dripping with admiration -- and aspiration. Young Hardik wants to be the Balasaheb of the Patels, riding street-power without an oath of office. In an entrepreneurial and mercantile state, with among the fastest agricultural growth rates in the country, his rising cult is intriguing. But reading the writings on the wall, underlining the desperate education and job situation explains this. The jobless young Gujarati with a worthless degree or without one is his furious storm-trooper. There is some change in Gujarat. You hear more people complain about their government, about their lives than in the past since 2002, except in Muslim ghettos. Even in victory, Modi is too sharp to miss this discontent. So far the youth were Modi's strength. It now seems under pressure, and for good reason: Crisis in education, jobs, slowdown in manufacturing, and thereby trading. The youth are under pressure, and Modi knows they are the future. The BJP needs a much better local leadership and education reform, or the slide will gather pace. That is the writing on the wall, Gujarat, 2017. By Special Arrangement with ThePrint Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed has opened the first office of the Milli Muslim League in Lahore, days after the Pakistan government said the group would breed violence and extremism in politics while opposing a plea seeking its registration as a political party. Saeed has confirmed that his organisation Jammat-ud-Dawa would contest the 2018 general elections under the banner of the MML. The MML is the offshoot of the banned Lashkar-e-Tayiba and JuD, according to the government. The MML had challenged the Election Commissions order in October that had declined its registration as a political party. Saeed on Sunday inaugurated the office in Lahores National Assembly-120 constituency from where a JuD member had contested bypolls in September. Despite refusal from the interior ministry to register the MML as a political party, Saeed pressed ahead with his plans to take the political plunge. The Pakistan government has requested a court in Islamabad not to consider Saeed-backed MMLs plea seeking its registration as a political party, saying the group would breed violence and extremism in politics. The interior ministry has categorically made it clear that the state will not allow mainstreaming of jihad outfits. Saeeds visit and opening of political office in Lahore indicate that he has ambitious plans to enter into politics. During his visit on Mohni Road area adjacent to Data Sahib shrine, he listened to civic problems of people. People welcomed Saeed by showering rose petals on his vehicle in the area. The JuD headquarters in Chauburji also falls in NA-120. The MML had secured the fourth position with 6,000 votes, double than that of Pakistan Peoples Party and Jamaat-i-Islami combined. Saeed, who carries a bounty of $10 million (Rs 64 crore) announced by the US for his role in terror activities, walked free on November 24 after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. He was under detention since January this year. The banned JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the LeT which carried out the 2008 Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people were killed. Image: Hafiz Saeed walked free on November 24 after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. He was under detention since January this year. Photograph: Mohsin Raza/Reuters Armed with rockets and missiles, these helicopters can rain fire on the enemy in rarefied altitudes. Ajai Shukla reports. IMAGE: The need for a combat helicopter became apparent during the Kargil conflict, when Indian soldiers had to attack enemy position on 15,000 feet-high mountains with little fire support, except from long-range artillery guns and rockets. Photograph used for representational purposes: Vijay Mathur/Reuters On Friday, December 22, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army initiated the purchase of 15 indigenously designed and built Light Combat Helicopters from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. The IAF will take 10 helicopters, and the army five. It is learnt from HAL sources that the cost of each LCH will be Rs 231 crore (Rs 2.31 billion), putting the overall cost of the order at Rs 3,465 crore (Rs 34.65 billion). These 'limited series production' LCHs would be built in Bengaluru at a facility that then defence minister Arun Jaitley inaugurated in August. Subsequently, HAL will set up a large-scale manufacturing facility in Tumkur to build the 114 LCHs the army has committed to buying, and the 65 the IAF has said it will take. The cost of these 179 LCHs, at current prices, adds up to Rs 41,350 crore (Rs 413.50 billion). The need for a combat helicopter became apparent during the Kargil conflict, when Indian soldiers had to attack enemy position on 15,000 feet-high mountains with little fire support, except from long-range artillery guns and rockets. It was decided then to develop an attack helicopter to support high-altitude operations. This resulted in the LCH, a 5.5-tonne helicopter powered by two Shakti engines, custom-developed by French engine maker, Turbomeca, to drive helicopters up to altitudes above 6,000 metres or 20,000 feet. Armed with a 20-millimetre turret gun, 70-millimetre rockets, air-to-air and anti-tank guided missiles, the LCH can pour fire onto enemy positions, easing their capture by Indian infantrymen who can carry only limited weaponry in those rarefied altitudes. 'LCH has the distinction of being the first attack helicopter to land in forward bases at Siachen, 5,400 metres (17,700 feet) above sea level,' HAL said. 'The helicopter participated in IAF's 'Iron Fist 2016' exercise in March 2016 and displayed its rocket firing capabilities in its weaponised configuration,' HAL added. The LCH has a narrow fuselage, with two pilots sitting one-behind-the-other in an armoured cockpit that protects them from bullets and shrapnel. The LCH's flying technologies were tested on the Dhruv advanced light helicopter which is a mainstay of the army's aviation wing. These features include a hinge-less main rotor, a bearing-less tail rotor, integrated dynamic system, crashworthy landing gear and an intelligent, all-glass cockpit. This tender comes on the heels of another the IAF sent HAL on Wednesday, December 20, for the supply of 83 Tejas Light Combat Aircraft -- an order worth some Rs 33,000 crore (Rs 330 billion). Even so, there is concern within HAL at its unusually slim order book. With the production of 222 Sukhoi-30MKI fighters -- a cash cow for 15 years -- nearing completion, HAL executives wonder what will follow. HAL Chief T Suvarna Raju said HAL has just three years worth of orders, worth Rs 61,000 crore (Rs 610 billion/$9.5 billion). Raju was concerned about what lay ahead for HAL's 20 manufacturing divisions, built on 12,000 acres of land, and 30,000 skilled employees. Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is on death row in Pakistan for alleged spying, on Monday met his wife and mother -- but separated by a glass screen -- in a carefully choreographed event that unfolded in tweets, photos and TV footage. IMAGE: Kulbhushan Jadhav meets his mother and wife, Avanti and Chetankul, at the ministry of foreign affairs in Islambad. Photograph courtesy: Pakistan foreign office The 40-minute meeting, which took place after many representations, took place at the heavily guarded foreign affairs ministry building, and came after the Hague-based International Court of Justice asked Pakistan in May to stay 47-year-old Jadhavs execution. The foreign office also issued a new video message of Jadhav in which he is seen thanking the Pakistan government for arranging a meeting with his wife and mother. It was the first time that Jadhav was meeting his family since his arrest in March, and Pakistan portrayed it as a humanitarian gesture to mark the birthday of the countrys founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah. IMAGE: Pakistan said they were permitting the meeting on a humanitarian gesture on the birthday of the Father of the Nation -- Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Photograph courtesy: Pakistan foreign office Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is on death row in Pakistan for alleged spying, on Monday met his wife and mother -- but separated by a glass screen -- in a carefully choreographed event that unfolded in tweets, photos and TV footage. Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted. The tweet made it a point to identify Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, with his military title. Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav from its restive Balochistan province after he reportedly entered from Iran. It claims that he was in possession of an Indian passport that identified him as Hussein Mubarak Patel. India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy. Faisal also tweeted that the meeting was arranged in light of Islamic traditions and based on purely humanitarian grounds. IMAGE: The meeting started around 1.35 pm Photograph courtesy: Pakistan foreign office TV footage showed Jadhavs mother Avanti and wife Chetankul entering the ministry buildings Agha Shahi Block, accompanied by Indias Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh and a Pakistani woman official. After they went in, the door shut behind them. Pakistan foreign office later released pictures of Jadhav talking to his wife and mother from behind a glass screen. The communication between them was through a intercom device. The meeting started around 1.35 pm local time (2.05 pm IST) and lasted about 40 minutes, after which Jadhavs wife and mother were driven away in a white SUV. The two women had arrived in Islamabad earlier on Monday via Dubai on a commercial flight, and spent about 30 minutes at the Indian high commission before being driven to the foreign ministry. Jadhavs family had a brief stop at the mission again before they headed to the airport to catch a flight to India via Dubai. Before the meeting, the security check of the family was conducted. All the information about the meeting emerged through Pakistani foreign ministry tweets and images. The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our commitments, spokesman Faisal earlier tweeted along with a picture of the visitors. IMAGE: Jadhav's wife and mother at the ministry of foreign affairs office in Islamabad. The wife and mother arrived in Pakistan via Dubai in a commercial flight. Photograph: @ForeignOfficePk From Pakistans side, Foreign Office Director for India, Dr Fareha Bugti, was present at the meeting. The wife and mother greeted media persons with a namaste after arriving at the ministry but did not respond to their questions. They also did not talk to the reporters while leaving the building, although journalists kept shouting questions. Faisal briefed the media after the meeting of Jadhav with his mother and wife in the presence of diplomat J P Singh, which he said did not constitute consular access. He also repeated Pakistans old allegations against the Indian prisoner. This meeting was not consular access as we had told India that its diplomat would see the meeting but was not allowed to speak or participate in it, Faisal said. J P Singh, who accompanied the visitors, was not allowed to speak or listen and he knew it, Faisal added. All decisions on consular access will be taken on the basis of law and interests of Pakistan, Faisal said in response to a question about granting the consular access. IMAGE: Pakistan on December 20 issued visa to Jadhavs wife and mother to visit Islamabad to meet him. Photograph: Faisal Mahmood/Reuters Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies. Faisal said that the meeting was positive and the two sides talked thoroughly. It is not the last meeting. It should be categorically registered, he added. The video of Jadhav played during the press conference was recorded before his meeting with his family, officials said. I requested a meeting with my wife and mother and I am thankful to the government of Pakistan for this gesture, Jadhav said in the brief video message. Jadhav was at the ministry before his family arrived. It was not known where he had been kept before being transported to the foreign ministry. TV footage showed a convoy of around seven vehicles escorting Jadhavs family in the city. Police and paramilitary security forces, including sharpshooters, were deployed at the ministry to deal with any untoward security situation, officials said. Pakistan on December 20 issued visa to Jadhavs wife and mother to visit Islamabad to meet him. Jadhav 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. It is expected to hold another hearing in March or April. Earlier on Monday, Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told a Pakistani media channel that Pakistan has granted India consular access to Jadhav since an Indian diplomat will be accompanying the prisoners wife and mother. In India, officials downplayed the comments, maintaining that the Indian diplomat was only accompanying Jadhavs family and it cannot be construed as consular access. As former premier Atal Bihari Vajpayee turned 93 on Monday, greetings poured in for the veteran statesman, with President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extending their wishes. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Atal Bihari Vajpayee's residence to wish the former PM on his birthday. Photograph: @narendramodi/Twitter Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu went to meet Vajpayee at his residence. Birthday wishes to our much-loved and respected former Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee #PresidentKovind, the official Twitter handle of the President of India read. Modi was among the first to meet the BJP veteran at his residence. Visited Atal ji to convey birthday greetings to him. Spent time with his family as well, the prime minister wrote on Twitter. Earlier in the day, Modi credited Vajpayees phenomenal and visionary leadership which further raised our prestige at the world stage. I pray for his good health. Naidu posted a poem in Hindi on Twitter by the former prime minister, who is keeping indifferent health and has not been seen in public for a long time now. The poem urged people to remain united and not to give up hope in tough times. Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah and Home Minister Rajnath Singh also visited Vajpayees residence to greet him. Visited Atal jis home to wish him on his birthday, Shah said in a tweet. Warm wishes to our beloved leader and guide, Shri Atalji on his birthday today. Atalji is a towering and visionary leader who introduced good governance, development and politics of performance in Indian polity. I pray for his good health and long life, Singh said in a tweet. IMAGE: Distribution of sweets on the occasion of the former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 93rd birthday, outside his residence in New Delhi. Photograph: Arun Sharma/PTI Photo Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also wished the BJP veteran well on his birthday. Warm birthday wishes to Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji. A visionary leader who called for peace, progress & prosperity in J-K by imbibing the spirit of Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat & Kashmiriyat, Mehbooba said on Twitter. Several union ministers, including Ravi Shankar Prasad, Arun Jaitley, Smriti Irani and Nirmala Sitharaman, also greeted Vajpayee. The prime minister also paid tributes to freedom fighter Madan Mohan Malaviya on his birth anniversary. His impact on Indias history is strong and unforgettable. His efforts to further education and a spirit of patriotism will always be remembered, Modi said in a tweet. Born in 1924, Vajpayee entered politics during the Quit India movement in 1942. He was the first external affairs minister to deliver a speech in the UN Assembly in Hindi. 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. Vaihayasi Pande Daniel glances at the life and political career of Alexey Navalny who has been banned from challenging Vladimir Putin in Russia's presidential election. IMAGE: Alexey Navalny -- seen here with his wife Yulia and son Zahar -- at a protest against the decision to demolish five-storey houses from the Soviet era in Moscow. Photograph: Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters Alexey Navalny stands 6' 2" plus in his socks. In contrast, Vladmir Putin, the very macho Russian president and former spy, is 5' 7". The disparity in height may be just one of the things Putin dislikes about Navalny. The Russian leader thinks Navalny is an irksome thorn in his political flesh, which is why the nation's election commission banned Navalny from contesting the March 2018 presidential election just 24 hours after he had declared his candidature. Who then is this man the most powerful leader in the Kremlin since Leonid Brezhnev fears? IMAGE: Navalny was jailed for 30 days after the June 12, 2017 anti-Kremlin protests. Photograph: Kind courtesy @navalny/Twitter 1 . The blue-eyed, blonde, Russian Opposition leader, Putin's first serious and still alive rival, is half Ukrainian. Married to his college sweetheart, economist Yulia, Navalny does quite a bit better in the looks and, of course, charisma department as well, being a rather eloquent speaker and a popular anti-regime hero. By some accounts, this street-protest champ has generated more admiration and following in Russia than even Boris Yeltsin who climbed a tank to bring down those trying to depose then Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachov in August 1991. On Christmas Eve, December 24, 2017, 742 Russians -- he needed at least 500 such endorsements -- nominated Navalny to contest the Russian presidential election in March. 24 hours later, the Russian election commission declared that Navalny was ineligible to contest the election because he was convicted of fraud. Three years ago, Navalny was convicted of fraud (apparently a dubious charge slapped on him by the Kremlin) and Russian election law forbids anyone with a criminal record from contesting an election. Of course, the conviction could always have been quashed (anything is possible on Putin's watch), but that was never going to happen. Vladmir Putin despises Alexey Navalny too much to grant him a presidential pardon. Navalny has now called a boycott of the presidential election, but unless he dramatically raises the stakes, the challenger is already fighting a losing cause. IMAGE: Navalny, left, accompanied by Yulia, second from left, and children Dasha and Zahar, casts his vote at a polling station in Moscow in 2013. Navalny faced off against a Putin ally in a Moscow mayoral election with high stakes for both Putin and his foes. Photograph: Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters 2 . A native of Obninsk, on the banks of the Protva river, about 100 km from Moscow, Navalny, who was once a Yale Fellow, is a lawyer by trade. His parents own a wicker factory outside Moscow. His mother was an economist. His father was once an army officer and Navalny moved around quite a bit while growing up. The family spent summers in the Ukraine with his paternal grandparents till the 1986 nuclear catastrophe in Chernobyl which apparently affected Navalny's emotional life. About his childhood, he said, 'I remember life in Soviet times pretty well. I associate it with forever standing in a queue to buy milk despite the fact that I lived in military bases, where the shortages were not as bad as in the rest of the country'. He was an average student, his mother told the New Yorker magazine, but he believed in telling his teachers 'what he thought of them'. He met Yulia on a holiday in Turkey. She supports him in his work and they have a daughter Dasha and a son Zahar, and live frugally in a flat in a distant suburb of Moscow. The family are big fans of The Simpsons. Navalny loves Russian black bread and cites that as a major reason for not going into exile like countless Putin opponents have done. He calls himself a believer, although he was an atheist till recently, and says he likes being a Christian and a member of the Orthodox Church. The lawyer earns his keep through his small corporate legal firm where he does just enough work to support the family. The rest of his time is devoted to fighting corruption and politics. IMAGE: Navalny, whom Time magazine hailed as Russia's Erin Brockovich, at the Ekho Moskvy radio station in Moscow. Photograph: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters 3. The founder of the Democratic Alternative movement, Navalny became vice chairman of the liberal party Yabloko, but was expelled for 'nationalistic activities'. His allegedly neo-Nazi, anti-migrant and racist tendencies have often come up for discussion and there is an unverifiable picture on the Internet showing a Hitler tattoo on his chest. In 2011 he started up the Anti-Corruption Foundation called FBK. His crusading was the real start to better visibility and his political career. IMAGE: Navalny's supporters are mostly young, angry with Putin's rule and its attendant corruption. Photograph: Denis Sinyakov/Reuters 4. Navalny gained prominence for representing minority shareholders like himself (he purchased tiny amounts of shares worth $10,000 in umpteen companies) while challenging powerful Russian corporations like Rosneft, Surgutneftegaz, Gazprom, Transneft Bank, VTB and Sberbank. He was responsible too for coercing Russian companies into reveal more financial information to the public and their shareholders. In his battle against corruption he sued dishonest managers of many conglomerates. He started up parallel projects to examine the transparency of government procurement, potholes in roads and the efficiency of airports that got him a place on Aeroflot's board. Aeroflot is to Russia what Air India is to this country. IMAGE: Navalny speaks to a policeman before being detained in 2015 after he visited a radio station. Photograph: Maxim Zmeyev/Reuters 5. He cut his teeth in electoral politics when he ran for Moscow's mayor in 2013 and came second with nearly one-third of the votes. The race attracted worldwide attention, especially because Navalny's planks were democracy and corruption. IMAGE: Navalny and Yulia attend a hearing at the Lublinsky district court in Moscow. Photograph: Maxim Zmeyev/Reuters 6. Navalny started blogging years ago about corrupt corporations. His manipulation of social media is said to be a reflection of his style and his strength. It pushed him to the forefront of Putin's opponents. He has amassed hordes of mainly young followers with his acerbic, knockout posts that ridicule Putin's government and party. His most famous punch was calling Putin's United Russia party a 'party of crooks and thieves.' IMAGE: A concert in Navalny's support. Photograph: Maxim Zmeyev /Reuters 7. Even if the firebrand anti-Kremlin crusader had shaken off the fraud charge -- allegedly stuck on him by Putin that earned him a conviction -- Navalny had little chance of winning the March election. Like fellow demagogues elsewhere, Putin enjoys huge support in a country that still worships Josef Stalin, a tyrant responsible for millions of deaths during his 29-year-old rule. IMAGE: Navalny being arrested from his home before the June 12, 2017 protests that coincided with Russia Day. Photograph: Kind courtesy @navalny/Twitter 8. In March, Navalny harnessed his formidable online presence to rouse critics of the Putin regime to organise anti-Putin rallies. A repeat of this, on a larger scale, happened on June 12, to coincide with Russia Day, when thousands participated in 100 rallies in several cities across Russia. The biggest demonstrations were in Moscow along the Russian capital's shopping thoroughfare Tverskaya Street (once known as Gorky Street). Thousands yelled 'Down with the czar' and sang Russia's national anthem Gosudarstvennyj gimn Rossijskoj Federacii. To contain the protests, the police arrested close to 2,000 people including Navalny. He was handed a 30-day sentence for illegally organising a public gathering. Navalny never made it to the Tverskaya Street rally -- he was arrested leaving his home. He posted a picture of his arrest -- two cars and seven policemen -- on Twitter with the ironic message: 'Happy Russia Day!' IMAGE: In April, Navalny was sprayed with a bright green liquid that damaged his right eye. Photograph: Kind courtesy @navalny/Twitter 9. Navalny is no stranger to prisons, courts and sentences. He received 15 days in jail in March for organising the protests. In 2013, he was sentenced to five years in a labour colony for embezzlement and fraud. Again, in 2014, he was sentenced to five years in prison in another fraud case. Both cases are unresolved and have followed the strangest trajectories. His brother Oleg, a former postal service employee, is serving prison time for the second case in a sort of hostage-taking move to keep the pressure on Navalny. Navalny was sentenced to house arrest, a sentence that does not exist in the Russian legal system, and began, right off, with nonchalance, to disregard it, much to the discomfort of his guards. In April, Navalny was attacked and sprayed with a green paint-like liquid that damaged one of his eyes severely. IMAGE: Navalny, second right, with Yulia, right, and his brother Oleg, second from left, with his wife Victoria at a court hearing in Moscow, December, 2014. Photograph: Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters 10. The prison sentence will no doubt resurrect itself if Navalny's proposed agitational challenge to Putin -- now that his election challenge has been snuffed out -- gets more strident and uncomfortable for the Russian leader. It is not that Putin was ever worried about losing. Russia's current czar knows he cannot lose the March election. He just could not tolerate someone as provocative and prominent as Alexey Navalny contesting the election against him, especially with the maverick's ability to denounce the Putin regime in language that ordinary Russians would be scared of using even in the security of their homes. Li Aijie (C) and son Li Mutian, who fled China via Thailand, with ChinaAid founder Bob Fu (L) after her arrival in Texas, Dec. 23, 2017. The wife of jailed rights activist Zhang Haitao, a critic of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's treatment of the mostly Muslim Uyghur ethnic group, has landed with the couple's young child in the United States after fleeing China via Thailand, a U.S.-based Christian rights group has said. Li Aijie "has safely landed in the United States after a rescue operation," along with the couple's son Li Mutian, Texas-based ChinaAid said in a statement on its website at the weekend. Li fled China with her son after being targeted for threats by local authorities after Zhang was handed a 19-year jail term by the Intermediate People's Court in Urumqi, regional capital of the northwestern region of Xinjiang, on Jan. 15, 2016. Zhang was found guilty of "incitement to subvert state power" and spying charges after he openly criticized government policy towards the mostly Muslim Uyghur ethnic group in the troubled region. The prosecution cited cited 69 posts to the Chinese social media platform WeChat and 205 Twitter posts and reweets, as evidence of inciting subversion of state power. Li, who gave birth to the couple's son shortly after he was jailed, and was left with no income, relying on relatives for financial support, she told RFA at the time. But ChinaAid said she faced abuse within her family as well as threats from officials. "Li, a stalwart advocate for her husband, not only received constant threat by various China security agents but also was beaten by her own relatives for refusing to divorce him," the group said in a statement. "Government agents threatened to compromise Lis brothers job and interrogated her 80 year-old mother to pressure them into convincing Li to divorce Zhang," it said. It said Li had escaped China "covertly," with the help of ChinaAid and other friends. Group founder Bob Fu thanked the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. officials in various departments, embassies, and consulates for their speedy assistance, especially those in Thailand, China and Hong Kong. "I thank God for such a beautiful Christmas present, that Li Aijie and her two-year-old son ... have been able to arrive successfully in the U.S. after braving great risks and dangers," Fu said. "This will be their first Christmas spent in freedom," he said, adding: "We hope that Zhang Haitao will regain his own freedom." Former Hong Kong Democrat Party leader and legislator attorney Albert Ho was a key member of the rescue strategy as well, Fu said. Zhang, 46, was initially detained on June 26, 2015 on suspicion of "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble," but the charges against him were later changed to the more serious subversion and spying charges. He posted articles online that were critical of Beijing's record in Xinjiang, home to the mostly Muslim Uyghur ethnic group, and where hundreds have died in a string of violent incidents in recent years. The court said it had handed down a longer jail term because Zhang had "colluded" with overseas organizations. Reported by Ng Yik-tung and Dai Weisen for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Kou Tianli for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. A Prince George County man has been arrested in the shooting death of a teenager during a gathering of friends in Colonial Heights on Christmas Eve, according to Colonial Heights police. Jeffrey Kyle Stephenson, 23, of the 2100 block of Chemin Road in Prince George was charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony, police said. Stephenson is being held without bond at Riverside Regional Jail, and he is scheduled to appear in Colonial Heights General District Court on Wednesday morning. The victims name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, police said. Officers responded to a shooting at 6:15 p.m. Sunday and discovered that a teenage male had been brought to the TriCities Emergency Center, where he died shortly after arrival. Detectives determined that the shooting occurred in the 500 Block of Riverview Road. Detectives are continuing their investigation and ask anyone with information to contact Colonial Heights police at (804) 520-9300 (select option 7) or Chesterfield/Colonial Heights Crime Solvers at (804) 748-0660. Kaine, DACA recipients meet at Richmond library RICHMOND U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., met last week with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival, better known as DACA, recipients to discuss the future of the program. The Trump administration announced in September its intentions to end the program that provides protection to children of undocumented immigrants. Its plan calls for the federal government to stop considering new DACA applications but will allow DACA recipients with a permit set to expire before March 5, 2018, the chance to apply for a two-year renewal by Oct. 5. I was very disappointed when President Trump announced in September that he was going to end the program in six months, Kaine said. I viewed it as a broken promise. He had said during the campaign, These Dreamers are great kids, they wont have anything to worry about with me. But the one little piece of what he said, which I cant argue with, is Congress should fix this. The future of the program is in the hands of Congress, which has indicated that it might lump DACA action with a government spending bill to be voted on before the end of the year. At the closed-door meeting with Dreamers at the Richmond Public Library, Kaine voiced his support for the program and moves to reauthorize it. We have an opportunity to fix it, Kaine said afterward. Department of Education: Va.s ESSA plan needs work WASHINGTON Virginias plan to meet new federal education requirements needs some work, the U.S. Department of Education said in a letter last week. The federal Education Department sent feedback letters to some of the states that submitted their plans to meet the Every Student Succeeds Act in September. In its letter to Virginia, the department indicated that the states goals appear to expect potentially no improvement for all students, among other critiques. The letter also says Virginia needs to identify the lowest-performing 5 percent of schools based on all measures used in its accountability system rather than the state picking and choosing measures. ESSA, the federal law passed by Congress in December 2015, allows the federal government to support national and local education goals with grants and other resources. It limits the education departments power in elementary and secondary education, giving more power to state and local governments. The new law, which replaces the George W. Bush-era No Child Left Behind Act, gives state and local officials more freedom in figuring out how to turn around low-performing schools. More power is given to states in determining whats best for their respective students, with each state, plus the District of Columbia, having to come up with its own plan. Virginia started the development of its ESSA plan in March 2016 with a call for public input. The plan was reviewed by the public this June and July before being submitted to the Education Department in September. A 27-person state steering committee led the effort of crafting Virginias plan. States were required to submit their plans by either April 3 or Sept. 18. More than half of states, including Virginia, chose the later date. The new plan is expected to be implemented starting next fall once state and federal education officials finalize a plan. Sister Cora Marie Billings has dedicated the past six decades of her life to rooting out racism, and she has no plans to slow down. Billings was the first African-American nun in the nation to serve as a pastoral coordinator, leading the St. Elizabeth parish in North Richmond for 14 years. She headed the Diocese of Richmonds Office of Black Catholics for more than 22 years and later worked as the deputy director of Virginias Human Rights Council during then-Gov. Tim Kaines administration. Now, shes a full-time volunteer. People used to say that Ive retired. I tell them its wrong. Im never going to retire. Im going to die with my boots on, as they used to say, the 78-year-old said with a laugh. Since leaving her job with the state in 2010, Billings has continued holding workshops and leading discussions on racism for congregations and students throughout the region and across the country. When most would be winding down their professional work, Billings has remained a selfless stalwart for social justice, said Jonathan Zur, president and CEO of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities. Sister Cora is, every day, bridging divides, Zur said. That happens locally as shes supporting programs and facilitating conversations across racial and religious lines and breaking down perceived boundaries. Renata Rafferty, head of St. Gertrude High School, calls her an energetic saint. Billings has served on the schools board since 1999 and takes every opportunity to share with its students the hard-earned wisdom she possesses, born of her experiences in the church, Rafferty said. From the very beginning, I always tell people part of my story is that Im either the first or the only in so many situations throughout my life, Billings said. She traces her roots in the church to her great-grandfather, who was a slave for the Jesuits at Georgetown University. Two of her aunts were nuns but had to leave her native Philadelphia to enter a religious community. None in the city accepted black women until Billings. In 1956, she became the first African-American woman to enter a religious community in Philadelphia when she joined the Sisters of Mercy. Billings tells a story of her first day: She was receiving a tour of the Sisters motherhouse from a nun. In one breath, the nun said she was glad Billings was joining the community; in the next, she called Puerto Rican students she taught dirty. It wasnt the first time or the last that Billings encountered racism in the church or the communities she lived in. Working as a grade school teacher in the early 1960s, she moved to a suburb of Philadelphia. Shortly before her arrival, a cross had been burned in the yard of a black family living there. In 1981, she moved to Richmond to serve as the campus minister of Virginia State University. She began working full time in the Diocese of Richmond under Bishop Walter F. Sullivan in the mid-80s. It was Sullivan who appointed her in 1990 to the pastoral position at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, a predominantly black parish that had lost its priest. She left the job in 2004 but still attends Mass there. After 61 years, Billings remains active in the Sisters of Mercy, serving on its anti-racism transformation team. She stands as a living model of reconciliation for the students to whom she gives back, Rafferty said. Whatever she may be talking about, its within the context of social justice, that social justice work is not finished, that we as Catholic women have a particular calling to identify injustice when we see it and to act to right it, Rafferty said. To Billings, sharing her experiences and equipping young people to confront racism and inequality is a matter of duty. If there is ever a chance for me to impact or help people to see what I feel is justice and the rights of people, then I will do whatever I can, she said. I will always say yes if I can, if I feel I can effect change. RESTON Buckley 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 Reston home. It happened around 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, 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 couples struggle to keep hate out of their home, as one friend put it. 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. On Sunday night, Kuhn-Fricker alerted the principal of the Fairfax County private school that her daughter and the boyfriend attend, attaching images of the account that had retweeted missives praising Hitler, calling for white revolution and making derogatory comments about Jews. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. The American house stands divided. In politics, at work, even in matters of love, we're constantly told that there is more tension than togetherness, that suspicion has prevailed over trust. Yet even now, people find ways to come together, to overcome the gaps that threaten to turn each person into a fortified island. This Christmas, we profile people who decided to connect with others who were standing too far away, backs turned, ears shut tight. The divisions here take different forms; they are matters of race, politics, family and love. In every story, though, the bridge was built by someone who started fresh, listened well, rose above and looked beyond. In every story, the bridge has held. * * * A marriage ends; kindness endures A tree limb had come crashing down in her front yard, and Angie Lawson did not want to call her husband. For hours, the January snowstorm had been rattling the windows of their Arlington, Virginia home. The power had gone out. The temperature inside was dropping. But this house their house, as shed always called it was now just her house. A few days before, her husband, Barnes, had packed a bag and moved out. For 21 years, theyd been Mr. and Mrs. Lawson, a property lawyer and a preschool teacher. Three kids and a pew at Westover Baptist Church. Theirs was the kind of marriage other couples would be jealous of until it wasnt. And then they became sure that it never would be again. Angie looked out the window. How was she supposed to move that tree? How were she and Barnes going to go from having one life together to having two separate ones? How do you divide something that is whole, and not end up with two broken halves? Later, she would come to know the answer: Time. Space. Patience. Red wine. And: Picking up the phone. She called, and Barnes came over to move the tree. In the spring, he came to mow the lawn. In the fall, to blow the leaves. Without ever really talking about it, they seemed to make a decision. Just because they werent married didnt mean they couldnt be kind. She drove him to the doctor. She reminded him whose birthday was coming up. When his parents passed away, she helped with all the paperwork, working closely with a law firm Barnes had hired to help sort it all out. When the firm saw how adept Angie was at organizing and understanding legal jargon, they offered her a full-time job. The firm was in the same building as Barnes practice. It had been four years since that snowstorm. Their children had become accustomed to their separation. They had both started dating other people. Just as they were finding lives of their own, were they ready to go back to seeing each other every day? Angie picked up the phone again. Together, they decided she should take the job. Jessica Contrera * * * A Klansman comes home Rebecca Scott Hawkins was 93 when there was a knock on the door of her house on the black side of Indianola, Mississippi. She didnt recognize the white man standing there, though his face had been on TV plenty. He had been a grand dragon of the Ku Klux Klan. Its me, Becky, he said. Its Scott. She had known Scott Shepherd since that day 58 years earlier when the delivery-room doctor had handed newborn Scott not to his exhausted mama, but to Hawkins. She worked 30 years and three generations for that Indianola family. They named this baby for her. I knew him all his life until he went out into the world, Hawkins says. Out into the world of White Citizens Councils and Klan fliers, one of which got into the hands of 16-year-old Scott, angry and alienated and terrorized by his alcoholic father. He went to a rally, then another. Soon the recruited became a recruiter. Sometimes hed stop to visit Hawkins, hug her neck, then head to a Klan meeting. I was like two people, he says. But the tension between his two worlds pushed him away. He lost contact with his own family, and with Hawkins. She missed him. She heard disturbing reports. But she was busy. After raising six white children and four of her own, she was working for herself. She did high-end catering, little finger sandwiches and pastries for debutante balls and Christmas galas. She worked for years, was an officer in her church, traveled to Italy, Jamaica, the Holy Land. Shepherd, meanwhile, moved up in the Klan and down in life. He drank more, lost his wife and kids. He says he never committed violence, but he cheered it on. The FBI talked to him about a fire at a black fraternity at Ole Miss. In 1990, he was pulled over, drunk, with an illegal .44 in the car. He agreed to rehab, planning to finish and get out quick. But something happened in group therapy. Addicts both white and black knew who he was and, still, they held him up, loved him. Something hard in him cracked. I came out a different person, he says. Two years later, he had quit the Klan, endured death threats, gone into seclusion. It wasnt tidy. It took years to understand where hed been, how to get back. Finally, after nearly dying from stomach disease (eaten up by hate, he says) he decided to go public, help others, apologize for the rest of his life, if need be. Starting on a front porch in Indianola that day nine years ago. Its me, Becky. Its Scott. She stared through bright, ancient eyes and swung the door wide. Baby, she said as he stepped into her arms, I always knew youd come home. Steve Hendrix * * * When political opposites attract The election results trickled in. Donald Trump had won, and Greg Nelson was stuck in a crowd of celebrating Trump fans at the Republican National Committees watch party in the nations capital. Nelsons face turned white. He felt physically ill. Nelson, a Democrat, had already placed a 10-foot-tall sign in their front yard celebrating Hillary Clintons expected victory. He asked his partner, Jose Cunningham the chair of the Districts GOP to take him home, immediately. After they left the party early together, Nelson removed the Clinton swag on display at their house. He started what he called the long mourning process of coming to terms with the election result. Nelson and Cunningham have been together for 21 years and have always had political differences. But Trump has proved a whole new test for them. Nelson recoils at Trumps caustic manner and wonders what it says about the countrys values. Cunningham sees Trumps impulsive tweets and biting speeches as bluster; he supports Trump for the foreign policy team he has assembled, the judges hes appointed, and the government regulations he has dismantled. Im an all-in Trump supporter, Cunningham says. Ive been shellshocked since the election, Nelson says. He still attends political events with Cunningham, accompanying him to the White House, snapping photos with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. (Still, during one White House visit, Nelson managed to sneak a selfie with a portrait of Hillary Clinton as first lady.) At home, though, theyve had arguments; they say Trumps presidency has forced them to communicate better with one another and watch a lot less news together. One evening, Cunningham predicted Trump was going to be in office for another seven years. Nelson stormed upstairs. He says it was one of the first times in their relationship that he went to bed angry at his partner. Thats when I realized I need to moderate what I say, Cunningham said. And I need to better tell him my limits, Nelson said. But politics were never what attracted them to each other. Cunningham can still make Nelson laugh each day. Nelson is still Mr. Holiday the romantic man Cunningham loves because he goes all out in decorating their large house to bring the community together. They know the country is more divided than ever before, but they hope their relationship can set an example: There are ways to share values, they say, and still hold opposing political views. We are a microcosm of what America is, Cunningham said. Theyve realized throughout their years together and now more than ever that when it comes to relationships and love, there are a lot more meaningful topics to discuss than politics. Perry Stein * * * A mind is a wonderful thing to change I Believe America is still segregated, patriarchal, racist, the screed began, with a capital B in believe. Slavery still exists, & Nothing has changed. Another 600 words followed. The anonymous author lets call the writer B had included footnotes and extensive thoughts on the enduring hideousness of the United States. And this challenge: Change my view. Many tried. Oh, how they tried. This all took place a few years back on a Reddit forum called Change My View a sort of social experiment challenging people to politely change minds on the internet. An impossibility, you might think, and sometimes it is. Thats a pretty dumb viewpoint, one of the first comments ventured. We have a black president, read another. How the f--- is that not progress? These only provoked another gusher from B, and more arguments, dribbling into long threads of mutual obstinance. Staring at a screen in his dorm room, Brandon Chin-Shues immediate reaction to Bs text was much like the others: To try and find a part of their view that was weakest, and kick away, he said. It felt personal. My dads parents are from Jamaica, Brandon said. His grandfather was a Chinese indentured servant. His parents both immigrated to what he grew up believing is a flawed but worthy and endlessly improving United States. Brandon was a bright, somewhat stubborn sophomore at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He had not managed to change anyones view on the internet, but he was determined to keep trying. You seem to be very hyperbolic, he typed. Intellectually dishonest. Well, B shot back, maybe hyperbole was called for. Prison was essentially slavery, after all, and black Americans are as good as lynched, even now. Thats ridiculous, Brandon wrote. He might be in chains today if the country hadnt progressed. They went back and forth for half a day, teetering on the brink of the rhetorical tar pit into which so many online discussions sink. But when B asked Brandon: Do you stand by the notion that Abolition was a successful movement? something twigged in his 20-year-old brain. He thought about how his black father came to this country because he believed in its future. Brandon thought about how he too believed in it, and about what he was trying to accomplish on a Sunday evening before finals, butting heads with a stranger on the internet. Forget about winning the argument, he thought. I want to teach them. So he typed: Black people in America didnt stop with abolition. We fought hard for more equality, and when we were denied by nearly the entire white population, we fought harder. He kept typing: We still fight to this day, because, to us, things are not equal. But theyre much better than before. We fight today to make tomorrow better. He poured his heart out, not wanting to persuade anymore, but simply to explain. Bs final reply came through that night. You are right, it began. Avi Selk * * * Without me being okay, they wouldnt be okay For generations, the child welfare system has been all Sharkkarah Harrisons family has ever known. Her grandmother lost her father. Her mother and father lost her. Sexually abused at age 8, ward of the state by age 9, runaway from foster care by 16, pregnant by 17. Sharkkarah had four children by four fathers, yet no one had taught her how to raise a child. She vowed not to make the same mistakes as her parents had. But then her oldest daughter told her school principal that Sharkkarah was hitting her. Child welfare services saw the bruises and put the girl and her younger siblings, Dayvieon and Saneja, in foster care. For months, Sharkkarah could hardly get out of bed for the visits she was allowed with her children. She couldnt bear to face the children she had failed. In the visiting area of the foster care agency, her son Dayvieon would watch other parents show up to see their children. I felt like I didnt really have a mom or a family, Dayvieon said. Then, Sharkkarah started getting out of bed more. She found the right therapist. She started journaling about her past. Without me being okay, they wouldnt be okay, she said. It had to start with me. Finally, after three years, six foster homes, and eight social workers, Sharkkarah, 28, heard the long-awaited knock at her apartment door. Mommy! Dayvieon and Saneja screamed as they charged into her arms. It was five days before Christmas 2015. Their temporary housing in the Bronx didnt allow trees. So in the corner of the apartment, Sharkkarah had arranged her childrens wrapped presents: A remote control car and Spider-Man action figure for 7-year-old Dayvieon; a baby doll and stroller for 6-year-old Saneja. Dayvieon and Saneja had joined their mother and her baby for good, but the family was not whole. When, the kids asked, would their older sister come home? Sharkkarah tried to explain a word Dayvieon and Saneja didnt fully understand: Adoption. Their older sister chose to be adopted by her foster family, she told them. But well still get to see her. Shes still going to be your sister, she said. She held Dayvieon and Saneja tight as they cried. They asked if they could stay in Sharkkarahs bed, just like old times. Huddled around a tablet, the children fell asleep watching Home on Netflix. Sharkkarah watched them, stroking their hair, giving them gentle kisses late into the night. The next years wouldnt be easy. The kids would throw tantrums, ask after their older sister, suffer nightmares of foster parents who had spanked them. Almost every night, in Dayvieons dreams, he was sent back to foster care. I wake up crying and scared, he said. But then, when I open my eyes, Im actually not there. Together, Sharkkarah and her children would heal. And this time, she would never let them go. Samantha Schmidt The thin light of a cold late afternoon not long before the winter solstice provided a suitably solemn backdrop to a visit to pay respects to the dead. Time, weather and the occasional treefall has done its work on a cemetery with deep roots in Roanoke County history. The sun is setting in more ways than one on this peaceful site amid the periwinkle, untrimmed boxwood and oaks. That has a letter writer concerned. Q: Does the county have an organization with the ability to maintain the historically significant Starkey family cemetery? Benton Hopper Roanoke A: As has been detailed here and elsewhere, volunteers often have stepped up around the Roanoke Valley to tend otherwise forgotten graveyards. Roanoke Countys government offers no service that would maintain a cemetery, and neither does the Historical Society of Western Virginia. Letter writer Benton Hopper has a particular interest in the plot off Merriman Road known as the Harvey-Starkey Cemetery. He grew up in the part of Roanoke County that long ago took on the Starkey name. Furthermore, his sister Elon Hopper Hedrick is among those who have done the hard work of researching the residents of the old burying ground in the woods near the modern Church of the Holy Spirit. As for Hopper , he was among those who dug up documentation that resulted in landing the old Starkey School building nearby on the Virginia Landmarks Register and National Register of Historic Places. Thats where I went to school, he said. A lot of what I know has been handed down to me. This was being related while he escorted a guest around the grounds of the old graveyard, which is owned by the Church of the Holy Spirit. The gravestones in the oldest part of the cemetery were in various stages of decay. Some had been toppled and broken. Others tilted at odd angles as trees have grown up beside them. Some of the inscriptions are still legible. Others have been smoothed by the elements to almost nothing. The carpeting underfoot was fallen leaves with the shiny green of the traditional periwinkle peaking through. One of the genealogical sites online counted 27 names at the Harvey-Starkey Cemetery. Hoppers sister contributed to the report. Hopper said there were many more graves believed to be there, many unmarked. Some of those could have been the final resting place of slaves and other farm employees. These spots are distinguished from the more modern markers representing graves of the Garner family. Those were neatly kept but not part of a formal cemetery attached to the nearby church. Who were those buried in the Harvey-Starkey graveyard? A history of neighborhoods on the Roanoke County home page provides good reading. Named for Tazewell Merriman Starkey, that part of the county is near the Franklin County line and the foot of Bent Mountain. Starkey was born in 1829 in Franklin County and came to these parts in 1850. Hes buried here under an out-of-plumb obelisk. A few years after his arrival in Roanoke County, he joined up with 2nd Regiment of the 5th Virginia Calvary and went to war. The record says at the Seven Days fighting near Richmond, he was wounded while having three horses shot out from under him, his gray jacket riddled by seven slugs, but was otherwise left unharmed. He came home in good enough shape to serve 28 years as the Cave Spring representative on the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors and a director of First National Bank. You could say the gentleman married well. Henrietta Harvey Starkey was the granddaughter of Robert Harvey, one of the countys earliest settlers thanks to a 1749 grant from King George II of England. Harvey made his money in part from a blast furnace down on Back Creek. In between steel deliveries, he fought in the Indian wars and showed his gratitude for that kings grant by serving as a colonel of rebel forces during the Revolutionary War. The furnace was lost in a whopper flood in 1812. Despite that setback, the first Harvey was able to pass down a nice estate to son Lewis, who eventually added to holdings that eventually ran to 10,000 acres. Slave labor helped build the manor house Speedwell, finished in 1827 and named for the ship that brought his mother Borden Hawkins Harveys people to the Virginia Colony. The house still stands, its back yard looking over the South County Library. Thats down in the rich bottomland where Harveys cattle once grazed. Anyway, when Merriman Starkeys parents-in-law decided to move closer to town, they gave the couple the farm. Up on the hill behind the familys house, thats where theyre buried along with assorted Kirkwoods, Poages and Shorts. Its a pretty place, even as its graves recede quietly into the forested hilltop and history. If youve been wondering about something, call Whats on Your Mind? at 777-6476 or send an email to whatsonyourmind@roanoke.com. Dont forget to provide your full name (and its proper spelling) and hometown. President Al-Sammad inaugurates Ministry of Industry networking and its Economic Center SANA'A, 25 Dec (Saba)- President Saleh Al-Sammad, head of the Supreme Political Council, inaugurated today in the networking between the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the concerned authorities as well as work in the Economic Center of the ministry. The president got briefed on the Economic Center's activities and programs it will undertake which related to strategic studies and research and the Business Council which will join all parties involved in the economy, such as traders, capitalists, bankers, ministries of industry, trade, finance, planning and international cooperation, oil, transport and telecommunications. The meeting discussed the center work plans and the mechanism of electronic networking with different bodies to standardize studies and develop solutions, proposals and necessary solutions in addition to work on the return of prices and control of the strategic inventory of the State in various aspects, especially with regard to food stocks. The center is an electronic economic portal, as well as the center of link and tracking starts to participate in the International Stock Exchange for food and follows up prices. It includes the Center of Economic Studies and Research and the Economic Tracking Center and it will provide the government with services in the economic affairs. The President stressed that Yemen has the capabilities and minds of vitality and creativity in various fields ."The mind that made the missiles and developed and psychological challenges to aggression and siege is able to achieve the goals and objectives of such centers and other research and development institutions." He said. TN SABA Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp Telegram Telegram Email Email Print Print [25/December/2017] President meets Minister of Finance SANA'A, 25 Dec (Saba)- President Saleh Al-Sammad, head of the Supreme Political Council, met today with the Minister of Finance Dr. Saleh Shaaban and the leadership of the ministry in the presence of Prime Minister Dr. Abdulaziz bin Habtoor. The meeting discussed the work progress in the ministry and its financial institutions and the measures taken to improve the revenue in order to provide the state treasury with the revenues to meet the economic challenges. The meeting reviewed the level of the flow of financial resources to the Central Bank through various resources to contribute to the disbursement of operating expenses of state institutions, as well as the disbursement of the inevitable obligations such as operation expenses for the service facilities, including health facilities, and to cover the minimum expenses of state employees salaries as well as the necessary expenses. The meeting reviewed the plan of the Ministry of Finance in the process of spending for the first half of the next fiscal year 2018 and ways to overcome the current challenges and the development of the necessary treatments. The President stressed the importance of the financial institutions and their their role in addressing many of the issues and imbalances in the public finances of the state imposed by the coalition of aggression on Yemen. Pointing out the need to strengthen the partnership between the government and the private sector to overcome the current crisis in addition to contributing to the development of plans to combat customs smuggling and tax evasion. He urged the ministry leadership to mobilize all government efforts to control the financial collection and development of all available revenues and cash supply to supply the Central Bank of Yemen. On his part, minister of finance has reviewed the measures taken by the ministry in order to develop public revenues and raise the efficiency of collection while looking at the sources of funding for development programs. TN SABA Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp Telegram Telegram Email Email Print Print [25/December/2017] Sidelined AIADMK leader T.T.V.Dinakaran 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, Dinakaran 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 Dinakaran celebrated the victory by dancing, distributing sweets and bursting crackers. From the start, Dinakaran was in the lead and the gap between him and the rivals kept on widening as the counting progressed. Earlier in the day, Dinakaran, 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. Dinakaran said though he was an Independent candidate, but AIADMK's party cadres were with him. Barring Dinakaran and Madhusudhanan. the remaining 57 candidates forfeited their poll deposit failing to secure one-sixth of the total votes polled. Dinakaran 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, Dinakaran, 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 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 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. The mother and wife of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav met the death row prisoner at the Pakistan Foreign Office here on Monday amid tight security. The 30-minute meeting started at 1.48 p.m in the presence of Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh, Geo News reported. Earlier, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mohammed Faisal tweeted a picture of Jadhav's mother Avanti and his wife seated ahead of the meeting, adding they were "sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our committments". In an earlier tweet, Faisal said that Pakistan permitted the meeting as a humanitarian gesture on the birth anniversary of the nation's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah. A day after suffering a massive defeat in Radhakrishnan Nagar (R.K.Nagar) bypoll, Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK on Monday removed six party officials and supporters of sidelined leader T.T.V.Dinakaran, who had contested and won the seat as an Independent. The decision was taken at a high level meeting held at the party headquarters which was attended by party Coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and Joint Coordinator Chief Minister K. Palaniswami. The six AIADMK District Secretaries who where removed from the party were: P.Vetrivel, V.P.Kalairajan, Parthiban, Muthiah, Thangatamizhselvan and Rengasamy. The party also dismissed actor C.R.Saraswathi, Pugazhendi (Karnataka unit) and Nanjil Sampath. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Palaniswami said action against party traitors will be taken. Panneerselvam said the Election Commission should probe the allegation of bribing of voters by Dinakaran. On a video of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa - which she was undergoing treatment in the Apollo Hospital here in late 2016 - circulated before the polling, he said that none of the ministers had seen her in the hospital where she breathed her last on December 5, 2016. Reacting to the action taken against him, Thangatamizhselvam told reporters that as per party constitution, only the General Secretary can dismiss a member from the party. Eight people were killed and two injured on Monday in a suicide bomb attack near Afghanistan's intelligence agency here, officials said. The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility in a statement on the terror group's "Amaq" news website, reports Xinhua news agency. The attacker, who was on foot, triggered the bomb around 8 a.m., near an office of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) in the capital city's Shashdarken neighbourhood, Nasrat Rahimi, spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior Affairs, told Efe news. The victims included five civilians and the attacker who was a teenager, Rahimi said. Monday's attack came a week after three militants attacked the NDS's training centre in Kabul, injuring two soldiers. The IS claimed responsibility for the attack that went on for five hours. US President Donald Trump said he was proud to wish people a Merry Christmas, and so defend the beautiful time-honoured phrase against political correctness. "People are proud to be saying Merry Christmas again. I am proud to have led the charge against the assault of our cherished and beautiful phrase. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!" Trump said on Twitter. The President has insistently criticized the use of the expression "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" as a lack of respect for religious values, and has blamed progressives for what, in his opinion, is an offence against American citizens, Efe reported. Conservative evangelical movements, which make up part of Trump's base, have spread the scare of a "war on Christmas" being waged by secular elements of society and the politically correct, a concept first aired by former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly. This Sunday, in a message to US troops deployed abroad, the president noted that "we say Christmas again very proudly." Trump has lamented the move against Christmas promoted by his predecessor Barack Obama during his two terms in the White House, though the former president habitually used the expression. The US president is spending the Christmas holidays with his family at Mar-a-Lago, his private residence in Florida. Pope Francis I on Monday called on Christians to pray for all the children living in places ravaged by war and conflict in his traditional Christmas Day message. In his annual Urbi et Orbi ("to the City and the World") nativity address, which he delivered from the central loggia of the Vatican Basilica, the pontiff stressed the importance of recognizing Jesus Christ in the children suffering in various ways around the world, Efe reported. "Today, as the winds of war are blowing in our world and an outdated model of development continues to produce human, societal and environmental decline, Christmas invites us to focus on the sign of the Child and to recognize him in the faces of little children, especially those for whom, like Jesus, there is no place in the inn," Francis said. The pope also urged his flock to commit to "making our world more human and more worthy for the children of today and of the future." He said that Jesus could be seen in the faces of children affected by conflicts such as the wars in Syria, Iraq and Yemen; by the growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, and by the bloodshed in African countries such as South Sudan, Somalia, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic and Nigeria. In addition, Francis called for a de-escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula, in Venezuela and in Ukraine. The head of the Catholic church emphasized the struggles of children of unemployed parents, of child soldiers forced to work by "unscrupulous mercenaries" and children forced to emigrate alone who are often targeted by human traffickers. Furthermore, he expressed his hope that the international community would work to ensure that the dignity of persecuted minority groups in Myanmar and Bangladesh is adequately protected. "Jesus knows well the pain of not being welcomed and how hard it is not to have a place to lay one?s head," Francis added. "May our hearts not be closed as they were in the homes of Bethlehem." The pope ended his message by offering a "warm greeting" to people from throughout the world. "May the birth of Christ the Saviour renew hearts, awaken the desire to build a future of greater fraternity and solidarity, and bring joy and hope to everyone," he said. "Happy Christmas!" At least 32 people, including women and children, were killed Monday in airstrikes carried out by the Saudi-led Arab coalition near the Yemeni capital and in the provinces of al-Hudaydah and Damar. Eleven died in the town of Aser, near Sanaa, eyewitnesses told Efe. The bombs destroyed a house located behind the town's Egyptian Cemetery, killing nine people inside as well as two passers-by, according to the witnesses. Al Masira television, controlled by Houthi rebels, reported that nine people were killed in two airstrikes that targeted a bus in al-Jerahi, a town in the western province of al-Hudaydah. The attack took place near the area of Hais, a battleground between the rebels and forces fighting on behalf of deposed Saudi-backed President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi. Saba news agency, which is also in rebel hands, said that eight other civilians perished when bombs fell on a farm in al-Hudaydah. Four people were killed and 55 others wounded in airstrikes at a customs headquarters in Damar province, Saba reported. In exactly one week, 2018 begins. Those who manage California businesses should take the following steps during this shortened last workweek of the year. Remove references to salary history and criminal convictions from employment applications Starting Jan. 1, 2018, applications for employment in California may no longer ask applicants to disclose their criminal history or their salary history. The reason to ban the box asking whether an applicant has a criminal record is to avoid perpetuating the stigma of prior convictions and the premature disqualification of applicants who otherwise may have the right credentials for a particular job. The reason to ban discussion of an applicants prior salary, unless the applicant volunteers the information, is to avoid perpetuating past salary levels that may have been influenced by gender. Advertisement Employers should remove these inquiries from paper and online application forms. Employers also should instruct those who interview applicants, by phone or in person, not to solicit this information. The consequences for violating these new prohibitions are unclear. But no employer wants to be the first to find out. Make sure employees doing equivalent work are receiving equivalent pay A California employer is prohibited from paying men and women and whites and racial and ethnic minorities different wages for substantially similar work unless the employer can show that any differences are justified by a factor other than sex, race, or ethnicity. That imposes a duty on employers to ensure that any gaps are closed or justifiable. In this space about a year ago, I predicted that a California court would issue a major ruling this year on these requirements of the state Fair Pay Act. It was the only one of the five predictions I made that was wrong. But several Fair Pay Act cases were filed this year in California trial courts, including against high profile California employers. Dont make your workplace the one that belatedly fulfills my prediction. Schedule sexual harassment training for your supervisors California employers with 50 or more employers must provide classroom or other effective interactive training in the prevention and correction of sexual harassment no later than six months after an employee assumes, or is hired to perform, supervisory duties and to all supervisors every two years. Recent changes in this law require that the training cover general workplace bullying and harassment based on gender identity. According to a recent story in the business section of The New York Times, the most effective training, researchers say, is at least four hours, in person, interactive and tailored for the particular workplace a restaurants training would differ from a law firms. With the intense recent attention to sexual harassment across industries, and given that California law imposes liability for sexual harassment even on employers with a single employee, the wise employer will go beyond the bare requirements of the training law. The state law itself underscores that it is only a minimum and does not discourage an employer from providing longer, more frequent, or more elaborate training to meet its obligations to take all reasonable steps necessary to prevent and correct harassment and discrimination. Training is not sufficient to address the persistent problem of workplace harassment, but it is necessary. Update your employee handbook Because every year brings new workplace laws, make it an annual practice to revise your handbook to reflect current law. Out-of-date policies may be used against your company if a dispute ripens into a lawsuit. The San Diego Society for Human Resource Management and the California Chamber of Commerce both provide their members with suggested handbook revisions each new year. Have a great 2018, San Diego. Dan Eaton is a partner with the San Diego law firm of Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek where his practice focuses on defending and advising employers. He also is an instructor at the San Diego State University Fowler College of Business where he teaches classes in business ethics and employment law. He may be reached at eaton@scmv.com. His Twitter handle is @DanEatonlaw. Business lori.weisberg@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-2251 Twitter: @loriweisberg On a quiet cul-de-sac in Carlsbad, there is a small Jewish synagogue with a Christmas tree inside. And on Sunday night, this synagogue was hosting several candlelit Christmas Eve services. Four months ago, the Jewish Collaborative of San Diego invited its neighbor, Christ Presbyterian Church, to hold all of its worship services inside its synagogue while the church undergoes renovation. That invitation included the offer to decorate the synagogue for the Christmas season with a yule tree. Out of respect for their hosts, the Presbyterians did bring in a tree, but they decorated it entirely in blue bows and white bulbs, the traditional colors of this months eight-day Jewish holiday, Hanukkah. Advertisement We kept insisting they put up a Christmas tree and it went back and forth because they didnt want to offend anyone, said Rabbi Gabi Arad, spiritual leader for the Jewish Collaborative. I kept saying that a tree isnt going to offend anyone and if it does, I will educate them. Then when we walked in and saw this humble tree all decorated for Hanukkah; we thought It was such a nice compromise. The tree, and the Christmas services, are just the latest example of a three-year, bridge-building relationship between local residents of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths. The program started on Jan. 7, 2015, just hours after Muslim terrorists attacked the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris, killing 12 people and injuring 11 others. A few hours later, Issam Lagrichi, a Muslim community leader in Oceanside, and Josh Burrows, the Collaboratives former rabbi, met for coffee to figure out how to bridge the growing gulf of fear and misunderstanding between their people as well as the American public. They recruited Christ Presbyterians pastor, Greg Bostrom, as well as then-assistant pastor Jeremiah Knabe. A week later, more than 110 Jews, Muslims and Christians met on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Christ Presbyterian Church to take part in icebreaker games, a brown-bag lunch and a discussion of faith. In the years since, the interfaith organization has continued to host four to six events a year, including film screenings, author lectures, discussions, community-service projects and an educational series on Judaism, Christianity and Islam. This past October on Yom Kippur, a Jewish high holy day that requires a day of fasting, Christians and Muslims came to the synagogue at sundown to join Arads congregation in the breaking of bread to end the fast. Not all the gatherings are church-sponsored. Arad said that a group of men from all three faiths have formed a club that gets together periodically for social barbecues. I think this relationship has broken down a lot of walls, Arad said. We wanted to educate people on the different religions, but at the core of it is just a friendship. We always say that once a relationship is strong, everything else can come in. Bostrom, who joined Christ Presbyterian as head pastor in December 2014, said that the interfaith events have taught him and the churchs 300 members a lot about faith, family and human nature. Weve learned about how our faiths overlap and how theyre different, but more than anything weve learned as people that we have the same desires and aspirations, Bostrom said. We want our children to do well and we hope and work for the best for the communities we live in. A lot of good has come out of this. One of the most lasting results has been the partnership between Christ Presbyterian and the Collaborative. The Collaborative which serves about 120 families was started 3-1/2 years as a post-denominational organization that welcomed Jews from all sects of the faith. We wanted to have a more open door where people from all backgrounds would feel comfortable, Arad said. The premise is, its by the people for the people. Its very member-driven, so its a very organic community. Back in 2015, the Collaborative was leasing space in an industrial park when the building was unexpectedly sold and they had to move with little notice. Bostrom immediately offered them Christ Presbyterians worship space. It was a partnership that worked exceptionally well because Jews and Christians worship on different days of the week, and the members got along exceedingly well. Its been a wonderful partnership, Bostrom said. Our congregrations both go out of their way to accommodate one another. As the Collective grew, it began looking for more permanent space in 2016. The board of Christ Presbyterian had plenty of property on its cul-de-sac, so they invited the Collective to lease a plot right next door at 7805 Centella St. The Collective signed a five-year lease and constructed a temporary building and patio that opened in September. Arad said that to her knowledge this is the first-ever property-sharing project between a Christian church and a Jewish synagogue in the region. Christ Presbyterian was founded 38 years ago and moved to its present location at 7807 Centella St. in 1985. Over the years, the churchs fellowship hall grew outdated and a few years back plans were discussed to remodel the building. By coincidence, the same month the Jewish Collaborative was set to open its synagogue, the renovation at Christ Presbyterian was scheduled to begin. So the Collaborative happily returned the favor and opened its doors to Christ Presbyterian services until church renovations are complete in February or March. You could call it karma, Arad said. I think the universe works in special ways. This was our opportunity to return the favor. Our people are really excited to invite them into our building after they so kindly invited us in to theirs two years ago. pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com Shuttered storefronts, broken sidewalks, and darkened staircases for years have greeted pedestrians making their way from the border to downtown Tijuana. Now promoters of the city are hoping to dramatically change that unsettling first impression. A $13 million project dubbed Umbral de las Americas, or Threshhold of the Americas envisions a renewed entryway, with plazas, new lighting, wide ramps, and a broad new bridge over the Tijuana River channel to connect the border with Avenida Revolucion, the traditional tourist district. Its going to be a place where you want to linger, to be entertained, rather than a place where you just want to walk fast, said Aaron Victorio, executive director of Tijuanas Economic Development Council, CDT, a private-sector planning group that has been championing the project. Advertisement Just across from San Ysidro, the project covers a 3/4-mile route from the PedWest pedestrian entrance at the San Ysidro Port of Entry to the giant arch at the northern end of Avenida Revolucion. The pathway runs through an area in transition, at once booming with activity and new construction and struggling with urban decay, with empty shops, an entrenched homeless population and a persistent stench that rises from the concrete Tijuana River channel. The aim is to make walking into Tijuana a safer, shorter and more pleasant experience, both for tourists and visitors to the city. The changes are part of a larger effort to revitalize the citys historic downtown near the U.S. border, an area slowly being transformed with new living spaces, cultural venues, breweries, restaurants and cafes. PedWests opening in 2016 underscored the need for a better pedestrian connection from the border to Tijuanas downtown. U.S. Customs and Border Protection figures show an average 12,000 daily northbound crossers through Pedwestclose to 60 percent of the total northbound pedestrian traffic, and a similar number is estimated to cross southbound. It should be better, said David Bernal, a 22-year-old Tijuana resident who crosses the border at PedWest to get to and from his job at Northgate market in San Diego. After dark, I dont go through here, he said as he was heading home at sunset earlier this week. Funding for the project so far has come from a variety of government sources, including Baja Californias state government and the Tijuana municipal government. With roughly one fourth of the funds now in hand, the first phase is scheduled to move forward early next year and be completed by September. This will involve rebuilding a pedestrian corridor lined with small shops known as Callejon Articulo 123, and include putting the electric wiring underground and offering merchants incentives to rebuild their facades. Anything that can help downtown Tijuana, anything that makes it easier to get there will be helpful for future development, said Genaro Valladolid, a Tijuana real estate broker who has championed mixed use and condominium developments in the area. Right now, when you cross, its a very unpleasant, unwelcoming experience. The projects centerpiece comes in the second phase, and involves rebuilding the Naciones Unidas pedestrian bridge that spans the Tijuana River, broadening it, and building cultural plazas on either end. The structure includes giant steel tubes that hold up the bridge that will form a giant Xan allusion to the x in Mexico. The final phase contemplates a pathway connecting to PedWest. This project will allow us to show that yes, we can improve, we can change, and we can renew all the way from the entrance of Tijuana to other areas, of the city, said Gabriel Camarena, CDTs president. While the timing of the funding to complete the project is uncertain, the CDT is confident it will come through, said Victorio, the executive director. And while a redesigned entrance to downtown cant solve all the problems of the area, the Umbral project is an important first step, proponents say. It is part of the solution, though not the complete solution, said Arturo Echanove, a Tijuana architect who helped select the current design. Umbral de las Americas is one of five projects adopted by CDT from a long-term Metropolitan Strategic Plan that lists 214 priority projects for the region that spans Tijuana, Tecate and Rosarito Beach. The need for such a project was first mentioned in the plan back in 2012, said Victorio, the CDTs executive director. In 2014, the council collaborated with a Mexican architecture publication, Arquine, calling for conceptual designs to redevelop the area. Some 400 proposals were sent in from around the world, including Uruguay, France and China, with the winning design submitted by a U.S. team. It was a great concept, but it wasnt really doable, Victorio said, adding that the estimated cost of $70 million was too high. We said, lets do something that is reachable for us. Earlier this year, a new invitation for proposals was issued, this time to eight local companies. Three came through, and in August a winning team was selected by a jury that included CDT; agencies from the Baja California government, the city of Tijuana, the federal government; and the citys main architecture and engineering groups. The idea is to renew the area, to make it livable, walkable, and safe, said Sergio Celis, a Tijuana engineer who heads the 12-member interdisciplinary team that was selected. Its the entrance to Mexico, it should be a proper one. For Elba Palos, the changes wont come a moment too soon. Her curio shop at the edge of Tijuanas Mercado de Artesanias has seen few customers in recent years. They dont come any more, she said. Its a real struggle, we want more people to come. sandra.dibble@sduniontribune.com @sandradibble As countless people throughout the county crammed area malls Sunday for last-minute Christmas shopping, hundreds of others stood in line for a free meal, sought shelter in storefronts and attended church services for warmth. Its just Sunday, not Christmas Eve, said Val Flores, a young homeless woman outside of the church Gods Extended Hand on the corner of 16th Street and Island Avenue downtown. The situations not going to change. This has been an active year for the many agencies involved in addressing homelessness. Spurred in part by a hepatitis A outbreak that largely targeted homeless people, the city of San Diego committed to opening three large tents that will shelter and help find housing for about 700 people. Plans are in the works a new centralized homeless center. Advertisement But its clear much work needs to be done. On Christmas Eve, tents lined 17th Street and 16th Street near Imperial Avenue three months after police had cleared away most, and hundreds lingered on side streets with no where else to go. An annual count conducted in January found about 9,100 homeless people in San Diego County, with about 5,600 unsheltered. Of those, about 1,300 were in downtown San Diego. But while many are on the street, hundreds are receiving shelter and help in the San Diego Rescue Mission, Father Joes Village, Alpha Square and other places. Damon Monyer, 34, has been at Father Joes Villages for 10 days, and on Christmas Eve he was in the kitchen chopping cauliflower that would be part of an evening meal for 1,000 people. Its a blessing, he said about being off the street. What Christmas means to me right now is to give, Monyer said, and try to pass on anything at all that makes the holiday season more comfortable for people. Theres a lot who have nothing. An Air Force veteran, Monyer came to San Diego from Pennsylvania in September with the promise of construction work from a friend. Things fell through, and he spent about four weeks sleeping on the street. Now, he said, I want to go right back to school. Earlier in the day, 700 people at Father Joes had dined on a prime rib brunch supplied by Congregation Beth Israel. Deacon Jim Vargas, president and CEO of Father Joes, said the brunch and dinner were not just about meals, but about letting people in need know somebody cares about them. Thats what we do, especially on a night like tonight, Christmas Eve, he said. Down the street, April Enlund sat in a wheelchair outside Gods Extended Hand, bundled in blankets while waiting to go inside for an afternoon sermon. She, her daughter Diana and granddaughter Amber have been homeless since being evicted last month from their Pacific Beach apartment, which is being renovated. The only thing that sucks is at night, when were out until 8 oclock and its freezing, Amber Enlund said. Were trying to make the best of it. At night, Gods Extended Hand opens its doors to homeless women and children, but there is a curfew, and Amber Enlund said there have been nights when she didnt make it back by in time. I had to borrow a blanket from someone and slept right out here, she said. Its terrifying. Theres crack heads at night. This past week, weve walked down the street in the day, and people literally have needles in their arms for heroin. Diana Enlund said shes grateful for the many people who want to help the homeless, including some who stop by with blankets and warm clothes. Im just glad I have my family here, she said, breaking down in tears when asked what Christmas means to her this year. While there have been many civic and private efforts this year to help the homeless, Diana Enlund is still frustrated that permanent housing is still so far away for so many. Its tough, she said. And its tough to see how much the city doesnt care. In about a week, Father Joes will open a 150-bed tented shelter for homeless families, the third and final of such structures planned by the city. The Alpha Project opened its tent for 325 people Dec. 1, and San Diego Veterans Village opened a 200-bed tent last week. Outside the Alpha Project tent on Christmas Eve, cars pulled up throughout the day to offer clothes, blankets and gifts. Inside the tent, Leticia Croce said peoples generosity would make for a better Christmas than last year. I was out on the street, with no gifts for the family, she said. It was hard. As a mother and grandmother, it was really embarrassing. Homeless since 2014, Croce said she didnt make contact with her son and daughter last year. Her daughter is also homeless this year and in the tent with her, and she plans to visit her son Christmas day and give her grandchildren some of the things she has received at the tent. Before the Alpha Project opened the large tent, it operated an encampment for homeless people for about three months. Through a 10-day fundraising drive, it was able to find housing for all 12 families with young children. Among the success stories was Manny Lopez, his fiance Ramona and her 4-year-old daughter, Leticia. The three were on the street for about two weeks when an Alpha outreach worker spotted them and offered a spot at the campsite. Then came the new apartment. Its a great Christmas present to have a home for the holiday, Ramona said. My child doesnt have to be out on the street. We dont have to be out in the cold and wonder where our next meal is coming from. Homeless Playlist On Now San Diego hepatitis outbreak continues to grow: 481 cases On Now Homeless entrenched in booming tent city along Santa Ana River On Now San Diego mayor agreed to homeless hub, then delayed, advocates say On Now Homeless outreach in San Diego On Now Video: Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #8 On Now In poverty himself, 'Water Man Dave,' is the fearless saint of San Diego's homeless 5:41 On Now Video: Homeless living in cars find safe havens 2:21 On Now Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #7 On Now Pitching a tent plan for San Diego's homeless On Now Homeless efforts get $80M boost for various services gary.warth@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @GaryWarthUT 760-529-4939 Guatemalas president announced Sunday that the Central American country will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, becoming the first nation to follow the lead of President Trump in ordering the change. Guatemala was one of nine nations that voted with the United States and Israel on Thursday when the U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a nonbinding resolution denouncing Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital. Trump didnt set any timetable for moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and neither did Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales. Advertisement In a post on his official Facebook account Sunday, Morales said that after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he decided to instruct Guatemalas foreign ministry to move the embassy. Guatemala and Israel have long had close ties, especially in security matters and Israeli arms sales to Guatemala. No other country has their embassy for Israel in Jerusalem, though the Czech Republic has said it is considering such a move. Trump upended decades of U.S. policy with his Dec. 6 announcement that he was recognizing Jerusalem as Israels capital. Though Trump said he was merely recognizing reality and not prejudging negotiations on the future borders of the city, Palestinians saw the move as siding with Israel on the most sensitive issue in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians claim the citys eastern sector, which was captured by Israel in 1967 and is home to sensitive religious Jewish, Muslim and Christian sites. Many governments have long said that the fate of Jerusalem must be resolved through negotiations. Trumps announcement has set off weeks of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli security forces that have left 12 Palestinians dead. Netanyahu has predicted others would follow the U.S. lead. He has made great efforts to reach out to Latin America in recent years as part of a campaign to counter longstanding support for the Palestinians at the United Nations. The resolution passed by the General Assembly declared the U.S. action on Jerusalem null and void. The 128-9 vote was a victory for Palestinians, but fell short of the total they had predicted. Thirty-five nations abstained and 21 stayed away from the vote. Back in September, Mickey Kasparian, a powerful union leader who had been accused of sexual misconduct, was tangled up in the local Democratic Partys rules. A handful of Democrats wanted him kicked off the Central Committee, and they noticed that he was absent from seven subcommittee meetings he was supposed to attend. The partys rules say members can only miss three meetings in a row or four over a calendar year and they hoped a technical violation could cleanly remove Kasparian from the party without having to wade through allegations of misconduct. Advertisement The partys chairwoman, Jessica Hayes, reviewed Kasparians absences and decided some of them should not count against him because of missing records or other factors. Also, she determined, other members had spotty attendance records and it wouldnt be fair to hold Kasparian to account and not the others. We have a legal duty to hold each and every one of our 188 members to the same standard and not have those standards, Hayes said by email, in response to questions from The San Diego Union-Tribune. Attendance was not and has never been about any individual. This has been discussed at multiple Executive Board meetings and Central Committee meetings as well as with multiple members whose absences have brought them close to removal. The same standard has been applied to all. Hayes determination kept Kasparian, the president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 135, in the partys inner fold as he continued to fight against two lawsuits, one that alleged retaliation against an employee on a political matter and one that accused him of a sexual relationship with a subordinate who felt she had no choice. More recently, a county employee sued Kasparian and alleged non-consensual sexual contact by Kasparian. She alleged that Kasparian groped her on several occasions and once pinned her onto a sofa against her will. Kasparian denies all of the allegations. But after the assault lawsuit was reported by The San Diego Union-Tribune, Kasparian resigned from the central committee. He said in a letter that he posted to social media that he was too busy in his job as the head of United Food and Commercial Union Local 135. He promised to continue to help elect Democrats. Kasparian did not respond to a request for comment. After allegations against Kasparian first surfaced a year ago, the partys Womans Club and a group of 46 Democrats and progressives tried in vain to get Kasparian suspended from the Central Committee. Efforts to oust him over the allegations went nowhere, so some activists tried the attack on his attendance record. At that time, members were frustrated that there was no action, and they realized that he missed too many meetings, and they realized that those rules werent being enforced, and asked them to be enforced, said Sara Kent, one of the activists. In a Sept. 5 email obtained by The San Diego Union-Tribune, attorney and Democratic Activist Ricardo Ochoa asked Hayes and other party officials if Kasparian had violated the partys attendance rules. In her reply, Hayes wrote that if they kicked out Kasparian, they would have to purge other members as well. While you have focused on one member in particular, there are more members who are impacted by these rules and the rules must be applied equitably, Hayes wrote back to Ochoa. Even so, she said, Kasparian hadnt done anything wrong. He had an excuse for missing one of the meetings she didnt say what it was and she said she couldnt hold that absence against him. Another meeting Kasparian missed didnt count either, she said, because the subcommittee lost its attendance records for a different meeting not the one Kasparian skipped. We cannot count January, Hayes wrote in response to Ochoa. By the time Hayes finished explaining that case and others, four absences were deemed not to count when tracking attendance records, so Kasparian was deemed absent only three times and they were not consecutive. In her letter to Ochoa, Hayes was critical of his methods. I am now in the unenviable the position of having to inform a member a formal inquiry by an attorney has been made into his attendance, Hayes wrote. Perhaps, in the future, you may want to consider a less formal inquiry, such as a phone call or a conversation because, given the past pattern of behavior, if time had simply been allowed to pass, your concerns would most likely have been remedied. Ochoa declined to comment. Francine Busby, the partys immediate past chair, said the party tried to standardize its attendance policy in March when it became clear that some members werent attending all of their meetings. Leaders wanted to hold them accountable, but because the four different subcommittees meet with different frequencies, they had to determine which meetings would and would not count when enforcing attendance rules. Its not fair to have some people have to meet twelve times, and some people meet six times or three times, and have the same threshold to be dismissed, she said over the phone. They have a different number of meetings to go to, so its not fair. The decisions about attendance were unrelated to Kasparians issues, she said. I know that a lot of people think we were jumping through hoops, but it had nothing to do with him, Busby said. Twitter: @jptstewart joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1841 WASHINGTON -- As a functional obsessive-compulsive, I'm never happier than at year's end when I get to make lists. Herewith, my picks for the most important stories of 2017: This year my list is short: "Fake News" from which all cursings flow. Not only has the president's frequent "fake news" defense against any story he dislikes helped codify the idea that the media, especially CNN, The New York Times and The Washington Post, seek only to misinform, but this strategic deception has created a volunteer class of the arrogantly ignorant. While such consistent dishonesty is annoying, my greater concern is for the future of the republic. The health of our democratic system of government relies at least somewhat upon a reasonably well-informed citizenry. When truth is relative, facts are fungible and the loudest voice wins the day, why, anyone really can become president. How do journalists combat the rallying cry of the president himself? It's impossible to argue with a fool or a liar. It is also difficult to convince people of one's earnestness or commitment to standards if they fundamentally don't care. In exasperation, one can be tempted to say such things as "Democracy Dies in Darkness," which happens to be the rather self-regarding slogan emblazoned on the Post's masthead and also happens to be true. Art, it seems, has come to the rescue. Voila : "The Post." Among the many reasons to love Steven Spielberg's new movie is that "The Post" might be the best rebuttal yet to the "fake news" mantra. It's the story of the Post's publication of parts of the Pentagon Papers, a classified history of the Vietnam War, which revealed that three presidents (John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon) had lied persistently about the war and its human toll. The New York Times actually broke the story but was forced to cease publishing under a Justice Department injunction, which ultimately was reversed by the Supreme Court in 1971. The injunction, nevertheless, provided The Post an opportunity to intercept the ball and run with it, publishing excerpts from its own, subsequently acquired copy of the documents. The movie traces the partnership of then-publisher Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep) and former executive editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) as they struggle with the decision to publish the papers. Much of the focus is on Graham, who assumed control of the Post after her husband and co-owner, Phil Graham, committed suicide in August 1963 hardly a tepid time to be in the news business. Although the paper has long been considered a Graham family enterprise, it was Katharine's father, Eugene Meyer, who bought the paper in 1933 at a bankruptcy auction, eventually handing over the reins to Katharine's husband. Underlying the story of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers was an unsubtle, feminist subtext that will be familiar to women of a certain age. In 1963, "Kay" Graham was the only woman in the boardroom and one of only a few women when she glided through the newsroom. Thus, this wife-turned-publisher had to face not only business challenges for which she was ill-prepared, including a risky public offering, she also had to convince skeptical men that she was up to the job. Her fear, convincingly portrayed and palpably disabling at times, was an obstacle to overcome, which she did with the help of the fearless Bradlee, the tough warrior-editor who was Hollywood long before Hanks (or Jason Robards) played him. Pivotal in Graham's transformation was the decision to publish the Pentagon Papers, which was portrayed as torturous owing to two concurrent problems: One, she feared the banks would abandon her during the then-imminent public offering; and, two, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, who had commissioned the study that became known as the Pentagon Papers, was one of her dearest friends. Both she and Bradlee, who had been close to Kennedy, were forced to choose between loyalty to friends or the truth. Their respective struggles with this essential question was, for me, the essence of the film. At one point, Bradlee, apparently hurt that Kennedy had lied to him, reflects on the inherent tension between being friends with newsmakers and his responsibility to report news. The message embedded therein is that facts and truth matter most of all. In newsrooms where real-life journalists pursue both, the very real struggles on view in "The Post" are replicated every day. There might be less drama, but the stakes are just as high. In a time of "fake news," darkness settles when people can no longer tell the difference. Kathleen Parker's email address is kathleenparker@washpost.com. Press Release December 24, 2017 De Lima thanks family and visitors for unconditional love, tireless support Sen. Leila M. de Lima today thanked her family and friends who visited her and attended a Holy Mass with her in anticipation of Christmas Day inside her detention quarters at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City. De Lima, who is celebrating her first Christmas in detention, said the love and support she is getting from families and friends strengthen and inspire her to keep fighting for her causes despite efforts by the present administration to taint her reputation. "Of course, this political persecution brought about by this vindictive regime pains me. Pero sa kabila ng lahat ng ito, masaya akong makapiling kayo ngayong Pasko?ang aking pamilya, mga kaibigan at taga-suporta," she shared. The Sunday Mass was officiated by Fathers Robert Reyes, Hector Canon and Flavie Villanueva inside the PNP-Custodial Center where the Senator has been detained for 303 days now. During the Mass, Father Reyes thanked De Lima for being a "martyr" for her country, explaining that being a martyr means standing up for what is right in God's eye notwithstanding the challenges that go with it. De Lima's brother, Vicente "Macky" de Lima II, greeted the Senator and conveyed his "unwavering love" for her after the Mass. "We wish a very merry Christmas for our dear Leila. Christmas celebrates the birth of our Lord. What better way to celebrate it than to practice what He preached. Above all, Jesus preached about love. So here's wishing you our dear Leila our unconditional and unwavering love," he said. Also present during the Mass was the Senator's aunt, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee and former head of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Lilia de Lima, who lauded De Lima for her tireless effort to stand up for what she believes in. "Very few people are given the chance to do what they believe in. Leila is blessed to do and pursue what she believes. As Socrates said, 'an unexamined life is not worth living.' She is living a life worth living," the Senator's aunt shared. De Lima's other brother Vicente "Nonoy" de Lima Jr. also attended the Mass. Her sister, Carolyn, was not present because she has to oversee the family tradition of giving gifts to Aetas and other indigent families in Iriga City. It is also the first time that the Senator is going to miss the Christmas gift-giving tradition. After the Mass, families, relatives and friends lunched together, followed by the singing of Christmas carols and exchange gifts. The former justice secretary will be celebrating her first Christmas Day inside her detention, in Camp Crame tomorrow to be joined by family, relatives and friends. De Lima earlier confirmed that she, as with other PNP Custodial Center detainees, were granted visits on Christmas Eve, December 24, until 1 a.m. the following day and on December 25, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. In the end, De Lima wishes for vindication and freedom from her unjust detention under the Duterte regime. Press Release December 24, 2017 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE OF PARTIDO LIBERAL PRESIDENT SEN. FRANCIS PANGILINAN ON CHRISTMAS 2017 Christmas is a chance to be in the company of loved ones: a time to get together and catch up with relatives we've long since been out of touch with; a time to celebrate with family and close friends, and drink and toast to more years of friendship. No Filipino household is ever without the traditional Noche Buena, however small and humble the feast is -- what matters is we are with the people who matter as we celebrate December 25. As we welcome the Savior's birth, we also remember how this past year has made it difficult for plenty of families to celebrate their Christmas with the usual joy and vigor. Many lost family and friends to a bloody campaign that has resulted in pain and grief for its victims. Many will celebrate away from the homes they have been denied the chance to return to. Many will celebrate alone. But although it is saddening, they represent the heart of the fighting Filipino: we are a resilient people, a nation that always looks to hope and love when all seems too difficult. Without a doubt, they will find a way to greet the Birth of Christ with smiles on their faces. This is the true meaning of Christmas, and what the Christ's birth has come to represent: joy, hope, and salvation. Whatever our circumstances may be, we will always be a people of good cheer, who love and cherish each other, headstrong and full of heart -- as long as we are with the people who matter. Have a merry, blessed Christmas everyone. Koko extends condolences to families of mall fire victims Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III on Sunday expressed his condolences to the victims of the fire that struck a mall in Davao City. A fire struck New City Commercial Center, or NCCC, one of the biggest malls in the city, and trapped 37 people inside. "I cannot express with words the grief that I share with the families of those trapped inside NCCC. I still hope for the best possible outcome. Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this terrible time", said Pimentel. Those trapped were identified by Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte as employees of a call center located inside the mall. Pimentel praised the bravery of firefighters who responded to the alarm, but also asked the Bureau of Fire Protection, or BFP, to thoroughly investigate the cause of the blaze. The Senate President said, "I want to know why they were trapped, and if there is anything we could have done to avoid this. I look forward to the report of BFP and see if we need to update our fire safety regulations to prevent a tragedy like this from happening again. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Andrew and Allyn Boone are spending their first Christmas on East Oaklands Picardy Drive, and just hearing them talk about it is stressful. The couple bought their house in June at the epicenter of the noted Christmas tree lane, on an island with three sides facing a street. That means three times the surface area to decorate their Tudor-style home, with castle-like turrets and peaked roofs that defy even telescopic ladders. And adding to the degree of difficulty: The Boones were expecting their first child in on Christmas. So getting the lights up has been a little daunting this year, Andrew Boone said in a late-November interview. Living on a Christmas tree lane where residents on a block agree to light up their homes in unison can be a joy, a headache, an expense, a reward and at times completely magical. Its pure uncut holiday spirit, visible from outer space. But the Boones had no idea they were bidding on a Christmas tree lane house when they first walked in the door, weary from a year of bidding and failing to get homes; a real estate agent disclosed it to them. Glenn Scurlock, in contrast, bid exclusively on holiday-friendly Picardy Drive homes before he and husband Tim Johnson moved in nearly six years ago. I love Christmas so much, Scurlock says. Its funny, because the neighbors will ask me, Are you sad that Christmas is over? and I say, No, because it lives in my heart all year round! The Bay Area has several Christmas tree lanes, including Thompson Avenue in Alameda, Fulton Street in Palo Alto and Eucalyptus Avenue in San Carlos. But Picardy has a layout seemingly designed for maximum Christmas cheer. The compact and charming Tudors, ringed around a central island that includes a giant conifer that is ceremonially lit each year, looks like something out of a model-train village. The houses were built in the 1920s on property owned by ship captain Charles Nelson, advertised as modest mansions. Swashbuckling architect R.C. Hillen promised to pack as much English, French and Normandy architectural flourish as possible into the 70 diminutive homes on a 10-acre tract. Peter Prato/Special to The Chronicle In addition to the picturesqueness of the exterior, Hillen told The Chronicle in 1926, each of these homes, though but five or six rooms, will possess many features found only in those pretentious houses of the $15,000 to $20,000 class. The early history of the light tradition is hazy, but residents think it started shortly after the homes were built. Rituals include a friendship chain that links the houses together with light strands, and an early December ceremony where a resident usually a small child climbs a ladder to light the tree. And, almost eerily, it seems as if no one ever moves away. Clyde Jones, 40, vice president of the Picardy Neighborhood Association board of directors, was born in his house. Three generations in his family Jones father, Jones and in 2016 his 10-year-old son have lit the tree. Jones says decisions are made throughout the year, including a thoughtful debate about when to schedule the ceremony to turn on the lights: earlier on Dec. 2 or later on Dec. 9. Neighbors are mindful that some elderly residents are on fixed incomes and see the difference in their power bills. And then there was also a question, Jones says. With everything going on in the world, do we want to actually do it earlier, so people have something to smile about? The neighborhood association is active, seemingly more organized than most Fortune 500 companies. When board member Kara Nielsen is asked by email what kind of tree is the conifer, it is quickly filtered to Picardy Drives resident arborist. (Answer, received 14 minutes later: a deodar cedar.) But despite the reputation of Christmas tree lanes as homeowners association nightmares, multiple board members say they have a policy of not strong-arming neighbors into joining the friendship chain. About 12 of the 70 houses on Picardy Drive do not have lights. We just let them be, says board president Dennis Rowcliffe. It wouldnt be fair to put pressure on people. Some people are concerned about their electric bills, others have religious reasons for not wanting to participate. Scurlock goes heavy on Christmas inside and outside his house. His tree facing the street through a large picture window looks like its own universe of lights, with a depth and radiance that seem to illuminate the street. He reports that his bill nearly triples from November to December. The month of December it goes up to about $480, Scurlock says, while greeting neighbors before the Dec. 9 ceremony. I will not live without Christmas, though. That house is getting lit! And so am I. ... Let me get my cocktail. One thing that doesnt change is the neighborly feel. Scurlock says hes happy he didnt get the first four Picardy Drive houses they bid on, because every one of the people who moved into those houses turned out to be great neighbors. The Boones are at the ceremony as well, this time looking much more relaxed. Their house looks fabulous they took advice from neighbors, who suggested using extendable fiberglass poles with hooks to light up hard-to-reach heights. Halfway through the ceremony, as Johnson is leading carols, neighborhood elder Julius Gaines slowly walks to the island. The 83-year-old tells a story that is remarkably similar to the one the Boones are living now: He didnt know about the lights either when he bought his house in 1978, until his neighbor told him as the holiday approached. Now Gaines wouldnt want to live anywhere else. Theres a spirit on the street, a pride, among most people who live here, Gaines says. They want to take care of their property. And they care about each other. Its amazing how concerned people are about each other on this street. Peter Hartlaub is The San Francisco Chronicles pop culture critic. Email: phartlaub@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @PeterHartlaub Christmas tree lanes in Bay Area Thompson Avenue, Alameda: This lovely presentation on the 3200 block of Thompson between High Street and Fernside Boulevard has a vibe similar to Picardy Drive. The city helps pay for lighting in the middle of the street. Eucalyptus Avenue, San Carlos: The 1900 block of Eucalyptus has many stately homes with beautiful and tasteful displays. www.lightsofthevalley.com Fulton Street, Palo Alto: A tradition since the 1940s on Fulton between Embarcadero Road and Seale Avenue. They also have the best Web address: www.christmastreelane.org Widmer World, Pleasanton: Not technically a Christmas tree lane (we didnt include isolated displays), but Widmer World is on more than an acre, so it feels like a city block. Located at 3671 Chelsea Court in Pleasanton. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The June Intelligent Oven is a computer-based appliance that bills itself as the worlds only smart convection oven. The San Francisco companys base models start at $1,495 and are said to cook chocolate-chip cookies and salmon filets perfectly. Gizmodo called the June a rich persons toaster oven that also happens to be the smartest thing in your home. June released a software update and new dehydrator add-on this month. But theres a twist: As of press time, the company had no ovens to actually sell and couldnt say when the next batch would be ready. As more and more smart devices invade the kitchen, more and more of these appliances are proving to be short-lived. In other words, your own connected kitchen is probably still years, if not decades, away. It is now possible to buy though not necessarily to receive ovens that will sense the food you place inside them and cook it to order, scales that tell your phone how many calories are in your smoothie and induction burners that sense the temperature of what youre cooking. The Instant Pot, a countertop pressure cooker with a million and one purported uses, continues to be this decades microwave, dominating cookbook best-seller lists and Amazon sales rankings. Some Instant Pot models, you may not be surprised to learn, talk to your phone as well. And yet, as the past six months have also demonstrated, the world is not ready for the Juicero, a $700 machine that custom-squeezed juice packs; the Teforia, a $1,500 machine that custom-brewed tea; or the Pantelligent, a $200 pan that told your phone whether you should turn your burner up or down. All three companies shut down over the fall. The SomaBar, a device that makes cocktails, has pivoted its target audience from aspiring home mixologists to the hotel and restaurant industry. According to Joe Derochowski, home industry analyst for market-research firm NPD, sales of home kitchen appliances are up 5 percent over last year. This industry is in a huge growth phase, and the best its been in since the 1970s, he said. NPD credits this spike to Millennials getting married and buying homes, just as Baby Boomers are retiring. Kimberly P. Mitchell/TNS Companies introducing smart kitchen devices, then, have picked a great time to launch. And yet, with the exception of the Instant Pot, its too early to see the mass market embrace them. With the smart home industry in general, the graveyards pretty huge at this point, said Michael Wolf, organizer of the Smart Kitchen Summit and publisher of the Spoon podcast. The highest-profile failure to date has been Juicero, which received north of $100 million in venture capital to develop a tabletop device that would squeeze packets of chopped fruits and vegetables to order and notify users phones if the packet was expired. Like many of these new companies, every major funding round was covered by the tech press. The company flamed out spectacularly this fall after an April 2017 Bloomberg story demonstrated the packs could be squeezed by hand, which led to widespread pillorizing. Investors lost faith, and the company folded soon after. As a startup, creating a new appliance, says Eric Norman, founder of Cinder think George Foreman Grill meets induction circulator, cooking foods to an extremely precise temperature involves more than mad tinkering in a garage. Not only do many parts need to be manufactured, the machines that make those parts need to be tooled. Add to that software development, staff salaries and marketing expenses, not to mention the cost of innumerable delays. Founders of smart-kitchen startups say that they are more nimble than established, deep-pocketed appliance companies, and more willing to take risks. Many are courting Silicon Valley money and are subsequently covered by the tech press, leading to early and eager hype followed by early and eager snark if they stumble. Inventing excuses to make something smart is eventually going to lead to failure, no matter what, Wolf said. Kickstarter only accelerates the buzz/fail cycle. Many such startups are using the crowdfunding platform to raise funds from potential early adopters to manufacture a device and attract media attention. Yet campaigns may produce as much grumbling as they do excitement. The first version of the Cinder, for instance (disclosure: I bought one), took more than a year to make it to customers. A second round of crowdfunding-based sales raised almost $550,000 in June 2017 and those orders have not shipped yet. According to Mike Wallace, co-founder of Perfect Company, which makes smart kitchen scales, Kickstarter has made this harder, because companies have had a successful Kickstarter (campaign) but have not known how to mass-market a product. He added, It has made retail more cynical and customers more cynical. If you look at companies that are having successes, Wolf said, theyre the ones who found a consumer problem that would be otherwise difficult to solve without their product. Wallace stressed another factor: I think price is everything in retail. Theres no point in buying a smart refrigerator, oven or juice machine if you cant afford a smartphone. Many people dont buy new appliances until a life change or until their old device fails. A smart device under $150 can be an impulse buy. Over $500 and it requires serious commitment, particularly for devices like the Teforia and Juicero, which charged even more for necessary accessories, such as their Keurig-like packs attractive to VC firms looking for revenue streams, but perilous to consumers. The Instant Pot succeeded because it added a few extra functions to an electric pressure cooker, removing many North Americans fears over exploding pots, which date to faulty 20th century products. The Instant Pot, which now offers versions for less than $50, also created and fostered a user community through social media. Other smart-appliance companies that have had some success include PicoBrew, which manufactures compact machines that make small batches of beer and sells PicoPak kits for users to replicate famous craft brews. PicoBrew did a few things right, founder Bill Mitchell said. Namely, the former Microsoft executive didnt need to raise funds until the first product was launched. While the company charged $2,000 for its introductory model, half of sales went to craft breweries who bought it to test pilot batches, adding to its street cred. The latest model, the PicoBrew C ($549), was spurred by a Kickstarter campaign that appeared just as the product was ready to ship in May 2017 and raised almost $2 million. Cheaper models are on the way. Were going to get to $199 before you know it, Mitchell said. Another success has been the Perfect Company, which produces a series of scales connected to smartphone apps that measure recipes for drinks and baked goods by weight. It was founded by designers of electronic toys, such as the Paper Jamz guitar and Power Glove game controller. Their established relationships with funders and factories in Asia allowed the company to quickly introduce its first product through the Brookstone catalog, priced at $79. The Portland, Ore., company has recipe designers as well as software engineers on staff to develop recipes, but co-founder Wallace said it also has support staff to handle questions from customers who like the idea of a smart appliance but arent yet comfortable using their phones. NPD analyst Derochowski projects that sales of smart, connected appliances will swell in another five to 10 years, after prices come down and more tech-adjusted generations stock their kitchens. In the meantime, startups need to figure out how to market their smart appliances or whether they should even be producing them at all. Whatever technology we buy, it has to have an er to it, Derochowski said. It isnt just replacing some behavior or other product. It has to be better, faster, cheaper, healthier, safer. Jonathan Kauffman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jkauffman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jonkauffman All in the Money in the World was in the news before it was in the theaters because of a reshoot to replace Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer following the sexual allegations against Spacey this fall. His role was that of billionaire J. Paul Getty, and when I read that, I assumed that Getty couldnt be that large a part. Pivotal, maybe. Colorful, for sure, but not something occupying much actual screen time. Well, it turns out that J. Paul Getty is all over All the Money in the World. He is the second or third lead and is in multiple scenes, which means that easily 30 percent of the film had to be completely reshot. This represents a remarkable and seamless technical achievement, as well as an impressive artistic achievement for director Ridley Scott and his cast. Plummer delivers brilliance in what had to be record time, and every person sharing a scene with Plummer Michelle Williams and Mark Wahlberg, in particular comes in fresh and spontaneous, responding anew to another actors completely different energy. The film tells the story of the notorious 1973 kidnapping of J. Paul Getty III, the 16-year-old grandson of the richest man in the world. The kidnapping was notorious for two reasons, one best discovered in the watching, and the other because the senior Getty, despite his wealth, was a tightwad who wouldnt pay the ransom. He was so cheap he laundered his own shirts and had a pay phone installed in the house in case his guests wanted to make calls. So forget about forking over $17 million. Someday, on some Blu-ray in the future, we might get to see how Spacey approached the role, but Plummer does something its hard to imagine anyone topping. He doesnt play active malevolence, but a mental disorder. He plays someone with a narrow, pinched view of existence, but one that, in his estimation, has been emphatically confirmed by fabulous success. So he goes around with a smirky glow, convinced that everyone wants what he has and amused that no one is going to get it. Now Playing: FOX 5's Kevin McCarthy spoke with Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Williams, stars of the new film, 'All The Money In The World.' Video: Fox5DC As such, he is not a villain. Hes just beyond the reach of other values. Human emotion touches him, but in muted form. If someone, such as his security man (Wahlberg), makes an appeal to some higher consideration, he assumes its a ploy, or he looks for the hidden money angle. He really thinks everyone is as selfish and mercenary as he is, but because everyone is at least a little selfish and mercenary, he keeps finding evidence that hes right. Plummer conveys all this with very little, a look, a smile, a subtle emphasis. This brings him into conflict with his former daughter-in-law, Abigail Harris Getty, the kidnapped boys mother, played impeccably by Williams. The kidnappers direct their ransom demands to the mother, naturally assuming that, because shes a Getty, shes loaded. She tells them that shes not, and they tell her to get it from the old man. Sure, why not? And how about some blood from a stone while shes at it? All the Money in the World is probably unique among kidnap sagas in that the primary conflict isnt between the victim and the kidnappers, or the mother and the kidnappers, but between Abigail and her former father-in-law. Abigail is essentially powerless, but the script and Williams keep her active, making appeals to the implacable billionaire and negotiating with the kidnappers for less ransom and more time. Williams adopts the particular speaking pattern of Abigail Getty, the forward placement, the slight sibilance and the hints of good breeding. This wasnt a necessary choice, but it works well to fill in the character. The role demands that Williams remain at a pitch of emotion throughout and then top even that, as when she goes to identify her sons body, and it turns out to be someone else, or she picks up the phone, and its her kidnapped son on the line. Williams always plays the unexpected. She doesnt feel the emotion and then express it. She feels and expresses it simultaneously, always while doing some other third thing. She knows what Al Pacino knew when he played that scene in The Godfather when Michaels wife blows up in her car. When the situation is that urgent, theres no split second for realization to register on a face. At that level of intense crisis, emotion and action are one. All the Money in the World doesnt transcend its genre, in the sense of being more than it is, a fascinating thriller. But its as realized a thriller as you are likely to find, not only in the precision of its performances, but in its evocative use of location (Rome, London), its period detail (especially Williams clothing) and the tension of the younger Gettys months-long captivity. It would be an unusual and somewhat harrowing experience to put oneself through on Christmas Day, but like all movies of this quality, it gives back more than it takes. Mick LaSalle is The San Francisco Chronicles movie critic. Email: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MickLaSalle All the Money in the World Thriller. Starring Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer and Mark Wahlberg. Directed by Ridley Scott. (R. 132 minutes.) A pill-popping ex-soldier with chaos tattooed on his arm has probably got himself a few problems. In a movie, hes also likely to be asked to beat up bad guys to a bloody mess, efficiently and expertly. Thats what happens in Disorder, a dark thriller about a troubled soldier-turned-bodyguard who takes a job to keep safe the well-heeled wife and child of a shady arms dealer. The proper name for what leading man Matthias Schoenaerts suffers from is post-traumatic stress disorder, and theres certainly no shortage of trauma and stress in director Alice Winocours well-paced, anxiety-filled thriller. There are hallucinations, breakdowns, visits to the psychiatrist, temper outbursts and brooding silences, all masterfully rendered by the bulky buzz-cut Schoenaerts, best known for roles in Bullhead and The Danish Girl. Almost all of the movie takes place in the arms dealers upper-crust estate in the south of France, not a bad place to hang out until the bad guys in black masks come calling. The violence is sporadic, intense, messy and interspersed with long interludes of the banalities of the security guard business swiveling surveillance cameras, alarm keypads, video monitors and annoying walkie-talkies. Director Alice Winocour lets the camera linger on portentous plastic bags blowing down the street, on things that bang in the wind, on suspicious folks in rearview mirrors and on the washing off of blood under a faucet. The violence jumps out when no ones looking. Schoenaerts has an unrequited crush on the arms dealers wife, played by Diane Kruger, who hasnt had so much trouble figuring out whats going on in a movie since she was reading all those secret codes on the back of the Declaration of Independence in National Treasure. Schoenaerts who was said to have slept only two hours a night during filming, to ramp up his stress level is thoroughly watchable as the troubled Afghanistan veteran, good at his work, equipped with all sorts of high-tech gadgets but with absolutely no idea about who or what is threatening his slinky client. He takes in everything and knows nothing. Everyone is in the dark, but its a tense, high-strung darkness that doesnt let up until Schoenaerts final, forlorn hallucination. Steve Rubenstein is a San Franciscio Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com Disorder Psychological thriller. Directed by Alice Winocour. Starring Matthias Schoenaerts and Diane Kruger. (R. 101 minutes) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN JOSE (BCN) Police are investigating a shooting that wounded a 16-year-old girl early this morning in South San Jose. At 1:48 a.m., officers responded to a report of a shooting victim in the 200 block of Berndorf Drive, according to police. There, officers located the teen victim suffering from at least one gunshot wound. She was taken to a hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening, police said. Police were unable to locate the suspects and the incident remains under investigation. Firefighters have contained a two-alarm fire that broke out at a single-family house Monday morning in the Bernal Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, fire officials said. At 1:58 a.m., fire officials announced on social media that the blaze at 257 Prospect Avenue was contained. It was first reported shortly after 1 a.m. We value your privacy. Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy. Weve reported before about a Colorado-based aircraft manufacturer called Boom, which is developing a next-generation supersonic passenger plane. In 2016, it got a big boost from Sir Richard Branson, and now Japan Airlines is officially joining the supersonic party. [FULL STORY & COMMENTS] Bransons involvement with Boom included an option to purchase the first 10 airframes it produces, followed late last year by the creation of a technical partnership between Boom and Bransons Virgin Galactic spaceflight company, committing the two firms to work together on engineering, manufacturing and flight tests. MANILA Fire crews battling an enormous blaze that tore through a shopping mall in a southern city in the Philippines, trapping at least 37 people, pulled one body from the building, the mayor said Sunday. But the vice mayor said there was no chance of survival for the other 36. Firefighters had difficulty entering the mall in Davao City after the fire started Saturday morning, said the vice mayor, Paolo Duterte. Our firemen are still struggling to find a way in as the fire is still burning, Duterte said. He said of those still trapped inside, Their chances of survival is zero. Mayor Inday Sara Duterte said one body had been recovered and that rescuers priority was to find all those who are missing. Do not stop until you find the 37, she said, calling the mall fire an unfortunate incident. The blaze erupted as city officials and emergency-relief workers were trying to rescue survivors of flash floods and landslides unleashed by Tropical Storm Tembin elsewhere in the region. The storm slammed into the eastern portion of Mindanao late Thursday, dumping torrential rains. By Sunday, the death toll stood at 231, officials said, with scores more missing. President Rodrigo Duterte, the father of Davao Citys mayor and vice mayor, visited the mall Saturday night and met with family members of those inside. Photographs released by his office showed him consoling relatives and wiping tears from his eyes. The president, who was previously mayor of Davao City and was in town for the holidays, assured the relatives of the victims that the government would extend help, said Harry Roque, Dutertes spokesman. The cause of the fire remains unknown. Officials said the blaze started near a furniture store on the buildings third floor. Many locals were doing their Christmas shopping, and employees were wrapping up their workweek before the holiday. Officials said many of the people trapped inside worked at a call center inside the mall. More than 24 hours later, the building remained on fire and was too dangerous to enter, the authorities said. We are currently coordinating with the authorities, said Thea Septaan Padua, a spokeswoman for the mall, adding that for now, no deaths had been confirmed. The authorities have been on heightened alert amid fears that Islamist militants could target shopping malls and other public areas. In September, when the president was visiting Davao, militants who claimed allegiance to the Islamic State bombed a night market in the city, killing 15 people. Felipe Villamor is a New York Times writer. 1 Popes message: Pope Francis used Sundays Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peters Basilica to focus on refugees and migrants, drawing a parallel between their travails and that of the holy family at the time of Jesus birth. Recalling that Mary gave birth to Jesus in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn, Francis highlighted the biblical story in a present day in which the White House has restricted travel for people from predominantly Muslim countries, the Myanmar military has carried out a vicious campaign against a stateless Rohingya minority, and wars, human trafficking and the indifference of wealthy nations have resulted in millions of families languishing in squalid refugee camps. Using the example of the holy family to emphasize the dangers that attend those who have to leave their home behind, Francis noted that in Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary found a city that seemed to want to build itself up by turning its back on others. 2 Jerusalem embassy: Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales announced on Christmas Eve that the Central American country will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, becoming the first nation to follow the lead of President Trump in ordering the change. Guatemala was one of nine nations that voted with the United States and Israel on Thursday when the U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a nonbinding resolution denouncing Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital. Trump didnt set any timetable for moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and neither did Morales. In a post on his official Facebook account Sunday, Morales said that after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he decided to instruct Guatemalas Foreign Ministry to move the embassy. No other country has their embassy for Israel in Jerusalem, though the Czech Republic has said it is considering such a move. To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below. Taipei, Dec. 25 (CNA) In a new approach to counter the headache long posed by wild monkeys to local residents and farmers in certain areas of Kaohsiung, from 2018 members of the public caught feeding the monkeys will be fined between NT$5,000 (US$166) and NT$10,000, according to a report in the United Daily News on Monday. By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree Hospital is the last place kids and their families want to be spending Christmas. But staff are always looking for ways to make it feel a bit more like home. Patient Ronin Smith, 9, in hospital recovering from meningitis, plays with his teddy among the ward decorations. Credit:Karleen Minney Children at Canberra Hospital had their days brightened with a special delivery of customised teddy bears on Christmas Day. Junior doctors at the hospital had worked on building and designing the bears as part of a mental health program. Many portraits of Ray Hughes have appeared in the Archibald Prize. Jun Chen's Ray Hughes was this year's runner-up. Credit:Felicity Jenkins, AGNSW Hughes showed German Expressionist prints, American Outsider art, Anatolian rugs, and was a pioneer of contemporary Chinese art. By the early 2000s he was exhibiting works by Li Jin, Qi Zhilong, Liu Xiaodong and many others who have since become superstars. Hughes would sell Liu Xiaodong's paintings for about $20,000, but nowadays his auction prices are in the millions. This breadth of vision, his extraordinary energy and willingness to take chances made Hughes a highly respected figure in the Australian art world. Everyone would talk about his "eye", which is the greatest compliment that can be paid to a dealer or collector. Ray Hughes often sported a fedora and the flashy clothes of a punter, he looked like he'd just left the racetrack. Credit:ADAM SMITH Hughes' case was slightly different because the "eye" comments were also a form of compensation for behaviour that alienated clients and artists. Hughes had a knack for insulting and abusing people who might have been valuable supporters. He had no patience for the way wealthy collectors always want to negotiate a better price. He was a passionate but jealous art lover who demanded total loyalty from his stable, even to the extent of not allowing artists to exhibit with dealers in other cities. For some this meant not being able to show work in their home towns. No-one could spend time around Hughes without seeing the dark side, although he could be the most ebullient and generous of hosts, holding weekly lunches in which artists and journalists mingled with business people, lawyers and politicians. In his own domain Hughes was a benevolent despot, dispensing largesse to anyone who came through the door. Take him out of the gallery and put him in any social situation and his insecurities rose to the surface. He would become furtive and awkward, bear-like and aggressive. His notorious wit would be transformed into spite and paranoia. He was the archetypal control freak, who hated being at the mercy of any host or hostess. Travelling with his artists at the Venice Biennale one year, he confiscated their passports to prevent anyone going off on their own. These domineering traits would appear more frequently when financial or personal pressures impinged. Hughes played strictly by his own rules, but those rules were subject to sudden, violent change. The more he raged and cursed, the more he mistreated people, the more pressure he would inflict upon himself. And so the cycle continued. Dozens of artists and collectors have stories about the way they parted company with Hughes. At his worst it was a Shakespearian tragedy. Having made the reputations of artists such as Robinson and Allen, he would part acrimoniously from both. What's amazing is that almost everyone who fell out with Hughes still retained an affection for him, as if realising that his demons were beyond his control. Hughes himself could have played Mephistopheles in a pantomime. He dressed in brilliantly coloured, made-to-order suits, with a tie collection any design museum would envy. Fuelled by a fearsome consumption of booze, Hughes' belly grew and grew until it appeared to have a life of its own. In later life he finessed his image with a long, shaggy beard, straight from the Victorian era. He was the one man in the room that could never be overlooked or forgotten. There is an exhibition to be done of the many portraits of Ray Hughes that have appeared in the Archibald Prize, without ever winning. Tantalisingly, Jun Chen's portrait of Hughes in a wheelchair was declared this year's runner-up. Among his feuds, Hughes would endure a catastrophic split from his second wife, Annette; and an estrangement from his adored and only son, Evan (b.1985). The latter would soon be patched up, because Ray's love for his son was so absolute it was the one rift he couldn't sustain. In 2012 the Ray Hughes Gallery became The Hughes Gallery, with Evan at the helm. In December 2015 the gallery quietly closed its doors, while Evan devoted himself to politics, going on to run against Malcolm Turnbull in the seat of Wentworth. Despite his ever-increasing girth, and his gargantuan intake of cigarettes and red wine, Hughes' stamina was almost supernatural. He would be the first up in the morning and the last to leave at night. When sober he could talk about art with an enthusiasm and insight that could rarely be matched. His sense of humour was scabrous, with marvellous stories, and nicknames for everyone. Because his lifestyle would have killed most people before the age of 50, it seemed as if Hughes would go on forever. When ill health finally struck, in the form of diabetes and knee problems it was as if a towering monument to Bacchus had been toppled. The wheelchair and the tee-totalling took a toll, but when I met Hughes for lunch a couple of months ago he was as sharp as ever, full of plans and ideas. Perhaps the greatest moment during the twilight of Hughes' career, came in 2013, with a visit from Chris Dercon, then director of Britain's Tate Modern. To the frustration of his minders, Dercon spent hours at the gallery, and later told the Art Gallery of NSW, in a public address, that it should hold an exhibition celebrating Hughes' achievements. If no one will do it here, he threatened, "then I'll do it at the Tate". A leading Australian inventor of solar technology, and one of the world's pioneers of renewable energy, has died at the age of 60. Stuart Wenham, who invented groundbreaking technology that significantly increased the efficiency of solar panels while cutting their cost, died on Saturday from malignant melanoma. Inventor Stuart Wenham 'made huge contributions to the recent emergence of solar as the cheapest option for bulk electricity supply'. Credit:Dan White Professor Wenham was the director of the Centre of Excellence for Advanced Photovoltaics and Photonics at the University of NSW and was awarded the British Institution of Engineering and Technology's A.F. Harvey Engineering Prize in 2013. "His influence as an Australian engineer on the world's transition to renewable energy was considerable," UNSW's dean of engineering Mark Hoffman said. Tokyo: Japan and Australia are close to agreeing a visiting forces agreement (VFA), which would foster smooth military operations between the two countries, according to the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull plans to visit Japan and hold talks with his counterpart Shinzo Abe to confirm the agreement ny mid-January, according to sources close to both governments. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a bilateral meeting at the ASEAN summit in Manila in November 2017. Credit:Fairfax Media With an eye to starting talks on a similar pact with Britain by the end of 2018, Tokyo intends to deepen international security cooperation through multiple avenues by strengthening coordination with "quasi-allies" in addition to the United States should circumstances on the Korean Peninsula and in the East and South China seas grow more severe. A VFA comprehensively stipulates the legal status of foreign forces engaged in temporary activities, such as joint exercises and disaster-relief missions, in a nation's territory. Sandringham: Queen Elizabeth and senior members of the royal family including newcomer Meghan Markle, Prince Harry's American fiancee have attended their traditional Christmas church service at Sandringham. Markle smiled and gave a brief wave in her first public appearance with the Queen. She and Harry stopped to talk with several locals on their way back to the Queen's residence. The Queen was joined by her husband, Prince Philip, and close family members including grandson Prince William and his wife, Kate, who is expected to give birth to the couple's third child in the northern spring. William and Kate also stopped to talk with area residents who had waited in the cold for a chance to give flowers to the royals. The crowd was larger than in past years, perhaps because of curiosity about Markle. Jessica Chastain, Annette Bening, Margot Robbie, Diane Kruger, Saoirse Ronan, and Kate Winslet are all great actresses in their own right. But they also share something else in common. They are all white. No surprise then that after the Los Angeles Times published a cover photo featuring the actresses with the headline "A shift in focus" that there was a negative reaction to its "whiteness". Did you hear? Brown is making a comeback in the fashion world. According to interiors trends predictions for the coming year, shades of cognac, almond and beige will be decking our halls, replacing a lot of that grey. And on Christmas Day, royal bride-to-be Meghan Markle stamped her authority as a trend-maker when she donned a brown felt hat for the Firm's annual Christmas church service at Sandringham. In case you hadn't noticed, the first church service with Queen Elizabeth II is a Very Big Deal. What will she wear? How will she curtesy? By all accounts, Meghan won the day, greeting the larger than usual crowds who were craning their necks for a glimpse of the newest addition to the family. Two police officers have been struck with bottles after they attempted to break up an unauthorised party at Little Bay Beach in Sydney's south. Two women were subsequently arrested and taken to Maroubra police station, a spokeswoman for NSW Police said. People were reportedly pepper sprayed and shoved to the ground by police officers, who were called to disperse dozens of partygoers gathered in an alcohol-free zone just before 3pm on Christmas Day. "They were all asked to move on and largely they did until they got to the end section of Anzac Parade and they then refused to move any further and these two [women] became belligerent," the duty officer at Maroubra said. To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below. Taipei, Dec. 25 (CNA) Takers of the latest examination by the Test of English for International Communications, better known as TOEIC, in Taiwan, which was canceled half way through, will be allowed to take the next test scheduled for January, Taiwan test organizer Chun Shin Ltd. said Monday. The body of missing Sydney man Patrick Hahn has been found on the lower north shore. The 25-year-old disappeared in the early hours of Friday morning after a night out, and police and his family had appealed for the public to help find him. Police found Patrick Hahn's body on Christmas Day at Hunters Hill. Credit:Facebook His disappearance sparked a search, and about 2.45pm on Christmas Day police found a man's body in the water in Hunters Hill. Police are yet to formally identify the body, but they believe it is Mr Hahn. Danielle Sharpes home is full of her family celebrating Christmas, but she will spend Christmas at Queenslands biggest hospital as the proud new mum to not one, but two Christmas Day babies. By 10am Christmas Day, the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital had welcomed five babies, including Ms Sharpes twins Zuri and Zayn Haddad. Danielle Sharpe with daughter Zuri, Her brother, Zayn, was still with medical staff when this photo was taken. He's doing well. Credit:Ruth McCosker Ms Sharpe said while her Christmas morning started early with a mad rush to the hospital she now had two healthy babies. I was concerned I was going to have a baby in the car because we left it until so late, it happened quite fast, she said. Doctors who have been reluctant to prescribe medicinal cannabis are getting the inside dope on the controversial drug from the federal government. Medicinal cannabis information booklets have just been published by the Turnbull government, aiming to make it easier for medical professionals to prescribe the products. While cannabis can now be prescribed legally for some medical conditions, most doctors have little knowledge of how it can be used, according to legalisation advocates. While experts estimate up to 100,000 Australians are using cannabis to treat their medical conditions, only about 150 are doing so legally. Kabul: Afghan officials say that a suicide bomber has killed five people in an attack on the capital Kabul. A spokesman for the interior ministry says that the bomber blew himself up near an office of the country's intelligence service, killing five people and wounding two. The victims included women who were in a vehicle passing near the attack site. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but recent attacks in the capital have been claimed both by Taliban insurgents and Islamic States group fighters who have stepped up their attacks against Afghan security forces. AP Washington: If praising US President Donald Trump were a contest, the top contestant would surely be, well, Trump. "I went to an Ivy League college," Trump said on October 25. "I was a nice student. I did very well. I'm a very intelligent person." Vice President Mike Pence steals a look at his leader during celebrations to mark the passage of Trump's tax bill. Credit:ZACH GIBSON "One of the great memories of all time," Trump also said, pointing to his temple. "There has never been a 10-month president that has accomplished what we have accomplished," Trump said of his record on November 29. "That, I can tell you." The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement NORWALK Norwalk Community College will offer a new scholarship for African-American men beginning this spring. The scholarship will be awarded to 10 students majoring in STEM-related fields. The STEM disciplines cover science, technology, mathematics and engineering. Created by OMNIKAL founder, Norwalk Community College alumni and Fairfield businessman Kenton Clarke, the scholarship addresses the lack of opportunities for African-American males to enter fields in technology. There is a shortage of building a strong pool of talent within this community, Clarke said. The formation of this scholarship is just one step forward in building the pipeline for diverse talent in the technology industry. At the heart of STEM is entrepreneurship, as a majority of STEM majors become entrepreneurs and account for a huge percentage of the small business workforce. Roughly 17 percent of Norwalk Community College students identify as African-American, according to the schools enrollment report. There is no breakdown of how many of those students are males majoring in STEM-related fields. Data from the National Science Foundation shows that the number of black men who earn science and engineering doctorates in the U.S. grew by more than 25 percent in 10 years. That may seem like large growth; however, data shows that the number of black men receiving science and engineering doctorates barely budged between 2003 and 2013, and their representation has stayed essentially flat, between 4.5 percent and 4.8 percent of all science and engineering doctorates. Meanwhile, the number of science and engineering bachelors degrees awarded to black men increased 45 percent in that time frame. But similarly, black men as a proportion of all science and engineering bachelors degree recipients has remained essentially unchanged, at 6.1 percent in 2002 and 6.2 percent in 2012. Norwalk Community College and its Foundation are grateful to Kenton Clarke for creating a new scholarship to support African American male students studying technology at NCC, said NCC President, Dr. David Levinson. "The NCC Foundation awards $1 million in annual scholarships to support 500 students; STEM careers are of particular interest to both our students and the local business community. kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt A Christmas card that referred to Mnuchin and U.S. President Donald Trump was inside the package, which was labelled as coming from the American people, KABC-TV reported.A box filled with manure and addressed to Steven Mnuchin, the treasury secretary, was left Saturday at his neighbours home in the upscale Bel-Air neighbourhood of Los Angeles, police told KNBC-TV.Helicopter footage from the station showed the manure spilling onto the ground after authorities emptied the box, which was covered in Christmas wrapping paper.A Christmas card that referred to Mnuchin and U.S. President Donald Trump was inside the package, which was labelled as coming from the American people, KABC-TV reported.The Los Angeles Police Department told the television station KTLA the package contained horse manure. The box raised suspicions and the bomb squad was called to investigate.A Police Department spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.Mnuchin, who was home at the time, was made aware of the situation but was not in immediate danger, Rob Weise, a watch commander with the Police Department, told KNBC.A Secret Service spokesman told The Associated Press that the agency was aware of the episode but declined to comment further.Mnuchin, a former hedge fund manager and Hollywood film financier, was confirmed in February as treasury secretary and helped plan and pitch Trumps tax plan. During his time in office, he has come under fire for flying at taxpayer expense on military aircraft for trips that cost more than $800,000.The Treasury Departments Inspector General reviewed the air travel after Mnuchins wife, Louise Linton, posted a photo on Instagram in August of the couple leaving a government airplane and highlighting the high-end luxury brands she was wearing. Gering Police Department Dec. 1 Police were provided information regarding an alleged sexual assault that occurred in 2012 to 2014. Information was forwarded to the Scotts Bluff County Sheriffs Office and Goshen County, Wyoming, law enforcement for further investigation. Dec. 4 Officers investigated a report of child abuse in the 1400 block of M Street. Dec. 6 A Gering business reported fraudulent use of a credit card. Dec. 8 In the 1000 block of Q Street, Dylan Jacobs, 26, was arrested on charges of driving under suspension, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and a Cheyenne County warrant. In the 1800 block of M Street, David Burkey, 53, was arrested on charges of driving under suspension and possession of an open container. Donald Freouf, 58, was arrested on a Cedar County, Nebraska, warrant. Dec. 9 In the 800 block of D Street, a resident reported vandalism to a welder. Dec. 11 5:17 p.m. Officers investigated a report of check fraud in the 300 block of N Street. Kelli Vanderveen was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence after officers conducted a traffic stop. Dec. 15 2:11 a.m. A Gering woman reported a protection order violation. In the 2700 block of Country Club Road, Benjamin Paez, 38, was cited on charges of speeding, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Dec. 16 In the 1000 block of 16th Street, Gering Police responded to a theft complaint. Dec. 17 In the 1300 block of M Street, police arrested Dallas Johannsen, 66, on a charge of driving under the influence. Dec. 20 Police received a report of a protection order violation. Jay D. Gall was cited on charges of driving under suspension and felon in possession of a deadly weapon. Scotts Bluff County Sheriffs Department Nov. 30 On Old Oregon Trail Road, 10 feet south of Highway 92, Katherine M. Schmer, 51, of Scottsbluff, was involved in an accident. Schmers vehicle sustained $1,500 in damages. The vehicle was abandoned at the scene. Dec. 11 Deputies investigated a theft. Dec. 16 10:45 p.m. On Highway 29, 500 miles south of County Road A and 4 miles north of Mitchell, Kristen Charrier, 25, of Morrill, was involved in an accident, striking a deer. Charriers vehicle sustained $5,000 in damages. Dec. 18 Deputies investigated the theft of a license plate. 5:02 p.m. At 21st Avenue and South Beltline Highway, Caroline M. Nuss, 93, of Bayard, and Tyler S. Eichthaler, 26, of Scottsbluff, were involved in an accident. Both vehicle was totaled. Both Nuss and Eichthaler were cited, though charges were not noted in the report. Nuss was transported to Regional West Medical Center for treatment. Dec. 19 John Wyman was arrested on a charge of third-degree domestic assault. Johnathon R. Addleman was arrested on charges of driving under the influence and refusal to submit to a preliminary breath test. Dec. 16 1:41 a.m. 2600 feet north of Highway 71 and 600 feet south of Experiment Farm Road, Brandon Buhlke, 28, of Gering, was involved in an accident, striking a deer in the roadway. The vehicle driven by Buhlke, owned by the Nebraska State Patrol, sustained $5,000 in damages. Dec. 21 8:50 a.m. On East Overland, east of 21st Avenue, Branden A. Hessler, 23, of Morrill, and Mary Ann Hessler, 73, of Gering, were involved in an accident.Hesslers vehicle sustained $2,500 in damages. Mary Ann Hesslers vehicle sustained $1,900 in damages. A resident reported a possible theft from his vehicle, parked in the 30400 area of Liberty Oil Road. MASON CITY | Its been about a year since the developers of the Rock Island Clean Line project withdrew an application to build the controversial overhead transmission line in Iowa. Since then, other developers have publicly revealed their plans to transport the abundance of wind-generated electricity from Iowa and other upper Midwest states to larger markets, including Trey Ward. Ward is the CEO of Direct Connect Development Co. and lead on the SOO Green Renewable Rail project, a proposed 349-mile underground transmission line that would be built alongside Canadian Pacific Railway routes. "Some of the best wind resources in the world are obviously found in Northwest Iowa and SOO Green brings that cheap renewable energy to eastern markets like Chicago," Ward said. While the proposed route starts outside Mason City and ends in Plano, Illinois, SOO Green's project map also shows that Sheldon and Algona are "available." Our converter station to be located outside Mason City will withdraw power directly from the multi-state high voltage transmission grid, enabling us to draw power from wind farms located in Iowa, southern Minnesota and the eastern Dakotas, Ward said. Northwest Iowa, with its great wind resources, will very much be a part of our project. The more than $2.5 billion SOO Green project would create 600 construction jobs and 200 in-direct jobs. "These numbers do not include the jobs created to construct the winds farms enabled by the (high voltage, direct current) line, nor do they reflect the broader economic development opportunities for the region," Ward said. Construction is projected to start in 2020 and SOO Green would be in service by 2024, based on Ward's current trajectory. Meanwhile, Houston-based Clean Line Energy Partners insist the Rock Island Clean is still alive. The purpose of this project was to erect a 500-mile overhead line starting in northwest Iowa's O'Brien County over private land and deliver wind-generated electricity to Illinois and states in the eastern part of the U.S. However, a recent ruling by the Illinois Supreme Court provided yet another setback for Rock Island, an obstacle Ware hopes to avoid. "Our goal is to build the transmission line in a socially and environmentally responsible manner respecting landowners' rights," he said Having an underground transmission line is one of the advantages Ward thinks SOO Green has over other projects including Rock Island, which faced a lot of backlash from landowners. The fact that SOO Green has the majority of its land already under control is a huge competitive advantage, he said. One of the largest single impediments for competing transmission projects is that they need to secure land rights. Landowners in several states, including Iowa, have pushed back against private corporations taking their land for the developers benefit. They are additionally agitated with the viewshed and other impacts of large, overhead transmission lines near the family farm. SOO Green does not have these issues. The Queen and the Reverend Patrick Taylor. The Reverend Patrick Taylor, the vicar of Holy Trinity Stratford-upon-Avon, with All Saints Luddington and St Helens Clifford Chambers, writes a Christmas message for the Herald... "The anniversary this year of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, reminded me of that mournful time back in 1997 when the Queen was criticised for seeming to be shut away in remote Balmoral, whilst the public flocked to Kensington Palace and many other places to lay flowers and express their sadness and shock. "Newspaper headlines asked Where is our Queen? "In an interview this year, Prince William explained that at the time the Queen felt very torn between being the grandmother to William and Harry, and her Queen role. "In the end, of course, she did return to London and greeted mourners outside Buckingham Palace. "She then made her first live televised speech to the nation in almost 40 years, during which her message seemed to be: look, I may be the Queen but Im a human being as well, and experience all the same feelings of shock and sadness we all feel. "Its been said that her willingness at that crucial time to make herself vulnerable by walking amongst the people and expressing her humanity saved the monarchy. "At Christmas we celebrate the fact that God does not remain distant from us or uninvolved with our human existence. "The birth of Jesus marks the moment when God decides to come amongst his people and share the emotions and experiences we all go through in life. "So at the heart of Christmas is something quite radical: God becomes vulnerable. This is, I think, a unique claim of the Christian faith. "Yet if God is love then this is entirely consistent, because to love is to open ourselves up to someone else and risk being hurt or rejected. "May we all know that Gods love surrounds us this Christmas in all the hurts, griefs and joys of our lives." Phil Davis as Scrooge in the RSCs A Christmas Carol. Photo: RSC/Manuel Harlan. PHIL Davis talks to Herald arts' Gill Sutherland about playing Scrooge in A Christmas Carol at the Royal Shakespeare Company... From spawny mod in Quadrophenia to playing possibly the greatest fictional character how did that happen? Well, theres quite a gap! But I do think how did I get here? I was brought up on a council estate in Essex and always wanted to be an actor, and, of course, one could only dream of being an iconic character in a production at the Royal Shakespeare Company. And here I am. Its wonderful... You started with the legendary Joan Littlewood, who has been called the mother of modern theatre and is the subject of a new RSC play next year, what was that like? It was fantastic. It was 1972 and I desperately wanted to get going as an actor, but I couldnt have gone to drama school because we didnt have the money. I answered an advert in The Stage and went down to Stratford East [where Joan ran the infamous Theatre Workshop] and I was only meant to be there for one show, but Joan took to me and kept me on for a year. So it was like my training really, and in some ways it was an advantage not going to drama school because she worked in such an idiosyncratic way, I had nothing to unlearn. She was wonderful for me but she was tough [he laughs at the memory she was notoriously difficult]. But for me she was great, and I came out of there fearless, because I thought if I can cope with her I can cope with anyone! Ill be interested to see the show they are going to do about her here. What was her approach? There was a lot of improvisation, a lot of extemporization. The script would go out the window and we would make it up and then gradually Actually I cant really describe the way she worked, it was like nobody else. There was a kind of freedom there was a box of hats and coats at the back of the stage and you could just put one of those on, walk into the scene and make stuff up. The real key to it was that the shows were like living things, they were never finished, never set, they were always, always work in progress, organic and alive, and as soon as it got settled and comfortable she would throw it all up in the air and start again. She was completely unconcerned in those days with the greasy pole or critics and all that, she just wanted to do her thing, in her theatre, for her audience. She had a great love of people, ordinary people. Like, normally when you arrive at the theatre as an actor you wouldnt walk across the stage, she said no, go and say hello to your friends, say good evening. It was inclusive. How do you think it would be if you were starting out now? Well, I dont think theres an equivalent to Joan and her theatre. Most theatres dont really have companies the way hers did. Its a very different world. Its all about being famous and getting on TV. What was your motivation in wanting to be an actor? I really cant say. I could read pretty early and liked reading out loud. A teacher at my primary school said to my mum at a parents evening: Hes a born actor, and that stuck in my head. We didnt go to the theatre, or the cinema much either. It wasnt like I was watching other actors going: I want to be like him, for me it was the doing of it. I always felt very comfortable pretending to be someone else [laughs]. Did your folks encourage you? Yes, although they were a bit baffled by it. My dad worked in a factory and to have a kid who wanted to be an actor was unusual; they couldnt help but they were fantastic really, and they never tried to discourage me, they let me go my own way. They were very proud, although they are no longer with us. You have also worked a lot with Mike Leigh, how much has that been an influence on you and shaped you as an actor? The two big influences on my life were Joan Littlewood and Mike Leigh. Up until I met Mike in the mid-1970s and started working with him, in some ways I had thought of all the characters Id played as sort of extensions of myself. But with Mike you were suddenly making a serious investigation of somebody elses life, creating these characters and researching them. It changed me completely, I thought: I can do this. Obviously any character I play is going to look like me, short and blond, but I can take on other peoples characteristics and I started to take myself more seriously as an actor. A lot of the parts I was playing, because of my background, were Cockney kids and Jack the lads, and suddenly they started to get more detailed and more complicated. Mike Leigh has said some lovely things about you but he says just dont ask him to do an accent Hes quite right, he always says that. Although I did a passable Salford accent for First Light at Chichester last year, he came to see it and says the accent wasnt bad. What are some of the highlights of your career? My first success was a play called Gotcha by Barrie Keeffe [in 1976] which I did at a tiny little theatre in Soho, it was my first proper success after I had left Joan. And my work with Mike, Im particularly fond of Vera Drake [the 2004 film], that was a wonderful part. A lot of my favourites arent necessarily the ones that were big successes. There was a thing I did for Channel 4, 20,000 Streets Under The Sky, adapted from a Patrick Hamilton novel and Im particularly fond of that; and Bleak House, and the cabbie in Sherlock Im in the very first episode, Pretty in Pink. I just want to keep going and get more juicy roles. You are forever associated with being Chalky in the 1979 cult film Quadrophenia is that ever, well, a trial? Do I get bored with it?! Kind of yes and kind of no. The curious thing is that when it first came out it wasnt a big hit, then five years later kids are watching it on VHS, and then ten years, then 15 years. And people coming up saying Ive watched it 25 times. Even David Edgar [playwright who as adapted A Christmas Carol for the RSC production] at the read-through was like: I love Quadrophenia!. So its one of those films that gradually has turned into a cult. It didnt make a big difference to my career back then. I view it with amusement really, and, of course, people shout CHALKY! at me as they pass, which is very nice. How did the part of Scrooge come about? They just asked me to do it out of the blue. I was on my way to Wimbledon for the first time when I got a call saying would I like to play Ebenezer Scrooge at the Royal Shakespeare Company and Im a big fan of Dickens. I did Bleak House and also a bit in the Oliver Twist movie years ago with George C Scott as Fagan, and a Nicholas Nickleby movie playing various roles, and, of course, Scrooge is such a present character, and also the other great lure for me was the adaptation by David Edgar, which is masterful its not just doing the story, its very much more complicated than that. I dont do a lot of theatre, but I couldnt resist it. Seeing both parts of Nicholas Nickleby in the theatre [the RSCs 1980 production] was one of the best days I ever had. So here I am. Playing an iconic character such as Scrooge must be so immense, is that daunting at all? Well every part is daunting in a way, and playing Scrooge in A Christmas Carol is a particular responsibility, its a huge role. I go onstage at the beginning and I dont go off until the end. But its what I do, what I live for, so Im very pleased to be here doing it. Where does your job satisfaction lay? Mostly for me its the characters. A pair of shoes that I think will fit me what can I do with this or that. Scrooge is such an iconic shape in my head, I couldnt wait to have a go. Scrooge is such an iconic figure, how are you playing him so hes not just a stereotype? This is interesting because some people say you have to be careful with Dickens because the characters are so vivid, they are like characteurs I dont think that myself. But youve got to just do it: I hold my nose and jump. I didnt watch the films of other peoples Scrooges, I stayed away from them. I dont like talking about how I approach a role, its a trial and error thing. But I wanted to make it a big and bold performance, as it needed to be, but hopefully rooted in some reality. What is the vision for this production, and what can audiences expect? Im not sure how much I want to give away but Dickens is a character in the play. The original genesis of the story was that he wanted to write about the working conditions for Victorian children, and he was appalled and outraged. In this version his agent and editor, John Forster, says write it as a story, so its as if Dickens is conjuring us up as characters in the play, making it happen and commentating on the action. It gives a lovely almost Brechtian alienation thing, and its enormous fun. And theres lots of magic we have had an illusionist helping us with some of the tricks we are playing. There is live music and dancing, everything you would expect from a Dickensian Christmas story is all in there. How believable is the story of redemption? There is a transformation. When the Ghost of Christmas Past takes him back to his childhood you see why he became the man he became and the mistakes he made; the circumstances that threw him into a mode of living People cover themselves up so they dont get hurt; they grow a thick skin. Whether the story is believable you would have to ask the audience, but it is joyous and the story says nobody is beyond redemption, and the emotional punch of the story comes as this man is transformed. A friend of Nick Bishop, who plays Dickens, was in, and after he saw the production he said: It makes me want to go out and do good things, and thats wonderful to hear. Finally, as its beginning to look a lot like Christmas, are you a fan of the festive season? I love Christmas. I have children so Christmas is always very special. My son, sadly, is at university in Los Angeles so we wont see him. My daughter is 15, in her GCSE year, so shes at home. We thought about spending Christmas in Stratford, but I have an elderly mother-in-law whos not up for travelling, so were spending it in North London with her. We like to get the tree out put the decorations up, all the usual things. I usually cook Christmas lunch but Ill be having a break this year. We never have turkey, we usually have a nice joint of roast beef on the bone. Being Scrooge has in a way has made me feel even more Christmassy, partly because Im away from home and partly theres something tinselly about the show that makes you want to get a nice glass of red wine and sit by the tree with your feet up. I remember one white Christmas in the 1960s, I must have been about 11 or 12, and going out on Christmas morning and having a snowball fight with my brother and coming back in soaked, such fun. Theres a number of party games in the show because Dickens liked a game, and Scrooge likes a quiz. But Im not so fond of party games but I do like a quiz. We always sit down and watch University Challenge. Gift-wise, giving is better than receiving, and jewellery always goes down well. Diamonds for the ladies! WHEN AND WHERE: A Christmas Carol runs at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre until 4th February. To book tickets go to www.rsc.org.uk or call 01789 403493. Yellowstone County Republicans are looking for candidates to serve out the remainder of former state Rep. Adam Rosendale's term, after the Billings Republican resigned from his House seat earlier this month. Under Montana law, vacancies created in the Legislature are filled by appointment, with the commissioners of the county or counties included in that legislative district selecting a person to serve the remainder of the term from a pool of three candidates. The names of those candidates are submitted to the commissioners by the county-level party of which the former legislator was a member. The Yellowstone County Republican Central Committee will accept applicants through Jan. 2, 2018, chairman Tim Stark announced Wednesday in a press release. The county GOP has already formed a committee that will trim the applicant pool to three candidates later next month, Stark said. "We've actually had a few candidates inquire about the position before this press release was sent out," Stark added. "We feel very confident we'll be able to submit three qualified candidates to the commissioners by that deadline." Although Rosendale may have technically vacated his seat earlier this year after moving to Great Falls, he participated during the special legislative session in November before submitting his letter of resignation the weekend after the session ended. A spokeswoman for Secretary of State Corey Stapleton said in an email that his office received Rosendale's letter Dec. 7, and Stark said the county GOP was notified the same day. From that point, the Yellowstone County Republicans have 45 days to submit a list of qualified candidates. The commissioners then have 15 days to make their selection. To qualify for the position, candidates must be at least 18 years old by the time they take office, have been a state resident for at least one year and have been a resident of the county in which their district is located for at least six months. The person chosen to succeed Rosendale will represent Billings' House District 51, which stretches north along the Yellowstone River to include portions of the South Side and the West End to Shiloh Road. The seat will be up for re-election in next year's general election. Barring another special session before new House members are elected, Rosendale's replacement probably won't be overly burdened by the position in the meantime. Many legislators are required to periodically travel to Helena and other cities for interim committee meetings between regular sessions, but Rosendale did not hold any such assignments. "But we definitely want to make sure that we get somebody up there, if there is another special session, that they can stay in contact with members in that district," Stark said. SLT now operates under an executive committee By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s): The Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) management has temporarily being brought under an executive committee following the resignation of Group CEO Dileepa Wijesundera last week amidst trade union allegations of corruption and mismanagement against him. Mr. Wijesundera has vigorously denied these claims. The SLT board of directors has appointed an Executive Committee headed by Chairman P.G. Kumarasinghe and comprising three directors of Maxis Chan Chee Beng, Lawrence Paratz, Lai Choon Foong and SLT board director A.R. Desapriya to ensure smooth continuity of operations and effective decision making in the SLT Group during the transition period. The three directors from Kuala Lumpur-based Maxis are currently on the SLT board. Maxis has a 49 per cent stake in the company. These decisions were taken at the SLT board meeting held on Thursday, authoritative sources said. On the same day, the board announced to the Colombo Stock Exchange that Group CEO Mr. Wijesundera has resigned on December 12 but that the resignation is effective on March 11, 2018. It was also announced that Rohan de Silva, SLT independent director has resigned with effect from December 19. The functions earlier delegated to the Group CEO by the board of directors have been structured into three groups headed by three Chief Officers; these SLT sources said adding that these officers will be reporting to the Chairman. Kiththi Perera has been appointed as the Acting Chief Commercial Officer who will also be the Chief Enterprise and Wholesale Officer. P. Fernandez has been made the Acting Chief Technology officer who will also work as Chief Network Officer. Lalith Fernando has been appointed as the Group Chief Financial Officer who will oversee financial management of SLT and subsidiaries except Mobitel. These three officers have been vested with the responsibility of heading customer and market, infrastructure and projects and support services. Chairman P.G. Kumarasinghe is the head of CEOs subsidiary companies. Issuing a statement, the Telecommunication Engineers Union (TEU) says that they launched trade union action against the outgoing Group Chief Executive Officer, not to win anything for its members but to safeguard the SLT and employment security of all SLT staff members. Under the present set up the TEU has decided to suspend the trade union action with immediate effect. However, the TEU still believes that to re-establish SLT as a successful corporate entity, it needs more robust and speedy strategic measures including the removal of other remaining disruptive elements from SLT. Therefore, TEU said it will continue to assist the ongoing investigation, which was initiated on their request and it will closely monitor its outcome. Sri Lanka asserts following EU standards in tea exports View(s): Sri Lanka stands ready to assure Russian authorities that it has adhered to plant quarantine regulations of that country in exporting tea, top government officials said. The national plant quarantine service is used to randomly check agriculture product consignments for export, Plantations Ministry Secretary, J.A. Ranjith told the Business Times. Sri Lanka follows the European Union standards when exporting tea to those countries including Russia. Meanwhile Sri Lanka Tea board Chairman Rohan Pethiyagoda said he was leading a technical delegation to Russia next week for discussions with authorities on the ban on Sri Lankan tea with effect from December 18. While stating that there were no immediate developments after the suspension of all Sri Lankan agriculture products after a beetle was found in one tea consignment, he was optimistic that Russian authorities would lift the temporary restriction imposed on Sri Lanka tea exports after January 12 since officials there are enjoying Christmas holidays next week. The suspension of Sri Lankan tea didnt have much of an impact on prices at the Colombo auction this week since much of the buying for the Russian market has already taken place owing to the Christmas holidays. The auction resumes on January 2 with a break next week for Christmas. Mr. Ranjith said the eight or nine member Sri Lankan technical delegation includes an expert attached to national quarantine service. He noted that this matter has been brought to the notice of Rosselkhoznadzor (Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance) and Sri Lankan authorities would work with Russian counterparts to resolve the issue soon. Sri Lanka is also ready to follow any further quarantine regulations imposed on the island nations exports including tea by Russia, he said, adding that the technical delegation will inspect 83 containers held by Russian Customs. They will begin their work on December 27 after the Christmas holidays in Russia, he disclosed. An official reply has been sent in response to the notification issued by Russia, he said adding that President Maithripala Sirisena has sent a personal letter to the Russian president requesting him to re-consider the decision. He said that he cannot comment on the lifting of the asbestos import ban from Russia and its connection with tea export ban. A delegation led by the Minister of Science and Technology Susil Premajayantha will be leaving for Russia in early January to discuss the situation pertaining to the asbestos imported from Russia, a top official of the Finance ministry said without giving details of the visit. He said that there will not be any economic impact on Sri Lanka if this Russian ban is settled without delay. But it will exert a great impact if this matter is allowed to drag on; he said adding that Russia was the second largest buyer of Sri Lankas Ceylon tea after Iran. (Bandula) The dependency syndrome View(s): Last weeks tiff with Russia over tea shows the power a single country can have on a particular export from Sri Lanka. While Sri Lankan authorities have begun negotiating with Russias agricultural safety office Rosselkhoznadzor (the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance) and other agencies, a team of Sri Lanka officials was arriving in Moscow by the weekend for extended discussions to lift the ban. The Russian agency suspended all agricultural imports from Sri Lanka with effect from December 18 after it says an insect, known as the Khapra beetle, was found in the packaging of one consignment of tea from Sri Lanka. The Khapra beetle is only found in grains and seed and Sri Lankas vigorous defence is that it may have already been in the container at the time of loading and shipping the tea from Colombo. The entire tea trade has lent its support to Sri Lankan authorities to resolve the ban crisis which would have a huge impact on Ceylon Tea once the auctions resume in January. The tea auctions in Colombo this week were not impacted by the Russian tea ban since much of the pre-Christmas buying had already been done. The engagement of the private tea trade in the crisis and their concerns which are equal or even more than state agencies reflect the long-standing partnership between the private and public sectors in this sector. The same can be said of tourism which is driven by the private sector and facilitated by the government. This also applies to garments where private sector umbrella group Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) works closely with government agencies, a partnership which came to the fore in the recent, successful negotiations to restore GSP+ which had been suspended over alleged human rights abuses. In a way these are effective public-private partnerships working towards one goal enhancing exports, earning foreign exchange and increasing employment. The same should apply to IT (Information Technology) and other newly-emerging industries where the government plays the role of a facilitator while the private sector drives the countrys export agenda. On the flipside however, the need to have many eggs in many baskets instead of dependence on a few markets is clearly reflected in the latest tea saga. While Russia is now Sri Lankas biggest buyer of tea, its tea purchases at the Colombo auction also have a huge impact on prices. Russian buyers active in the market can push prices up, while the reverse happens if they are not there. A similar scenario in terms of dependency occurs in tourism. While for many years, Western Europe the UK, Germany and France was Sri Lankas main source markets, the decisive moment came when arrivals from this source, though they kept coming, shrank during the 30-year long conflict. At that moment, Indians began discovering Sri Lanka (largely due to the growing affluence of the middle class and a penchant for travel) with numbers rising to record exponential growth. And at the same time, as Chinas economy started growing, the affluence of the middle class also grew resulting in millions of Chinese seeking new destinations to visit. And with long-standing relations between Sri Lanka and China enhanced with the rubber-rice pact in the 1950s (in which the 65th year of the signing of the pact was celebrated in Colombo this week), the island was a natural attraction for Chinese visitors. India and China are now Sri Lankas biggest tourism source markets, upstaging the West. However, Sri Lankan authorities continue their engagement with the earlier, main generating markets like the UK, Germany and France through advertising and marketing and also since concentration on a single, sizable market may not be wise, as seen during wartime Sri Lanka. Apart from the conflict which saw reduced numbers of tourism from the West, the recession in Europe has also affected travel over the years with Europeans opting for short-haul, cheaper travel. Dependency on the West and the US in garments exports also nearly killed the apparel sector after losing GSP+ concessions some years back and when the US textile quota era ended in 2005. A joint public-private partnership has been largely responsible for the restoration of GSP+ concessions. However, these setbacks over the past decade to the garments trade saw large producers like MAS, Brandix or Hirdaramani go upmarket and tap into the high value garments segment, which was unaffected by the concessions, and succeeding. In the case of tea, West Asia and Russia came to Sri Lankas rescue when buying from the West became more blend-centric and over the years these markets have largely strengthened the demand for the Ceylon Tea brand. However, occasional disturbances in key markets be it tea, tourism or garments have proved beyond doubt that having all your eggs in one basket is not only economically unsustainable but endangers the countrys export earnings potential. Another side of the story is that diversification of Sri Lankas exports is desperately needed but woefully inadequate. In all three sectors because of traditional affluence of the West against the East dependency has been on these markets be it tea, tourism or garments, which are Sri Lankas main revenue earners. However, the dependency factor Russia and West Asia in the case of tea, the West in the case of pre-war Sri Lanka tourism and Europe in the case of mid-and-low range garments exports is something that has to be avoided as vividly portrayed by recent hiccups in dependent markets. There is a single thread that runs across the three sectors which needs to be followed by the trade closely. Producing bulk and cheap is not the way to go for tea or garments. The same applies in the case of tourism: Offering an upmarket product along with mass-market products. While Sri Lanka is no longer a cheap labour producer of tea or garments, tourism pricing has also become an issue as our mass-market product is costlier than those in the region. Thus while spreading the net far and wide instead of dependency on some markets, going upmarket, tapping into niches and creating a product that Sri Lanka can be proud of, is the only route to the top. And Sri Lanka has niches that no other country has; its tea is the best in the world and fetches the highest price. So rather than sell bulk and be just a part of a pack that for example sells in a UK or German store as blended tea, that pack on the shelf should be Pure Ceylon Tea, not blended Ceylon Tea. Similarly, producing high-value upmarket garments create that niche that the country sorely needs and instead of being dependent, the trick is to create a dependency from the buying side. Tea and garments from Sri Lanka should be products that foreign buyers and consumers need and depend on, instead of vice versa. Likewise tourism should be either 50:50 mass market and upmarket or a higher percentage of upmarket, high-value products though this may not be easy given the surfeit of new rooms in the market and incoming ones serving the mid-and-low budget traveller. A mix of upmarket and mid/low market would also help to sustain the carrying capacity of the country and control over-visitation to cultural and nature sites which are being threatened by increasing footfall. A diversified export structure which many Governments have tried and failed over the years with dependency on a few sectors and largely from foreign remittances of Sri Lankan migrant workers, is the critical element in the economy that has eluded Sri Lanka. Thus while the Russian tea crisis will come and go, in the sense that it would be sorted out as the tit-for-tat battle (asbestos ban versus tea ban) peters out, spreading the eggs in the tea, tourism and garments baskets is the way forward. Meanwhile, the silence in the house, as these thoughts are furiously typed for this weeks column, is golden. Kussi Amma Seras noisy chatter and gossip sometimes welcome I must admit are missing today. Thats because she is on holiday in the village for the long Christmas weekend. She was missed, not too much however as a discussion on tea, garments and tourism would have gone over her head and led her running to our neighbours domestic aide and comrade-in-arms Serapina with a Mey gollo monawada kiyanne, mata therenne naha. On that note we wish all Business Times readers a peaceful and blessed Christmas. Three pyramid type businesses under probe View(s): Three pyramid schemes or those that are similar to such networks including Global Lifestyle Lanka Ltd are under investigation by the Central Bank (CB) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), CB officials say. The Chavakachcheri Magistrate Court in the Jaffna district earlier this month issued an interim injunction on Global Lifestyle Lanka Ltd (GLLL) based in Colombo which has been carrying on pyramid type business in the region after a report submitted to court by the Chavakachcheri Police following many complaints made by residents. In the ruling, Chavakachcheri District Judge cum Magistrate Ms. Srinithi Nandasegaran ordered the company to stop their activities and the Court Registrar to inform the Central Bank Governor and the FCID about the company and to monitor its activities. CB officials said that the GLLL case was handed to the CID recently and they are probing the company. The CB is collecting information on another similar pyramid type scheme in Colombo. We will be handing this information to the CID by early next year, an official told the Business Times. He added that theres a pyramid scheme operating in Hambantota thats also being probed and the CB has almost completed this investigation with the CID. The CID will be filing charges on this. (Dec) Decisive role in local polls for new generation of 700,000 voters Sirisena faces tough challenge to prevent SLFP from suffering defeat and being further weakened Rising living costs cause problems for SLFP, UNP; another major issue is the failure to bring corrupt VIPs to justice International airlines consultant issues damning report on SriLankan, warning of bankruptcy; unions slam chairman for issuing damaging statements Sri Lankans, 15.7 million of them countrywide, are eligible to vote at the February 10 local polls 700,000 more than the previous August 2015 parliamentary elections to pick 8,356 councillors. That a new generation has swelled the ranks of voters is significant in many ways. In early post-independent Sri Lanka, local polls were the nursery for national level politicians. J.R. Jayewardene, R. Premadasa, N.M. Perera and a host of others cut their teeth in politics in municipal elections. Later, local councils were to become a game of power play amongst local stalwarts of political parties. Issues have centred mostly on who can deliver and who is more popular, the doctor or the driver, the businessman or the bar owner, the lawyer or a landed proprietor, the warlord or the war veteran and so on. Party considerations have also been significant as voters began to align themselves with one party or the other. This time, however, many factors have changed. For over two and half years, local authorities did not function. There were no elected representatives to service the needs of the people. Their role was placed in the hands of Special Commissioners. That it caused untold sufferings to the people is no secret. Special Commissioners were meant to take charge of councils that were riddled with corrupt politicians. Things changed when Special Commissioners themselves became corrupt and inefficient. This was clearly seen during the recent natural disasters where local politicians were outnumbered by bureaucrats. Another instance is the widespread outbreak of dengue, which among other reasons, was because drains were left unattended and most locations in local authority areas became breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Just two examples of the tales of woe of the people who are ratepayers give an insight. One struggled for months to have a building plan passed. Bureaucrats running the administration wanted to ensure every little detail required by law was adhered to, lest they be summoned before the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID). In other places, an oiling of the palm got the job done. Another found a street light outside his house at a junction had fused and spoken about it to his former member of the ward. It was of no avail for three long months. He had to work his way through the bureaucratic ladder to have it attended to. Earlier, as a witty former Urban Council Chairman declared, You give them something. The job is done. Both sides are beneficiaries. That is paying a bribe to get matters sorted out. Not that it does not happen now but he says most bureaucrats are now frightened. Needless to say public discontent has grown deeper in the period when there has been a vacuum in local bodies with the absence of elected members. To put it plainly, democracy was not functioning at the grassroots level and the yahapalanaya or good governance was seemingly from the centre in Colombo. New local government laws have been promulgated in an exercise where one draft law after another were introduced. It became patent as the months went by that other than updating laws, it was also a way of delaying the local polls. Added to that was the introduction of a new electoral system. Public discontent grew further and even political parties within the Government were frustrated. For Government leaders, particularly for President Maithripala Sirisena, it turned out to be a challenging task. He had regained considerable popularity after appointing a Commission of Inquiry to probe the Central Bank bond scam. Now, how does he avoid defeat and prevent a divided and debilitated Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) suffering further. Worse enough, what would be the partys fate if it were to come a third or even a fourth in some areas? The situation had been made difficult due to the strained relations Sirisena and his SLFP had with their major coalition partner, the United National Party (UNP). That appears to be the avtur or jet fuel that propelled him to try to mend fences with the feuding faction of the SLFP led by his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa. He sought the help of a number of persons, including the Buddhist clergy. He spoke personally to former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa who was in open to discussions on re-uniting. His emissaries shuttled between him on the one hand and with Mahinda Rajapaksa as well as Basil Rajapaksa on the other. The duo bluntly rejected Sirisenas last minute desperate overtures. Gotabaya Rajapaksa flew to Los Angeles and vowed not to return until the local polls are over. The organisations he had formed will keep away from the campaign. There is disappointment that the former Defence Secretary failed to deliver in re-uniting the SLFP. Sirisena trained his guns on Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the weekly ministerial meeting on Tuesday. He noted that some six billion rupees were being spent as rent every month to locate Army establishments in 15 different buildings in the City of Colombo. This, he noted, even posed a threat to national security. After the ministerial meeting, he urged Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe to hold a news conference that very day (Tuesday) and make the facts public. The usual news briefing after the ministerial meeting followed on Wednesday. It is not only Sri Lankans who have been keenly following these developments. So have the Colombo based diplomatic missions, particularly those representing western nations which backed the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe combination at the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2015. For them, it has turned out to be as good as national elections with both local and international implications. Locally, it would be the first test to find out whether the registered voters approve of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe Government and its policies. Internationally, the outcome will reveal Sirisenas public standing and how best it would help or affect his role as the President of Sri Lanka. That too is in the backdrop of both the SLFP and the UNP contesting separately and fears of the election rhetoric further aggravating their relationship. This is notwithstanding pronouncements from both sides that contestants would be cautious not to attack each other. This is where the role of the 700,000 new generation of voters becomes significant. Being of a young age, they are literate and quite discerning over the numerous issues. Their votes and the new electoral system are being put to use for the first time. It could prove wrong conventional forecasts of the polls outcome and make many a prognosis flawed. Then, there are the other issues at play though the key parties are ready to throw money. Without doubt, the most damning issue for the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe Government has been the still rising living costs a fact admitted by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe himself at a recent meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers. He has since been speaking of relief packages. That it has been cause for far lesser crowds at Colombos leading shopping malls during this Christmas and New Year season is too revealing. With the Ministry of Agriculture in slumber, little appears to have been done for paddy production. The result has been more imports. Fertilizer is in short supply. These portend an even grim picture for next years Sinhala Avurudhu and Hindu New Year in April. Altogether there will be polls for 331 local authorities. Nominations for 93 of them were held earlier. There was a repeat of mistakes by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). Among the 29 nomination papers rejected, five were from the SLPP. Earlier, six such papers were rejected. The new ones are the Jaffna Municipal Council, Pradeshiya Sabhas in Delft, Valikamam (North), Valikamam (East) and Thirippane. The nomination papers for UPFA candidates for the Pradeshiya Sabhas of Elpitiya, Polgahawela and Bibile were also rejected. In the Pradeshiya Sabhas of Weligama and Rideegama, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress found its nomination papers rejected too. Details of this weeks nominations appear elsewhere in this newspaper. SLPP strategist Basil Rajapaksa claimed yesterday that the rejections of nomination papers in the North was a tactical move and declared that the SLPP would go to courts on the rejection of the nomination papers in Tirippane. He said all Joint Opposition leaders headed by Mahinda Rajapaksa would take part in meetings at different districts. Asked whether the SLFP dissidents would thus face expulsion from the party, he said naturally we have to be prepared for it. They (the SLFP leadership) will realize after the polls that people are not with them. His claims were countered by SLFP Minister S.B. Dissanayake. He said, We have a good chance of winning more councils. The traditional and hardcore SLFPers who were with the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa are now turning towards President Maithripala Sirisena to protect the party. The SLPP has not been able to field any prominent candidates and in some cases not been able to file its nomination papers properly. There are UNP supporters including the minorities who supported them now turning towards us. Therefore, we are able to attract minority parties as well. UNP Minister Gamini Jayawickrema Perera said yesterday, We have picked good candidates who are not crooks. We will conduct house-to-house campaigns. We will tell the people not to empower those who faced corruption allegations but to strengthen our Government. We will educate the people about our Grama Rajya concept. Another polls issue is the continuation of bribery and corruption a key issue on which the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe Government was voted to power. Repeated pledges were made that high profile cases would be brought to courts. Politicians responsible for it are blaming it on the Attorney Generals Department. The latter in turn says that investigation reports lack substantial evidence that would meet the test in a court of law. Police top brass responsible for the probes complain, at least privately, that there was political pressure on them. That had included requests that some high profile persons allegedly involved be not arrested. One such major probe which led to startling findings suffered the same fate just weeks earlier. Almost two years of painstaking inquiries, which uncovered incriminating evidence, both in Sri Lanka and abroad, have been put on hold. This has angered at least some ministers both in the SLFP and the UNP. They refer to a move to increase salaries of Judges (except the superior courts), Law Officers of the Attorney Generals Department and the Legal Draftsmans Department. They argue that the increase in salaries and different allowances is being given sans other related factors. They point out that cases have been pending for 17 years or more according to a finding of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee. They also say a large number of investigation reports are held up at the Attorney Generals Department. Other than bribery and corruption, the Governments delay in dealing with state enterprises which are draining the countrys financial resources has also been the subject of public focus. The largest such enterprise has turned out to be the national carrier SriLankan Airlines. It was last month that its Chairman Ajit Dias warned employees that the airline faced closure in the larger interest of the countrys economy if tangible and sustainable restructuring cannot be achieved. Pointing out that the airlines principal lenders, the two state-run banks, are at a risk situation, he said in a message to all SriLankan employees that there were only two options. One was to restructure the company in such a way as to attract an equity partner. The other, he has said, is to carry out the restructuring in a manner that the airline can manage its own affairs without Government funding if finding a partner fails. So far, the airline has been unsuccessful in persuading partner airlines or other entities to invest. They have backed out after studying the financial status. Both, the Bank of Ceylon and the Peoples Bank have been issuing guarantees to SriLankan to the tune of billions of rupees to raise loans destabilising the banks themselves. This is besides huge loans obtained from them. They remain unpaid. His remarks drew an angry response from the Alliance of Trade Unions-SriLankan Airlines. Pointing out that the present Board of Directors was appointed to ameliorate our projected financial decline and rectify many malpractices and misappropriations your predecessors had allegedly committed, the Alliance told Chairman Dias your board does not have the prerequisite competencies or the attribute to manage our Airline, leave alone give any stability to it. Later, the Airline Pilots Guild of Sri Lanka declared in another letter, our stance of no confidence in your Board is also further substantiated by the significant defamation and commercial damages caused to our Airline, because of your statements. The letter added, we at SriLankan Airlines are of the firm belief that your management team has proven to be ineffective and unsuitable for the task at hand. Weeks earlier, President Sirisena declared that he would appoint a Commission of Inquiry to probe SriLankan Airlines. The move follows issues raised by Ministers at weekly cabinet meetings. So much so, Chairman Dias and directors were summoned by President Sirisena to answer questions about their activities and how the airline was draining the countrys resources. Addressing the SLFP electoral organisers at the Janadipathi Mandiraya President Sirisena on Friday night declared that he would appoint a Commission of Inquiry to probe both SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka. Now , Nyras, a British based investment and business advisory firm dealing with international air transport, hired by the Government for the third time to advice on SriLankan restructuring has voiced the same concerns though in different words. A report marked private and confidential dated December 20 prepared for Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, seen by the Sunday Times says in a key recommendation that there is the need for quick decision-making and the absolute focus of airline senior management: having a clear and robust Board and governance structure is therefore essential. Premier Wickremesinghe who chairs the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) met representatives of Nyras for discussions also on December 20. Nyras has recommended that the Board should have delegated authority to approve any decisions contained within the restructuring plan. The corollary of that assertion is that the present Board of Directors is not robust; nor does SriLankan Airlines have a governance structure that is essential for the board. The Nyras report says the Government Officials Committee to approve restructuring plan and quickly review major restructuring decisions (e.g. negotiation offers). Management to provide regular updates on progress of restructuring. The Board of Directors, Nyras says, must be prepared to act quickly and be available on an almost daily basis. It also wants to Consider appointing an Executive Committee with delegated authority during the restructuring process. The other recommendations by Nyras is absolute focus of leadership team on delivery of restructuring plan, with personal objectives accountability for each part of the plan. Structured review of process of restructuring implementation. It also says there should be clarity of direction and objectives of the restructure, with departmental and personal objectives aligned to delivery. Titled Restructuring of SriLankan Airlines Delivering a sustainable future, Nyras report says: We have been asked to develop a plan to assess and implement options for the restructure of SriLankan Airlines (SLA) to address challenges associated with legacy and fleetrelated debt and consistent operational losses. The restructuring plan should be consistent with GoSL objectives such as developing tourism, growing traffic and connectivity, ability to compete with Low Cost Carriers, affordable travel for SriLankan business, travelling public and migrant workers, find suitable partners willing to invest in SriLankan whilst respecting foreign ownership rules, cost effective airline and impact on jobs for the Sri Lankan economy. We worked previously with SLA between January and March 2016, so have a good understanding of the airlines challenges. We worked closely with airline management and staff, reported and explained our findings to the Board and senior Government Officials. Our previous work also investigated the practicalities of an administration / Chapter 11 scenario, assessed SLAs competitive disadvantage caused by high fuel price, and estimated the impact on Ceylon Petroleum Corporation if it reduces prices to market levels. Note: Chapter 11 is a chapter of Title 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganisation under the bankruptcy laws of that country. Some of the issues have since been addressed, but the major structural issues remain. The timeline for this assignment, Nyras says is to address the most pressing concerns by the end of March 2018. It has identified eight different areas for the restructuring process. Among them are: Re-negotiate four remaining A 350s and Rolls Royce engines to avoid US$ 800 million liability by converting A 350 order into A 321s for deployment on restructured network. Re-finance seven A330s Lease rates are way over market and refinancing ensures market rate aircraft economics delivering $ 28 million per year but finance/equity required for $ 160 million deposit. Re-structure SLA Group to enable investment into airline and SBUs to deliver cash to airline restructure debt, saving $ 41 million per year, improve operations and improve competitiveness. Reduce Ceylon Petroleum Corporation pricing by ten US cents per gallon to address lack of competitiveness and increase volumes to other airlines delivering $ 8 million per year. Improve commercial activities and streamline distribution to deliver greater yield and revenue opportunities. The absolute priorities, Nyras says are negotiations with Airbus, Rolls Royce and Lessors, Develop Business Plan to support negotiations, Resolve Ceylon Petroleum pricing, develop future fleet structure and identify investors for A 330 300s. It is abundantly clear from the Nyras report that over the years there has been serious deficiencies in managing the national carrier. So much so, the consultant firm is even noting the need to consider declaring bankruptcy. Resolving issues of SriLankan Airlines and making it a professional venture is one thing. It is another to identify who has been responsible for the colossal losses of public funds. After all such monies could have gone to projects for public welfare. Instead, ironic enough, when humungous losses are incurred, they inevitably come in the form of taxes which the public would be forced to pay. This has turned SriLankan Airlines into a national scandal. Such issues, no doubt, surface during polls. It may be recalled that SriLankan Airlines was an issue during both the presidential and parliamentary election campaigns. The Weliamuna Committee of Inquiry was appointed and it came out with some findings but nothing has been done. The holiday season has somewhat muted the polls campaign of all parties. However, when it hots up, not only these issues but those of a more mundane nature like garbage collection which has become a national issue, too would surface. Pious promises of action would be made by leaders and it would end up in the limbo of forgotten things. If the Government is committed to serving public needs through state-owned enterprises, there is no gainsaying they should be made viable ventures. Allowing political or personal considerations to prevail would only be detrimental to those who allow them. That is a message they should take seriously. One cannot but agree with the Joint Opposition when it says that the local polls will be a national referendum on the Government. One may add that it is also a strong test for them, whether they have indeed played the role of an opposition. Policy reform must follow fact-finding exercises of the UN View(s): Even allowing for the caustic truth of the 16th century saying that what cannot be cured must be endured, there is a limit to endurance if Sri Lanka has to undergo repeated visits of international United Nations missions without tangible benefits ensuing to the countrys long-suffering citizens. A more incisive critique needed Thus, the recent visit of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWG) to Sri Lanka must be followed by definitive state policy reform, at least to the extent of allowing suspects in police custody, the prompt access to legal counsel without being hedged about by conditions that deprive that basic right of much of its force. As discussed in last weeks column spaces, the recently gazetted amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code leaves a lot to be desired. It needs to be jettisoned forthwith. A replacement that is in consonance with Sri Lankas judicial precedents on the suspects right to prompt legal access must be adopted. This is particularly so given the UNWGs preliminary finding that detainees do not enjoy some of the most fundamental guarantees of due process such as immediate access to legal assistance from the moment of the arrest and before their initial statement is recorded. Indeed, the team had noted that the interrogation of detainees by the authorities without a lawyer at police stations is of great concern. That said, a more incisive critique of draft laws on counter-terror and criminal justice would have been opportune. Visiting UN teams should desist from gingerly side-stepping specificities in these matters. The value of the visits comes from the propensity to take on the hard issues rather than wallow in the easy stuff, as it were. While in other respects, the UNWGs observations are doubtless useful, it does not take international visitors to announce with pomp and circumstance that Sri Lankas prisons are overcrowded. That is a fact that Sri Lankans know very well and have known in fact, for decades even as successive Governments of all party colours have failed to address that problem. Formal state acts are not enough And by hard policy reform, I do not mean the mere act of accession to international treaties or their protocols. That ideal faded a long time ago. And the fact that Sri Lanka acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) on 5th December 2017 and that Protocol will enter into force on 4 January next year gives rise to little perceptible exhilaration. True, the accession is good in principle. The Protocol obliges states parties to establish a system of regular independent visits to places of detention so that torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment is prevented. The UNWGs welcoming of the accession to the OPCAT is to be expected. But that, by itself, does not suffice. A vast gap exists between these formal acts of accession and practical realities. As a civil liberties lawyer who has actively worked with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), it can be authoritatively said that Sri Lankas accession to the ICCPR protocol allowing its citizens the right to take violations of the ICCPR directly to the Human Rights Committee (HRC) once domestic procedures have been exhausted, more than twenty years ago has not been actually allowed to improve domestic rights protections due to an obvious lack of political will. Out of several recommendations handed down by the Committee, not a single recommendation has been implemented. This happened to be the case even before a Sri Lankan Chief Justice (Sarath Silva) employed convoluted logic to determine that Committee members exercise judicial power over Sri Lankans, to the profound consternation of international legal experts. This decision which stands as law until it is reconsidered by a Full Bench of the Court departed from the measured thinking of earlier Justices of the Sri Lankan Court who had preferred to judiciously use the ICCPR rights. In fact, and quite apart from the OPCAT, the truth is that the Convention against Torture which was enacted into domestic law in this country remains a pitiful failure in practice. So it is a mistake to think that a mere act of accession occasions jubilation. Our history has proven this faith to be woefully misplaced. In fact, many of the UN Human Rights Committees unimplemented recommendations on making the legal system effective were detailed and painstaking charted by Special Rapportuers of the caliber of law professors Philip Alston and Manfred Novak from more than a decade ago. Many were also reflected in the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). Public cynicism in response to UN visits Using the still pending cases into the horrific extra judicial killings of seventeen Tamil and Muslim aid workers in Mutur in August 2006 and five Tamil students in Trincomalee in January of that same year, the LLRC traced fault lines in respect of investigations, the detention process, prosecutions (including witness protection) and the judicial process. Many of the LLRC recommendations also remain unimplemented or as in the case of the so-called Victim and Witness Protection Authority, are cosmetically in force. In fact, the public cynicism that greets the numerous visits of missions from the United Nations as well as elsewhere is manifest. The most jubilant appear to be the nationalists who use the visits to underscore their favorite point that Sri Lanka is succumbing to international pressure. In fact, no one is succumbing to anything. Rather, we tread our weary way without any perceptible change in the way that citizens are deprived of their due process rights, ranging from the tortured villager in the South who is mercilessly beaten by police officers to the terrorist suspect in the North who is forced to sign a confession by his interrogators. Now that the Rajapaksa excesses are no longer evidenced, we have returned to the old normal, not a healthy pattern of behavior on any count. Put on notice to show policy change If these systemic failures have not been addressed up to now, are we not participating in a cynical game that betrays victims who are at the heart of state perpetrated outrages? And without the State being put on notice to show solid policy change, why this reinventing of the wheel with very little to show for it? Surely these are questions that demand answers from the Government as well as those well-meaning observers who come to the shores of this country to observe and depart. Crisis with Russia: A James Bond thriller View(s): Britains war-time Prime Minister had some memorable words to describe Russia a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma he called it. However, there is a key. The key is Russias national interest, he added. The latest tea vs. asbestos fiasco between Sri Lanka and Russia epitomises this Churchillian quote.The Cabinet of Ministers earlier this week, in what seemed a knee-jerk reaction to a Russian blanket ban on all Lankan agricultural products due to a solitary beetle purportedly found in a packaging of presumably Pure Ceylon Tea, rescinded the ban on asbestos imports to the island. Russia is one of the exporters of asbestos to Sri Lanka. The Ministers were convinced the Russians were engaging in a tit-for-tat trade war with Sri Lanka. Yet it was only in March this year that the President visited Moscow and after meeting his counterpart and the Prime Minister, said that Russia was interested in greater trade and investment in Sri Lanka. As a gesture of goodwill, he was also presented with a 19th century kastane (sword) which the Russians had purchased from Sothebys in London. For good measure, the Russian also extended a loan facility for defence purchases, with which Sri Lanka is acquiring a controversial Russian-made naval craft. So what has gone wrong for this slap on the Lankan wrist by Russia? Our Page 1 news story today of Sri Lanka being sandwiched in a super-power tug-of-war over the extradition of a young Russian fugitive arrested in Sri Lanka has confused the tea vs. asbestos issue. Has the ban on tea anything to do with the ban on asbestos, is the question. According to reliable sources, the Russians showed considerable interest in having this 22-year-old computer man sent back home rather than to the United States of America whose Justice Department also made a claim for him. The wanted man, Manokin Raufovich, is an alleged computer hacker. The US wants him for his links with a computer malware which is a package that can steal personal and financial information and has been engaged with some Bulgarians in wire frauds, stealing online banking login credentials and money laundering. The Russian Prosecutor General wants him for theft. Is he linked to the US investigations into hacking the Democratic Party computer and alleged Russian involvement in influencing the American Presidential election last year? Caught between a rock and a veritable hard place, and only after the Russians made a second request for the young man to be sent to Moscow rather than Washington, did Colombo get a move on, that too with a non-committal position. One might not disagree with the Sri Lankan Governments non-aligned stance, but the fact that the man was arrested on the US request, while the Russian request was ignored is what, we are told could have irritated Moscow not so much the asbestos issue. The procrastination on the Russian request seemingly caused the rupture in relations since the Presidential visit in March. Whether all this is a storm (or beetle) in a tea cup is too early to say. Clearly, there was a big price on Raufovichs head. He was a big fish wanted dearly by Washington and Moscow. That is an established fact. Now, he has jumped bail and is believed to have gone back to Russia. How he went is also a mystery. Some believe he went in the private jet that brought the head of Rosboronoexport, the agent for the Russian patrol craft who we were told was coming here for negotiations. The Russians are not happy on that front either with the President showing some reluctance to proceed with the deal. That flight is not proved, but if it is correct it shows the nexus Raufovich has to the powers-that-be in Moscow. Our Immigration has no idea of how the young man left. This is stuff straight from a James Bond thriller. The silence from Moscow on both counts the asbestos issue and the Raufovich affaire is deafening. The desperation on the part of the Government to lift the asbestos ban hoping the Russians would lift the tea ban is understandable from its point of view. Local council elections are looming and most tea that is exported to Russia is low-growns coming mainly from hundreds of smallholders in the south for whom it is their rice and curry. The largest volume of black tea imported to Russia comes from Sri Lanka, and Russia accounts for almost one-fifth of total exports of Sri Lankan tea (19 percent). Other tea exporting countries are seeking to exploit the situation. Still, need the Government have panicked? Was the Cabinet so sure the tea ban was in retaliation to the asbestos ban? How did they arrive at this conclusion? How does cancer causing asbestos, whether blue or white, become bad one day and okay the next? Take coal. The Government declares it is implementing a green policy in energy and moving away from dirty coal. It even tells India to change from its proposed coal plant at Sampur in the Eastern Province to LNG (liquefied natural gas). Then, two Ministers bring forth a joint Cabinet paper to set up yet another coal plant next to the gasping Norochcholai coal plant which has not only spluttered 25 times since it was installed but is producing more toxic fumes than energy. Both plant and people in the area are gasping for breath. Of all things, one of the Ministers who introduced this Cabinet paper is the Minister for Renewable Energy. Nobody seems to have explained to him the meaning of his portfolio. Fortunately, the Cabinet which lifted the asbestos ban, rejected the coal plant proposal. Of late, the President has taken credit for the restrictions on tobacco products and the ban on Glyphosate fertilizer a ban that agriculturists, from the paddy farmer to the plantation sector now blame for low yields. Glyphosate was considered one of the contributory factors for the high-rate of kidney disease among farmers. Then came the on-off-on again polythene ban. Nobody is sure what the status of this ban is, now. This is not to say that the Governments intentions are dishonourable. Asbestos, tobacco, coal, Glyphosate, polythene are all bad for the environment and the health of the people. There is a concerted effort to cut down on sugar consumption by increasing taxes. The previous Government took an awfully long time to bring laws to control carbon monoxide from exhaust fumes of vehicles something that North India is plagued with these days with New Delhi referred to as a gas chamber. Coordination between Ministries and Government departments in Sri Lanka is poor. Leaving it to the Cabinet is too dangerous as they indulge in a policy of you scratch my back, Ill scratch yours. But this weeks decision lifting the ban on imports of asbestos, and the inability to stand firm on the other bans due to pressure-lobbies, betray the fact that decisions are taken at the highest levels of Government on an ad-hoc basis without the stomach to stick to them, and in the case of asbestos, for political and economic expediency in the short-term rather than the benefits that accrue to the health of the nation long-term. EAP group holds talks with Malaysian investor to sell its companies View(s): The EAP Group is in negotiations to sell its businessesincluding its broadcast and media armsto a Malaysian investor, multiple sources confirmed. The prospective buyer, Straits Grid Pte Ltd, has been in talks over the past few months, the sources said, adding that negotiations were fronted for the Malaysian party by a businessman named Jaya Sudhir Jayaram. Straits Grids parent organisation is Keppel Corporation. The EAP Group comprises several companies including Swarnamahal Jewellers, EAP Films and Theatres, Swarnavahini, Shree FM, Ranone FM, E FM and Swarnamahal Financial Services. The concern has been on the market for some time. Repeated attempts to contact EAP Chairman Mano Tittawella failed. Earlier this year, Laugfs Holdings Ltd also made a failed bid for the group while Asia Broadcasting Corporation, which owns Hiru Fm and Hiru TV (among others), too expressed interest. Laugfs Chairman W.K.H. Wegapitiya told the Sunday Times that he made a proposal six to seven months ago to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) as the EAP Group is now under its supervision. He claimed that his offer was rejected by the CBSL due to higher political interference. But CBSL sources indicated that the offer failed as Laugfs had sought to borrow money from the Central Bank for the deal. He asked us for money and we couldnt agree because the Central Banks deposit insurance facility is to bail out depositors, not investors, they said. It was not immediately clear how far negotiations between the EAP Group and the Malaysian company have gone. CBSL sources said the regulators involvement in the proposed deal pertained to the finance companies that the EAP Group ranSwarnamahal Financial Services and Edirisinghe Trust Investments. It was not immediately clear if both companies were on the platter, along with the other businesses. The Central Bank does not get involved directly in negotiating deals between potential investors and finance companies, the CBSL sources said. If there is an offer, the Central Banks responsibility is to ensure that the deal is based on realistic valuation of the finance companies businesses and investment properties. The Central Bank has to fulfil its responsibilities towards the depositors (of the finance companies) as a regulator of this sector, they continued. And we are only concerned the two finance companies, ETI and Swarnamahal. If the sales of the other businesses come into play, the whole deal should yield a value which is in the interest of the depositors. The Central Bank will also ensure that monetary transactions for the deal are carried out bank-to-bank. We are interested in two things, they reiterated. Protecting the interests of depositors and seeing that the money involved in the deal is from legitimate sources, not money laundering or terrorist financing. Jaya Sudhir Jayaram is a longstanding business partner of R.M. Manivannan, Chairman of Supreme Global Holdings. The 46-year-old Mr. Manivannan became widely known under the former administration for his forays into satellite technology. He claimed to have launched Sri Lankas first satellite with Chinese collaboration. It turned out to be a joint-branding of a Chinese satellite where his company, SupremeSAT, leased part of its communications payload. Mr Jayaram was most recently listed as a directoralong with Mr Manivannanof Horton Square (Pvt) Ltd, a proposed mixed development project in Horton Place. Mr Jayarams address entered in the company registration from was in the British Virgin Islands and common to hundreds of other offshore entities from around the world. As previously reported by the Sunday Times, Mr Jayaram has a significant internet footprint. He is best known for being the Malaysian businessman named in the United Nations investigation into the Iraqi oil-for-food scandal. The Sunday Times read the Independent Inquiry Committee report online. Mr Jayaram is alleged, along with two others, to have revived Mastek Sdn Bhd (a long-dormant Malaysian company) to pay the regime of Saddam Hussein up to US$ 10mn in illegal surcharges to clinch Iraqi oil contracts for another company Mastek was intermediary to. He is said to have been a key player, something he rejected by heaping blame on another partner. The report cites bank records as showing that, at one time, Mr Jayaram formed a shelf company called Keppel Oil to avoid currency restrictions imposed in Malaysia. It was used to transfer 2.3 million Euros to an account of Iraqs State Organisation for Marketing Oil between April and July 2001. A shelf company (in contrast to a shell company) is a business entity that has been formed and properly maintained, but which has never conducted any business. Govt to relax laws against bottom trawling by Sri Lankans By Sandran Rubatheesan View(s): View(s): In a policy review, the Government is to permit what it calls a less destructive trawler fishing practice for Sri Lankans in selected sea areas.Fisheries Department Director General M.C.L. Fernando who is vested with powers to issue fishing licences told the Sunday Times the ministry had taken a decision to introduce an effective fishing mechanism less destructive compared to bottom trawling. We are planning to introduce an amendment to the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act next month to enable local fishermen to engage in small-scale trawling practice in limited areas, he said. The move is seen as a reversal of the Governments policy of criminalising bottom trawling in Sri Lankan waters. Hundreds of local trawler owners will be given licences to carry out fishing in selected waters. This move comes after complaints from local fishermen that their livelihood is in danger due to the tough laws. On July 6, Parliament passed an amendment to the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act declaring any form of bottom trawling an offence. According to the amendment, violators would be get a jail term of two year or a fine of Rs. 50,000. Though the amendment was passed six months ago, the law is yet to be implemented. At present, there are some 700 local trawlers actively engaged in fishing in our waters. They have requested the Minister to enable them to carry out less destructive fishing methods in shallow waters for prawns and crabs, Mr Fernando said. He noted that several fisher unions had staged protest outside Parliament when the amendment was being debated. According to Director General, the ministry has asked for a comprehensive report from National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency to identify places where limited trawling practice could be carried out around the island without causing any trouble for traditional fisherfolk. Vowing to oppose any measures to reverse the ban on trawling practices, Northern fishermen unions said they were the worst hit by trawling practices carried out by Indian fishermen and now local fishermen with political support. In Jaffna and Mannar where traditional fishermen continue to complain against rampant trawling practice by local fishermen, the Fisheries Department officials are not willing to implement the law but assured to carry out awareness programmes to switch to marine environment friendly fishing methods. At Gurunagar and Pasaiyur in Jaffna, nearly 300 trawlers engaged in trawling have requested Northern Province Governor to grant a one-year grace period before the implementation of the law. Opposing this move, former Jaffna Fisheries Cooperative Union leader N V Subramaniam said, If the government allows limited trawling practice in our waters for local fishermen, we will have to face the same situation we suffered from Indian bottom trawling and there would be no fish left, he said. As'ad's Bio As'ad AbuKhalil, born March 16, 1960. From Tyre, Lebanon, grew up in Beirut. Received his BA and MA from American University of Beirut in pol sc. Came to US in 1983 and received his PhD in comparative government from Georgetown University. Taught at Tufts University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Colorado College, and Randolph-Macon Woman's College. Served as a Scholar-in-Residence at Middle East Institute in Washington DC. He served as free-lance Middle East consultant for NBC News and ABC News, an experience that only served to increase his disdain for maintream US media. He is now professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus. His favorite food is fried eggplants. Here in Montana, we are participating in charitable events, taking Christmas strolls down our main streets and enjoying time with our families during an early ski season. Back in Washington, D.C., U.S. Congressman Greg Gianforte is rubber-stamping some of the worst policies our country has ever seen, mostly to the benefit of ultra-wealthy people and multi-national corporations. As a result of the extreme partisan tax bill rammed through the U.S. Congress with Congressman Greg Gianfortes full support during this holiday season, its a holiday giveaway for corporations, billionaires, and lobbyists. For working Montanans, expect these lumps of coal and others in your stocking even before the start the year 2018: Say goodbye to most tax benefits for Montana students who want to go to college: Gianforte supported eliminating most tax benefits for Montanans pursuing higher education and the good-paying jobs associated with a college degree. According to the Washington Post, at the moment, low and middle income Americans can deduct up to $2,500 a year in student loan interest. That benefit would go away in 2018. Increased national debt burdening Montanas children and future generations: Gianforte supports an increase in Americas national debt of between $1.4 trillion and $2.2 trillion (Center for a Responsible Federal Budget). Who will get to pay for this corporate stocking stuffer? Our children and future generations. Massive tax breaks for corporations and multinationals: Gianforte voted to cut corporate tax rates from 35 percent to 20 percent, and eventually 21 percent in the final bill. That sets an even lower rate on the U.S. taxes that multinationals would pay on their foreign profits, according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. The burden of paying these taxes is likely to shift to hardworking Americans and families. You and your children pay for tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy, corporations and multinationals: Gianforte supports much smaller tax cuts going toward middle-income families. For example, households with incomes between $40,000 and $50,000 would get a percentage increase in after-tax income that is about one-fourth of that of millionaires, according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. Mandates automatic Medicare cuts of at least $25 billion in 2018 and $400 billion over 10 years: According to the Congressional Budget Office, seniors will pay $25 billion in Medicare cuts in exchange for tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy under Gianfortes plan. This is the result of automatic spending cuts being triggered because the tax cuts add $1.5 trillion to the national debt. Homeowners can no longer deduct mortgage payments; landlords still can: In the first bill that passed the House of Representatives this year, Gianforte voted to eliminate homeowner deductions for mortgage payments. Yet, he voted to allow landlords to continue to do so. In 2018, we have a chance to send them a message by voting out Gianforte and others like him. Then we can get to work being sure that we all have access to excellent public education and higher education. We can focus on affordable and accessible health care for all Montanans and Americans. If we are going to cut taxes, it should be to empower hard-working families and businesses that employ people not multinational companies packing away profits thanks to Gianforte. What do I want for Christmas? Your vote to do just that. John Heenan is a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives. Superpowers fight it out over Russian hacker in Colombo By Our Diplomatic Editor Both US and Russia seek his extradition, but cyber-spy disappears after being given bail by Court of Appeal View(s): View(s): A Russian wanted for extradition from Sri Lanka by a US Grand Jury has sparked a row in Colombo with Russia also asking for his extradition and the mans whereabouts are now unknown after he obtained bail from the Court of Appeal earlier this month. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has launched a manhunt for the fugitive, but believes he has fled the country. While the superpowers are fighting it out in the Colombo High Court for 22-year-old Manokhin Fedor Raufovich, said to be a computer expert and wanted by a court in Florida on charges of stealing financial and personal information by way of computer hacking and also of money laundering with associates in Bulgaria, the fugitive is believed to have left Sri Lanka without the Immigration Departments knowledge. Mr. Raufovich, whose bail conditions were to report to the CID every Friday, last reported to CID headquarters on December 1 (a public holiday) when he was asked to report again on Monday (Dec. 4). he has not reported since. This has led CID detectives and the State Intelligence authorities to discern if he has been smuggled out of the country. Underscoring the significance of the case was the presence of diplomats and others from both the US and Russia in court. Former Russian Ambassador Alexander Karcheva and his successor Yuri Materiy have been present in courts besides senior US Embassy officials. The US State Department has hired local lawyers too. The high profile drama began when the United States Embassy in Colombo urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in February to extradite Mr. Raufovich. Acting on the request, the Attorney Generals Department moved the Colombo High Court which issued a provisional warrant. CID detectives thereafter arrested him. Mr. Raufovich was first arrested at Weligama hotel in March this year while holidaying with his wife and daughter. The arrest was requested on the grounds that a District Court in the US (Florida) issued a warrant in terms of the 1999 Extradition Treaty between the US and Sri Lanka. In terms of the treaty, an Authority to Proceed has to be issued by the relevant Minister (which is the President as Minister of Defence). He obtained conditional bail after the then Russian ambassador addressed court on behalf of the fugitive. The High Court Judge directed the Registrar of the Court to issue notice on the relevant Minister (Minister of defence) to issue the Authority to Proceed. He was re-arrested once again when the US authorities pressed for his extradition. The Russian authorities had in the meantime also made an application for his extradition, but the Sri Lankan authorities took up the position that there had been no Extradition Treaty between Russia and Sri Lanka at the time, and that the treaty came into force only on November 6 2017, an argument contested by Mr. Raufovichs lawyers. In the meantime, Russias Prosecutor General made a request for the extradition of Mr. Raufovich to Moscow. This was in terms of the Sri Lanka-Russia Extradition Treaty. The Prosecutor General said that the man was wanted on charges of stealing someone elses property and being part of an organised group. He also cited a provision in the Russian Constitution to say a citizen of the Russian Federation may not be deported from Russia or extradited to another State. When the Russian side made a second appeal after November 6, 2017, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the Russian embassy in Colombo that in view of the second appeal the Attorney General would look at the issues afresh. Early this month, Mr. Raufovich obtained bail for the second time from the Court of Appeal as his lawyers and the Attorney General argued on the legal technicalities of multiple or concurrent requests from countries for extradition of a fugitive. Meanwhile, along with Mr. Raufovich, his wife and daughter have also mysteriously disappeared. Immigration officials say their computer records do not show anyone by the name of Fedor Raufovich departing from any Sri Lankan air or sea port. The Raufovich case has generated speculation on the reasons why both, the US and Russia were so keen to have this alleged computer hacker and if he is wanted in any other investigation in the US other than money laundering. The Attorney General appeared for the Government of Sri Lanka and Mr, Anura Meddegoda PC watched the interests of the US embassy. Mr. Upul Jayasuriya PC appeared for Mr. Raufovich. Sri Lankans celebrate White Christmas in New York View(s): The Sri Lanka Association of New York (SLANY) held its annual christmas party on a snowy Saturday last week at a Banquet Hall in New Jersey, across from New York City. The snow did not prevent the revellers from attending the event. It provided a true White Christmas Celebration. The event was attended by the associations patron, Dr. Rohan Perera, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, many past presidents and more than 150 guests. In welcoming the guests, Association President Deirdre Sriwardena said the Association continued to implement its motto Togetherness by including Sri Lankans of different faiths and ethnicities to its events. In fact, this years nativity Scene was conducted by a majority of non-Christian children. Ambassador Perera congratulated the members for keeping the Sri Lankan culture alive amongst the expatriate community. He quoted a speech delivered by Pope Francis during his visit to Sri Lanka in 2015 wherein the Pope emphasized that Diversity is no longer seen as a threat, but as a source of enrichment The Evening started with the singing of carols and a Nativity Scene performed by children of diverse faiths! This was followed by a visit from Santa who entertained the children and distributed Gifts to all. The evening was followed dancing to music provided by a live Sri Lankan Band Village in the City, and a sumptuous Buffet Dinner. Numerous prizes including airline tickets were won by the Guests. A new contract. The addition of a new product line. Increased hiring. You don't have to be a math genius to figure out these happenings involving the Decatur Caterpillar plant in 2017 add up to good things for Decatur and the surrounding area. Caterpillar's anticipated resurgence after a few down years that resulted in hundred of local layoffs, is just one of the business highlights for the year that lay the groundwork for positive things in 2018 and beyond. "2017 was a good year, providing the foundation we need for 2018," said Ryan McCrady, president of the Economic Development Corporation of Decatur and Macon County. CLIMBING CAT In March, Caterpillar announced the decision to move machine production out of its Aurora facility to other U.S. manufacturing facilities. Large wheel loaders and compactors are moving to Decatur, adding about 500 jobs, the company has said. The announcement came on the heels of a new 6-year contract with the United Auto Workers. The addition of the new products and renewed optimism that the mining segment for which the Decatur plant supplies large trucks and other equipment already is fueling a hiring surge. We are extremely thankful for all of the assistance that our community partners have offered during this hiring uptick, plant manager Rick Moore said. Being able to go out into the community and talk about the opportunities at Caterpillar Decatur has been very helpful in making sure we have applicants in the pipeline to fill these positions. These positions will be added over the course of the production line transition, which is expected to last until the end of 2018. The company said open positions are posted to Caterpillars Career Page (caterpillar.com/en/careers.html) and those interested can apply through the site. Click Search for Jobs, click production under job field and add in Decatur, IL as the location. COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS Caterpillar isn't the only company making an investment in the community. Akorn Pharmaceuticals celebrated a 30,000-square-foot expansion to its existing packaging facility on Wyckles Road. The $5.6 million project helped retain 200 jobs and created 25 additional positions. Akorn also broke ground on a $25 million expansion of its Grand Avenue facility in October, the expansion to include a new lab among other additions. Other projects included a new Aramark Distribution Center on Mound Road, the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center and the addition of two hotels a Hampton Inn on Mount Zion Road and a Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites on Wingate Drive. McCrady mades specific mention of the hotels, noting they signify a need for rooms to meet the needs of visitors. And Macon County saw its share of visitors this year. In addition to usual crowd of people from all over the world who attended this year's Farm Progress Show, a group from the Chicago International Trade Commissioner's Association spent two days learning about the Decatur economy and opportunities in the area for business development and expansion. "This is putting Decatur on the map for a lot of us," Michael Cappiello, who works in marketing and promotion for the Italian Trade Agency, said at the time. "Coming to Decatur and seeing the rail infrastructure has left an impression." McCrady said the tours allow an opportunity to reach up to 70 countries that have offices in Chicago. Representatives from Ecuador, Bulgaria, Spain, Pakistan, Korea, Italy, Hong Kong, Argentina, Hungary, Mexico, South Africa, Haiti and Philippines took part in the visit. "This can be helpful to make those connections," McCrady said during the visit. "Many of them work in Chicago and live in the city and have no idea what's going on in Decatur." While the national retail climate did result in a fair share of store closings in Macon County, some local residents, developers and a handful of regional and national retailers have, or are in the process of, opening stores locally. FOCUS ON WORKFORCE One of the primary challenges to attracting and keeping companies in Macon County, is the availability of a viable workforce. The announcement last week of the new Dwayne Andreas Ag Academy is one example of what is being done to provide young people with information about agribusiness and the various jobs that are available locally. One of the challenges local official have cited is a disconnect between the jobs and people having the skills needed to fill the positions. A consortium involving Workforce Investment Solutions, Richland Community College, the city of Decatur and the Decatur Public Library are taking steps to address the issue. The consortium will provide adult education classes downtown including free high school equivalency, GED preparation, English as a second language and BRIDGE programs to provide students with basic skills before transitioning to college and/or employment. McCrady said two of the things companies look for when looking to locate in a community are its workforce and access to transportation. QUALITY OF LIFE The third thing potential businesses look for is quality of life, and McCrady said the community is taking great stride in this area, too. He said there appears to be a renewed interest in working together to address areas of concern, whether it be improving neighborhoods, schools or adding new attractions that will make the community a destination for visitors, new businesses and, with any luck, residents. "I think people truly understand the limitless potential of this community to attract and retain businesses," he said. DECATUR James Somers lived in a tent for a while. Then he moved to The Salvation Army shelter. A retired roofer, Somers said he can't do that kind of work anymore, but as a Marine veteran who served from 1982 to 1989, he discovered he could get a hand up from Help 4 Heroes. The organization began on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2016 with the Cruise 11 for 9/11 event held annually in Central Park in downtown Decatur. Organizer Ayn Owens, who has a soft spot for veterans in particular, said that the event raised $25,000 this year, with help from Brian Byers' show on WSOY, and then the Howard G. Buffet Foundation provided another $125,000, allowing Help 4 Heroes to do much more. In a little over a year, we've helped 400 veterans, Owens said. Last year we did Christmas blankets for all the veterans. Owens didn't want to say what the veterans are getting this year, so as not to spoil the surprise, but she's pleased with it. Pizza and goodies lined the tables in the Macon County Veterans Assistance Commission office as veterans who have benefited from Help 4 Heroes gathered for a pre-Christmas celebration. Yesterday, I went grocery shopping with a friend for the widow of a veteran, Owens said. We bought several pot pies, TV dinners, things that are easy for her to prepare. We have to take care of the widows, too. Help 4 Heroes provides monthly bus passes, gift cards for gas and groceries, rent and power bill assistance. The organization paid for 5,000 bus rides in the last year. We never want the veterans to get behind in their power bills before winter even starts, Owens said. Funding for the Veterans Assistance Commission ran out in September, Owens said, and until the new funding came in this month, Help 4 Heroes was able to fill the gaps. But many of the things the organization does are specific to it. Army veteran Anthony Taylor, who served in 1976-77, has volunteered in the Veterans Assistance Commission office for the last six months. He handles many of the day-to-day details of applications, scheduling the van that provides rides for veterans, and hands out the gift cards. They helped me and I don't mind helping people. I enjoy doing it and I just love it, Taylor said. I love helping the next person, the next veteran, and I'm glad to be here and able to serve them like that. It's just a blessing that they can come to this office and when they leave, they have a smile on their face. Somers has only been in his apartment a few weeks, but the difference it has made in his life is enormous, he said. Thanks to Help 4 Heroes, and Owens' Facebook posts which resulted in furnishings and household items he lacked, he's very comfortable and happy there, he said. They've helped me out with everything, Somers said I needed everything and they just set me up. The Salvation Army told him about Help 4 Heroes and that's how he met Owens. He said he'd tell any other veteran in need to go straight to Help 4 Heroes. It's great, Somers said. I don't even know how to explain it. He plans to look for part-time work and hopes to make a trip to Texas to see his daughter who lives there. When Ron Jones' air conditioner stopped working in the midst of the hottest part of summer, he turned to Help 4 Heroes. The Vietnam veteran, who served in the Army from 1969-75, said without the organization, he'd have been in trouble. He couldn't afford to buy a new unit by himself. He's received help ranging from a coat and boots to assistance with his power bills. I mentioned (the need) to Help 4 Heroes, Jones said. They brought me a brand-new air conditioner and they delivered it. I appreciated it very much. And not only that. I've got lung cancer and I was having a problem getting back and forth to the cancer center, and they provided me transportation. Scott Angelles life cycles recently have become something akin to an oilfield worker, which kind of fits because he now regulates offshore drilling for the federal government. I see my family every 21 days, Angelle said in an interview last week from Washington, D.C. Since I have no family here, its all work for me, 14 hours a day. Once a ubiquitous presence on the Louisiana political scene, Angelle arrived in D.C. in May to become director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. Its a job historically held by an unknown bureaucrat with an office in the massive U.S. Department of Interior building, three blocks from the White House. As head of federal offshore drilling oversight agency, Breaux Bridge native Scott Angelle plans changes In the aftermath of the BP oil spill, Scott Angelle's experience in Washington as a leading voice against the federal deepwater drilling morat But President Donald Trump is pushing American energy dominance as a cornerstone of his presidency. This puts Angelle at the presidents shoulder for enabling domestic fossil fuels production. In October, the Trump administration proposed opening nearly 77 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico the largest offering in U.S. history for oil and gas drilling. The lease sales are scheduled for March. On Nov. 28, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement approved energy exploration in the Arctic. And just before the Christmas holiday, Angelles office suspended as duplicative a study meant to improve how regulators enforce safety on offshore rigs in the wake of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion that killed 11 and spilled an estimated 3.2 million barrels of oil 40 miles off the coast of Louisiana. All this activity has enraged environmentalists, but it falls in line with Angelles beliefs. This is a really, really impactful job for America, and its really important to Louisianas economy, said Angelle, who previously oversaw oilfield activity in Louisiana as secretary of the Department of Natural Resources under two governors. +12 In speech to energy industry in Lafayette, Scott Angelle promises to be industry 'partner' on federal level A federal agency that regulates offshore energy production in the Gulf of Mexico is focused on undoing or amending three Obama administration About 90 percent of the oil produced offshore in the U.S. comes from the Gulf of Mexico, he said, and all that activity creates thousands of jobs. (Gulf of Mexico production in federal waters accounts for about 17 percent of the nation's total energy output.) This is not our grandfathers world, Angelle said. Technological advances, such as fracking to release deposits from rocks and horizontal drilling, have increased U.S. production. The time of long lines for gasoline has passed, and a new era where America can supply the energy needs of other nations is on the horizon. Weve gone from an era of scarcity to an era of abundance pretty quickly. We have to move from the 1980s goal of energy independence to the 2017 goal of energy dominance, Angelle said. To accomplish that goal, Angelle and the Trump administration want to provide access to more reserves offshore and to work with the industry. In the office, Angelle spends his time reviewing royalties that energy producers have to pay the federal government with a goal, he said, of making the rates competitive with what other nations charge. Hes also going over regulations to see what needs to stay, what needs to be streamlined and what needs to be eliminated. He said he wants safety inspections to be conducted more thoroughly by reviewing records on land and focusing on checking equipment and procedures on the offshore rigs. Called on by Gov. Bobby Jindal in 2010 to serve as interim lieutenant governor, Angelle joined the Louisiana Public Service Commission in 2013. He came within a hair of edging fellow Republican David Vitter out of a position in the 2015 gubernatorial runoff. One of the great political conversations in Louisiana parlors is What might have been had Angelle won a spot in the runoff. +13 Scott Angelle launches most pointed attack yet on David Vitter's prostitution scandal in final debate before Saturday election In the final debate before voters head to the polls Saturday to vote for governor, Republican Scott Angelle launched the most pointed attack y Though considered a shoo-in at the start of the race, Vitter carried baggage that his opponents wouldnt discuss publicly until Angelle declared during a debate: We have a stench that is getting ready to come over Louisiana, if we elect David Vitter as governor. John Bel Edwards went on to win and become the only Democratic governor in the Deep South. The Republican Party of Louisiana then considered whether to censure Angelle. State GOP committee member calls for censure of Dardenne, Angelle over governor's race A member of the Louisiana Republican Party's governing committee is calling for the state GOP to censure Jay Dardenne and Scott Angelle becaus The following year, Angelles name appeared high on all the lists of likely candidates for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Vitter. He chose instead to seek the 3rd Congressional District seat that represents Acadiana. As the odds-on favorite, Angelle led a field of a dozen candidates in a high-turnout November 2016 election. Then he was trounced a month later in the low-turnout runoff by Clay Higgins, a television cop known for trash talking suspects on Crime Stoppers segments that ran on local news and went viral on the internet. +2 Clay Higgins Cajun John Wayne defeats Scott Angelle to be Acadiana congressman In his first bid for public office, Clay Higgins known as the Cajun John Wayne defeated political veteran Scott Angelle on Saturday night Angelle joined the Trump administration in May. Angelle said he has no regrets over what happened and harbors no plans to return to Louisiana politics. Still, Washington has been a bit of culture shock, he said. In Louisiana, he commuted from Breaux Bridge to Baton Rouge. Whenever he walked anywhere, it took time shaking hands with this person, waving at that one, stopping to chat with a few others, casually placing a hand on the shoulders of some. Washington is not that kind of town. Eye contact, touching, even casual conversation with strangers is seen as more threatening than endearing. Angelle said his 20-minute walk to work is brisk and if theres any conversation, its on a cellphone. Washington does have bars and pubs where expatriates can go to watch LSU and the Saints and talk about how much they miss home. Angelle doesnt go. Im not really a part of the community up here, he said. Im just keeping my head down and doing this important job. Jan Hugo, a 59-year-old collector with 10,000 pieces who is based in NSW, Australia, has teapots dating back to Queen Victoria's reign. Credit:Max Mason-Hubers A dedicated royalist, Tyler, 73, has filled her home in north-west London with commemorative items, including a copy of the Issa dress that Kate Middleton wore during the announcement of her engagement to Prince William, and a little glass dish with a picture of Queen Elizabeth II that started her collection. One of her rooms is dedicated solely to Princess Diana, and another to the queen, which she rents out for 75 a night. Royal Crown Derby, a porcelain manufacturer, has been making commemorative products since the coronation of King George III in 1760. Credit:Max Mason-Hubers Insurers have valued her collection at 40,000. "I would like nice, proper bone china stuff," Tyler said of the merchandise surrounding the latest royal wedding. "I don't buy everything. I've got to like it." "I think they just look for an excuse to be able to do it, every time there's a birth, wedding, engagement, anniversary, anything," Jan Hugo said. Credit:Heath Harrison I think they just look for an excuse to be able to do it, every time there's a birth, wedding, engagement, anniversary, anything. Collector Jan Hugo Royal fever is a capitalist tradition in Britain. Royal Crown Derby, a porcelain manufacturer, has been making commemorative products since the coronation of King George III in 1760. Jan Hugo, a 59-year-old collector with 10,000 pieces who is based in NSW, Australia, has teapots dating back to Queen Victoria's reign. "I think they just look for an excuse to be able to do it, every time there's a birth, wedding, engagement, anniversary, anything," Hugo said. When William married in 2011, the high-end British department store Fortnum & Mason sold a Wedding Breakfast Blend tea from Kenya, where he proposed. The Lego-themed amusement park Legoland made a brick replica of Buckingham Palace, complete with the bride, groom and assorted well-wishers. Pizza delivery chain Papa John's even turned their faces into a pizza. Bridgewater's company has sold more than 35,000 pieces of pottery based around William's wedding and has produced 15 different commemorative mugs for events ranging from Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's wedding in 1986, to the birth of William's second child, Princess Charlotte, in 2015. The company has annual sales of about 20 million. The merchandise this time around is extensive. Bridgewater has another mug and tea towel planned for the wedding next year, as well as a mug to celebrate the third child of William and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, due in April. Royal Crown Derby has a series of designs in the works, like a heart-shaped tray for 75 and a 150 pound octagonal plate finished in gold. The company began planning four months before the engagement was officially announced as gossip swirled in the British press. It is now waiting for specifics, such as whether Markle will use her given name, Rachel, to put the finishing touches on its fine bone china products. "One of the things that the collectors insist is that it has that level of information and detail applied to the design," said Steven Rowley, Royal Crown Derby's sales and marketing director. As royal fever grows, the company plans to hire an additional 10-15 people. It is also hoping to tap into heightened interest in the United States - Markle is American - to push its products in places like Bloomingdale's and Bergdorf Goodman. Tour operators and travel agencies are also gearing up. British Tours is putting together potential itineraries. The company already runs "Kate and William tours", which follow the footsteps of the royal couple, visiting the town where they went to college and Westminster Abbey, where they married. Olivia Basic, a tour planner at the company, said the themed tours for Harry and Markle could include upscale nightclubs where the prince - known in his earlier years for partying heavily - has been spotted. Others offer a chance to catch a glimpse of the wedding itself. Two days after Harry's engagement was announced, the luxury travel company Noteworthy started scouting locations near the wedding site, St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. Noteworthy is looking to replicate an experience it offered during William's wedding. Back then, it hired a place opposite Westminster Abbey so clients - 80 of whom paid 500 each - could watch the bride and groom as they arrived and left the church. For the celebrations commemorating Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, 200 people paid about 300 each to spend the day on the HMS Belfast, a historic warship, to have prime position to watch the monarch's flotilla pageant. Noteworthy has already secured a location for guests to watch Harry's wedding. But the managing director of Noteworthy, Nicola Butler, declined to say where. She said, however, that it had a view over Windsor Castle's Henry VIII Gate and was "a space that a high-net-worth individual from the US would be comfortable in." One in two Australians believe climate change is already damaging the Great Barrier Reef and causing more extreme storms, floods and droughts. But only 18 per cent think the Turnbull government is doing a good job tackling global warming, a new poll has found. An annual survey by Ipsos, which has probed public opinion on climate change for the past 12 years, shows eight in 10 agree human activity is contributing to climate change 42 per cent say humans are mainly or entirely responsible while 38 per cent believe climate change is caused partly by humans and partly by natural processes. Just 3 per cent of respondents think there is no such thing as climate change, a share that has hardly shifted during the past decade. Another 12 per cent believe climate change is caused entirely or mostly by natural processes. Hetq explores the efficacy of the Gardasil vaccine imported to Armenia. The vaccine is supposed to prevent HPV (Human Papillomavirus - the most common sexually transmitted infection). Hetq contacted Mario Lamo-Jimenez, a journalist and anthropological researcher in Colombia, who has raised concerns about the side effects of Gardasil, and who is now assisting attorneys prosecuting the collective action lawsuit filed by 700 women in that country demanding some $160 million in compensation from Merck, the vaccines producer. Heres a portion of our talk. When was the mandatory application of the HPV vaccine in Colombia introduced, and what age group women were/are in the program? The vaccine against the HPV was introduced in Colombia in 2013 in a strange fashion: Congress created a law (Law 1626, approved on April 30, 2013) stating that vaccination against HPV was free and mandatory to the target population. The government spent close to a hundred million dollars on vaccines and started the vaccination program, in which neither the families nor the vaccinated girls had a word to say about it. The vaccine was mandatory for girls from 4th to 7th grade, or ages 9 to 17. What type/types of HPV vaccine was used in Colombia as part of that program. The vaccine used was quadrivalent HPV vaccine, Gardasil. How does the mandatory aspect of the program work? What if a girl refuses the vaccine? The girls were vaccinated at their schools. They never received an informed consent to sign. There was no chance to refuse the vaccine. The vaccination program established a quota of vaccination that had to be met. However, after a lawsuit, the Constitutional Court of Colombia issued an amendment to the law stating that the vaccine wasnt mandatory and that if a person wanted to refuse it, it was their right, and that there was a right to an informed consent. When and why did you decide to explore the side effects of the HPV vaccine? I started doing research on this vaccine in February of 2013, when I read in the paper that the vaccine program was going to start in Colombia and that the vaccine was free and mandatory. I knew about the sides effects of other vaccines and decided to research about the possible side effects of this vaccine. I found out about the deaths and disabilities that this vaccine was causing in different parts of the world. What are the main conclusions of your research? This is an ongoing research. I have published my conclusions in newspaper articles and videos. For this purpose, I have read dozens of scientific papers about the vaccine, read relevant books by doctors doing research about the vaccine, talked to the affected girls and families, and participated in two international conferences in the US talking about the side effects of the vaccines in Colombia and exchanging information with scientists, journalists and activists. My first article about the dangers, published in 2013, was censored by a Colombian paper (eltiempo.com) arguing that such dangers didnt exist. I had argued in the article that Gardasil was an unsafe vaccine that had cause several deaths and disabilities in young girls and that a judicial organization in the US, Judicial Watch, had uncovered through a Freedom of Information Act petition that Gardasil had caused several deaths in the US and disabilities, and that this information was concealed from the public, please see the following link. What follows is the lead passage of the 2011 article, entitled, Judicial Watch Uncovers FDA Gardasil Records Detailing 26 New Reported Deaths. Washington, DC October 19, 2011 Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has received new documents from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), detailing reports of adverse reactions to the vaccination for human papillomavirus (HPV), Gardasil. The adverse reaction reports detail 26 new deaths reported between September 1, 2010 and September 15, 2011 as well as incidents of seizures, paralysis, blindness, pancreatitis, speech problems, short term memory loss and Guillain-Barre Syndrome. The documents come from the FDAs Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) which is used by the FDA to monitor the safety of vaccines. The documents were obtained pursuant to a September 15, 2011 FOIA request for reports made from September 1, 2010 through September 15, 2011. Through the years I have published more information regarding the side effects of the Gardasil vaccine in Colombia. The following summarizes my major findings: 1-Adjuvantes in vaccines can produce autoimmune disorders as explained by dr. Yehuda Shoenfeld who studied the so-called ASIA Syndrome or autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants. The Gardasil vaccine contains aluminum, one of the adjuvants responsible for the autoimmune diseases seen in the girls affected by the Gardasil vaccine, see: 2-There are several disorders induced by the vaccine that we have seen in the affected girls in Colombia besides the ASIA syndrome. One of them is early menopause, where there is a premature ovarian failure in the affected girls and they become sterile. We have seen several cases in Colombia and this is one of the articles that reports this disorder: 3-Guillain Barre Syndrome Girls and women who receive the Gardasil vaccine to prevent cervical cancer may be at increased risk of a rare but serious disorder of the nervous system in the first few weeks after getting their shots, researchers report.(1,2) 4-As documented by US researcher Lloyd Philips, whom I have interviewed personally, Gardasil doesnt kill or prevent cancer but can increase the risk of getting it. This is a quote from his website: MERCK spent $100,000,000.00 in advertising in the first-year roll-out of Gardasil to "educate" (scare) people into wrongfully believing that Gardasil could prevent cancer. Gardasil neither prevents cancer nor kills cancer. Gardasil and Gardasil9 have both been documented to CAUSE cancer, and MERCK's own clinical trial data submitted and on file with the FDA shows that Gardasil CAUSES a 44.6% INCREASED RISK of CANCER if given to someone already exposed to HPV. Exposure could be sharing a towel, washcloth, beverage, toothbrush, makeup, etc., with a sexually active friend or family member, including a parent. Have you got any responses from relevant state agencies? I have published several articles regarding the Gardasil vaccine, exposing its risks and documenting victims testimonies, see for example this video. It was presented at a HPV conference in Colorado this years. Neither the government of Colombia or the Ministry of Health have responded to my articles in any fashion. As a researcher, do you think the vaccine administrators are properly examining women in Colombia before vaccination to exclude side effects? There arent any examinations performed in Colombia before the application of the Gardasil vaccine although the manufacturer explains in the insert that the vaccine shouldnt be applied to girls that are already infected with HPV or pregnant. As a matter of fact, one of the affected girls by the vaccine in the Colombian town in Carmen de Bolivar, was pregnant when she was vaccinated. How many lawsuits are there in Colombia demanding compensation of vaccine effects? There is currently only one lawsuit asking for compensation for the victims of the vaccine. The lawsuit is currently in process against Merck for 160 million dollars. You said that you worked with the lawyer of the girls who got sick because of vaccine and who took the case to court. What exactly did you do in the court? I have provided background information and translated studies from other countries into Spanish. Since my work is journalistic and informative, it is not being used directly in court cases, only studies published in science journals are actually used. How many women have been affected by HPV vaccine according to that case? There are close to a thousand girls affected by the vaccine in Colombia, about 700 are being represented in the case against Merck. Could you please detail some of the vaccines side effects, especially the worst? There are many side effects listed by the manufacturer, you can see the list here: Please note that at the end it says: For a more complete list of side effects, ask your health care provider. Here are the missing side effects: 1- Death, 2-ASIA syndrome (explained on question number 5) 3-Guillain Barre syndrome (explained on question number 5) 4-Early menopause (explained on question number 5) also: 5-Fainting 6-Paralysis 7-Loss of memory 8-Bleeding 9-Hair loss 10- Sight loss 11- Irregular menstruation 12-Dysautonomia). Who will compensate the girls if they win the case? The company Merck, or the government? Merck will have to compensate the affected girls. You state in your presentation that before going to the court the girls protested in the street. What was their exact demand? In your opinion, why was the government so silent. Are they also silent after applying to the court?( Has the government remained silent after the lawsuit? The girls and the families were demanding an answer from the government: Why the girls were sick after the vaccine and what was the government going to do to treat them. The government responded that the girls were mentally ill, a prepared response possibly redacted by Merck or by a consulting company paid by them, which was used in several countries stating that this was a case of mass psychogenic illness. How can the girls prove in the court that the effects are from HPV vaccine? There are testimonies by several doctors and researchers that have documented that there is a direct link between the vaccine and its side effects. See for example. What is your advice to girls in Armenia slated for vaccination? The Armenian girls should ask for a complete list of the reported side effects of the vaccine and judge if the risks are greater than the benefits. They have to keep in mind that vaccines are given to HEALTHY people and if girls are getting sick after receiving the vaccine something may be wrong with the vaccine. They should ask themselves why the whole population has to be vaccinated to prevent an HPV infection (not to prevent cancer since the vaccine supposedly prevents an infection that MAY cause cancer) that clears by itself in 98% of the cases. They should have the right of an informed consent, which means that they should have the right to know all the possible risks of the vaccine and should have the right to reject the vaccine if the risks outweigh the benefits. Also, they should keep in mind that this vaccine hasnt prevent a SINGLE cancer since that can only be known in 20 to 30 years, since young girls dont develop this type of cancer. Finally, they should ask for an alternative, like a Pap Smear that has helped to prevent cervical cancer more than anything else without any side effects. Two women have been charged with assaulting police after a huge Christmas Day beach party was broken up by officers in Sydney's south. About 3000 people were at the party at Little Bay, south of Maroubra, and more were arriving when police were called just before 3pm. It took officers from five different command centres two-and-a half hours to break up the party, which was in a designated alcohol-free zone. In video footage of the aftermath of the party, police can be seen pushing a couple of women who fall to the ground. Officers also used capsicum spray on the revellers, a police spokeswoman confirmed, and paramedics were called to decontaminate those affected. An online petition demanding the Andrews government dump a plan to let Apple tear down a building at Federation Square to build a "flagship" store has topped 16,000 signatures Monday morning, less than a week after the development's announcement. And three associations representing architects, planners and landscape designers have written to Planning Minister Richard Wynne, objecting to the lack of transparency surrounding his approval for the Apple store. On Wednesday, Tourism Minister John Eren told reporters: "Our Christmases have come all at once Apple have decided to build their global flagship store right here in Melbourne at the famous Fed Square." No detail of the financial deal the Andrews government made with Apple to allow them access to the city's most recognised public square has been released. Texas A&M Director of Sustainability Kelly Wellman said after more than a decade of persistent work, the university is getting noticed for its efforts to promote sustainability across the campus. The university was recognized this year with the top "gold" status under the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability's 2017 Sustainable Campus Index. The perfect score of 100 was achieved by only 11 of the 280 universities surveyed by the association, with an average score of 70.4 for U.S. institutions. The university has made major strides since first participation in the report in 2012, when it received a "silver" recognition with a score of 47.5. The international association uses the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System as a self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance with which universities can measure their long-term goals, create points of comparison, incentivize constant improvement and more. Wellman said the achievement of earning a "gold" rating with a perfect score helps A&M to be considered among a cohort of peers with which it is proud to be included. "This is significant because it shows that Texas A&M is certainly in line with its peers," Wellman said. "We're working on global challenges and researching solutions to address global needs for the good of all people." She said credit is owed not to any one department or group, but to all of the dedicated members of the A&M community who contributed to making it a reality. "While (the Office of Sustainability) is kind of like the spiderweb that connects the institution, there are many partners that are doing things," Wellman said. "... The success of sustainability is a direct result of many professionals on this campus really working to be good stewards. It's the students, faculty and staff. Not to be cliche, but it really does take the whole village, the entire institution to make it work." Wellman said utilities and energy services is just one of the many areas which have made a difference in the sustainability of the campus, continually working to bring down the energy consumption of the campus even as the physical space it occupies continues to grow. "Even though we're continuing to increase in gross square footage, we've done a really good job of lowering our greenhouse gas emissions at the same time," she said. "That's always a significant place to look when you're thinking about sustainability. Energy intensity is one of those things that has multiple far-reaching implications, so being good stewards of that resource translates into many other positive benefits -- whether that's environmental or financial." Other areas which she said have made an impact include transportation -- with projects such as bicycle and car sharing services -- and education through programs such as those hosted by Residence Life. Matt Fry, assistant vice president for research and member of the President's Sustainability Advisory Council, said the "huge recognition" is one which he believes is "long overdue" for the university. "I think it's something that shows exactly what we know we've been doing well over the last 10 to 15 years," Fry said. "(The Office of Sustainability) does great work on campus and we've come a long way in not only promoting sustainability, but also walking the walk after talking the talk." A&M President Michael K. Young said in a statement he applauds the work being done on the campus to ensure that "the state of Texas, the nation and the world can look to Texas A&M University as a leader in this arena." He said, "I would also like to thank our students, faculty and staff who made this recognition possible by committing themselves to creating a cleaner, greener and more efficient campus that will benefit generations of future Aggies." As part of the university's path forward, Wellman said a 2018 Sustainability Master Plan is being developed to help give unified direction for the initiatives ahead. "We're in this critical process right now where all areas of campus have the opportunity to give their input and their vision for the future," Wellman said. "This master plan update is really a vision for where we're going to start moving in the short-term and longer-term timeline for the campus as an institution." The nine sustainability themes outlined by the President's Sustainability Advisory Council for the master plan include campus mobility, stormwater management, administrative support, built environment/site design, social sustainability, education, outreach and engagement, pedagogy, research and innovation, waste management and energy use and greenhouse gas reduction. The stated goals of the 2018 Sustainability Master Plan team are to formulate a strategy to "foster and promote sustainability throughout the university community" with a group "comprised of an inclusive cross-section of administrators, faculty, staff, and students," according to the President's Sustainability Advisory Council website. Fry said he and his fellow members of advisory council hope the master plan will serve as a guide for the university's sustainability efforts over the next 20 to 30 years by providing not only goals but "attainable aspirations" as well. "It's always great to have aspirations, but attainable aspirations," Fry said. "We're already doing some great things on campus and I think this master plan will create very attainable aspirations." He said he also believes the master plan, once completed, will serve as a way to get members of the campus community such as faculty and students involved and excited about the initiatives ahead. Fry added that as the university moves forward and continues to pursue more sustainability initiatives, A&M's commitment to the effort will become more recognized by a wider audience of people. "I think that a lot of people don't realize that Texas A&M as an institution has a great affinity and great aspirations in the area of sustainability," Fry said. "We want to make not only our planet a better place, but also socially a better place, and provide a greater atmosphere and environment for our faculty, students and staff." To learn more about sustainability at Texas A&M, go to sustainability.tamu.edu. Im a Christian who grew up not realizing there were holidays at the end of the year besides Christmas and New Years. I never had to. I was in the majority and uttering the words Merry Christmas was akin to breathing air; it was just something everyone did. Thats why the supposed war on Christmas long has baffled me. I grew up being warned not to allow Christmas to become too secular, too focused on gift-giving and not enough on Jesus, only later to see fellow Christians outraged that employees at the mall and on commercials had begun saying Happy Holidays instead. The irony is that in 1999, a federal court said that Christmas did not violate the establishment of religion clause of the U.S. Constitution because it had become so secular and was even being celebrated by non-Christians. Thats right. One of Christianitys most sacred holidays can remain public because it has been deemed insufficiently religious, and many Christians are passionately using the same rationale to protect the faith from a contrived war that only they seem to be fighting. I only learned about other religions or that you could be an atheist and a good person at the same time when I was introduced to them after many years of believing there was only one true faith. And still, none of those faiths is treated with the deference Christianity is afforded in the United States, even with the secular embrace of happy holidays, which is simply a wise move by retailers and advertisers to engage as many potential customers as possible, and the ability of others to voice opinions and encourage laws and social norms that dont squarely align with the conservative Christianity I long embraced. Thats why it has been odd to hear white evangelical Christians, in particular, giddily respond to President Donald Trumps claim that we can now say Merry Christmas again, as though President Barack Obama had outlawed the phrase. He hadnt; its easy to find video of Obama repeatedly using the phrase himself in multiple settings while in office. Its been odder still that the same Christians embraced Trump, a man whose life choices have not illustrated he has adhered to many if any Christian tenets while shunning Obama, a man whose personal life does. As Christians, we are so accustomed to being the sole center of attention, it can feel like an attack when others are invited on stage to soak up a bit of the spotlight, too. Christmas remains the center of the universe this time of year, and that likely wont change. There is Hanukkah, which receives public respect but not nearly the public attention of Christmas. Theres Kwanzaa, celebrated in many African-American households. Theres the Prophets birthday for Muslims and The Wright Brothers Day and the December solstice and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and others most of us probably wouldnt recognize. My understanding of Christmas is that God decided to come to Earth in human form leaving behind the trappings and high status available to an all-powerful being to reach the left-behind, downtrodden and hard-hearted and others, to humble himself to begin a journey that would end in the ultimate sacrifice. Somehow, that lesson has gotten lost by too many Christians in a rush to preserve a status that isnt even in jeopardy. Thats why happy holidays, which is an embrace of all people, is a truer adherence to the Christmas spirit than Merry Christmas has become. Dont be fooled otherwise. Issac J. Bailey is interim associate editor for the Charlotte, North Carolina, Observer editorial board. By Marineh Sahakyan Its Zozan. As always, shes nicely dressed. Like the others, she now longer wears a headscarf. This is the comment made by one of the residents of Zozans village Kanakeravan, in Armenias Kotayk Province. The villager adds that Zozan always sends her kids to school properly dressed. In the Yezidi language, Zozan means great places of relaxation, the mountains. Zozan, 37 years-old, married at the age of twenty, according to Yezidi tradition. The only bow to modernity was that her husband wore a white suit at the wedding. Back in the day, the godfather would place the ring on the brides finger. Now, its changed a bit. They bring the bride to a beautiful hall, and the groom places the ring. In addition to gold, he presents a telephone as a gift, so that theyll always keep in touch, says Zozan. Today, the young folk of the village can go out together after getting engaged. It was different seventeen years ago when Zozan married. Yes, were from the same village. But he wouldnt visit. His mother used to bring me gifts. We kept in touch from afar. Hes the son of my uncle, says Zozan. The Yezidis recognize three castes the sheikhs, the pirs (elders) and the murids (disciples). The first two are religious castes; the third is secular. Marriage among different castes in prohibited. Were from the pir caste. People dont know that we are few, that we cant marry others. I will not violate these rules, the religion. But I cut and dye hair, pluck eyebrows, and use cosmetics. Its sacrilege for me, Zozan says. She has three children girls aged 17 and 15, and a 13-year-old son. When Zozan sent them to kindergarten, other Yezidi villagers criticized her. It just wasnt done. Zozans parents took her out of school before she finished fifth grade. She says her children will finish school. This too has been met with disdain. They talk behind my back. They say I dont give my girls chores to do at home, and instead, I keep them in school. But I want them to attend classes regularly, says the mother. Her children would like to further their education after high school. All three of Zozans children attend music classes. Her son plays the kamancha and piano at village events. My eldest daughter has sketched 200 clothing designs. She just might become a designer, says Zozan, who frowns on girls getting married at the age of fourteen or fifteen. I recently attended a wedding where the bride was fifteen. Such affairs must be prohibited. They disrupt the childs life. They have to marry later to correctly build a family. Zozan is also disparaged for sending her children to various hobby groups. Relatives tell her the money should be spent on renovating the house and buying livestock. Zozan has been working in Yerevan for the past year, in a plant that makes meat pies. This too has been frowned upon by relatives who tell her to stay at home and tend to the livestock. Zozan stopped such chores five years ago and plans to keep it that way. My husband has worked in construction for twelve years. We want to work in better conditions and as registered employees. If one can juggle raising livestock and a job, thats fine, let them. Today, though, one can no longer live like that. I want to learn how to sew. I have unfinished objectives. Zozan regrets not having pursued her education. She boasts that her coworkers are amazed by her mathematical skills. Leyla, a 22-year-old Yezidi mother of two who resides in Yerevan, says she never had the chance to attend university. She wants to learn accounting. The concept that Yezidis shouldnt attend school has long since disappeared, or is on the way out, Leyla says. Khaneh Mahmoudyan (photo) graduated this year with a Masters in Oriental Studies from Yerevan State University. She says that her grandfathers have always encouraged attending school and getting an education. Her uncle and aunt have university degrees. Its wrong to believe that all Yezidis dont attend school, says Mahmoudyan, adding that the number of rural Yezidi woman attending university increases yearly. The woman I talk to in the village say that Armenians have incorrect views about Yezidis, calling some of their rituals as absurd, without understanding their meaning. For some Armenians, saying the word Yezidi connotates marrying your relative, not going to school, and marrying at a young age. I must note that while such things exist, one cannot look at the entire Yezidi nation in such a way, says Mahmoudyan. She says that Yezidi marriage rituals are wonderous and have deep significance. Recently, I came across a discussion on some social website alleging that at a Yezidi wedding they beat the brides head with brooms. I can assure you, this doesnt happen, says Leyla. Khaneh and Leyla talked about marriages between relatives, confessing that they have encountered such instances, but criticize them. I and young people like me declare that our children will not marry their cousins, Leyla says. They tell me that young Yezidi families also celebrate Armenian holidays Vardavar, Easter and New Years. Zozan says that for the first six years of married life, when she lived with her mother-in-law, they didnt celebrate Armenia holidays. After moving out, however, she bought and decorated a Christmas tree and prepared gifts for the children and loved ones. Now, all the young wives prepare an Armenian holiday table. Pork, of course, isnt allowed, says Zozan, adding that one of the reasons is that swine do not chew their cud. The young Yezidi women say they have never encountered discrimination in Armenia and have Armenian friends. While Leyla believes that males are the final arbiters, she says that in todays Yezidi households the decision results from a joint discussion between husband and wife. One of the major virtues of a Yezidi women, Leyla believes, is to pass down the Yezidi language, songs and history to the children, and to maintain respect for their elders. You can say Im a preserver of national culture. I sing Yezidi songs to my kids, and speak to them in our language. Khaneh wants to see the Yezidi women of today and tomorrow to be self-confidant. My greatest wish is that Yezidi women are cultured and raised with national values, she says. Zozan says that Yezidi women work much more than their husbands and often earn more. Sure, the man can come and go. But the woman is the pillar of the home. No one mentions this. Its as if its still not acceptable for a woman to speak out and express a point of view. My husband takes what I have to say into consideration, but not my father, she says. Zozan would like to see the day when a Yezidi woman can stand as an equal beside her husband, and for society as a whole to accept it as fact. 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, most likely were 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 generally were seen as ranking, socially and economically, below the peasantry since most didnt 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 Familys 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. Im 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 wouldnt forget. James Martin is a Jesuit priest, editor at large at America, consultor to the Vaticans Secretariat of Communication, and author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage. He wrote this for the Los Angeles Times. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Judy Zhu (China Daily/Asia News Network) New York, United States Mon, December 25, 2017 16:07 1788 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ef4db4 2 Lifestyle Harvard-University,Education Free Harvard University, which is facing claims of racial discrimination against Asian-Americans in its admissions process, has announced that its early acceptance rate for Asian-Americans for the Class of 2022 has hit 24.2 percent, up from 21.7 percent a year earlier. The figures were released on Dec 12 by the school on its official website, the Harvard Gazette. Of the 6,630 applicants who applied for admission under the early action program, 964 were accepted. The college said 4,882 were deferred, 611 were rejected, and 173 applications were incomplete. The early enrollments for the Class of 2022 also reflects an overall increase in other nonwhite students from previous years, the prestigious university said. African-Americans make up 13.9 percent of students admitted early, compared with 12.6 percent last year. At the same time, Latinos account for 9.8 percent, up 1 percentage point last year, and Native Americans/Native Hawaiians account for 1.8 percent, up from 1.1 percent. "From small towns, suburbs, and cities - from throughout the United States and around the world - the Class of 2022 promises to be among the best classes in Harvard's long history," said William R. Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions and financial aid at Harvard University. Harvard is facing scrutiny from the Department of Justice and a separate lawsuit accusing the college of discriminating against Asian-Americans in its undergraduate admissions process. Read also: Harvard taking more steps to acknowledge its ties to slavery Annie Lu, a senior at Mills High School in Millbrae, California, has been accepted by Harvard University for its Class of '22. (China Daily/File) 2015 lawsuit In November, the Justice Department cited a 2015 lawsuit that charges Harvard's affirmative action policies discriminate against Asian-American applicants, in a letter setting a Dec 1 deadline for Harvard to hand over documents on its admission policies. Responding to that deadline, Harvard offered a compromise position in which the government's lawyers would be able to examine all the records, including an electronic database, in the offices of Harvard's lawyers, with some personal information redacted, according to The New York Times. Harvard University reported that 16.6 percent of a total 29,652 students are Asian, according to collegefactual.com. Over the past five years, the total international population of students on campus has grown at an average rate of 6.8 percent. China is the largest contributor to this growth, with an estimated 1,263 students. Fitzsimmons said in an earlier interview with the Harvard Crimson, the school's newspaper, that the pool of early applicants is typically less diverse than regular applicants, though he said he believes recent efforts to increase awareness of the early admissions program have served to mitigate some of the disparities. Topics : This article appeared on the China Daily newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 25, 2017 10:37 1789 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ee5f5a 1 Lifestyle Christmas,cake,Chocolicious-Indonesia,bakery,Christmas-cake,Makassar Free Following news on a rejected Christmas cake request by Makassar-based bakery Chocolicious Indonesia, the customer who actually placed the order has responded on the matter. Arnold Serestyen told tempo.co that the news was wrong that his wife, Lanny Serestyen-Fransiska, had ordered the cake. "I was the one who ordered the cake. The circulated screenshot of chat messages is actually my chat with Chocolicious," Serestyen said on Sunday. The Hungarian native also said that the bakery did not reject any order he had placed. "I was not rejected; I'm the one who canceled the order," he said. He confirmed, however, that the bakery refused to write a Christmas greeting on the cake as he had wanted. "But I didn't question the reason behind it. I reckon it was due to religious matters, and I highly respect that," said Serestyen. Read also: Indonesian bakery reignites debate over Xmas greeting He added that he had ordered cakes from the bakery a few times, as he considered their products to be of high quality. "Their cakes are wonderful," he stressed. He said no issues existed between himself and the bakery: "They have never insulted me nor were ever racist toward me." Chocolicious Indonesia issued an official statement regarding the matter on Saturday on both its Instagram and Facebook accounts, in which it stated, "[...] We would like to offer our deepest regret. We from Chocolicious Indonesia are not yet able to write merry Christmas [sic] or other similar expressions. 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." The bakery's Facebook post has been shared by more than 2,500 people and received more than 5,400 comments. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 25, 2017 16:53 1788 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ef5623 1 National bali,Mount-Agung,tourism Free Local and international tourists are flocking to some destinations on the resort island of Bali on Christmas day on Monday despite Mount Agungs continuous eruptions. Mount Agung erupted again on Sunday, spewing ash 2.5 kilometers high. However, the government has assured that the resort island is safe for tourists. Bali appeals [to me] more than other regions. Though the eruption has gone viral on social media, it has not discouraged me from visiting Bali, Anita, a tourist from Jakarta, told Antaranews.com in Gianyar on Monday. Anita said she was not worried with the eruption because she knew that Mount Agung was located far away from most tourist destinations. For example, it is located about 75 km from the resort hub of Kuta. Whats more is that the government has assured that if Ngurah Rai Airport suddenly closes people will be looked after, said Anita, who was on holiday in Bali with her family until the New Year. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said on Sunday that until now 71, 045 local residents had moved to 239 displaced person points prepared by the government throughout the island. He also stated that Bali is still safe for tourists. Bali is safe. Do not be afraid to visit Bali, Sutopo said in a statement. (saf/ahw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) United Nations, United Nations Mon, December 25, 2017 12:25 1789 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2eee467 2 World UN,China,Russia,Myanmar,Rohingya-Muslims Free 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. Today, the primary clinic of Iskhanadzor, a village in the liberated Kashatagh region of Artsakh, reopened its doors after months of renovation. Kashatagh Administration Chief of Staff Davit Davtyan, Tufenkian Foundation Executive Director Raffi Doudaklian, as well as representatives of the Artsakh Ministry of Healthcare, Berdzor Hospital and the Ishkhanadzor community attended the opening event. Built by the Tufenkian Foundation during 2004-2006, the clinic is the only healthcare provider serving a cluster of 16 remote villages in Kashatagh. More than a decade into operations, the clinic was in need of urgent renovations if it was to continue its services. Realizing the importance of this facility for Ishkhanadzor and all of Southern Kashatagh, the Tufenkian Foundation took up the renovation of the clinic in early September. Substantial improvements were made to the walls, flooring, windows and the external facade of the building, thus ensuring the maintenance of the clinic well into the future. As with all construction efforts carried out by the Tufenkian Foundation, the renovation works were entrusted to local workers from Kashatagh. Addressing the guests at the opening event, Tufenkian Foundation Executive Director Raffi Doudaklian said "The resettlement and development of Kashatagh is not just important for the people living here. It is vital for all of Artsakh and Armenia. We need to work together to bring new life and opportunities to these liberated lands." The clinic currently employs 5 healthcare professionals serving more than 500 patients every year. Medical care provided by this clinic is essential for the people of Kashatagh, where accessible medical services are scarce due to poor roads and transportation. Until recently, village-based facilities were practically nonexistent, and medical emergencies such as snakebites, sudden illnesses, and even childbirths often resulted in casualties. Building, equipping and later renovating the Iskhanadzor clinic is only one of the initiatives carried out by the Tufenkian Foundation towards improved healthcare in Kashatagh. Since 2005, the Foundation has built and equipped other, smaller clinics notably those in Msheni and Aghavnatun found in remote areas. In addition to building and renovating clinics, it operated a Mobile Clinic throughout 2008-2010. This supplementary service provided medical care to 2,000 people, including 597 children during its operations. To further improve the healthcare situation in Artsakh's liberated borderlands, the Tufenkian Foundation is planning to build a medical clinic in Moshatagh, a village in Northern Kashatagh that currently has no healthcare facilities. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 25, 2017 16:50 1788 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ef537c 1 City looting,Depok,police Free The Depok Police in West Java have arrested dozens of individuals for their alleged roles in looting a clothing store in the city in the wee hours on Sunday. "We have arrested 24 people. 23 men and one woman," Depok Police Criminal Investigation Department head Comr. Putu Kholis said in a statement on Monday as quoted by kompas.com. He added that the suspects were arrested at separate times and locations. The Police confiscated a number pieces of evidence, including six motorcycles and sharp weapons, as well as dozens of looted pieces of clothing. A one minute 24 second clip of CCTV footage of the crime went viral on the web on Sunday, showing the perpetrators looting the store in Sukmajaya subdistrict. (fac) Topics : looting Depok police Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 25, 2017 17:35 1788 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ef6dca 1 City 2017Christmas,Christmas,GKI-Yasmin,HKBP-Filadelfia Free Members of GKI Yasmin and HKBP Filadelfia held their Christmas services in front of the Presidential Palace in Jakarta for the sixth consecutive year on Monday, as they were again denied permits by their local administrations to hold services in their own church buildings. Hundreds of members of the two congregations held their services with only umbrellas to protect them from the sun and stifling heat on Monday afternoon. The reader of the liturgy priest Juliar Chandra said the celebration was conducted to express their hope for justice. "We celebrate Jesus' birthday in front of the Presidential Palace as a symbol of our hope for justice, the spirit of truth and our peaceful stance," Juliar said during the service. GKI Yasmin spokesman Bona Sigalingging said both churches hoped to use their own buildings soon given they had obtained all the required permits. "We hope the President will push the administration's leaders, especially Bogor's mayor and Bekasi's regent, to guarantee the rights of GKI Yasmin and HKBP Filadelfia to use their churches," Bona said. Back in 2008, the Bogor city administration issued a decree freezing the GKI church's building permit (IMB) in response to residents' resistance. The Bandung State Administrative Court (PTUN) and the State Administrative High Court in Jakarta ruled in favor of the church and ordered the administration to revoke the decree. The Supreme Court also ruled in favor of GKI Yasmin in 2010. However in 2011, former Bogor mayor Diani Budiarto revoked the church's IMB, thus leaving the church with no permit at all. Meanwhile, HKBP Filadelfia faced a similar problem with the Bekasi administration sealing off the location upon which their church was to be built in 2010. Both Bandung and Jakarta PTUN, as well as the Supreme Court, ruled in favor of HKBP Filadelfia in 2011. However, the congregations still could not use the churches as both administrations ignored the rulings. Bona added that in December last year, Bandung Mayor Bima Arya had promised to accommodate the congregation's right to worship. He had voiced an idea to build a mosque next to the church to show that people of different religions could live in harmony, Bona said. "We now encourage Bima to implement his own idea before the end of his term as mayor," Bona said. Meanwhile, the government should pay attention to the dispute involving HKBP Filadelfia in Bekasi as the mayor did nothing significant to settle the dispute, he said. (wit) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kharishar Kahfi and Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 25, 2017 20:40 1788 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2efa23b 1 National 2017Christmas,Christmas,jakarta,Joko-Widodo,Tjahjo-Kumolo Free The festive season has, once again, passed safely as Christians celebrated Christmas this year without any major disturbances or incidents. The solemn atmosphere of Christmas meant that Elitha Evinora Tarigan, a 31-year-old Jakarta-based business owner, listened carefully to the priest's sermon at Christmas Eve mass in Jakarta Cathedral on Sunday. The sermon continued until one of the bishops arrived at the churchs main hall with a number of officials, including Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, and interrupted the sermon so the minister could give his speech to the thousands of attendees at the Catholic Church. I have no problem with these officials coming to the church during Christmas eve mass. However, I think they should come at a more appropriate time, such as after mass has finished, as the church provides time for additional announcements, Elitha told The Jakarta Post on Monday. In the speech, Tjahjo passed a greeting on behalf of President Joko Jokowi Widodo, who was unable to go to the cathedral himself. At Christmas, the president normally visits Jakarta Cathedral, among the oldest and largest churches in the country. The minister also apologized to Christians across the country if they have felt uncomfortable with the government's heavy security measures implemented to safeguard churches during the Christmas holiday. "We apologize if the [Christmas celebrations] seemed heavily guarded," the minister said. Security was heightened, the minister said, "solely to provide assurances so that people can worship peacefully and solemnly without interference." Tjahjos apology was made after the deployment of more law enforcement personnel to ensure that this years Christmas celebrations could take place peacefully. The National Police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) have deployed about 180,000 personnel in anticipation of possible terror attacks. The number of personnel is larger than in 2016, when the combined security forces deployed only 150,000 personnel to secure the festive season. Elitha, who had to go through security checks to attend mass in the cathedral, said the security measures affected the atmosphere during the service. Its actually fine, but deep down, I feel sad. Why should we have to be guarded so tight during mass? The increased security measures were also felt by Eleny Marsha Claudia, 24, who witnessed more law enforcers guarding St. August Catholic Church in Cawang, East Jakarta. There were around 10 to 15 fully-equipped police and military personnel compared to last years five to seven police officers. The law enforcers, however, seemed to overlook securing a congregation at St. John's Catholic Church in Kebayoran Lama subdistrict in South Jakarta, as attendees claimed that a smaller number of law enforcement officers had guarded the church. There were only two police officers who stood guard at the front door, said Afriani Liliani, a 28-year-old housewife, who went to the church. I didnt know about it until I finally realized upon entering the church that the police were gone! The number personnel guarding the church, however, made Afriani feel more relaxed upon attending Christmas mass. I personally felt more insecure last year as there were more security issues such as the threat of suicide bombers. In January 2016 a suicide bombing and gun attack, claimed to have been carried out by the Islamic State movement (IS), took place in Jakarta, killing eight people, including police officers. The increased security measures this year yielded a positive result: there were no major incidents across the country, especially during Christmas Eve. As of tonight, there have not been any major incidents reported. Everything is safe, National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian told reporters on Sunday. The only problem is traffic congestion [going out of Jakarta]. State-owned toll road operator Jasa Marga recorded that around 312,000 vehicles had left Jakarta as of Dec. 24, a 10 percent increase in the number of vehicles leaving Jakarta than usual. The situation across the country has echoed the message of peace delivered by prominent figures, including President Jokowi, who delivered on Monday his Christmas message to all Christians, emphasizing that the countrys religious diversity should be embraced. To all Christians in Indonesia, I wish you a Merry Christmas. The countrys religious diversity is a blessing for us all, Jokowi said on his official Twitter account @Jokowi. The Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) and the Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI) also issued a joint Christmas message calling for the strengthening of national unity according to Pancasila, the state ideology. (wit) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 25, 2017 15:02 1788 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ef35b3 1 National PGI,Christmas,unity,KWI Free The Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) and the Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI) have issued a joint Christmas message that calls for the strengthening of national unity according to Pancasila, the state ideology. Jakarta Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo said that the countrys sense of unity was currently at peril. There are parties that have directly or indirectly shown a tendency to take a different path other than our national principle, Pancasila, Ignatius said on Monday at Jakarta Cathedral, as quoted by kompas.com. He said that such parties were unable to respect Pancasila and accept it as the countrys founding principle. If such parties respected Pancasila, he added, they would implement its principles in their entirety. For instance, Ignatius said, government officials who were detained for graft were unable to put into action Pancasilas fifth principle of social justice to all citizens of the country. How many lawmakers have been arrested for corruption? They should have conformed to the law [they made] for the prosperity of the people [they represented], he said. Ignatius offered two messages with regard to the matter: First, not to forget the history of how the country was founded upon Pancasila as its basic principle; second, that all citizens should take responsibility for keeping that history alive by implementing the values of Pancasila on a daily basis. (nmn/ahw) Topics : PGI Christmas unity KWI Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 25, 2017 12:34 1789 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2eeebd3 1 National Christmas,security,Tjahjo-Kumolo,Tito-Karnavian,Hadi-Tjahjanto Free Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo has apologized to Christians in the country if they have felt uncomfortable with the government's heavy security measures to safeguard churches during the Christmas holiday. "We apologize if [Christmas celebrations] seemed heavily guarded," the minister said while visiting Jakarta Cathedral in Central Jakarta. Security was heightened, the minister said, "solely to provide assurance that people can worship peacefully and solemnly without any interference." The National Police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) have deployed about 180,000 personnel to secure Christmas this year to anticipate possible terror attacks. In 2016, the combined security forces deployed only 150,000 personnel. National Police Chief Gen. Tito Karnavian and TNI Commander Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto joined the minister in touring several Central Jakarta churches on Sunday night to inspect the security operation, dubbed "Operation Candlelight", (Operasi Lilin). Other than Jakarta Cathedral, the three leaders also visited Batak Protestant Church and St. Emmanuel's Church. Tito stressed that Christmas Eve celebrations passed without incident. "Until today, there have been no reports of any significant incidents. It has been safe," Tito said. Meanwhile, Hadi said that the TNI was fully behind the police's annual security operation through New Year's. "We promise that everything is safe and will run smoothly until January 2. We are backing the Police fully," he said. (ahw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kharishar Kahfi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 25, 2017 18:45 1788 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ef897e 1 National 2017Christmas,Christmas,Christmas-greetings,MUI Free The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has responded to the issue of a Makassar-based bakery's refusal to write a Christmas greeting on top of a cake a customer had ordered, calling it a part of freedom of expression. The councils deputy chairman, Zainut Tauhid Saadi, said in a statement on Monday that the MUI could not prohibit anyone from having an opinion on whether it was allowed for Muslims to say Merry Christmas. Ulemas have been split on the issue. The MUI welcomes every Muslim to choose according to their beliefs, Zainut said. We cant prohibit a bakery from refusing to write the greeting on the cake. At the same time, we cant condemn the ones serving customers by writing Merry Christmas, he went on to say. Zainut added that the council suggested for people to become wiser in responding to differences of opinion, so the debate would not create disturb religious harmony in the country. The MUI leaves a message for all Muslims to keep the principles of both Islam and brotherhood among fellow children of the nation, Zainut said. On Sunday, 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. The bakery, Chocolicious Indonesia, believes that it did nothing wrong, saying the policy should by no means be interpreted as an act of intolerance. (wit) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Tunis, Tunisia Mon, December 25, 2017 19:35 1788 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ef8bf9 2 World Dubai-International-Airport,travelers,Tunisia,terror-attack Free Controversial security measures taken by the United Arab Emirates against Tunisian women trying to travel to the Gulf state were prompted by fears of a terrorist attack, Tunisia said Monday. Since Friday Tunisian women and girls have been delayed for hours as they look to board flights to the UAE, sparking outcry in the North African nation. Passengers said the only explanation they were given by airline staff was that women holding Tunisian passports were not allowed to travel to the UAE. In response Tunisia on Sunday suspended Emirates flights between Tunis and Dubai. "The UAE authorities have serious security information about the possibility of terrorist attacks," Tunisian presidency spokeswoman Saida Garrach told Shems FM radio. The information indicates that with jihadists returning from Syria and Iraq, there is "a possibility of a terrorist attack involving either Tunisian women or women carrying a Tunisian passport," Garrach said, suggesting that they could be using false identities. UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash on Sunday blamed the delays on "security information that necessitated taking specific procedures". "We highly value Tunisian women and respect them," he said on Twitter. But Tunisian official Garrach insisted that while his country could understand the UAE's concerns, it cannot "accept the way Tunisian women have been treated". Tunisian rights groups have condemned the UAE measures as "discriminatory and racist". Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Manila, Philippines Mon, December 25, 2017 10:37 1789 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ee6f2a 2 SE Asia Philippines,Crash,bus,Christmas Free Twenty pilgrims were killed Monday in a head-on bus collision while travelling to Christmas Day mass in the northern Philippines, police said. A small bus taking an extended family to a dawn church service crashed into a larger bus in the town of Agoo, 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of Manila, killing 20 on board, Agoo police said. The nine other occupants of the small bus were injured, as were 15 travelling on the bigger bus, police said. "They were trying to catch a mass in Manaoag," police officer Vanessa Abubo told AFP, referring to a nearby town with a famous Catholic church. The centuries-old Our Lady of Manaoag church is a popular pilgrimage site in the mainly Catholic nation, featuring an icon of the Virgin Mary which the faithful say performs miracles. Read also: Philippines storm toll tops 200, tens of thousands displaced Agoo police chief Roy Villanueva told Manila radio station DZMM by telephone that the smaller vehicle had left its lane to overtake a third vehicle. Authorities are investigating whether the driver, who Abubo said was among those killed, had fallen asleep or was under the influence, Villanueva added. Topics : Philippines Crash bus Christmas Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 25, 2017 10:06 1789 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ee5421 1 Destinations Semarang,tourism,travel,destination,Central-Java Free Semarang became an unexpected social media hit after the residents of a neighborhood in the Central Java city picked a paint brush and gave their homes a colorful makeover. Kampung Pelangi, translated as Rainbow Village, became an instant Instagram favorite. A post shared by Lihatsemarang (@lihatsemarang) on Dec 18, 2017 at 5:27am PST However, Semarang offers more than just its unique rainbow neighborhood. Here are four other places that offer great photo-taking opportunities, as compiled by tempo.co. Selfie, wefie spots A post shared by Video Lucu HaHa (@videolucuhaha) on Jun 30, 2017 at 1:35am PDT Taking interesting photos of yourself has increasingly become an essential part of traveling. Semarang has three selfie-worthy spots. In addition to the aforementioned Kampung Pelangi, there is also Brown Canyon for nature lovers and the Negeri di Atas Awan (Land above the Clouds) tourism area. Each provide a unique backdrop for enviable photos to post on your social media feed. Read also: Three selfie-worthy spots in Semarang Desa Wisata Kandri (Kandri Tourism Village) A post shared by Desa Wisata Kandri (@desawisatakandri) on Nov 20, 2017 at 7:16am PST Being developed as a destination of international standard, Desa Wisata Kandri (Kandri Tourism Village) in Gunungpati boasts its own signature characteristics while still retaining its traditions and culture. "There will be 200 homestays with 355 rooms at Desa Wisata Kandri. Supporting infrastructure will also be prepared," Semarang Mayor Hendrar Prihadi said. Mangrove tourism A post shared by faizal ardi romario (@faizal.ardi) on May 27, 2017 at 8:51pm PDT Visitors looking for a different type of experience can head to Maron Mangrove Edupark at Maron Beach. Spanning five hectares, the mangrove forest is located not far from Ahmad Yani International Airport. "Here, visitors can learn how to recognize, plant and care for mangroves," said Rusmadi, a Maron Mangrove Edupark administrator. Other nearby mangrove forest destinations include Maerokoco Park, Mangrove Ecotourism in Tapak Village and Trimulyo Beach. Read also: The return of Semarangs Old Town Kota Lama (Old Town) A post shared by Mrs. Natari arumi dewi (@dewiarumnatari2512) on Dec 21, 2017 at 2:43am PST Established in the 18th century, when Indonesia was still a Dutch colony, Semarang's Kota Lama (Old Town) has also been known as Little Netherlands. Located at the intersection of Jl. Pemuda and Jl. Imam Bonjol, the 31 hectare area is home to at least 60 historic buildings. Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo has previously said that Semarang's Old Town could even be developed similar to Warsaw Old Town, a popular tourism destination in Poland. "Similar to Warsaw Old Town, people could walk on foot, with many eateries and souvenirs on offer, that would be good," Tjahjo said. (liz/kes) This weekend, attend one of the many events planned to honor and celebrate civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Vast majorities of casual moviegoers and die-hard Tarantino fans unfortunately consider Jackie Brown to be his worse work. On both IMBD and Metacritic, excluding his Grindhouse double-feature from 2007, it is the lowest-rated of his filmography. Its a tragedy for such a film that nears absolute perfection not to be as well received as Tarantinos other works, ones that rely far more on cinematic style and gory violence, that care more about being cool than about telling human stories and building relatable characters. Where his other works are an exercise in style, Jackie Brown stands proudly as an artful and incredibly mature depiction of human life. When people talk of Quentin Tarantino, they speak about what sets him apart from the norm, about the features of his work that set him apart and secure him a place in cinematographic history. One could argue that Tarantino stands apart in his dismission of convention, and that Jackie Brown skips such obvious Tarantino hallmarks as his lengthy dialogues, his glorification of violence, atypical use of soundtrack, his manipulation of chronology, the way he melds subgenres, his cocky and in-your-face style. These trademarks exist within Jackie Brown, but are pared back, utilised with subtlety and restraint that make them all the more effective, rather than cartoonish and dare I say, egotistical, like many aspects of his other works. In short, Jackie Brown is not the film one would direct a Tarantino newcomer to, for it is the least Tarantino of his works. However, it is his work that best demonstrates his directive mastery, and thus is Quentin Tarantinos best film. The set-up to Jackie Brown is fairly straightforward: Pam Grier, the blaxploitation legend, plays the eponymous character, a middle-aged air hostess who supplements her low income by transporting cash across between Mexico and Los Angeles for Ordell, a gun runner played by Samuel L. Jackson. When she is caught by ATF agents with a large sum of illegally transported cash and cocaine she didnt know she had. Rather than face returning to jail however, she makes a deal with the agents to bring Ordell down. Whilst working undercover for the government agents however, she also creates plans with bail bondsman Max Cherry, played by Robert Forster, to give up Ordell but keep his $550,000 fortune.Jackie Brown is the only one of Tarantinos films that isnt an original work, but an unguided adaptation of Elmore Leonards Rum Punch. The most obvious changes from the original tale are the name change of the protagonist, and that her race is changed from white to black. This fed into Tarantinos want to pay tribute to the blaxploitation movement, and thus casting Grier in place of a blonde, white woman was an homage to this. The source material and Tarantinos flair combine beautifully. Leonards thoughtful, concise writing from which much of the dialogue is directly lifted perfectly counterbalances and tames Tarantinos pushy, forcibly flashy and indulgent style, lending the story an organic flow his other works lack. Both voices shine through, and combine their styles to create an absolute masterpiece, one so sensationally, slow burn brilliant that, whilst perhaps harder to enjoy than Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction, is the directors prime accomplishment. The best aspect of Jackie Brown is the characterisation; the characters are far more human, with fully-developed backgrounds, their emotions are more complex and relatable than Tarantinos habitually are. Women here are actually women, rather than men in womens clothing, an aspect of characterisation that is unfortunately also a standout amongst Tarantinos portfolio. Jackie is no objectified, one-note male fantasy, but a strong, morally complex woman that is still allowed to be vulnerable, to have doubts and problems, but which she has the capability to deal with herself, without men. Equally refreshing is the romantic relationship between Max and Jackie, one that that explores a mature kind of love in which they are confidantes rather than lovers, and which avoids the Tarantino tropes of romantic relationships being centred either on a revenge narrative or on a damsel in distress. Jackie Browns focus on the hardships of being a middle-aged black woman in America is another feature that also makes this film uncharacteristically mature. This social commentary is far more nuanced and subtle than Tarantinos usual bluntness of ex-slaves killing white masters, and of Jews killing Nazis. This underlies a melancholic tone throughout the film, as the characters of Jackie, Max, and Louis are all in their fifties, and live with the intrinsic knowledge that more of their lives have passed them by than what there is to look forward to. It explores truly humane fears and regrets, and does so with incredible honesty, gives audiences characters that, unlike professional assassins, covert agents and other fantastical roles given to individuals in Tarantinos other works, function in the real world. Jackie Brown is Tarantinos most mature and sophisticated film even to this day, driven by personal relationships and character development with the plot and action serving as backdrop. The film is his most genuine and heartfelt, assembled with great mastery, brilliant acting, and hits a perfect stride between measured and slow. Its likely one of the closest examples of a perfect film. One of Robin Williams most memorable movie moments, Good Morning, Vietnam is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. A timeless classic that blends seamless comedy with inherently horrific real-life situations that occurred during the middle of the Vietnam war, both to the American soldiers and those who called the country their home. Loosely based on the experiences of Armed Forces Radio Service disk jockey Adrian Cronauer (portrayed by Williams), Good Morning, Vietnam explores the need for people such as Cronauer to bring humour and light into a dark war for American soldiers stuck in a foreign country, fighting a cause that was often fraught with war crimes led by corrupt sectors of the US government. As do many films that Williams lends his comedic prowess to, his portrayal of Cronauer is absolutely mesmerizing to watch which makes Good Morning, Vietnam one of the best performances of his decade-spanning career. Its probably a testament to the effort that Williams lent to the production of the film itself, taking Cronauers original treatment that was initially pitched as a sitcom and then as a TV movie of the week to director Barry Levinson and writer Mitch Markowitz. Before Cronauers stories were transformed into a script by Markowitz, TV networks refused Cronauers pitch due to the combination of comedy and drama regarding the Vietnam War; an aspect that was somehow deemed controversial in the era of the successful war sitcom M*A*S*H*. To write, create, produce and release Good Morning, Vietnam was incredibly brave and ended up being entirely needed. It allowed audiences in America and across the world to see a conflict from a distant land dramatized on the big screen as both a comedy and a horrifically apt, non-fiction drama. The film is expertly divided by Williams astoundingly improvised monologue broadcasts to the troops and Cronauer being placed right in the center of a Viet Cong bombing of a restaurant. One of the major aspects of the film is Cronauers honest nature in regard to reporting the truth to the troops across the airwaves, rather than listening to his superiors who (unsurprisingly) have something to hide, even within their own military. Good Morning, Vietnam is often lauded as a classic film due to Williams performance (and rightly so), but Williams comedic talent often overshadows his immense ability to turn that switch off and become poignantly emotional at just the right moments. Once the film takes a drastic turn in light of horrendous events that unfold, Williams opens a tragically touching side of himself to fully convey the gravity of the situations towards the end of the film. As much as his improvisation is adored by many, its these small moments of captivating emotion that Good Morning, Vietnam should be more frequently known for. Williams is also elevated by those around him, including Forest Whitaker as Eddie Garlick a fellow soldier that Cronauer frequently explores the local Saigon bar scene with. The chemistry between himself and Williams is unpalpable, and fully propels one of Williams most notable performances that began his never-ending string of hits through the 1980s and for many years after, eventually cementing a legacy that is still as prevalent as ever, even after Williams sudden passing in the summer of 2014. It may be thirty years since Good Morning, Vietnam first hit theatres, but it hasnt faded at all from public consciousness and neither has that famous catchphrase. Good Morning, Vietnam celebrates the 30th anniversary of its UK release on 25th December 2017. Fiona the hippo won fans around the world when she was born prematurely in January this year. The Cincinnati Zoo residents first birthday is coming up, but before then is her first Christmas. And the evidence suggests shes excited about it. The zoo got Fiona a giant box that she was clearly very intrigued by, before getting down to the real business of Christmas: the food. Its so good to see Fiona doing Christmas correctly. The Nile hippo weighed just 29 pounds when she was born, half the weight of a normal new-born hippo, after being born two weeks early. Shes proved incredibly popular with fans across social media, and even has a book coming out detailing her survival story in 2019. You can never have too much Fiona. 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 2.99 box, but is still available in the small (1.09) and Freddo (2.99) selection packs. The Fudge bar has been replaced in the festive selection box (Cadbury) The British 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. @CadburyUK hi Cadbury, I am most upset that my selection box is missing a fudge. My Christmas is now ruined! Mark Attwood (@attwood_mark) December 18, 2017 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. Nigel Quinlan (@Nigellicus) 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. Cadbury fudge is still available in the small selection box which retails at 1.09 (Cadbury) 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. Capital Times freelancer Kevin Murphy, who since 1992 has questioned citizens on issues of the day for the Cap Times' opinion feature Quick Question (originally called What Do You Think?). Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) said it will increase prices of its vehicles by up to 2 percent from January in order to offset impact of rising input costs. The company joins the likes of other automobile companies, including Nissan, Mahindra & Mahindra, Volkswagen, Maruti Suzuki India, Tata Motors, Ford, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Honda Cars India, Skoda and Isuzu, which have already announced price hikes from early next year. We have been absorbing the increase in input and material costs but now are constrained to increase the prices up to 2 per cent, HMIL Director Sales and Marketing Rakesh Srivastava said in a statement. The revised prices will be implemented from beginning of next year, he added. The company sells a range of models from hatchback Eon at Rs 3.29 lakh to premier SUV Tuscon priced up to Rs 25.19 lakh. It has been a long standing practice in the domestic automobile industry to announce price hikes in December as companies try to woo customers, who usually postpone purchases to acquire vehicles in the new year. Title: Gorbachev: His Life and Times ; Author: William J. Taubman; Publisher: Simon & Schuster: Pages: 880; Price: Rs 799 A hundred years ago, Communism triumphed in Russia and the Soviet Union soon came into being and it is already over a quarter of a century (on this day in 1991) since its collapse. Which of its leaders was responsible? Lenin, for laying faulty foundations? Stalin, for his excesses while making it a super power? Khrushchev, for his impetuous decisions? Brezhnev, for stagnation? Or Gorbachev with his unsuccessful reforms? As the last leader of the Soviet Union after the brief stints of Andropov (who sought to start addressing the problems) and Chernenko Mikhail Gorbachev still attracts the maximum praise and blame for his actions and their results. How justified is it? What could he have done, done differently, or not done? Should he acted more firmly against the hardliners, backed the liberals more strongly, including not having that famous falling-out with Boris Yeltsin that made the latter an implacable enemy? The world is deeply divided when it comes to understanding Gorbachev. Many, especially in the West, regard him as the greatest statesman of the second half of the twentieth century. In Russia, however, he is widely despised by those who blame him for the collapse of the Soviet Union and the economic crash that accompanied it, writes Taubman, the Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Amherst College and a Slavic studies and Cold War history expert. It is indeed hard to figure out and Gorbachev, who is still around, knows this well. Gorbachev is hard to understand, the veteran leader, who refers to himself in the third person (like Julius Caesar and Charles De Gaulle, among others), told him. But more than the question of responsibility, Gorbachevs tenure also raises questions about his personal, political and ideological development, and why he thought and acted the way he did. And this is what Taubman, who has a Pulitzer-winning biography of Khrushchev to his credit, attempts to do in this magisterial work which draws on extensive access to Gorbachev as well as his close aides of the Perestroika era to address this point. There have been books on Gorbachev before right from the time he became the General Secretary. Dusko Doders Shadows and Whispers chronicles the era from Brezhnevs last years to Gorbachevs ascension. Then a plethora on the Soviet Unions end, from David Remnicks Lenins Tomb to Conor O Clearys Moscow, December 25, 1991 to Serhii Plokhys The Last Empire: The Final Days of the Soviet Union bring some focus on his background and rise. But this goes much ahead in taking the entire eventful spectrum of Gorbachevs life, right from his birth and circumstances to his time in the top post and the challenges he faced in power till the one that proved impossible to surmount. Most of all, Taubman seeks to answer how Gorbachev became the Gorbachev we know. How did a peasant boy, whose high-flown tribute to Stalin won a high school prize, turn into the Soviet systems gravedigger? How did he become a communist despite the most rigorous imaginable arrangement of checks and guarantees designed to guard against someone like him? His most detailed but readable account of Gorbachevs childhood, his education locally and in Moscow which is especially illuminating his rise up the party ladder, the circumstances of his getting the top post, and so on (in juxtaposition against the current political climate) offers some compelling answers to these questions. Alongside, there are telling bits of information Gorbachevs romances, clashes with teachers, time in the prestigious Moscow State University, as a young regional Communist Party leader. While most happenings of his stint in power are known (the crucial Yeltsin episode is dealt in full), there are smaller but no less significant events say, the aftermath of a German amateur pilot landing his microlight craft near the Red Square that are dealt with. And finally, it takes in Gorbachevs post-Soviet life, especially his relations with his successors Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin. Apart from being a most comprehensive biography, its real worth is in showing how even a system of conformity bolstered by repression can still throw up leaders with creativity, common sense, and morals. This is Gorbachevs real and abiding legacy. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramiah on Monday asserted that the panel formed by him to look into the demands of the Lingayat community for a separate religion tag, did not have any member from the Congress party. Forced on the backfoot following the charge by a host of seers from the Veerashaiva sect among the Lingayat community on Sunday against the newly formed committee, he said: There is nobody from the Congress party in it. The seers and members of the Veerashaiva Mahasabha had charged that the committee did not have any constitutional validity and nor were the members equipped to look into the controversial subject. More importantly, they alleged that some of the members who had been appointed on the committee were known to favour the Lingayat sects demand for a separate religion tag. Under the circumstances, they could not accept the probe, one critic of the Siddaramiah government told The Statesman on Monday. Siddaramiah, however, went on to maintain that the ruling Congress had no intention of splitting the dominant Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, a charge that his government is facing. The allegation assumes importance as the community is a known backer of the BJP, under its state leader and party president BS Yeddyurappa, himself a Lingayat. With elections to the Assembly barely a few months away, the Congress has been facing allegations that it is engineering a split in the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community. The term is used as a synonym even though the two sects follow different practices. Explanations apart, the huge rally conducted by the Veerashaivas and the several hundred seers at Gadag on Sunday, including the panchpeetha, argued that it was virtually impossible to accord a separate religion tag to the Lingayats. This was based on their arguments that even though the Veerashaivas and Lingayats were seen as separate sects, they were part of the same religion. They did plumb for 15 per cent reservation for both though. The seers said a few decades ago a similar attempt was made by former Karnataka Chief Minister Devaraj Urs to split the community. Considering the unanimity over the issue among the seers on Sunday, the possibility of a backlash from them during the forthcoming elections against the Congress cannot be ruled out, should the Siddaramiah government go ahead with its move to encourage a split in the community, if a prominent supporter is to be believed. In fact, Basvaraj Horatti, JD-S leader, and Jamdar, former bureaucrat and supporter of the group demanding a separate religion tag for the Lingayats, told newsmen on Monday that the seven members who were chosen as members of the new committee were people of repute In any case, they said their recommendations would be studied by the cabinet before taking a call. Last year, the Maharashtra government approved the inclusion of ten sub-castes in the Lingayat community in the OBC category, becoming perhaps the first to do so at the state level. At the same time it recommended that the Centre grant minority status to the community. Critics here maintain that that the possibility could always be explored in Karnataka as well, if only to avoid a major controversy. They feel the state could grant minority status to the Lingayat sect within the powers that it has while seeking Centres nod for approval subsequently. The irony, however, is that both the Lingayats and Veerashaivas are seeking minority status which brings with it a host of benefits starting with no interference in the educational institutions that they run, among other things. In fact, a few years ago, the Veerashaiva sect among the Lingayats too wanted to be treated as a separate community and not as part of the Hindus,a plea which was not considered by the Election Commission to whom the application was made. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister-designate, Jai Ram Thakur, on Monday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was against accommodating retired and tired officials. In an interaction with media persons, Thakur, who will take oath as 13th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh on 27 December, said the government will probe the important allegations in the chargesheet submitted by the BJP, while in opposition, against previous Congress government. However, our government has no intention to work with vendetta, he clarified. He said the BJP government will review the decisions taken by the previous Congress government in last three months. Lot of questions have been raised on law and order situation in the state. Our governments utmost priority would be to take steps to improve the law and order situation, he said. He expressed concern over the Gudia case and said the previous government had not shown will to take it to the logical end. The BJP government will ensure that justice is delivered, he said. Thakur, who was elected the leader of BJP Legislature Party on Sunday, started on a benevolent note and distributed fruits in Ripon hospital to mark the birthday of former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and later attended a blood donation camp organised by Umang Foundation. The party leadership has given me a big responsibility and I will come up to the expectations of people and the party, he said. Thakur hinted that his Cabinet would be a mix and match of experienced and new faces. He however did not drop any hint on the names, when asked about former Congress minister, Anil Sharma from Mandi (who had switched to BJP before polls and has won) in the context of chargesheet and his claim for ministry in BJP government, the CM-designate said, His name was not directly involved. On the BJP governments stand on appointment of Chairmen and Vice Chairmen (which the BJP criticised while in opposition), he said, We will see this in view of colleagues, who have played important role in government formation. Its a partys subject. Thakur said the BJP government will ensure that the central projects, which were not being implemented properly in previous Congress regime, for lack of interest, are effectively implemented. Asked about the poor financial situation of the state, he said to bring out white paper on states financial health was not the solution. We will work out ways for resource mobilisation and cut down on unnecessary expenses, he said. Thakur committed to reduce the VIP culture in Himachal Pradesh. PM Modi, Shah to attend oath taking ceremony Jai Ram Thakur said Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and party President, Amit Shah will attend the oath ceremony on 27 December on the Ridge. He said confirmation has so far confirmation has come from CMs and Deputy CMs from ten states. The Punjab Congress on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Union government for its stubborn and arrogant stance in the Parliament. Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar alleged that half of the parliament session was ruined due to this attitude of the BJP led Union government. In a statement issued on Monday, Jakhar said the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi had announced so many times about doubling the income of the farmers till 2022 but, during the administration of the BJP in Centre, till now the condition of the farmers in the country has worsened. Farmers are neither getting handsome crop prices nor have their income increased. But actually, the income of the farmers has decreased even further than before, he said. Jakhar added that such issues can be considered if the government runs the house. But the government does not want to discuss the problems of the country in parliament to solve out these because if these issues are discussed then Opposition will seek achievement from Union government and the government knows that it has nothing to tell in-house, he added. He further said that the Union government deliberately called the winter session late so that the Opposition could not disclose the failures of the government before the Gujarat polls. He bemoaned that even when the session was convened, the government is doing nothing to ensure smooth functioning of parliament. Jakhar said that when Narendra Modi has no evidence to comment on the former PM Manmohan Singh, he should accept his mistake in parliament on moral grounds so that the proceedings of Parliament could be resumed. Jakhar alleged that not only is the sector of agriculture, the Union government has failed in every field. Quoting the latest report of the Comptroller and auditor general (CAG), he said that there are no proper rules regarding the purity of food products in the country and the Union government is not doing anything about it. He said that according to the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) which is working under the Ministry of Health, has not made necessary rules and regulations regarding the safety standards of food products. Thanks to you, our readers, there are many more happy faces today across southern Wisconsin. The Wisconsin State Journals Empty Stocking Club, which buys toys for children in need each Christmas, helped about 4,000 families and gave away more than 15,000 toys this year. For nearly 100 years, the Empty Stocking Club has been brightening the holiday season for many children who would otherwise not have anything to open on Christmas morning. The goal today is the same as it was in 1918: No child should have an empty stocking on Dec. 25. Each year, the State Journal partners with its readers to keep this promise to area children. Readers donate money, and the newspapers charity buys the toys and distributes them to families who need help. Businesses also help our cause, both by sending volunteers to work at our Toy Depot distribution site, and through generous donations. This year, $10,000 donations came from both UW Provision Co. and Target, where we buy the toys. Every donation matters, no matter the size, as it brings us closer to meeting our goal. We print the names of every donor in the newspaper as a show of our thanks and a tribute to the generosity in our community. It seems like a simple thing to make sure all children have something to open during the holiday season. And it is. But its also meaningful. You can see it in the faces of the parents and grandparents who come to our Toy Depot distribution site to find just the right toy for each child on their list. They are appreciative of the kindness, excited by the choices and very relieved they will have something to offer their family this year. Each year, we are moved by the need we see in our community. There are homeless families, with parents struggling to find a way to meet basic needs. There are also grandparents raising grandchildren. And there are many others who just find themselves in need of an extra hand. This year, there was even a homeless teenager who came with a social-service provider simply looking for a stocking cap. Thank you, generous readers, for once again helping us make a difference for these families. You can still contribute to the Empty Stocking Clubs efforts. You can do so online at emptystockingclub.com. Or mail a check to: Empty Stocking Club, Wisconsin State Journal, P.O. Box 8056, Madison, WI 53708. Education is the process by which a person learns facts and skills and develops abilities and attitudes. More specifically, education denotes the methods by which a society passes its acquired knowledge, culture and values from one generation to the next. An educated individual undergoes physical, mental, emotional, moral and social development. This can be accomplished with the help of teachers, families, and other social institutions. The philosophy of education includes precise thinking, speaking and writing capabilities. It seeks to aware people on important issues so that they can evaluate a particular situation. Analytical philosophers maintain that the philosophy of education explains the various approaches to the subject. The field includes a broad area of study. The philosophy and history of education are intrinsically connected and cannot be distinguished from each other. Many philosophers argue that educational philosophy must lead to the improvement of educational decisions, policies, values and methods. It is particularly concerned with the relationship between educational theory and practice, whereby theory is applied and tested in practice, which in turn improves theory. It is often said that the quality of higher education in India is deteriorating with its quantitative expansion. Compared to other countries, very few colleges in India maintain satisfactory academic standards. One of the evidences cited by critics to back this statement is that nowadays the college and university pass outs are unable to express themselves properly. It is being argued that the depth of knowledge in the students of this generation is much less than the earlier generations. Evaluation process of the students in colleges and universities does not always determine their capabilities. The subjective elements which are linked with the quality determining methods in the education system are often faulty. A remarkable feature of higher education system post independence in India is the phenomenal growth in its size and spread. Today we have more than 300 universities, 10,000 colleges and over 70 lakh students against 700 colleges, over 15 universities and more than three lakh students in 1947. Today India has the worlds second largest education system. Though the records speak of a huge quantity, the ones on the front of quality are not equally impressive. This is evident from the fact that our degrees are not recognised as equivalent to the developed nations. Another reason is the increasing popularity of the recruitment centres launched by some of the foreign universities in India. Most important of all, India lacks a self-regulatory quality assurance mechanism. University Grant Commission has taken several initiatives to improve the quality of higher education in the country. Several schemes and programmes of quality improvement have been launched. These are faculty improvement programme, university leadership programme, national educational testing, academic staff college scheme, national assessment and accreditation council among others. The standard of performance is measured in terms of the attributes of efficiency, effectiveness and excellence. Quality of education depends on the ability to acquire occupational skills and work experiences and realise ones potential for self development to become a better person in terms of physical, emotional, intellectual, aesthetic and moral character. One must be able to understand and analyse the emerging values of our times such as ecological concern, social harmony, pluralism, secularism and egalitarianism to build a healthy and harmonious society. There are several processes, policies and factors that have contributed to the decline in the quality of higher education. The reasons may be attributed to processes like massification, commercialisation and politicising education. Populist policies like scholarships in the name of social justice, policy of privatisation, treating higher education as a luxury, system of affiliated colleges, outmoded examination system, emergence of unions in the academic profession and decline in the professional integrity of the academics. There has been a massive increase in the number of educational institutions under regional, religious and ethnic compulsions, compromising the quality of these institutions. Recently a trend of commercialisation of higher education is being witnessed, particularly in the field of scientific, technical and professional education. Earlier government used to provide funds to the growth-oriented faculties and disciplines such as science and technology. But since the 70s commercialisation has emerged resulting in decline of standards and accordingly has changed the psyche of students and faculties. It has undetermined the standard stature and influence of teacher in education system as well as in community. Politicising higher education has done the maximum damage to its quality. It has eliminated the autonomy of the universities leading to loss of accountability. The political interference is evident from the manner in which vice chancellors are appointed, and politicians are nominated as syndicates. Faculty recruitments and promotions are manipulated and the powers of vice-chancellors are curtailed directly by means of financial control by the government over the universities and colleges. All this has taken a heavy toll on the quality of education. The policy of privatisation is another source of decline in academic standards. Once a private sector sponsors an institution, the former begins to regulate the later. They are not bound to follow the standards set by the academic bodies that they have sponsored. Even the judiciary has permitted them to follow their own norms regarding free and payment seats. Another policy of the country that is now gaining prominence is the growing negligence of higher education. It is argued that primary education is a necessity where as higher education is luxury. Funds meant for higher education are being cut down and diverted towards primary education. But it needs to be understood that the two are equally important. Primary education shapes basic development but the later is also important for human resource development. To accord priority to one at the expense of the other is anything but rational. It is a cause of serious concern that the allocation of funds for education in India is already low not only in comparison to the developed countries but also to developing countries. Even a poor nation like Thailand spends 10 times more than India on education. On the top of it, India has now directed universities to generate their own financial resources. Many universities have already taken cue and created payment seats particularly for NRIs in professional courses. These are the reasons that account for deterioration in the quality of higher education in India. The question is how to reverse the trend and pave the way towards quality upgradation. A formidable challenge by all means, it calls for urgent and serious thinking. (The writer has a PhD in econometrics) Combined expertise The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow has signed separate agreements with Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai and TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi. The MoU with TISS was signed by CP Mohan Kumar, registrar, TISS, and Atilla Incecik, associate principal and executive dean of the faculty of engineering, University of Strathclyde. The MoU with TERI SAS was signed by Pradeep Padhy, registrar, TERI, and Richard Bellingham, director, Institute of Future Cities, University of Strathclyde. Five Scottish government scholarships were launched for Indian students to study on Strathclydes MSc in global sustainable cities programme. The agreements will see the institutions combine their expertise to tackle some of the major challenges faced by Indias cities as they continue to grow by making use of data to model potential solutions to a variety of problems. A joint UK/Indian workshop was held at the TISS and the University of Strathclyde in Mumbai involving stakeholders from many perspectives including the commercial sector, government and academia. It explored the significant issues faced by Indian cities. For evaluation FIITJEE Talent Reward Exam was held recently in more than 200 Indian cities. This exam will help students to know their chances of success in securing a seat in the IITs and other prestigious engineering colleges. It will bridge the gap in their preparation for JEE and other competitive examinations. Results will be declared from 5 January 2018 at www.fiitjee-ftre.com from 8 am onwards. FTRE helps evaluate the students current position at national level along with rank potential index or success potential index for JEE advanced and main, KVPY, NTSE and Olympiads. This exam is open for students from classes V- XI. This crucial mock exercise will give them a real time experience of where they stand and what they need to work on further to overcome their shortcomings. Students securing a rank in top 500 will get a Certificate of Achievement. Learn hotel management Lakshya Bharti Institute of International Hotel Management invites applicants for three year undergraduate and two year postgraduate programmes in hotel management. For the BSc, applicants must pass 10+2 from a recognised central/ state board or university. For MSc, their graduation must be completed from a recognised university. Selections for both will be based on personal interview. This programme also enables university students to work in American companies during their vacations. They get exposure to the culture and traditions of United States. They are also allowed to receive compensation from the companies for which they are assigned jobs. Students are placed prior to their departure. Interested candidates must fill the application form and pay a nominal fee of Rs 400 in cash or Rs 450 via demand draft in Favor of Lakshya Bharti Institute of International Hotel Management (LBIIHM), payable at New Delhi. Forms can be downloaded from the institute website or obtained from the corporate office in New Delhi. Last date for submission is 27 December. For details, visit: www.lbiihm.com 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 governments 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 Modis commitment that the LOC would not be allowed to be breached. We would like to ask you, what is your governments 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, Chinas 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 Pakistans 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. 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 religion 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. Eminent senior counsel Harish Salve, who argued Kulbhushan Jadhavs case in the International Court of Justice, on Monday said he was disappointed at the meeting between Jadhav and his mother and wife in Islamabad, and was concerned about his mental well-being. What we see today is disappointing. As humans, we should rise above scoring geopolitical brownie points. I am concerned about what happened during the meeting, as it was not only the glass between them (Jadhav and his mother and wife), but also because of the way he talked to them, Salve told Republic TV. It was as if he was making scripted comments The language that he spoke. Usually, when a man is emotional or angry, he speaks and abuses in his mother tongue. Here, he spoke in English. Why did he speak in English? It was as if he was inviting people to come and hang him, saying he deserved to be shot and asking them to speed up the process. I am seriously concerned about his mental well-being and the state of mind he is in today, he said. Salve said Jadhavs mother must have gone through something worse than a death penalty having travelled all the way to meet her son and not being able to even speak to him properly, touch him, feel him. With Pakistan granting access to the wife and mother of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, heres a quick look at the key events since the arrest of former Navy officer on espionage charges. Timeline: Kublhushan Jadhav case: 3 March, 2016: Pakistan counter terrorism officials arrest Jadhav on the charges of terrorism and sabotage from Saravan, near the Iran border to the south east of Zahidan. 24 March, 2016: Pakistani army claims Jadhav is a RAW agent. 26 March, 2016:Pakistan summons Indian High Commissioner, lodging protest on the illegal entry into Pakistan by a RAW officer and his involvement in subversive activities. 29 March, 2016: Pakistan releases Jadhavs confessional statement video, in which Jadhav is seen as saying that he is a serving Indian Navy officer and operative of the RAW. India questions legitimacy of the confession video, alleging third-degree techniques could have been used to get a tutored statement. April, 2016: Provincial government of Balochistan files an FIR against Jadhav on charges of terrorism and sabotage. 7 December, 2016: Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan prime ministers adviser on foreign affairs, admits not enough evidence was provided on Jadhav. 31 December, 2016: Pakistan claims it will hand over a dossier on Jadhav to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. 3 March, 2017: Aziz takes U-turn from previous statement on insufficient evidence on Jadhav, saying he will not be extradited to India come what may. 10 April, 2017: Pakistans military establishment announces that Jadhav will be hanged after a military court found him guilty of espionage and sabotage. 10 May, 2017: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) asks Pakistan not to act on Jadhavs execution. 15 May, 2017: India, Pakistan argue in the ICJ. 18 May, 2017: The ICJ rules against the execution of Jadhav till the final verdict from the same court. July 10, 2017: Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj slammed Pakistan foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz for not acknowledging her request to grant visa for jailed former navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhavs mother. 20 December, 2017: The Pakistan High Commission issues visas to the mother and wife of Kulbhushan Jadhav to visit Islamabad. 25 December 2017: Wife and mother get access to Jhadav after months of deliberation. Pakistan Foreign Office, however, denied consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, ahead of his meeting with his wife and mother. (With agency inputs) 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. Want to try some fresh fish from a river in the hills of Nagaland topped with aromatic herbs? Or maybe a chicken curry cooked in Tripura style with natural herbs and sour tomatoes? Else, what about some Bai, a seasonal vegetable stew with organic natural herbs and spices from Mizoram? If you want to try these and more, dont wait head straight to North East Flavours, a newly-opened restaurant in the national capitals Green Park Extension serving the exotic and nutritious cuisine of all eight northeastern states: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. The fare on offer at North East Flavours is a veritable cornucopia of the best that the hills and vales of the region has to offer. While there is Ngatok from Arunachal Pradesh, which is fish cooked with indigenous, exotic and aromatic herbs, there is Aksol Dol from Assam which is chicken curry with yam leaves and organic herbs. The signature dish from Nagaland is the Wokoso Rhuchii/Rhuchak, pork cooked with fermented organic bamboo shoot stem and aromatic herbs. North East Flavours is an attempt to promote and showcase northeastern cuisine and soft power skills to the world at large, Bill Lotha, owner of the restaurant and a passionate chef himself, told IANS. I personally believe that northeastern cuisine is comparable with the best in the world and this venture is aimed at bringing the wondrous flavours of the northeast together at one place. Lotha, who hails from Nagaland, said that the dishes offered by the restaurant are almost oil-free and without any Indian masalas, keeping health consciousness in mind. With cardio-vascular diseases and diabetes on the rise in India, people should trim down on oil, potatoes, masala and sugar, he said, adding that the concept of health food has largely been unexplored in India. People talk about organic fruits and vegetables, but very few people know the technique of cooking such organic produce. We are providing organic food solutions for perfect health. As an example, Lotha said that wheatgrass is used in northeast cooking apart from jungle herbs and leaves. Wheatgrass contains multivitamins and nutrients, he pointed out. One may find the dishes served in North East Flavours similar to Oriental cuisine, but Lotha says that is not the case. In Oriental food, a lot of ajinomoto is used. But we dont do that. Instead, we put three to four herbs in each of our dishes which are highly, highly nutritious, he explained. Stating that the chefs in the restaurant have been selected from each of the northeastern states, Lotha added: Some of them have worked in Delhi, including in five-star hotels. But we sent them back to the northeast to re-learn and refine their skills in cooking authentic and indigenous northeastern dishes. Hence you will find dishes like Wah-si-wett from Arunachal Pradesh (chicken pieces with herbs and hot chilli, bound in jungle leaf and roasted), Dhoneihong from Meghalaya (pork cooked with black/brown sesame paste and aromatic herbs), Aloo Tama from Sikkim (potato and bamboo shoot, gently cooked with exotic local herbs) and Nga Thongba from Manipur (fish curry cooked with spring onion, lemon flavours and herbs). These are but some samples on offer, but a look at the menu will show the wide range of delicious dishes available. So what are the future plans? Right now, we have got proposals from Kolkata and Mumbai. If we manage to open in these two places, we will try to open in other major metros in India and offer our healthy fare to all those who are health conscious, Lotha stated. FAQs: What: North East Flavours Where: Green Park Extension Timings: 11.30 am to 11.30 pm Meal for two: Approx Rs 1,200 Special CBI judge OP Sainis acquittal of all the accused in the Rs 1.76-lakh 2G spectrum allotment case has to be accepted for the time being, but it certainly is not the end of the road for trial. Dismissing the courts observation that the prosecution became directionless and diffident, the CBI has said it would appeal against the verdict. The Enforcement Directorate has also decided to appeal against the judgment. Then Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rais sensational report calculating presumptive loss to the exchequer as a result of not auctioning spectrum at Rs 1.76 lakh stands exposed. It is the general perception that the 2G spectrum scam cost the Congress-led UPA government the 2014 Lok Sabha election just as the Bofors scam led to the defeat of the Rajiv Gandhi government in the 1989 election. Perceptions and Sainis judgment apart, one must not lose sight of the 2012 Supreme Court order which, on the basis of the CAG report and a bunch of public interest petitions, found the UPA governments spectrum allocation illegal and arbitrary, and cancelled all 122 telecom licences allotted in 2008 by A Raja, Communications Minister belonging to the DMK, a major constituent of the UPA. The apex court said in its order that the material produced before it showed the Minister for Communications wanted to favour some companies at the cost of the exchequer. We have no doubt that if the method of auction had been adopted for grant of licence which could be the only transparent method for distribution of national wealth, the nation would have been enriched by many thousand crores, the Supreme Court observed. The Special CBI court, on the other hand, failed to see any wrong doing by Raja, his officials and the telecom companies involved in the scam. There is no evidence on the record produced before the court indicating any criminality in the acts allegedly committed by the accused persons relating to fixation of cut-off date, manipulation of first-come-first-served policy, allocation of spectrum to dual technology applicants, ignoring ineligibility of Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd and Unitech group of companies, non-revision of entry fee and transfer of Rs 200 crore to Kalaignar TV (P) Limited as illegal gratification. Some people created a scam by artfully arranging a few selected facts and exaggerating things beyond recognition to astronomical levels, Sainis judgment said. Soon after licences were allotted, some of the beneficiaries sold their stakes to others under the pretext of transfer of equity or infusion of fresh capital from foreign companies and made windfall profits. Saini said that for all the brouhaha, there simply was no scam. As things stand, illegality has been established at the highest level of the judiciary but not criminality at the level of the special judge. It will be for an appeal court to resolve this apparent dichotomy. The World Trade Organisations (WTO) 11th Ministerial Conference (M11) during December 10 to 13 December in Buenos Aires, Argentina, ended in an impasse as the US reneged on the commitment to give a permanent solution on public stockholding for developing countries. It also objected to any reference to the Doha development mandate in the proposed Ministerial Declaration, which was something that was not acceptable to India and many other developing and least developed countries. Food is a WTO perennial because global rules on agriculture are pretty much the definition of double standards. In one corner is India, whose 2013 National Food Security Act guarantees cheap rice and wheat to two-thirds of its population by buying from farmers at a guaranteed price. Studies suggest tens of millions of people have been brought out of poverty by the law. In the other corner, the US and EU believe the scheme is trade distorting, and hence must be scrapped. Its bad enough to demand the end of a life-saving food policy, but its even worse when you reflect that the EU and US protect their own agricultural sectors to the tune of billions of dollars a year through subsidies. This protection doesnt count as trade distorting however, because those countries wrote the rules which say it isnt. Meanwhile, in a strongly-worded statement India has blamed a major country, which civil society groups term as the USA, for derailing the whole process of finding a permanent solution to the public food stockholding issue. India is surprised and deeply disappointed that despite an overwhelming majority of Members reiterating it, a major member country has reneged on a commitment made two years ago to deliver a solution of critical importance for addressing hunger in some of the poorest countries of the world. This has the potential to irreversibly damage the credibility of the WTO as a Ministerial decision of all countries present in Nairobi has not been honoured. New Delhi, however, said that it managed to protect all its defensive interests. The US position on a permanent solution led to a collapse of the agriculture negotiations. When there could be no agreement on agriculture, the possibility of an overall declaration also declined. But our food security remains protected as the peace clause is intact, said Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu at the meeting. On public food stockholding, the critics felt the current proposal is far worse than the Peace Clause which itself suffered from several problems in terms of onerous notification requirements, restriction on staple crops which itself is undefined, and that the relevant subsidies do not distort trade or adversely affect the food security of others. These almost impossible notifications and safeguard conditions have been retained in this text. In addition, higher standards are proposed on safeguards as footnotes, which say such stocks cannot be exported directly or indirectly. Again this condition, especially related to indirect exports, is impossible to meet. Overall the text on Domestic Support is biased against developing countries, while going easy on the developed countries. The biggest takeaway from MC 11 was the commitment from members to secure a deal on fisheries subsidy which delivers on taking commitments for paring illegal, unregulated, unreported (IUU) subsidies by 2019, said Susana Malcorra, Argentinean Minister and chair of MC 11. Members also pledged to improve the reporting of existing fisheries subsidy programmes. Buenos Aires will be remembered as the fisheries conference. It is here that the talks that were deadlocked for 15 years got moving, she said. Pushing back a commitment on curbing IUU subsidies to 2019, despite a number of members eager to have an interim solution with immediate cuts, is a victory for India. The country now has more time to ensure that there are adequate safeguards in place to protect artisenal fisheries. A work programme on e-commerce was also adopted at the MC 11 which was exactly like the one proposed by India with the old work programme continuing and a two-year continuation of the moratorium on e-commerce linked to the continuation of one on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and non-violation complaints. During MC11, India stood firm on its stand on the fundamental principles of the WTO, including multilateralism, rule-based consensual decision-making, an independent and credible dispute-resolution and appellate process, the centrality of development, which underlies the Doha Development Agenda (DDA), and special and differential treatment (S&DT) for all developing countries. In addition, members took a number of other ministerial decisions, including extending the practice of not imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions for another two years, and commitment to continue negotiations in all areas. Development and inclusiveness must remain at the heart of our work. They certainly remain at the core of my priorities in everything we do, WTO DG Roberto Azevedo said at a press conference at the ministerial meeting. Ministers expressed their disappointment over the lack of progress, and gave their commitment to move forward on the negotiations related to all remaining relevant issues, including advance work on the three pillars of agriculture (domestic support, market access and export competition) as well as non-agricultural market access, services, development, TRIPS, rules, and trade and environment. We have not achieved any multilateral outcomes, European Union Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom told a news conference. The sad reality is that we did not even agree to stop subsidising illegal fishing. The system requires unanimity among all 164 member-countries. She said the United States was partly to blame, but other countries also held up progress. Procedural excuses and vetoes from one member or another, cynical hostage taking, have led to the sobering result of today, Ms. Malmstrom added. WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo said that WTO members needed to do some real soul searching about the way forward and realize they cannot get everything they want. Commerce Minister Prabhu said on 19 December that WTO must incorporate emerging issues if it wants to remain relevant in the changing times and India will organise a mini ministerial meeting (30-40 members) of the multilateral body within a few weeks to help realise this objective. We are in the next few weeks going to organise a major conclave in India wherein we want to bring in the top countries of the world, Prabhu said. The idea behind the mini-ministerial was that WTO must also focus on some of the very relevant issues of the world today. If you say that we are going to discuss only those issues, then probably WTO will be a very good historical institution, which will have a very good place in some of the good regions of the world, he said. (The writer is author of World Trade Organisation: Implications for Indian Economy. He is retired Professor of International Trade and can be approached at [email protected]) . 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. North Korea issued on Sunday a strong-worded statement condemning the latest UN resolution to impose more sanctions over its nuclear and missile programmes, calling it an act of war. A spokesperson for the North Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the US of getting more frenzied in imposing the harshest ever sanctions, Xinhua reported. 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 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, said the statement. It reiterated North Koreas 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 US. 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 North Korea nationals earning incomes abroad, and crack down on ships illegally transferring oil to or smuggling banned items from the country. Wu Haitao, charge daffaires of Chinas permanent mission to the United Nations, said Fridays resolution reflects the unanimous position of the international community in opposing North Koreas development of nuclear weapon and ballistic missile capabilities and in maintaining the international non-proliferation regime. US President today with thousands of tourists choosing to stay away from festivities. The Manger Square, where tourists and locals generally jostle for space before the midnight mass, looked forlorn with signs of despair visible on the faces of sellers and street vendors. Michael Kumsiyeh, a souvenir shop owner in the Manger Square, squarely blamed President Trump for the doom and gloom. He makes a problem. He doesnt make any solution, Kumsiyeh said. Its a bad situation. No celebrations, no tourists and everybody is unhappy, lamented Kader, a coffee seller. Trump declared Jerusalem as Israels capital on December 6 which sparked violence in the region and worldwide protests. Coming, as it did, just weeks before Christmas, the announcement forced thousands of expected pilgrims to pull out of the celebrations in the holy land. The sparsely crowded Manger Square, the centre of celebrations, had two big signs declaring Jerusalem will always be the eternal capital of Palestine, a message which spoke of the prevailing mood. Besides protests by the Palestinian Authority (PA), which controls the West Bank city, cold and rainy weather also dampened spirits, forcing people to leave the gloomy surrounding as the day progressed. Jerusalem is at 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. it is also home to Al-Aqsa mosque, 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 US would support a two-state solution if it is agreed to by Israel and the Palestinians. However, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmound Abbas has said that he no longer wants the US involved in peace efforts following its decision which has eroded its credibility as an honest mediator. Trump with his announcement became part of the conflict and not an honest mediator in the Palestinian and Israeli peace process, Bethlehems Mayor Anton Salman said. Salman, a Roman Catholic who was elected six months ago, ironically leads a city which has a strong Muslim majority of at least 70 per cent, with only 30 per cent Christians. It was once a Christian dominated city but emigration arising out of a wave of violence and economic hardships has seen its Christian residents move to several countries across the world. There is no way we can accept Trumps declaration because it compromises our national principles, our national rights, our national future and everybody in Bethlehem and Palestine refuses and rejects this statement, Salman said, adding that the Palestinians are one people, and Jerusalem is sacred to Palestinian Christians and Muslims alike. Salman, however, played down the scope of the unrest in Bethlehem and other parts of the West Bank, insisting that Bethlehem is not dangerous. Security was tight in the city as paramilitary Palestinian police armed with assault rifles patrolled the cobblestone streets. Israel also eased security restrictions and made all possible efforts to make tourists feel safe. Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Roman Catholic cleric in the holy land, crossed through an Israeli military checkpoint to enter Bethlehem from Jerusalem. The religious leader had last week tried to steer clear of politics rejecting US decision. Now its time to enjoy, Pizzaballa said, adding We as Christians will enjoy, despite all the difficulties we have. Merry Christmas. During the midnight mass the clergy prayed for the peace of Jerusalem and appealed to politicians to have courage to make bold decisions that respect all peoples. There is no peace if someone is excluded. Jerusalem should include, not exclude, Pizzaballa said stressing The Jerusalem is our mother, loves all her children. If one is missing, the mother cannot be in peace. Organization: Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Duty Station: Uganda Reports to: Chief of Party About US: Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international non-profit organization which implements the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. Job Summary: The Deputy Chief of Party, Program Quality will supervise and coordinate project activities to ensure that DFSA interventions are effective and implemented according to proposal objectives and donor requirements. S/he will provide technical oversight to all project sectors and will strengthen communication, integration and harmonization of technical approaches across all Purposes. When necessary, the DCOP for Program Quality will fulfill Chief of Party (COP) duties as acting COP and will collaborate closely with implementation, technical and government partners. S/he will also ensure appropriate support to international and local implementing partners in collaboration with CRS internal departments (Finance, Human Resources, Commodity Management, Purchasing, Administration, etc.) as needed. Key Duties and Responsibilities: Project Refinement and Organizational Learning Contribute to the development of baseline data collection tools with the MEAL Team, Technical Leads and Gender Advisor Support senior technical staff in developing implementation strategies in collaboration with implementation, technical and government partners, ensuring that strategies align with CRS, donor and GOU policies Capitalize on project achievements and identify pertinent learning questions for improved program quality Project Implementation and Reporting Facilitate development of CRS and partner annual DIPs (including the budget) Responsible for the submission of consistently high quality reports to donor, by planning with team members quarterly and annual program reviews, assisting in drafting reports, providing critical feedback and quality control With the COP, organize and facilitate Program Management Unit (PMU) meetings Participate in the analysis of baseline data and contribute to the conception of the baseline report Coordinate the organization of sessions to share study results (baseline, formative research, Gender Assessment) with communities, partners and local development actors Support the MEAL Team in conducting data quality assessments Participate in working group meetings (MEAL, Gender and Youth, Climate Change/Environment) to improve and standardize technical tools Support the programming team in conducting operational research and evaluative studies Draft Scopes of Work and supervise consultants selected for different project activities Address bottlenecks and scale up best practices to achieve high quality program implementation Partnership/Capacity-Strengthening Collaborate with the Partnership and Capacity Strengthening Advisor (Kampala-based) to draft partnership agreements with implementation, technical and government partners Strengthen the partnership with government authorities and support the project team in establishing agreements with the appropriate ministries Accompany partners in project management, annual reviews and integration of activities Management, Finance and Donor Compliance Manage all resources associated with project implementation in compliance with CRS and donor policies Actively contribute to the preparation of financial reports for internal review according to CRS and donor procedures Support partners in preparing budgets and financial reports in collaboration with the Grants and Compliance Manager and CRS technical staff Manage a team of technical staff (including but not limited to a Gender and Youth Technical Lead, Sustainability and Governance Technical Lead, Health/Nutrition Technical Lead, Agriculture/Environment Technical Lead, Livelihoods Technical Lead and Private Sector Technical Lead) who will coordinate and lead implementation Implement CRS performance management system by organizing coaching and evaluation sessions with supervisees Representation The DCOP for Program Quality will lead the PMU during the COP absence and execute all associated tasks including the management and administration of the project, advocacy and representation in the Steering Committee and in other working/coordination groups, and supervise appropriate staff Supervision: The DCOP for Program Quality will directly supervise four staff including the team leads for resilience, livelihoods, nutrition and governance. Partnership and Capacity Strengthening Manager and will be the main liaison to the technical teams of the local implementing partners. The DCOP will also work closely with thePartnership and Capacity Strengthening Manager and will be the mainliaison to the technical teams of the local implementing partners. Experience: Qualifications, Skills andExperience: The ideal candidate for the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Deputy Chief of Party, Program Quality job placement should preferably hold a Masters Degree or equivalent experience in International Relations or Economics/Social Sciences or other relevant field. At least fifteen years experience with CRS or other humanitarian agencies. Ten years experience in a senior program management position that demonstrates mentoring staff to achieve programmatic excellence, experience in Uganda preferred. Previous experience in establishing MEAL systems and conducting participative research of qualitative and quantitative nature. Proven experience in food security and nutrition programming, particularly in the areas of health and nutrition, agricultural livelihoods, community-led savings and gender integration as well as community empowerment and community systems strengthening. Demonstrated ability to strategically lead high quality technical staff and program managers. Demonstrated analytic capacity and ability to write high quality reports Excellent partnership skills and the ability to interact effectively with donors, collaborating agencies, local and government partners Demonstrated experience in USAID relationship management, preferred experience with the Food for Peace, Feed the Future, or Vulnerable Populations Teams in the Local Mission. Excellent organization and planning skills and ability to resolve problems constructively Broad knowledge and understanding of current best practices and challenges while coordinating to implement DFSA program strategies through a participatory approach Computer literate, with strong knowledge of MS Office applications, spread sheets, database programs, and statistical software packages. Flexibility, persistence, and ability to work well in a multi-sectoral and multi-cultural team Ability to work in a challenging and stressful environment with unexpected challenges Knowledge of USAID and USG grant rules and regulations, specifically relating to ADS 205 preferred. Excellent written and oral communication skills in English required. Agency-Wide Competencies: Serves with Integrity, Develops Constructive Relationships, Models Stewardship, Promotes Learning Program Manager Competencies Sets clear goals and manages toward them Collaborates effectively with staff and stakeholders Manages financial resources with integrity Applies program quality standards to project design and organizational learning How to Apply: All suitably qualified and interested Ugandan candidates are encouraged to send their cover letters, CVs and three work references (names and contact information only) to ug_recruitment@crs.org NB: Large files and/or scans of documents will lead to rejection of your application in the subject line of the email, copy and paste DCOPNUYOKMOROTO only. th January 2018 by 5:00PM Deadline: 5January2018 by 5:00PM Organisation: British American Tobacco (BAT) Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda About US: The British American Tobacco is the only International tobacco group with a significant interest in tobacco leaf growing which works with thousands of farmers internationally. BAT runs leaf programmes providing direct agronomy support to farmer from aspects of crop production and environmental best practice. British American Tobacco is a market leading, global organisation with a long, established history and a bright and dynamic future. Thanks to our people we have continued to deliver growth and exceed expectations in an increasingly complex and challenging marketplace. Job Summary: The Executive Administrator will actively contribute to BAT, Uganda Business results by providing proactive high value Administrative and Secretarial support to the Managing Director and staff. Key Duties and Responsibilities: Administrative Support: Actively contribute to the End Market results by providing proactive high value Administrative and Secretarial support to the function on time in full (OTIF) and in an efficient and effective manner. The job holder will have a critical interface with all other business functions. Ensure additionally drafting of regular correspondences to various stakeholders of the company. Calendar Management: Effective time management to achieve and enhance the operation and service of the organisation. Handle managers requirements in a professional and confidential manner to avoid delays in any given task. Provide Personal Assistant Support to the Managing Director including event and diary management. Travel Management: In liaison with Travel Management Company, co-ordinate and ensure all travel documents like immigration documents, air tickets, visas and renewal of passports for the functional heads are always up to date. In-charge of organizing the transport and accommodation requirements for staff visiting Uganda and ensuring positive feedback. Payments: Process and track payment requisitions through the SAP and follow-up with Procurement to ensure the uninterrupted continuation of services (business continuity) from the suppliers. Process and track payment requisitions through theSAP and follow-up with Procurement to ensure the uninterrupted continuation ofservices (business continuity) from the suppliers. Company Fleet coordination: Management of the Company fleet of vehicles. Coordinate the service providers to ensure higher service levels are achieved. Coordinate staff usage of fleet vehicles to ensure adherence to policy, efficient use of fleet resources and time escalation of fleet matters. Coordinate all reporting needs of fleet Budgetary Support: Assist in the preparation and collation of the Functional Budget. This includes accurate tracking of costs and expenditure with timely reports as required. Meetings: Organize and manage all aspects of Conferences/events/ meetings by ensuring all logistical aspects i.e. venue bookings, transport and accommodation are well synchronized and within budget with no hitches and delays. Organize andmanage all aspects of Conferences/events/ meetings by ensuring all logisticalaspects i.e. venue bookings, transport and accommodation are well synchronizedand within budget with no hitches and delays. Contract Management: Ensure physical records of all contracts are well documented and organised. Ensure regular updates to the business on status of contracts. Leadership: Coordinate and ensure the function is records management compliant as required by the company. Develop the schedules and ensure all files are coded and correspond with the schedules; and assist the team in ensuring they are compliant with the schedules Relationships Enhance and maintain good communication with both internal staff and external customers. Being a central administration function, the job holder encounters a lot of enquiries on various issues hence the importance of a wide knowledge of other functions and end markets to enable accuracy in dealing with questions to avoid negative impact on the organisation. Effectively liaise and communicate with the Leadership Team and business managers Promote a good working relationship with the Travel Agent to ensure travel for the entire organisation is well coordinated. Innovation: Efficient and cost effective management of the office stationery Close liaison with IT help desk to ensure systems are operating effectively at all times. Pro active engagement with service providers i.e. security, catering and catering to ensure that tasks are carried out professionally and high standards are maintained and that there are no interruptions of service. Tasked with introduction of team building events and activities to build and develop good working relationships within the team. Qualifications, Skills and Experience: The ideal applicant for the British American Tobacco (BAT) Executive Administrator job placement should hold a University degree or higher Diploma in Management Strong business working communication skills with excellent understanding of the process Proficient in English and report writing skills (proficient in Microsoft Office Power Point, Excel etc.) Ability to work with minimum supervision Good organisational and management skills Ability to work and relate with internal customers and external business partners Result oriented, self-driven, innovative and excellent planning ability Ability to maintain confidentiality and professional discretion at all times. Keen eye for details How to Apply: All candidates who wish to join the British American Tobacco (BAT) should express their interest by applying online. th January 2018 Deadline: 7January2018 Organisation: University Research Co., LLC (URC) Project Name: USAIDs Defeat TB Project Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda About US: University Research Co., LLC (URC) is a global company dedicated to improving the quality of health care, social services, and health education worldwide. With a non-profit affiliate, the Center for Human Services (CHS), URC manages projects in over 45 countries, including the United States. About USAID Defeat TB project: University Research Co., LLC (URC) is implementing the USAIDs Defeat TB project. Aligned with Objective #3 in USAIDs Country Development Cooperation Strategy and in support of the Government of Ugandas TB Program, this five-year, USAID funded projects goal is to increase TB case notification, case detection, and treatment outcomes through health system strengthening. The Defeat TB project goal is to increase TB case notification, case detection, and treatment outcomes through health system strengthening with the aim of ending the TB epidemic in Uganda. Job Summary: The Supply Chain Officer will assist in strengthening TB pharmaceutical and laboratory logistics services leading to improvement in logistics and inventory management of TB commodities at national level, at MDR-TB treatment initiation & follow up sites, and at TB treatment units in three supported districts of Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono. This includes supporting systems for ordering and reporting, stock management, and quantification. Key Duties and Responsibilities: Build logistics capacity for staff involved in TB commodity (including laboratory) supply chain. Roll out & maintain use of the TB Web Based Ordering System among Defeat TB supported sites Work closely with the NTLP, MDR-TB treatment hospitals and the district health teams of Wakiso, Mukono and Kampala to provide support supervision to health facilities to ensure systems strengthening & monitoring of TB commodity supply chain. Use quality improvement methods to identify and spread improvement packages for logistics information management to improve the MOH supply chain system. Support the NTLP during development & review guidelines for TB commodity supply chain. Promote high quality documentation of commodity movement along the supply chain Follow up and verify all drug and supplies requests for all supported facilities (including MDR-TB sites) and ensure accurate quantification, timely order submission, and effective stock management for supplies and commodities in supported facilities and laboratories. Enforce strict adherence of health facilities & provide reminders for the requisition & reporting timelines of the national supply system and support facilities to follow up with the NMS on delayed or unfulfilled requisitions. Support districts to put in place systems for redistribution of commodities. Develop and maintain databases for all relevant sites, commodities, lead times, reporting histories and supervision visits at all levels. Navigate, review and analyse data in the TB Web based ordering system and provide timely feedback to supported sites address risks Generate quarterly reports on requisition & reporting rates by supported sites. Prepare allocations and support to facilities to source for any other items that may not come through NMS on case by case basis. Work with TB care teams implement pharmacovigilance and report to the national drug authority Qualifications, Skills and Experience: The applicants for the USAID Defeat TB Project Supply Chain Officer job opportunity must hold a Bachelors Degree in supply chain management, or related field. Three years experience in managing TB or HIV programs in Uganda, with preferred experience in logistics management. Previous experience working with public healthcare facilities, including provision of mentoring and coaching support to healthcare providers. Excellent written and oral communication and interpersonal skills Proficiency with Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, Outlook) NB: Only candidates who are eligible to work in the Uganda for an indefinite period without a need for sponsorship will be considered for this position. How to Apply: URC should upload their updated CVs / resumes and cover letters at the link below. Also, please complete your application form and attach a completed USAID Form 1420 Contractor Employee Biographical Data Sheet as well, All suitably qualified and interested candidates who wish to join theURC should upload their updated CVs / resumes and cover letters at the linkbelow. Also, please complete your application form and attach a completed USAIDForm 1420 Contractor Employee Biographical Data Sheet as well, download it here th December 2017 by 5:00 pm Deadline: 29December 2017 by 5:00 pm Mollywood actor Fahadh Faasil appeared before the state Crime Branch in a tax evasion case on Monday. He was reportedly arrested and let off on bail. According to reports, Fahadh registered his luxury car in Puducherry to avoid paying tax in Kerala. Reportedly, the actor expressed regret for his mistake. He was soon let off on a personal surety and Rs 50,000 bond. Earlier, Fahadh's counsel had insisted that the actor had paid Rs 19 lakh as tax in Kerala, and that he was willing to cooperate in the investigation. Actor Amala Paul and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Gopi had also come under the same scanner earlier. Biju Janata Dal is celebrating its 20th foundation day on Tuesday at Puri with a grand function. As the regional outfit blows its election symbol conch from the citadel of states ruling deity Lord Jagannath, a political message emanates that the party headed by states four-term Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is all set to counter the Hindutva peddling of the Bharatiya Janata Party which is aspiring to capture Odisha in 2019 general elections. Patnaik had broken his decade-long alliance with the BJP because of Sangh Parivars alleged involvement in Kandhamal communal riot in 2008. If Congress president Rahul Gandhi visited temples in Gujrat during the assembly elections, Naveen Patnaik having darshan at Sri Jagannath in Puri temple before the party programme is nothing to be surprised at. Of Course he will also visit his father late Biju Patnaiks memorial at Puris Swargdwar crematorium as his party is named after his legendary father. On December 26, 1997, BJD had been formed under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik who along with senior leaders of Janta Dal had broken away from parent party to form a regional party to have alliance with the BJP. BJD of Odisha and AIADMK of Tamil Nadu are two ruling regional parties named after their leaders. BJD was named after former Odisha chief minister Biju Patnaik while the AIADMK was named after late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Anna Durai. But the younger BJD has seen a continuous successful existence almost from its inception when majority supporters of Biju Patnaik broke away from Janta Dal under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik, a new entrant to politics. It happened a few months after Bijus death and Naveen winning the Lok Sabha byelection from Aska. BJD and BJP formed alliance and fought 1998 Lok Sabha polls under Naveens leadership in Odisha and had a landslide victory. Since then, it has been continuous victory for BJD in the state till date. While BJD-BJP alliance won 1998, 1999 and 2004 Lok Sabha elections together, getting 21 seats in the state, BJD alone has won highest number of Lok Sabha seats in 2009 and 2014 even after breaking alliance with the BJP. The same was the case in all assembly elections held since 2000. There were four assembly elections till 2014. Naveen won the first two with the help of allies while the BJD single-handedly tasted victory in the next two. During last two decades of electoral politics, BJD reversed the national trend. In 2004, Vajpayee-led NDA was ousted from power in Centre while in Odisha, BJD-BJP front won both Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. Though there was no alliance in 2009 and the Congress-led UPA came to power at the Centre for the second time, in Odisha BJD alone got maximum seats in both Lok Sabha and Assembly seats. Interestingly, after breaking away from BJP, Naveen got more seats in both 2009 and 2014 assembly elections than what the alliance had got earlier. In 2014 also, when the whole country supported Narendra Modi-led BJP, it was completely reverse in Odisha. BJD not only got 20 out of 21 Lok Sabha seats, a record achievement with main opposition Congress becoming zero, it also got more seats in assembly. So, by and large it has been a very successful journey for BJD during last two decades with continuous victories in five Lok Sabha and four assembly elections; something most political parties of country should be envious about. The party has its uniqueness because from day one it was led by a novice. Though the Doon School educated author-turned politician had inherited his fathers rich legacy, it is said Naveen Patnaik is perhaps the only second generation leader of country who had not been groomed by family for a career in politics. His father Biju Patnaik had all along kept his family in Delhi away from Odisha. That was the reason when Naveen was drafted into politics by the then Janta Dal leaders in Delhi and Odisha to contest from his fathers vacant seat he could not speak Odia. It may be strange that during twenty years he has always depended upon a written speech of Odia in roman script. Critics have failed to put him in difficulty in this front as the allegation has not influenced voters mind. BJD has remained a leader-centric party fully dependent on Naveen Patnaiks charisma who has gone out of his colossus fathers shadow . Though mild mannered and soft spoken, Naveen proved to be decisive and strong when indiscipline and corruption cropped up in the party and government. In 2001 just one year after he became the chief minister, Naveen sacked three important ministers as they were under the shadow of corruption according to him. That was described as the first such instance in country. He has thrown out indisciplined and corrupt leaders from party and government at different times. The same streak was found when he sacked the senior-most leader Dr Damodar Rout from state cabinet and post of party vice president as well as other organisational assignments this week for making anti-Brahmin statements. The chief minister made it clear later saying I strongly disapprove of anyone who makes derogatory remarks against any caste, creed or religion. After Kandhamal communal riot in 2008 when there were attacks on minority Christians allegedly at the behest of Sangh supporters, Naveen broke alliance with the BJP. Despite the 'Mr Clean' image of Naveen, there have been issues of corruption against his party and government. In the mining scam case, he got a reprieve from the Supreme Court which declined the demand for a CBI probe and said the mine owners will pay fines for the illegal extraction, and it will give a few thousands of crores of rupees to states revenue. But in the chit fund scam, being enquired by by CBI as per the Supreme Court order, some BJD leaders are under scanner and one MP and two MLAs have already been arrested. Initially, BJD took action against those leaders. But lately party has followed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee by saying that BJP is using CBI for political purpose to put BJD leaders in difficulty. Unlike his father, who was always active at national level, Naveen and his party have confined themselves to Odishas interest though it has its importance at national level. At present BJD is fourth largest opposition party in Lok Sabha next to Congress, AIADMK and TMC and its leader in parliament Bhartruhari Mahtab has a seat in front row of Lok Sabha and he is the second Odsha politician to have that privilege other than Biju Patnaik. Naveen has always said he doesnt have any national ambition and will concentrate in Odisha though there has been speculation that he can be the prime ministerial candidate of the third front. Though Odisha had a few regional parties earlier founded by senior leaders including Biju Patnaik, none had the spectacular success BJD had. BJD is the first regional party in state to have its own government. As far as governance and development are concerned Odisha had sharpest fall in poverty during Naveen Patnaik regime and it is now a high growth state. From Re 1 per kg rice for poor to Rs 5 per meal in 'Aahar' food canteens in towns to various other welfare schemesincluding free medicines and recently announced free dialysisthe state government has expanded its welfare programmes to cater to all sections besides thrust on infrastructure and industrial development. However, farmers' distress and unemployment among educated youth continue to be a challenge for the government. In western Odisha, where the farmers' distress is more intense than in other parts of the state, BJD suffered a setback in last Panchayat election in which the BJP made much progress. A byelection is going to be held in Bijepur assembly seat in Bargarh district. In the Panchayat polls BJP pushed opposition Congress to third position and reduced the BJDs strength, giving an impression that in 2019, BJP will be a major threat to BJD. During the last few months, Naveen has been very active and trying to revamp administration and government. The leader, who never holds press conference, has been giving bites and interview to select newspapers on the eve of partys twentieth year celebration. BJD has been maintaining equi-distance from both Congress and BJP and the chief minister has ruled out alliance with any of them in the next election. BJD has always alleged of central neglect of Odisha. For last few months it has been trying to corner the BJP and the NDA on Mahanadi and Polavaram. The first is on Chhattisgarh BJP government building dams on upper Mahanadi that has reduced water flow to Odisha while the second is construction of Polavaram dam in Andhra Pradesh. BJD opposes both the projects as it feels Odisha's interest is affected. On farmers' issue BJD has been demanding increase in minimum support price for paddy which the Centre has not agreed. The 71-year-old bachelor politician will complete 18th year in the gaddi of chief minister on March 5, 2018 and his party wants to leave no stone unturned to give him a fifth term despite BJP national President Amit Shahs hope of a BJP government in the state next time. As the kin of former naval officer and alleged spy Kulbhushan Jadhav are scheduled to meet him today, his friends and well-wishers are hopeful of him being released soon by Pakistan. Jadhav was arrested in Balochistan, Pakistan, over charges of alleged involvement in espionage and subversive activities for India's intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). Since then, there have been constant efforts from the Indian government to gain consular access to him, but in vain. However, earlier this month, Pakistan had agreed to facilitate the visit of Jadhav's kin and also assured their safety, security, and freedom of movement in the nation. Subsequently, on December 20, Pakistan issued visas to Jadhav's mother and wife to meet him on humanitarian grounds. While his friends see this as a positive step, they say the visit will be a crucial one, as it will reveal details about his physical and mental condition. "This is a very emotional time for Kulbhushan Jadhav's family and all of us. We have not known his whereabouts for two years now, so I'm happy that his family is being given a chance to meet him and understand how his condition is, and whether he has been tortured or not," said Jadhav's friend Arvind Singh. Another friend of Jadhav, Sachin Kade opined that the former must be released at the earliest, as the truth is on his side. "Pakistan, as we have seen, has no solid evidence against Jadhav. Therefore, I feel he should be released at the earliest. Also, all nations know the real side of Pakistan, and this impression that the latter has created for themselves will benefit India," he said. Recently, a bike rally and human chain were organised in Mumbai by Jadhav's friends, in a bid to extend their support to his family at this crucial phase. "The main objective behind the rally and human chain was to extend our support to Kulbhushan Jadhav's family and assure them that they are not alone in this fight," said Subrato Mukherjee, another friend of Jadhav. He also went on to appreciate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for their continuing efforts to bring Jadhav to India. Jadhav's wife and mother are scheduled to leave by evening for Pakistan. Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad J.P. Singh will accompany them, along with one or two officers of the FO, The Dawn reported. The meeting will last between 15 minutes to an hour, and the two women will be allowed to speak to media if they wish to, The Dawn said, citing diplomatic sources. The government and the opposition are keen on ending the current impasse in the Rajya Sabha, which saw a washout of proceedings in the first week of the Winter Session, and the House may resume normal functioning this week, sources said. The two sides are likely to sit together and work out a resolution of the stalemate in Parliament over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "conspiracy-with-Pakistan" remarks made during the Gujarat poll campaign against his predecessor, Manmohan Singh. While the opposition, led by the Congress, has been demanding an apology or clarification from the prime minister over his remarks, the government is not ready for it. Sources said Rajya Sabha Chairman Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu has also negotiated a resolution of the issue by calling upon both sides to sit and find a solution. There have been a few meetings between leader of the house Arun Jaitley and leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, separately as well as in Naidu's presence. Sources said the two are likely to sit again and find a solution in a day or so to enable the Upper House to function smoothly starting Wednesday, when the House meets after an extended weekend. Last week's proceedings were washed out due to the stalemate. The House functioned normally only one day when the Companies (Amendment) Bill was passed. Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales drew praise from Israeli officials on December 25 for deciding to relocate the Central American countrys embassy to Jerusalem, a move in step with US policy in a dispute over the citys status. In a short post on his official Facebook account on Sunday, Morales said he had decided to move the embassy from Tel Aviv after talking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on December 6, reversing decades of US policy and upsetting the Arab world and Western allies. On Thursday, 128 countries defied Trump by backing a non-binding UN General Assembly resolution calling on the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem. "I congratulate my friend (Morales) on his bold decision to move his countrys embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, Israeli Parliamentary Speaker Yuli Edelstein wrote on Twitter. Your decision proves that you and your country are true friends of Israel. Guatemala and neighbouring Honduras were two of only a handful of countries to join Israel and the United States, which has pledged to move its embassy to Jerusalem, in voting against the UN resolution. Israels ambassador to Guatemala, Matty Cohen, said on Army Radio that no date had been set for the embassy move, but it will happen after the United States relocates its own embassy to Jerusalem. US officials have said that move could take at least two years. The United States is an important source of assistance to Guatemala and Honduras, and Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that supported the UN resolution. Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, writing on Twitter, thanked Morales for what she described as his courageous decision. She said she was confident that other countries would follow his lead. The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest obstacles to an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a state they want to establish in the occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip. The international community does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the entire city, home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions. Prior to 1980, Guatemala along with Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, The Netherlands, Panama, Venezuela and Uruguay maintained an embassy in Jerusalem. Israels passage in June 1980 of a law proclaiming Jerusalem its indivisible and eternal capital led to a UN Security Council resolution calling upon those countries to move their embassies to Tel Aviv, prompting their transfer. The mother and wife of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav met the death row prisoner at the Pakistan Foreign Office here on December 25 amid tight security. The 30-minute meeting started at 1.48 p.m in the presence of Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh, the media reported. Pakistan has been criticised for not allowing the family to meet in private. Earlier, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mohammed Faisal tweeted a picture of Jadhav's mother Avanti and his wife seated ahead of the meeting, adding they were "sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our committments". In an earlier tweet, Faisal said that Pakistan permitted the meeting as a humanitarian gesture on the birth anniversary of the nation's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The roads leading from and to the Foreign Office building had been closed to traffic ahead of the meeting. In the meantime, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said that Kulbhushan Jadhav's meeting with his wife and mother should have been a private affair. Swamy questioned why the meeting was organised at foreign ministry's office where there would be camera-surveillance. What kind of a meeting will will that be? She wants to talk to her husband to find out how he is and what he is doing. How will any husband and wife feel when somebody is watching them talk to each other? said Jadhav. Pakistan has repeatedly rejected India's plea for consular access to Jadhav at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alleging he was not an ordinary person and had entered the country with an intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities. On December 13, Pakistan submitted its reply to the ICJ in the case dismissing India's stance on Jadhav. The reply, which was submitted by the Foreign Office's Director (India), Fariha Bugti, also claimed that Jadhav's case does not fall under the purview of the Vienna Convention. A Mumbai-based former naval officer-turned-businessman, Jadhav was arrested on March 3, 2016, and was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism. After persistent demands by New Delhi, the Pakistan government finally permitted the meeting terming it as "purely on humanitarian grounds". India has maintained Jadhav's innocence and said he was kidnapped from Iran where he had gone for handling his businesses after superannuation from the Indian Navy. Despite the death verdict, Pakistan last week reiterated that he was not under a threat of an immediate execution as his mercy petitions were still pending. Leap of faith: Rahul Gandhi at Shri Jagannathji Temple in Ahmedabad. During the Gujarat campaign, Rahul visited more than two dozen temples | PTI On the morning of December 18, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, a fitness freak, did not skip his morning workout. The idea may have been to keep up a semblance of normalcy despite the atmosphere of tension on counting day. The previous night, while discussing the possible results in Gujarat, a colleague told him that the Congress would get no more than 75 seats. As the results started coming in, Rahul was joined by mother Sonia and sister Priyanka at his Tughlaq Lane residence in New Delhi. According to sources, Rahuls office got realtime updates from Gujarat. Soon, there were calls and messages about Congress candidates pulling through. Congress won, brother, he texted OBC leader Alpesh Thakore, when he informed Rahul about his victory. The Congress does see a victory in the Gujarat defeat. AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot, in charge of party affairs in Gujarat, said the Congress was the real winner. The BJP will form government again. But it is not a BJP victory, and neither is it a loss for the Congress, said Gehlot. The party, as a closer analysis of the results shows, came very close to upsetting the BJP in Gujarat. In 16 seats, the Congress lost by a margin of less than 3,000 votes. If the four major cities of Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot are kept out, it won 71 seats against the BJPs 53. The partys vote percentage when compared with the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 increased from 33.5 per cent to 41.5 per cent, whereas that of the BJP dropped from 60 per cent to 49 per cent. At a dinner he hosted for leaders of the opposition on the evening of December 17, Rahul said the results would be a blow to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. And it was said not merely for effect. The ground was ready for a Congress victory. We could have won this election, said Congress leader Pawan Khera, who was involved in election management in Gujarat. It was perhaps the best ever opportunity the Congress had to unseat the BJP, which has been ruling Gujarat for the last 22 years. The trading community, influential in the state, was extremely upset with demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax. The Patidars were up in arms, demanding reservation in education and jobs. The dalits and the OBCs were unhappy. The youth were disenchanted because of growing unemployment. The Congress ran a campaign based on these issues. The party tied up with the three young faces of the Patidar, dalit and OBC angerHardik Patel, Jignesh Mevani and Alpesh Thakore. It was a well thought out strategy. We pinned Modiji down to issues of development. He could not respond to the issues we raised, said Rajiv Satav, AICC secretary in charge of Gujarat. The party took care not to polarise the electorate by keeping off issues such as the Gujarat riots of 2002, since it is established that polarisation helped the BJP. Rahul went on a temple run, visiting more than two dozen temples during the campaign, to appeal to a wider Hindu electorate. It was a huge gambit for Rahul as he took on Modi directly in Gujarat, where the prime minister has a cult following. An ignominious defeat would have sullied his presidentship, and exposed him to further ridicule. However, even in defeat, he has got an enhanced stature, and the Congress has got a morale booster as it prepares to take on the BJP in a direct contest in the upcoming assembly elections. As a campaigner, Rahul projected himself as the quiet voice of sanity as against the high decibel and aggressive outreach of Modi. We have lost the battle but not the war. The BJP should stop dreaming about a Congress-mukt Bharat now, said Randeep Surjewala, head of the Congress communications department. And the Congress has found in Gujarat a template on which it can contest elections. Rahulji says every election has to be taken seriously. We can expect the same level of strategising in other states as we did in Gujarat, said Satav. A major takeaway for the Congress from Gujarat is that the issues of joblessness and farmers distress are potent ammunition against Modi. However, the results also show that cities remain the partys weak spot. Gujarat was also a reminder to Rahul of the main problem facing the Congress in a large swathe of the countrya weak organisation and an uninspiring state leadership. Rahuljis directions to us are clear. We have to keep raising peoples issues and put pressure on the government, said Rajasthan Congress president Sachin Pilot. Rahul himself will have to keep up a sustained attack on the Modi dispensation, inside and outside Parliament. He is expected to keep punching holes in Modis construct of a pro-development and anti-corruption regime. Modiji has a credibility problem.... What he says, his forces, his organisation repeat that. But the country is not listening to it. The Gujarat election has shown this. And you will see this very clearly in the coming times, said Rahul, in his first comments on the poll verdict. Even as the next Lok Sabha elections look to be a Rahul vs Modi contest, he will need allies at the national leveljust as the Congress allied with disparate forces in Gujarat. Rahul has to build a rapport with leaders of the opposition parties like his mother Sonia did before the Lok Sabha elections in 2004. Gujarat results indicate that dissatisfaction with the Modi regime has begun to set in. The tide is turning for the prime minister and the BJP. Modijis home state has made this clear. The anger and dissatisfaction on the ground was so palpable, said Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev, MP. The Congress even expects the big fight with Modi to happen earlier than scheduled, anticipating that he might not wait till May 2019 and advance the general elections to late 2018, when several assembly elections are due. Rahul has to be prepared for this and many other tricks that Modi may have up his sleeve. A shul in the Iranian city of Shiraz was attacked on Sunday night. Sources confirm to YWN that the Hadash (Chadash) Shul located in the Maleh neighborhood of Shiraz was found vandalized. Unfortunately, two Sifrei Torah were found torn in pieces RL, and were destroyed in the attack. The Sidurim were found in the bathroom, many of them were placed in the toilets. Although it is difficult getting accurate information from Iran, YWN has been informed that police are investigating the incident. (If you have any further information please contact YWN). Jews have been living in Iran for more than 3,000 years. Today, the vast majority of Persian Jews live in Israel and the United States, especially in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills the North Shore of Long Island and Brooklyn. Irans Jewish population was reduced from 100,000150,000 in 1948 to about 80,000 immediately before the Iranian Revolution, due mostly to immigration to Israel. While immigration to Israel had slowed in the 1970s and the Jewish population of Iran had stabilized, the majority of Irans remaining Jews left the country in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Shah. In the 2000s, the Jewish population of Iran was estimated by most sources to be 25,000, though estimates varied, with some as low as 17,000 by 2010 and as high as 40,000 in 1998. However, the official census in August 2012 indicated that there were only 8,756 Jews still living in Iran. Notable population centers include Tehran, Isfahan (1,200), and Shiraz. Historically, Jews maintained a presence in many more Iranian cities. Jews are protected in the Iranian constitution and allowed one seat in the Majlis. YWN will be updating this story as more information becomes available to us . (Charles Gross YWN) (VIDEO AND TRANSCRIPT IN EXTENDED ARTICLE) Below is a message by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Taub, the Admor of Kaliv, to United States President Donald Trump, thanking him for his recent declaration that Jerusalem is the Capital of Israel. In 2015, YWN published a video of the Rebbe where he directed a message towards then-President Barack Obama calling on him to be a staunch supporter of Israel, not just in words. The Kaliver Rebbe, Rav Menachem Mendel Taub, is the seventh in a direct paternal line to the founder of the Kaliver dynasty, Rav Yitzchok Isaac of Kaliv, a disciple of Rav Elimelech of Lizensk. The Rebbe, who is 94 years old, is a son of the Rozler Rov. In 1944, the Rebbe was put on a transport to Auschwitz by the Nazis, and arrived there three days before Shavuos. While in Auschwitz, he was experimented upon by Dr. Joseph Mengele YMSH, and, consequently, was unable to have children or grow facial hair. He was transferred from there to the Warsaw Ghetto and the Breslau concentration camp, and later to Bergen-Belsen. Six months after the war ended, he discovered that his wife had survived, and they were reunited in Sweden. In 1947, they migrated to the United States, where he began his work in memorializing the Holocaust in Cleveland, Ohio. The Rebbe moved to Eretz Yisroel in 1962 and created Kiryas Kaliv in Rishon LeZion. Several years later, the Rebbe moved his chassidus to Bnei Brak. In 2004, the Rebbes court moved to Yerushalayim. During the last 70 years, since World War II, the Rebbe has traveled, spreading his story and the saying of Shema Yisrael to millions of Jews. He is active in Kiruv Rechokim and holds regular shiurim and shmuessen for groups of professionals, including doctors and police officers. In addition, he has directed a network of kollelim, an encyclopedia project, and several other undertakings of chassidus Kaliv. The Rebbe has authored and published Kol Menachem, a 13-volume work on the Torah and Yomim Tovim, along with several other works. In March 2014 he participated in the annual conference of the Rabbinical Congress of Europe, which met in Budapest to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the destruction of Hungarian Jewry. He delivered an emotion-laden speech in Hebrew, and switched to English to direct remarks to US President Barack Obama and Russian president Vladimir Putin. The following is a rough transcript of the Rebbes remarks: My dear president of the United States, I am very very happy since I saw what the president of the United States, a young president, had the greatness to talk to the whole world [about recognizing Jerusalem] You love everybody. My dear President, I am already a United States citizen for more than 60 years, and living in Israel more than 50. I have traveled place to place, reaching tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of people, to let them know who we are [as Jews], they were all broken after the Holocaust. My dear President, I am now more than 90 and I am broken from everything, 90% of my family were killed in the Holocaust. Now to hear from the President of the United States, [a country] who always helped the whole world, but now saying these words that brings love to millions of people. People are jealous that the president did such nice things for Israel. In the Warsaw Ghetto and in Auschwitz, they wanted to throw me in a fire. I said to the almighty, help me, Shema Yisrael, my G-d let me live, and I was saved. So miracles after miracles , the almighty helped me. Afterwards I came to the United States and I said I must go to Yerushalayim, no matter if we are free people or not. These words what you said, made the world believe that if you do, you will get help from the Almighty. I was very happy to hear while I was lying [sick] in bed, that the President came to Eretz Yisrael and was by the Kosel. I want to wish u from the depths of my heart that you should have great success. Dont worry if people are talking bad about you, the Almighty is with you and he should help you and the whole world should know that the United States helps everybody, anytime. Thank you very much and a lot of blessings to you, thank u very much, the Rebbe concluded. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) "All in the Money in the World" was in the news before it was in the theaters, because of a re-shoot to replace Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer, following the sexual allegations against Spacey this fall. His role was that of billionaire J. Paul Getty, and when I read that, I assumed that Getty couldn't be that large a part. Pivotal, maybe. Colorful, for sure, but not something occupying much actual screen time. Well, it turns out that J. Paul Getty is all over "All the Money in the World." He is the second or third lead and is in multiple scenes, which means that easily 30-percent of the film had to be completely re-shot. This represents a remarkable and seamless technical achievement, as well as an impressive artistic achievement for director Ridley Scott and his cast. Plummer delivers brilliance in what had to be record time, and every person sharing a scene with Plummer Michelle Williams and Mark Wahlberg, in particular comes in fresh and spontaneous, responding anew to another actor's completely different energy. The film tells the story of the notorious 1973 kidnapping of J. Paul Getty III, the 16- year-old grandson of the richest man in the world. The kidnapping was notorious for two reasons, one best discovered in the watching, and the other for the fact that the senior Getty, despite his wealth, was a tightwad who wouldn't pay the ransom. He was so cheap he laundered his own shirts and had a pay phone installed in the house in case his guests wanted to make phone calls. So forget about forking over $17 million dollars. Someday, on some Blu-Ray in the future, we might get to see how Spacey approached the role, but Plummer does something it's hard to imagine anyone topping. He doesn't play active malevolence, but a mental disorder. He plays someone with a narrow, pinched view of existence, but one that that, in his estimation, has been emphatically confirmed by fabulous success. So he goes around with a smirky glow, convinced that everyone wants what he has, and amused that no one is going to get it. More Information *** Review "All the Money in the World" Rated: R for language, violence, drug use Running time: 132 minutes See More Collapse As such, he is not a villain. He's just beyond the reach of other values. Human emotion touches him, but in muted form. If someone, such as his security man (Wahlberg), makes an appeal to some higher consideration, he assumes it's a ploy, or he looks for the hidden money angle. He really thinks everyone is as selfish and mercenary as he is, but because everyone is at least a little selfish and mercenary, he keeps finding evidence that he's right. Plummer conveys all this with very little, a look, a smile, a subtle emphasis. This brings him into conflict with his former daughter-in-law, Abigail Harris Getty, the mother of the kidnapped boy, played impeccably by Michelle Williams. The kidnappers direct their ransom demands to the mother, naturally assuming that, because she's a Getty, she's loaded. She tells them that she's not, and they tell her to get it from the old man. Sure, why not? And how about some blood from a stone while she's at it? "All the Money in the World" is probably unique among kidnap sagas, in that the primary conflict isn't between the victim and the kidnappers, or the mother and the kidnappers, but between Abigail and her former father-in-law. Abigail is essentially powerless, but the script and Williams keep her active, making appeals to the implacable billionaire and negotiating with the kidnappers for less ransom and more time. Williams adopts the particular speaking pattern of Abigail Getty, the forward placement, the slight sibilance and the hints of good breeding. This wasn't a necessary choice, but it works well to fill in the character. The role demands that Williams remain at a pitch of emotion throughout and then top even that, as when she goes to identify her son's body, and it turns out to be someone else; or she picks up the phone, and it's her kidnapped son on the line. Williams always plays the unexpected. She doesn't feel the emotion and then express it. She feels and expresses it simultaneously, always while doing some other third thing. She knows what Al Pacino knew when he played that scene in "The Godfather," when Michael's wife blows up in her car. When the situation is that urgent, there's no split second for realization to register on a face. At that level of intense crisis, emotion and action are one. "All the Money in the World" doesn't transcend its genre, in the sense of being more than it is, a fascinating thriller. But it's as realized a thriller as you are likely to find, not only in the precision of its performances, but in its evocative use of location (Rome, London), its period detail (especially Williams' clothing) and the tension of the younger Getty's months-long captivity. It would be an unusual and somewhat harrowing experience to put oneself through on Christmas Day, but like all movies of this quality, it gives back more than it takes. [December 24, 2017] East to West - The Chinese Model gains traction in the global manufacturing industry QINGDAO, China, Dec. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York-based Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) announced a proposal to develop an international mass customization standard led by Chinese electronics manufacturer Haier at the National Engineering and Scientific Commission (Nescom) Conference held on December 6, local time. It is the first international standard created by IEEE based on the model and to serve as its technical framework since the organization was launched over 50 years ago. It is also the first time the development of an international standard was led by a Chinese company. This is yet another opportunity for China to showcase the Chinese Model, a third component of the redefining of the term "Made in China", in addition to Chinese Product and Chinese Brand. Currently, governments are focusing on and supporting the fast-growing digital-enabled industrial production and investment sectors. The world's manufacturing industry is looking for the best path to the next stage of its transformation, with IEEE providing a universal and scalable approach for upgrading manufacturing processes worldwide. The aim is to accelerate the progress of the new industrial revolution. Why is China being the one to provide what becomes the selected standard? When it comes to the topic of the new industrial revolution, China, Germany and the USA are the countries coming up with their ideas. However, the ideas that end up getting the most traction, and becoming the trendsetter, these days, are practices developed in China. In 2016, Dr. Winfried Felser, deputy managing director of the management and application center for logistics business at Germany-based Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, said in his article published in The Huffington Post that "In the Industry 4.0 era, our efforts relied heavily on linear thinking, automation and th "efficiency trap", however, it will take both human-centric solutions and digitalization to help Germany win and strengthen its leadership position in the world." Industry 4.0 critic Prof. Andreas Syska pointed out that "the human-centric Society 4.0 is bound to replace the technology-focused Industry 4.0." American freelance writer Chris Neiger said in the 3 Reasons Trump Should Worry IoT Investors published in The Motley Fool, a leading US-based financial information website for investors, in January 2017, that there is "pressure on manufacturing companies to keep people employed in jobs that could instead be automated with IoT tech.... If the Trump administration backs away from IoT investments, expect China's lead on the U.S. to widen even further." By contrast, Haier, an iconic Chinese company, incorporates the user of the product into the industrial system and considers him or her as the core, the major player and the driver in the industrial transformation process. In addition, the company empowers the user to be a part of every step throughout the creation process with the aim of moving from Zero to One and transforming from mass manufacturing to mass customization. It should be noted that the definition of mass customization is different from the concept of customization. Mass customization does not refer to the low production efficiency at a manual workshop and goes beyond providing the end user with module options. Instead, it allows the user to participate in the innovation process and the result of that process as well as benefit from the value generated throughout the life cycle. In fact, the concept, originally called the Prosumer concept, originated in the USA. As early as 1970, American futurologist Alvin Toffler presented the idea of mass customization in his book Future Shock. Later, the idea took root and began to mature in China. As for the reasons behind the trend, an industry watcher noted that "Industry 4.0 is not the reindustrialization of industry. It represents the socialization of industry and especially, the mass socialization. The trend is fully embodied in Haier's practices." In 2005, Haier announced the rendanheyi business model, which transforms users to lifelong users and reshapes employees as creators. In addition, the model creates a long-term cooperation, co-creation and win-win relationship among users, employees and the brand rather than the one-time buyer-seller relationship. The management change creates an ideal structural and cultural environment for mass customization. However, it is not likely to gain acceptance in European and American companies that rely heavily on linear management. The creation of the rendanheyi model by Haier paves the way for the development of the mass customization model, which gives users an opportunity to engage in every step of the process on Haier's platform. Nowadays, technology reduces the distance between point A and point B anywhere on this planet. The One Belt, One Road initiative creates favorable conditions for the East to meet the West. "Made in China" is accelerating the transformation from Chinese Product, Chinese Brand to Chinese Model. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/east-to-west---the-chinese-model-gains-traction-in-the-global-manufacturing-industry-300575215.html SOURCE Haier [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] MERRY CHRISTMAS KANSAS CITY AND THANKS TO ALL OF THE DENIZENS OF OUR BLOG COMMUNITY!!! There's plenty of news to talk today but for now let's take a brief moment to acknowledge this consumer culture milestone celebration in honor of baby Jesus.And, of course, we're always eternally thankful for Jordan and her ongoing celebration of life. To wit . . .Every day we are blessed with the strongest online gathering in Kansas City that not even haters can ignore. But the credit belongs to, friends of the blog and the rare comment which provides insight into complex local issues.That's the thing, what allows our blog community to dominate the discourse and make all other pundits and politicos in this town react to our news rather than take initiative of their own is that we've created an eclectic mix that's as unique as our readers.Kansas City publishing endeavors come and go butare the real reason why this newsie endeavor is more relevant than social media chatter, desperate former newspaper dudes trying to figure out what to do with their golden years OR even a the biggest dead-tree outlet in town that has their content dictated by their tax break benefactors.Again, the success of TKC has always been about readers who bless us with their continued interest, participation and conversation.And so . . .provides our soundtrack today and this is sort of anwhere we encourage you to exchange best wishes among each other.You decide . . . KANSAS CITY INSIDERS LAMENT LOWER DONATIONS AND PARTICIPATION IN THE MAYOR'S CHRISTMAS TREE FUND!!! The Mayor's Christmas Tree Fund was pathetic in 2017. There was very little support for our activities and it just seemed that nobody had the time for it in the middle of the election and so much airport nonsense underway. The most needy in Kansas City lost out and one of KC's greatest tradition has been virtually forgotten. This is a shame really because the program used to be much bigger and serve people all over the metro. This time around, we've seen the worst level of support since the Funkhouser era." This Christmas we witness the love for Mayor Sly James fading a bit if his ability to fund a good cause is any indication.To wit . . .Word sent our way that seems appropriate given the blessings that we should all be grateful for right now . . .To be fair, nobody expects Mayor Sly to make time for charity work when he's trying to run damage control on a billion dollar airport deal that is crashing and burning.While locals constantly tout Kansas City generosity . . . This time around, amid what we hear werethere's not a lot of love from locals for the less fortunate on display this Christmas.You decide . . . FEDS STEP UP THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN FIGHTING KANSAS CITY CRIME AMID BLOODY 2017!!! After the initial announcement of this effort during the Summer, the details of this increased KC crime fighting effort haven't been explained to metro new watchers until now. WILL PREZ TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RESOURCES TARGETING KCMO CRIME HELP CURB DEADLY LOCAL VIOLENCE??? U.S. Attorneys Office Western District of Missouri: New Prosecutor Added to Combat Violent Crime KANSAS CITY, Mo. Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a new Assistant U.S. Attorney will be hired to combat violent crime in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Tonight we need to highlight recent news that has been downplayed by local media in lieu of sentimental coverage from of cheesy Kansas City holiday traditions and traditional local street handouts.To wit . . .Remember that Prez Trump has promised efforts toand, like it or not, this increased focus on local resources seems to be part of that commitment.And so we ask our blog community on Sunday night and in the midst of a historic year for KCMO murders . . .Here's the plan from higher up . . . You decide . . .The new position was created as part of the Department of Justice initiative against violent crime. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently announced that 40 new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions have been created in 27 districts.This additional staffing follows the designation of the Western District of Missouri as a Public Safety Partnership (PSP) Diagnostic Site to work with local law enforcement partners on public safety and violence reduction. Eight districts nationwide received this designation.PSP was established in June 2017 and provides an innovative framework for the Department of Justice to enhance its support of state and local law enforcement officers and prosecutors in the investigation, prosecution, and deterrence of violent crime, especially crime related to gun violence, gangs, and drug trafficking. This approach serves as a platform to directly engage with cities to identify and prioritize resources that will help local communities address violent crime.PSP enables cities to consult with and receive coordinated training and technical assistance and an array of resources from the Department of Justice to enhance local violence reduction strategies. PSP provides data-driven, evidence-based strategies tailored to the unique local needs of participating cities to address serious violent crime challenges tailored to their unique local needs.PSP supports law enforcement, communities, and justice systems at the state and local level to prevent and reduce crime, combat violence and enhance public safety through the use of evidence-based practices. Among the components of a PSP Diagnostic Site are:- Relationship building;- Data collection and analysis;- Training and technical assistance; and- Community engagement in violence reduction strategies.##########Developing . . . Cyprus is one of the main Mediterranean competitors of the Greek tourism industry Astrobank is very close to take over USB Bank, in a move that would contribute to the consolidation of the Cyprus fragmented banking system, sources told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA). The take-over will be completed whilst it receives the green light by the Central Bank of Cyprus. Speaking to CNA George Appios, Astrobanks executive director, refrained from confirming or denying the information, stressing that among the banks top priorities is to grow its balance sheet, including through acquisitions. Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Source: CNA Qatar Post (Q-Post) has signed an agreement with Qatar Railways for a variety of postal services, a media report said. By the terms of the memorandum of understanding (MoU), Qatar Post will provide Qatar Rail with its Global Priority Service to deliver all postal materials inside and outside the State of Qatar in the shortest time possible in addition to its VIP services, reported Gulf Times. Qatar Post will also provide all postal and mail services to Qatar Rail in order to facilitate and expedite the transport of consignments and shipments, the report added. GE held talks with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) on some of its innovative solutions and technologies in the clean and renewable energy sector. The meeting is part of Dewas keenness to enhance co-operation with international companies in order to share best practices and developments in the energy sector, particularly in clean and renewable energy, said a statement from the Dubai utility. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and CEO of Dewa welcomed the delegation comprising Russell Stokes, the president and CEO of GE Power; Dr Dalya Al Muthanna, the president and CEO of GE Gulf; Joe Anis, the president and CEO of Power Services Middle East and Africa; Mohammed Mohaisen, the president and CEO of Grid Solutions Mena and Turkey; and Michael Keroulle, the chief operating officer of GE Power Steam Power System. Speaking at the meeting, Al Tayer said: "This visit will boost co-operation with Dewas private sector partners in the field of energy, and also enhance infrastructure as per the highest standards and best international practices." "The strategy, announced by the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, aims to provide 75 per cent of Dubais energy through clean sources by 2050. It also aims to explore promising opportunities in the renewable and clean energy sector, to diversify energy sources, and establish Dubai as a global hub for clean energy and green economy," he stated. Al Tayer later reviewed Dewas most important projects, initiatives, and programmes, highlighting its commitment to achieve the objectives of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050.-TradeArabia News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 24 The Amritsar rural police nabbed 12 persons for possessing over 1,300 tablets and capsules in separate instances here yesterday. The illegal sale and purchase of intoxicants in the district is on the rise as several people possessing drugs have been arrested in the recent past. A day before, 11 persons with over 1,300 habit forming tablets were seized in separate instances. We have smashed the network of drug smugglers in Punjab in past several months. The supply lines of the drug cartels operating in the border belt have taken a hit, said Dr BK Singla, DSP, STF. Parampal Singh, SSP, Amritsar rural, said the police was serious over the issue and continuous seizure of intoxicants by the rural police was testimony to it. Even as various wings of the police, including Special Task Force (STF) and State Special Operation Cell, constituted to nail drug peddlers, the large scale consumption of intoxicants with pharmaceutical origin and its illegal sale goes on. The menace is alarming in the rural belt. Sources in the police pointed out that the recovery of pharmaceutical drugs has seen a rise since the Punjab police launched a crackdown of heroin smugglers. They said the high end drugs were hard to find as the police tightened the noose around drug smugglers. Sharat Sabharwal Sharat Sabharwal A former diplomat SPEAKING to an audience in Islamabad in 2010 as High Commissioner of India, I assailed Pakistan's policy of holding lucrative trade and economic linkages with India hostage to progress on the resolution of intractable issues such as J&K and Siachen. To bolster my point, I said that gone were the days of ideological orientation of foreign policies, which were increasingly shaped by economic considerations. During the question and answer session, someone asked me how Pakistan could abandon its founding ideology of the two-nation theory. I replied that they were welcome to hold on to the two-nation theory if it gave them some solace, but they would know that it was belied by a large number of Muslims having chosen to make India their home in 1947 and it had been finally put to rest with the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. Seven years later, I wonder whether I overstated my case in claiming that the two-nation theory had been put to rest, for the hatred and intolerance that underpinned it have survived and continue to thrive not only in Pakistan but also in India. Speaking to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on August 11, 1947, Jinnah said, "You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion, caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the State." Having created Pakistan on the basis of religion, he should have known better. He did not live long enough to steer the course of the new state, but I have no doubt that even if he had, the result would not have been very different from what we see today. Within six months of his death, the Pakistan Constituent Assembly adopted an Objectives Resolution which provided, inter alia, that sovereignty over the entire universe belonged to "Allah Almighty above" and the authority which He had delegated to the state of Pakistan, through its people for being exercised within the limits prescribed by Him was a sacred trust. It also provided that the Muslims would be enabled to order their lives in accordance with the teachings and requirements of Islam "as set out in the Holy Quran and Sunnah." These provisions, however, failed to build a lasting consensus in Pakistan because as the country moved forward, it became increasingly contentious to define the branch or school of Islam that would govern Pakistan. Having relegated religious minorities to the status of second class citizens by declaring Islam as the state religion, the Pakistani state failed to keep its Muslims together. Zulfiqar Bhutto succumbed to religious extremists in getting a resolution passed by the Parliament in 1974 to declare Ahmadis as 'non-Muslim'. Another faultline to emerge was the traditional Shia-Sunni divide, which got accentuated after the Iranian revolution and the tussle between Iran and Saudi Arabia for the loyalty of Muslims the world over. The state under Zia turning increasingly to Wahabi Islam also placed the Shias at a disadvantage. With free availability of arms and ammunition in Pakistan because of the 'Afghan jihad', the Shia-Sunni rift has resulted in widespread sectarian killings from time to time. The violence, initially perpetrated from both sides of the divide, has gradually turned into a one-sided killing of Shias by Sunnis, with the former getting increasingly marginalised. The process of division eventually engulfed the Sunnis by aggravating the fault-line between Deobandis and Barelvis. The latter, though the majority among Sunnis, were for a long time at the receiving end of the violence perpetrated by the Deobandis, who were recipients of large-scale funds from Arab countries and more prone to picking up the gun. Shrines frequented by Barelvis were attacked by the adherents of Deobandi/Wahabi Islam. However, Barelvis have not been immune to extremism. A former Pakistan Punjab Governor, Salman Taseer, was assassinated by his Barelvi bodyguard because he had spoken in favour of a Christian woman accused of blasphemy. More recently, the 'Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah', a Barelvi extremist organisation, laid a prolonged siege to the Pakistani capital and left only following intervention by the army. The Pakistani state has remained dysfunctional as a result of the civil-military discord and the stranglehold of the army, its obsession with and adversarial posture towards the much bigger neighbour India and the growing sectarian divide and religious extremism. The last factor is the consequence of the hatred and intolerance that laid the foundation of the Pakistani state through the two-nation theory. The above state of affairs in Pakistan is well known and extensively written about in India. Because of our anger at Pakistan's hostility, we look at the dysfunctionality and the resultant misfortunes of Pakistan with a degree of schadenfreude, but fail to draw the precious lesson that the Pakistani experience offers. It is that intolerance and hatred, once let loose in the name of 'us' vs 'them', know no bounds and invariably rip apart the most cohesive-looking 'us' groups, leaving violence and misery in their trail, which eventually afflict not only the originally targeted 'them' group, but also those targeting them. The lesson is particularly valuable for a multi-religious, multi-cultural and multi-lingual country like India. Having been the victim of the hatred and intolerance underlying the two-nation theory once, we ignore this lesson at our own peril. Who says there is no advantage to having Pakistan as our neighbour! Views are personal Houston, December 25 Community members in Dallas have planned a bench dedication ceremony and memorial service for the Indian girl Sherin Mathews who was found dead in a culvert in mysterious circumstances in October. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The dedication ceremony for the 3-year-old will be held on December 30 at the Restland Funeral Home in Dallas, Texas. Following the memorial service, a bench dedication and dove release will take place, WFAA television station reported. The space has been landscaped and provided by Restland as a place for the community to reflect and honour Sherin, adopted by Indian-American couple Wesley Mathews and Sini Mathews. The dedication, mostly on park benches, provides a lasting tribute in honour of a loved one. On October 7, an Amber Alert was issued for Sherin after her adoptive father, Wesley Mathews, called the police and alerted them of her disappearance. At that time, Wesley had told the police he took his daughter, Sherin, outside at 3 am on Saturday to discipline her for not drinking milk. According an affidavit, he told her to stand near a large tree in the backyard. When he went outside 15 minutes later, his daughter was gone. Sherins body was found a few weeks later in a culvert nearby the Mathews home. David Turnblad, a family service counsellor at Restland said he was impacted Sherins story and knew he had to do something to help with the bench dedication. Turnblad met a man named Gene met through the Nextdoor app. Gene had the bench but needed a place to put it. The thing that I really like is that Richland Park is a very diverse neighbourhood and this crosses all the religious cultural lines, theyve all disappeared, Turnblad said. Its about the community. Turnblad said its not about money, its about recognising the impact that this has had on so many peoples lives. Mike Wilfong, the community outreach director for Restland said hes happy to be a part of this dedication process. People havent had that chance or opportunity to get together and start that process to begin to come to terms and move toward healing, he said. On October 7, Wesley called the police and reported Sherin missing. He had initially told the police that Sherin disappeared overnight after he ordered her to stand outside at about 3 am for not drinking her milk. When he returned, Wesley said she had disappeared and that her location was unknown. Wesley later changed his tune, saying Sherin choked to death after he physically assisted her as she drank her milk. Wesley was arrested and charged with felony injury to a child, which carries a sentence of up to life in prison. Wesleys bond is set at USD 1 million and faces up to life imprisonment if convicted of the first-degree felony. Sinis bond is set at USD 1,00,000 and faces up to two years in a state jail if convicted of child abandonment or endangerment. A judge has also denied access to both Wesley and Sini to their biological daughter, now living with relatives in Houston, saying they were not fit to be parents due to what happened to their adopted daughter, Sherin. A private ceremony was held on October 31 for Sherin. At that time, the burial location was kept a secret, considering the intense press and social media attention in the case. On December 10, the location of the toddlers final resting place has been revealed. The headstone is located in the southwest portion of the cemetery at the Turrentine Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home in Dallas, Texas. PTI It has been revealed that drug traffickers from African countries marry Indian women and then "misuse the identification of Indian women (their wives) for the purpose of delivering of drugs consignment. By Virendrasingh Ghunawat: In a shocking bit of news, the Narcotics Control Board (NCB) has unearthed a new modus operandi of the drug mafia involving marrying Indian women to use them as 'carriers'. It has been revealed that drug traffickers from African countries marry Indian women and then "misuse the identification of Indian women (their wives) for the purpose of delivering of drugs consignment, within or outside the country." advertisement Coming from countries like Nigeria, Bolivia, Kenya and South Africa, these drug lords "lure" women, especially those from the economically weaker sections of the society and marry them for their business purpose. Talking to India Today, a NCB official said, "After getting married, these African husbands misuse the identification cards of Indian wife, such as- Aadhaar, PAN, Voter ID, passport etc. They do this to facilitate opening a local bank account, delivery and supply of drugs, transaction and to divert illegal money outside India, via hawala." What's more shocking is that these women are also aware of their husbands' murky plans but willfully do it for the money they get in exchange. "Before and after marriage, women are quite aware that their husbands are into the dirty business of drugs. In fact, these women become couriers for the gang-members willingly and are even ready to go to jail for them," another officer said. On how to control the rise in such cases, the officer added "accused in such cases should not be given bail and unless stringent actions are taken, international dryg lords would continue to exploint the system's loopholes." According to NCB's data, the number of arrests of peddlers and smugglers under the Narcotic Drugs Psychotropic Substances Act has increased from 13,871 in 2012 to 38,975 in 2017. Data shared by NCB, South-Western region, total 28 foreigners were arrested in 2017, as compared to 15 arrests in 2016. Most of these accused come from Kenya, Bolivia, Nigeria, South Africa, Venezuela and other countries. --- ENDS --- Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 25 The day the Himachal results were announcedDecember 18The Tribune was among the few who wrote that the BJPs Parliamentary Board had more or less zeroed in on Jai Ram Thakur as the next chief minister. And there were reasons for that. Despite speculation about a whole lot of other names, including that of Union minister JP Nadda, and intense lobbying by the Prem Kumar Dhumal group, top sources in the saffron party were clear that only an elected MLA would be considered for the top post. Or, a wrong message would go to the cadres, they said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The public had rejected Dhumal, the BJPs original choice, they added. It is not as if the Dhumal lobby did not try. Apart from the open show of strength in Shimla, a top leader from the group also tried to propagate the theory here in the capitalof the hard work put in by BJPs original choice and the support he enjoyed among several MLAs. The leader said it was because of efforts put in by Dhumal and his supporters that the BJP won in the state. And if a by-poll has to be arranged for Nadda, why not for Dhumal? However, BJP leaders in the know of the situation were clear. That apart from the support of the RSS, the CM has to be someone who had won the elections. Nadda, they said was an organisation man who was needed by BJP chief Amit Shah at the Centre for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He enjoys trust of the top leadership and may even be slated for a larger role in the organisational set-up (of the BJP), they said. This was when till 12 hours before Thakurs name was officially announced in Shimla, the rumours here were that he was being made deputy to Nadda, the new CM of Himachal. Meanwhile, Jai Ram Thakurs appointment is expected to change the entire gamut of the BJP politics in Himachal. Thakur will turn 53 in January and in terms of a political career has a long way to go. The elevation in status will see him become the most prominent face of the saffron party in the state, especially Thakurs, limiting the scope of his political contemporaries from the community. He also fits in Prime Minister Narendra Modis scheme of things for the coming days. At a recent Parliamentary party meeting, the PM called for strengthening roots for a win in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and promoting young faces at every level of the organisation, basically a generational shift of sorts. Himachal, which saw the defeat of Dhumal and state BJP chief Satpal Satti and other stalwarts, is a perfect example of how without Modis help the party may have faced tougher times in these elections. 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. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) 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 Islamabad, December 25 Pakistan said on Monday that Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav's meeting with his family in the presence of an Indian diplomat did not constitute "consular access" and repeated its old allegations against the Indian prisoner. Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal briefed the media after the meeting of Jadhav with his mother Avanti and wife Chetankul this afternoon. "This meeting was not consular access as we had told India that its diplomat would see the meeting but was not allowed to speak or participate in it," Faisal told reporters. India's Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh, who accompanied the visitors, was not allowed to speak or listen to the conversation of meeting and he knew it, Faisal added. "All decision on consular access will be taken on basis of law and interests of Pakistan," he said in response to a question about granting the consular access. Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies. The Foreign Office also issued a new video message of Jadhav in which he is seen thanking the Pakistan government for arranging a meeting with his wife and mother. The video played during the press conference was recorded before Jadhav's meeting with his family, officials said. "I requested a meeting with my wife and mother and I am thankful to Government of Pakistan for this gesture," Jadhav said in the brief video message. The Foreign Office earlier released pictures of Jadhav talking to his wife and mother from behind a glass screen. The communication between them was through an intercom device. "We promised 30 minutes of the meeting but Jadhav and his mother requested towards the end of meeting that it should be increased and we did it. The meeting went on for 40 minutes," the spokesperson said. He said that the meeting was positive and the two sides talked thoroughly. "It is not the last meeting. It should be categorically registered," he added. Faisal also said that the family was told several days before the meeting that there would not be any physical contact. The family and Indian government knew about it. He said the meeting was not connected to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case and Pakistan had already responded to the ICJ on December 13. "Jadhav is the face of Indian terrorism in Pakistan" but still his family was allowed to meet on humanitarian and Islamic grounds, Faisal claimed. Faisal said that since Pakistan has allowed Jadhav's family to meet him, India should also allow the families of detained Kashmiris to meet their relatives. He said Pakistan wanted that Jadhav's family should be allowed to meet the Pakistani and Indian media. But India requested that media should not be allowed to speak to family. "We wanted to know why he was using fake passport and use it to enter India at least 17 times. We also wanted to know about the family getting pension if he was retired as India says," the spokesman said. Faisal said that the wife and mother of Jadhav "thanked Pakistan, FO and our team for the meeting while going away", and claimed that Jadhav was sentenced to death due to his involvement in terrorism. In his mercy petition filed to the Army chief in June, Jadhav admitted his involvement in various militant activities in Balochistan and Sindh, and also said a medical test of Jadhav conducted on December 22 that he was in fine health, Faisal said. Faisal said the Pakistan government had asked India for details of 15 people with whom Jadhav was in touch with, but it was yet to respond. "We will vigorously pursue this," he added. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Jadhav's family will travel back to India via Oman immediately. They will travel to Muscat on Oman Air and then will board Air India flight to New Delhi. 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. 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. PTI Islamabad, December 25 Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is on death row in Pakistan for alleged spying, on Monday met his wife and mother but separated by a glass screen in a carefully choreographed event that unfolded in tweets, photos and TV footage. The 40-minute meeting, which took place after many representations, took place at the heavily guarded Foreign Affairs Ministry building, and came after the International Court of Justice asked Pakistan in May to stay his execution. It was the fist time that Jadhav was meeting his family since his arrest in March, and Pakistan portrayed it as a humanitarian gesture to mark the birthday of the country's founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) "Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted. The tweet made it a point to identify Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, with his military title. Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav from its restive Balochistan province after he reportedly entered from Iran. It claims that he was in possession of an Indian passport that identified him as Hussein Mubarak Patel. India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy. Faisal also tweeted that the meeting was arranged in light of "Islamic traditions and based on purely humanitarian grounds." TV footage showed Jadhav's mother Avanti and wife Chetankul entering the ministry building's Agha Shahi Block, accompanied by India's Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh and a Pakistani woman official. After they went in, the door shut behind them. Pakistan Foreign Office later released pictures of Jadhav talking to his wife and mother from behind a glass screen. The communication between them was through a intercom device. The meeting started at around 1.35 pm and lasted about 45 minutes, after which the entire party remerged, and were driven away in a white SUV. The two women had arrived in Islamabad earlier today via Dubai on a commercial flight, and spent about 30 minutes at the Indian Embassy before being driven to the Foreign Ministry. They are expected to stay at the Indian Embassy for a few hours before retracing their path back to India later this evening. Before the meeting, the security check of the family was performed. All the information about the meeting emerged through Pakistani Foreign Ministry tweets and images. "The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan. We honour our commitments," Foreign Office Spokesperson Mohammad Faisal earlier tweeted along with a picture of the visitors. From Pakistan's side, Foreign Office Director for India, Dr Fareha Bugti, was present at the meeting. The wife and mother greeted media persons with a namaste after arriving at the ministry but did not respond to their questions. They also did not talk to the reporters while leaving the building, although journalists kept shouting questions. Jadhav was at the ministry before his family arrived. It was not known where he had been kept before being transported to the Foreign Ministry. TV footage showed a convoy of around seven vehicles escorting Jadhav's family in the city. Police and paramilitary security forces, including sharpshooters, were deployed at the ministry to deal with any untoward security situation, they said. Roads leading to the Constitution Avenue, on which the ministry is located, were closed for traffic. Special security passes were issued for those visiting the Foreign Office, the officials added. 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. It is expected to hold another hearing in March or April. Earlier on Monday Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told a Pakistani media channel that Pakistan has granted India consular access to Jadhav since an Indian diplomat will be accompanying the prisoner's wife and mother. In India, officials downplayed the comments, maintaining that the Indian diplomat was only accompanying Jadhav's family and it cannot be construed as "consular access". PTI Islamabad, December 25 Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhavs wife and mother on Monday arrived here for a meeting with him at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, according to Pakistani media. The two women arrived in the capital via a commercial flight and are expected to leave on Monday after the meeting takes place. They are accompanied by Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh, Dawn News reported. Officials said all arrangements are in place for the meeting between Jadhav and his wife and mother. Sharpshooters were deployed at the sprawling building ahead of the meeting. In addition to the Indian envoy, a couple of Foreign Office officials will also be present during the meeting, which could last from 15 minutes to one hour, according to FO sources. Jadhav's family would be travelling immediately back to India in the evening after spending barely seven hours in the country, according to a media report. They would be spending around seven hours in the country before returning to India. There are very few non-stop flights from Islamabad to New Delhi with fastest one-stop flight between Islamabad and New Delhi taking close to 10 hours. Jadhavs family would be immediately travelling back to India via Oman. They will travel to Muscat on Oman Air and then will board Air India flight to New Delhi, Dawn news reported. The Oman Air flight is scheduled to depart at 6.15 pm from Islamabad to Muscat, according to Islamabad airport authorities. According to Oman airport website, flight AI-974 is scheduled to depart for Delhi at 23.10 from Oman. PTI Moscow, December 25 A passenger bus swerved off course and drove into a busy pedestrian underpass in Moscow on Monday, killing at least four people, Russian news agencies reported. Video from the scene posted on social media showed a bus veering off the road and plunging down the steps of a pedestrian underpass, crushing several people beneath its wheels. The driver of the bus had been detained by police, agencies said, after he lost control of the vehicle. The incident occurred on one of the Russian capital's busiest roads near the Slavyansky Boulevard metro station. Monday was an ordinary working day in Russia where Orthodox Christmas will be celebrated on January 7. An unnamed emergency services source told the TASS news agency that the number of fatalities had risen to five people. There were also unconfirmed reports that some 15 people had been injured. The Interfax news agency said investigators were looking into whether the incident had occurred as a result of a technical fault with the bus. Ten ambulances, fire service personnel, and three medivac helicopters were on the scene, agencies reported. Reuters Cairo, December 25 Nine terrorists were killed in a security raid conducted in the northeastern Egyptian province of Sharqiya, Egypts Interior Ministry announced on 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, Xinhua reported. 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 cells 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 countrys anti-terror war declared by President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, then the army chief, following Morsis ouster. IANS Guatemala City, December 25 Guatemala is to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, President Jimmy Morales has said, following US President Donald Trumps controversial lead on the holy city. After speaking with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Morales wrote to Guatemalans on his Facebook page that one of the most important topics was the return of Guatemalas embassy to Jerusalem, from Tel Aviv where it is currently located. For this reason I am informing you that I have given instructions to the foreign ministry that it start the necessary respective coordination to make this happen, Morales wrote. Guatemalas leader made the announcement on Christmas Eve, three days after two-thirds of UN member states rejected Trumps decision to have the United States recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital. In all, 128 nations voted to maintain the international consensus that Jerusalems status can only be decided through peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Only eight countries stood with the US in voting no to the resolution held in the UN General Assembly, among them Guatemala and fellow Central American country Honduras. Guatemala and Honduras are both reliant on US funding to improve security in their gang-ridden territories. Morales, like Trump, was a television entertainer with no real political experience before becoming president of Guatemala in 2016. Reuters Read our live updates on Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav's much awaited meeting with his wife and mother in Pakistan. Kin not allowed to meet Kulbhushan Jadhav one-on-one, communicate through a glass window. Photo: Twitter | @DrMFaisal By India Today Web Desk: After a long wait, Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav will meet his wife and mother in Pakistan today. The former Indian Navy officer has been languishing in a Pakistani jail and is on death row, after being convicted of spying. India has strongly refuted the Pakistani allegations that Jadhav worked as a spy for the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and dragged Islamabad to the International Court of Justice over the death sentence. advertisement Jadhav's meeting with his mother and wife comes amid confusion over Pakistan saying it was granting India consular access to him. Indian officials have said they are adopting a wait-and-watch strategy to the consular access claim and will see whether JP Singh, the Indian diplomat who will be present at the meeting, will be allowed to speak to Jadhav. LIVE UPDATES: 3:52 pm Jadhav's wife and mother leave from Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad. #KulbhushanJadhav's mother and his wife at Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad after their meeting with him ended. Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh also present. pic.twitter.com/kpWP7VVUzm- ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 3:35 pm Kulbhushan Jadhav's meeting with family ends. 3:20 pm Based on Jadhav's footage from earlier, here's a before and after comparison image. Before and after: Kulbhushan Jadhav Before and after: Kulbhushan Jadhav 3:10 pm Kin not allowed to meet Kulbhushan Jadhav one-on-one, communicate through a glass window. Wife & mother of #KulbhushanJadhav meet him at Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad: Pakistan media pic.twitter.com/A8y0whwpAF- ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 Wife and mother finally meet Kulbhushan Jadhav, communicate through a glass window. Kulbhushan Jadhav meets family. 2:20 pm Wife and mother finally meet Kulbhushan Jadhav. 30 minutes long meeting commences. 1:58 pm Jadhav's wife and mother reach Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad along with JP Singh, Deputy High Commissioner for the 30-minute meet. #WATCH: Wife, mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav reach Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad along with JP Singh, Deputy High Commissioner pic.twitter.com/Dnp9eUc5je- ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 1:54 pm Kulbhushan family members leave Indian high commission for foreign office to meet him. 1:03 pm Jadhav's wife and mother reach India High Commission in Islamabad. 12:58 pm Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother to first visit the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. The meeting is expected to take place at 1 pm (Pakistan time). 12:50 pm Pakistan Rangers, Anti-Terrorism squads and sharp shooters deployed at roof tops. Other than media and security personnel, no other traffic allowed in the area around Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad. advertisement 12:40 pm Adding to the confusing, Pakistan media quoted Foreign Office saying that Kulbhushan Jadhav has not been given consular access yet. 12:35 pm Media persons and OB vans gather outside Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad as they wait for Jadhav's family to arrive. Media persons and OB vans outside Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in #Islamabad; Indian national #KulbhushanJadhav's wife and mother to arrive here shortly to meet him pic.twitter.com/f625WwhGvj- ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 12:25 pm Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother will meet him at the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad shortly. 12:15 pm The two women are accompanied by Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad J.P Singh. 12:00 pm Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother reach Pakistan's Islamabad. 11:30 am Jadhav's mother and wife to fly to Pakistan by a commercial flight According to reports, the two will be accompanied by Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad J.P. Singh along with one or two officers of the FO. Pakistan has deployed security and traffic personnel within and outside the Foreign Office (FO) in view of the meeting. The meeting will last between 15 minutes to an hour. Jadhav's wife and mother will be allowed to speak to the media if they wish to. advertisement In addition to this, the meeting between Jadhav and his family members reportedly will not be the last one. WATCH VIDEO | Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother arrive at Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the meet --- ENDS --- Guatemala City, December 24 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 US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing decades of US policy and upsetting the Arab world and Western allies. The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest obstacles to forging a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, who want East Jerusalem as their capital. The international community does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the entire city, home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions. 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 and neighbouring Honduras were two of only a handful of countries to join the United States and Israel in voting against the resolution on Jerusalem. The United States is an important source of assistance to Guatemala and Honduras, and Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that supported the UN resolution. Morales, a former television comedian with an important base of conservative Christian support, earlier this year became embroiled in a bitter spat with the United Nations when a UN-backed anti-corruption body in Guatemala tried to impeach him. Although Morales avoided impeachment, he failed in an attempt to expel the head of the body, the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala, after criticism from the United Nations, the United States and the European Union. Reuters Miami, December 25 Fierce hurricanes, heat waves, floods and wildfires ravaged the planet in 2017, as scientists said the role of climate change in causing or worsening certain natural disasters has grown increasingly clear. It was also the year the worlds second largest polluter, the United States, turned its back on the 196-nation Paris climate deal meant to limit global warming to under 2 Celsius over pre-industrial levels. President Donald Trump, who has dismissed global warming as a Chinese hoax, vowed to quit the 2015 Paris accord and tapped fossil fuel allies to key environmental posts. His administration also dropped climate change from the list of national security threats, announced plans to auction off vast swaths of the Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas drilling, and signed a proposal to eliminate the Clean Power Plan, aimed at limiting the release of polluting greenhouse gases. Trump says the goal is to make America a dominant source of energy for the world, and to create jobs. Together, we are going to start a new energy revolution-one that celebrates American production on American soil, Trump said in June. In October, Trump signed a proclamation to make America a net energy exporter by 2026, reviving the coal industry and seeking to access the estimated $50 trillion in untapped shale, oil, and natural gas reserves, particularly on federal lands. While the fossil fuel industry has applauded the moves, scientists have expressed alarm. The Trump administration, in less than a year, has done more to undermine climate policy than even the worst previous administration on climate (i.e. George W Bush) had done over the course of two full terms, said Michael Mann, a climatologist and geophysicist at Pennsylvania State University, in an email to AFP. Mann blamed the conservative billionaire Koch brothers and fossil fuel lobbyists for essentially running US environmental policy under the Trump administration. The more fossil fuels we burn, the hotter the planet becomes due to the accumulation of heat-trapping greenhouse gases. The world is currently on track for its third warmest year in modern times. Experts say global warming can make certain events, like floods, drought and hurricanes, more frequent and sometimes worse. Among the fiercest storms seen this year were severe monsoon rains in Bangladesh, India and Nepal that killed more than 1,200 people and affected 40 million people, destroying homes, livestock and crops, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Spain and Portugal have grappled with a deadly drought that dried up rivers, killed crops and fueled wildfires. Meanwhile, an unusually active hurricane season roiled the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean with 17 big storms, the most since 2005. Major, deadly hurricanes included Harvey, which flooded Texas with 50 inches of rain in some places. California Governor Jerry Brown, whose state is currently battling its third largest wildfire since 1932, spoke this month of how such devastation could be the new normal. AFP Vatican City, December 25 Pope Francis used his Christmas message on Monday to call for a negotiated two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, after US President Donald Trump stoked regional tensions with his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Francis spoke of the Middle East conflict and other world flashpoints in his "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) address, four days after more than 120 countries backed a UN resolution urging the United States to reverse its decision on Jerusalem. "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," he said, referring to the Israelis and Palestinians. "We see Jesus in the children of the Middle East who continue to suffer because of growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians," he said in his address, delivered from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to tens of thousands of people. It was the second time that the pope has spoken out publicly about Jerusalem since Trump's decision on December 6. On that day, Francis called for the city's "status quo" to be respected, lest new tensions in the Middle East further inflame world conflicts. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future independent state, whereas Israel has declared the whole city to be its "united and eternal" capital. Francis, leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, urged people to see the defenceless baby Jesus in the children who suffer the most from war, migration and natural calamities caused by man today. "Today, as the winds of war are blowing in our world ... Christmas invites us to focus on the sign of the child and to recognise him in the faces of little children, especially those for whom, like Jesus, 'there is no place in the inn,'" he said. Open hearts for refugees Francis, celebrating the fifth Christmas of his pontificate, said he had seen Jesus in the children he met during his recent trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh, and he called for adequate protection of the dignity of minority groups in that region. More than 600,000 Muslim Rohingya people have fled mainly Buddhist Myanmar to Bangladesh in recent months. The pope had to tread a delicate diplomatic line during his visit, avoiding the word "Rohingya" while in Myanmar, which does not recognise them as a minority group, though he used the term when in Bangladesh. "Jesus knows well the pain of not being welcomed and how hard it is not to have a place to lay ones head. May our hearts not be closed as they were in the homes of Bethlehem," he said. He also urged the world to see Jesus in the innocent children suffering from wars in Syria and Iraq and also in Yemen, complaining that its people had been "largely forgotten, with serious humanitarian implications for its people, who suffer from hunger and the spread of diseases". He also listed conflicts affecting children in South Sudan, Somalia, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Ukraine and Venezuela. At his Christmas Eve Mass in St Peter's Basilica on Sunday, Francis strongly defended immigrants, comparing them to Mary and Joseph finding no place to stay in Bethlehem and saying faith demands that foreigners be welcomed. Reuters Vatican City, December 25 Pope Francis used his Christmas message on Monday to call for a negotiated two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, after US President Donald Trump stoked regional tensions with his recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital. Francis spoke of the Middle East conflict and other world flashpoints in his Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) address, four days after more than 120 countries backed a UN resolution urging the United States to reverse its decision on Jerusalem. We see Jesus in the children of the Middle East who continue to suffer because of growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, he said in his address, delivered from the balcony of St. Peters Basilica to tens of thousands of people. It was the second time that the pope has spoken out publicly about Jerusalem since Trumps decision on December 6. On that day, Francis called for the citys status quo to be respected, lest new tensions in the Middle East further inflame world conflicts. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future independent state, whereas Israel has declared the whole city to be its united and eternal capital. Francis, leader of the worlds 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, urged people to see the defenceless baby Jesus in the children who suffer the most from war, migration and natural calamities caused by man today. Today, as the winds of war are blowing in our world ... Christmas invites us to focus on the sign of the child and to recognise him in the faces of little children, especially those for whom, like Jesus, there is no place in the inn, he said. Francis, celebrating the fifth Christmas of his pontificate, said he had seen Jesus in the children he met during his recent trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh, and he called for adequate protection of the dignity of minority groups in that region. More than 600,000 Muslim Rohingya people have fled mainly Buddhist Myanmar to Bangladesh in recent months. The pope had to tread a delicate diplomatic line during his visit, avoiding the word Rohingya while in Myanmar, which does not recognise them as a minority group, though he used the term when in Bangladesh. Jesus knows well the pain of not being welcomed and how hard it is not to have a place to lay ones head. May our hearts not be closed as they were in the homes of Bethlehem, he said. He also urged the world to see Jesus in the innocent children suffering from wars in Syria and Iraq and also in Yemen, complaining that its people had been largely forgotten, with serious humanitarian implications for its people, who suffer from hunger and the spread of diseases. He also listed conflicts affecting children in South Sudan, Somalia, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Ukraine and Venezuela. At his Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peters Basilica on Sunday, Francis strongly defended immigrants, comparing them to Mary and Joseph finding no place to stay in Bethlehem and saying faith demands that foreigners be welcomed. Reuters Trumps decision dampens celebrations in holy landn Donald Trumps decision to declare Jerusalem as Israels capital has taken joy out of Christmas for the people in the holy land who witnessed a low key celebration with thousands of tourists choosing to stay away from festivities The Manger Square, where tourists and locals generally jostle for space before the midnight mass during this time, looked forlorn with signs of despair visible on the faces of sellers and street vendors The sparsely crowded Manger Square, the centre of celebrations, had two big signs declaring Jerusalem will always be the eternal capital of Palestine, a message which spoke of the prevailing mood Bethlehem was once a Christian dominated city but emigration arising out of a wave of violence and economic hardships has seen its Christian residents move to several countries across the world 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. Pope Francis Lima, December 25 Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski pardoned former authoritarian leader Alberto Fujimori late on Sunday, clearing him of convictions for human rights crimes and graft before completion of a 25-year prison sentence. The decision triggered a Christmas Eve protest in downtown Lima, where police fired teargas at scores of Fujimori opponents as they waved pictures of the victims of a counterinsurgency campaign during his 1990-2000 right-wing government. At least two ministers in Kuczynskis cabinet told him they wanted to resign, and Kuczynski might reshuffle the cabinet as early as this week, a government source said. Fujimoris critics denounced the pardon as the result of a crude political deal Kuczynski brokered with Fujimoris supporters in Congress, but his family and supporters cheered it as a long-overdue vindication for a misunderstood hero. Kuczynski, a 79-year-old former Wall Street banker who vowed as a candidate not to pardon Fujimori, based his decision on a medical review that found Fujimori suffered from a progressive, degenerative and incurable disease, according to a statement from the presidents office. The pardon could trigger one of the biggest political realignments in Peru since Fujimori fled to his parents homeland of Japan in 2000 as a corruption scandal brought his decade in power to an end. Fujimori was extradited back to Peru in 2007 and later found guilty of commanding death squads that massacred civilians, bribing lawmakers and having a hand in the kidnapping a journalist, among other crimes. Despite his downfall, the right-wing populist movement that Fujimori built in the 1990s has remained one of the most potent political forces in Peru. His eldest daughter, Keiko, leads the opposition party Popular Force that controls Congress, while his youngest son, Kenji, has courted ties with Kuczynskis government as he challenges his sisters past decade of leadership of their fathers following. On Thursday, Kenji led a surprise defection in Popular Force that narrowly saved Kuczynski from a motion to remove him from office in the wake of a graft scandal. To save his own skin he cut a deal with Fujimoris supporters, said Veronika Mendoza, a leftist leader who competed against Kuczynski in last years presidential election. Kuczynskis has repeatedly denied allegations that a promise for a pardon was part of any political negotiation. Were eternally grateful to you, Kenji said on Twitter, noting that he was speaking for Fujimoris family. Best ever Fujimori was taken to hospital late on Saturday after suffering a severe drop in blood pressure and abnormal blood pressure that put his life at risk, according to his doctor, Alejandro Aguinaga, who denied allegations it was a ruse to legitimize a pending pardon. Kenji said on Sunday that Fujimori was recovering in intensive care and would not likely go home for a few days. Television images showed Fujimoris supporters waving banners that read Freedom for Fujimori and cheering the announcement outside the hospital in Lima where he remained late on Sunday. Fujimori is a deeply divisive figure in Peru. While many consider him a corrupt dictator, others credit him with ending an economic crisis and bloody leftist insurgency during his rule. Hes the best president Peru ever had, said Maria Luisa Cuculiza, a friend and former minister of Fujimori, adding that he no longer had any political ambitions. He doesnt want to return to politics. He just wants to be a good grandfather. The pardon was a blow to relatives of victims, prosecutors and human rights activists who helped put Fujimori behind bars in a lengthy judicial process that earned Peru global plaudits for fighting impunity. Kuczynski has betrayed justice, democracy and victims. History will never forgive you, said Indira Huilca, a leftist lawmaker whose union leader father was shot dead in 1992 in what the Inter-American Court of Human Rights deemed an extrajudicial killing. Before the announcement, Kuczynski summoned his cabinet and ruling party to the presidential palace. Congressman Alberto de Belaunde announced his resignation from the party on Twitter. Congressman Vicente Zeballos, a ruling party lawmaker, was also resigning, the El Comercio newspaper reported. Reuters After a dramatic loss in the VIP constituency RK Nagar, AIADMK EPS-OPS faction members had a high level party meeting in their Party head quarters in Chennai on Monday. By 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 was in tens of thousands of votes. 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. advertisement After a dramatic loss in the VIP constituency RK Nagar, AIADMK EPS-OPS ( Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam ) faction members had a high level party meeting in their Party head quarters in Chennai on Monday. Here are the quick pointers of what the top leadership has to say: - Action will be taken against all those who betrayed AIADMK. - 6 district secretaries supporter of TTV Dinakaran to be removed from their posts. - Vetrivel, Kalairajan, Thangatamilselvan, Rangasamy, Sollingar Partiban, popular Muthaiah all these were district secretary and inspire of TTV being removed and these people being in support of TTV were not removed from the posts. - AIADMK urges EC to probe alleged irregularities committed by supporters of TTV Dhinakaran in RKNagar by-election. Calls TTV a magician who cheated the people. -On Jaya Video: There is still doubt on why we were not allowed to meet Amma. There is a lot of suspicion. -No one will leave our camp and we will approach the election commission on RK Nagar. -"Amma was the one who had brought the 2G Case to the forefront and now look who appreciated the DMK victory? It is TTV and you know how big a fraud he is," said OPS. - "This time DMK has won much lesser votes than last time and I believe that DMK and TTV worked hand in glove to ensure that two leaves was defeated," said EPS. --- ENDS --- The Oklahoma Legislature has been forced back to work ... to accomplish the things it never did do, this year. To hear their complaints, the governor is a meanie, making them to do their jobs and telling people in the media they have a job that's not finished. The Legislature has to balance its checkbook, and make a business budget that covers the public's needs, as required by the Oklahoma Constitution, but now everyone inside the Capitol is playing the crybaby. Boo hoo! Well, not me. I balance a budget every month, and I don't get paid for it either. Do your jobs, Legislature, and crybaby no more. Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to letters@tulsaworld.com. Dear Doctor: Some researchers say the main reason for many health issues today, including allergies and asthma, is that our children are kept too clean and have no resistance to anything. What are your thoughts? Dear Reader: First, lets discuss the benefits of hygiene. The greatest boon to human longevity, at least in developed parts of the world, has been our ability to deal with wastewater. Separating humans from the waste they produce, and treating that waste, has decreased our susceptibility to a host of diseases. In Yemen, for example, the number of cases of cholera currently exceeds 800,000 due to the inability to manage wastewater. In fact, inadequate sanitation, combined with a limited ability to properly disinfect hands, is estimated to cause 4 percent of deaths worldwide. But yes, there may be a risk to too much good hygiene. Humans live in symbiosis with the bacteria within and upon their bodies, and an inherent balance is necessary for a healthy life. This balance may extend to the bacteria in our environment, meaning that restricting our bodies from normal outdoor organisms may have a downside. The Amish in the United States, for example, live on farms and spend much of their time outside. Coincidentally, their children have much lower rates of allergies, eczema and asthma compared to non-Amish children who dont live on farms. The evidence extends beyond that correlation. A 2017 study of adult farmers and their spouses compared their childhood exposure to a farm environment against their rates of allergies and asthma. Those who were exposed to farming as children were less likely to have allergies as adults. Further, those whose mothers worked on a farm while pregnant also had a lower rate of asthma and allergies. Then there was a Swedish study on pacifier cleaning. Researchers found that the parental practice of cleaning a pacifier by putting it in ones own mouth before giving it back to the infant was linked to a lower rate of eczema and asthma in children at age 18 months. That same study also showed that vaginal birth, with its increased infant exposure to bacteria, was linked to a lower rate of allergies at 18 months compared to Caesarean delivery. Other studies have shown that having an older sibling decreases a childs risk of allergies and eczema, supposedly because older siblings bring more bacteria into the house. Similarly, having a pet in early life (especially if its a dog) has been linked to a lower rate of allergies and asthma in children. But bacteria may just be one factor in the allergy equation. Exposure to allergens themselves may desensitize a child to them later in life. That brings us to the fact that children and their parents overall are spending less time outside. At the same time, children in densely populated urban areas are exposed to pollutants at younger ages. Both factors may increase the risk of allergies and asthma. In summary, its clear that the rates of asthma and allergies have incrementally increased in the United States over the past 50 years. Although the research is largely correlative, it seems equally clear to me that we can reduce that risk in our children by getting them and ourselves outside the house as much as possible, exposing them to their surrounding biome (within reason) and pushing for a reduction in pollution. Robert Ashley, M.D., is an internist and assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. Send your questions to askthedoctors mednet.ucla.edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o Media Relations, UCLA Health, 924 Westwood Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA, 90095. Owing to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided. This Page Is Under Construction - Coming Soon! Why am I seeing this 'Under Construction' page? Twenty-five years after Ayodhya became a household name, the issue refuses to die down. Right-wing supporters atop the Babri Masjid in 1992, with the aim to reclaim the spot of Ram Janmabhoomi. By Kanchan Gupta: History is often all about 'what if'? The answer to this question determines the course of events that, in turn, determine the course of history. Twenty-five years after Ayodhya became a household word, setting into motion a deep social and profound cultural churn, I wonder what if a slumbering dispute was not awakened by revivalists seeking to set right historical wrongs and restoring to Hindus what belonged to them but was under occupation of, putting it bluntly, squatters? advertisement After all, for close to four decades none had agitated for an early resolution of the dispute or demanded the opening of the locked doors of what Muslims called Babri Masjid, a mosque raised on the ruins of a destroyed temple by Mir Baqi, believed to be from Tashkent, to honour Babur the Invader. Hindus believed the mosque was built after destroying a temple commemorating Ram Janmabhoomi, the birthplace of Sri Ram. The walls of Babri Masjid bore tell-tale signs of the destruction that preceded its construction - disfigured stone engravings and pillars that can be seen at many other sites were razed to build mosques by Islamic invaders and Mughal rulers. Would LK Advani then have become the legendary hero of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, the defining moment of independent India's quest for nationhood? Or, we could ask, what if Advani had not pushed the BJP into associating with the Ram Mandir movement through a presidential resolution at the National Executive meeting in Palampur, and then embarked upon a Somnath to Ayodhya Ram Rath Yatra, perched atop a converted Toyota pick-up truck, the first of its kind of political mobilisation for a religious cause? And what if he had not been arrested at Samastipur but allowed to reach Ayodhya? But as the idiom goes, if ifs and buts were pots and pans there would be no work for tinkers' hands. Idle speculation over what may have been is irrelevant 25 years after popular anger felled the monument meant to glorify Babur, much as statues honouring the memory of tyrants, despots, racists and slave drivers have been and are being pulled down across the world. I was drawn to the Ayodhya dispute, unfolding a long distance away from Kolkata after reading stories on the VHP calling for Ram Janmabhoomi's restoration along with Gyanvapi in Kashi and Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura tucked away in the inside pages of Delhi newspapers. That nascent interest took me to Ayodhya on an exploratory visit. It was also a learning experience. A cocooned existence restricted to urban confines had not quite prepared me for the intensity of faith that existed in the heartland. advertisement Through 1988-1991 I kept returning to Ayodhya, writing about the VHP's, and later the BJP's mobilisation of opinion and support for a cause that triggered the biggest mass movement, uniting Hindus across caste and community divisions, overriding language and sectarian barriers. The VHP would call for kar seva and volunteers would gather in Ayodhya in thousands. The authorities would strike a compromise and convince the VHP to put off their programme. Rajiv Gandhi, sensing the mounting Hindu disquiet after his government subverted the Shah Bano judgment and banned Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses, had the locked doors of the disputed structure reopened. A court decision that was not forthcoming for decades miraculously happened overnight. In 1989, Rajiv Gandhi launched the Congress's election campaign from Ayodhya, signalling his and his party's position on the issue, if only to drown the increasingly strident allegations of corruption against him and his cronies. Bofors was only one of the many deals agitating people those days. It didn't quite help him. He lost the election and VP Singh came to power, supported by both Left and Right, an arrangement that was destined to collapse. It did after Advani was arrested and Singh went back on his comment, "Arrey bhai, wahan masjid hai hi kahan?" advertisement Standing on the Ram Chabutra with Mark Tully and Manoj Raghuvanshi and other members of the Newstrack crew on November 2, 1990, I looked in amazement at the milling crowds. Thousands of people had gathered for kar seva, or temple construction work, in front of the disputed structure. Over the previous two days, they had poured into Ayodhya, defying prohibitory orders and curfew. Mulayam Singh Yadav, then chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, had boastfully said the security cordon was so tight even a bird would not be able to get through. But that did not deter the faithful. Many swam across Sarayu, others walked through fields, a continuous stream of people kept entering Ayodhya, some in the dead of night evading security pickets. When the security forces opened fire, we were taken aback. It was like firing at a dense mass of human beings. A sadhu standing next to me was hit by a bullet on his forehead; he crumbled and fell. I doubt I have experienced similar chilling fear as I did that early-winter afternoon. advertisement The crowd went berserk, some kar sevaks clambered atop the main dome of the structure, they were shot and came tumbling down. A helicopter appeared in the sky, hovering over where we stood. Extricating ourselves from the chaos took both time and effort. Later that evening, while telexing my story at the small post office in Faizabad, I was overwhelmed by both anger and grief. That was the day when the destruction that was wrought two years later on December 6, 1992, became an inevitable denouement of the Ayodhya movement. It was destined to be so in the absence of political wisdom that was in extremely short supply after PV Narasimha Rao ascended the masnad of Delhi. This is also why I totally, wholly disagree with those who sing paeans to Rao as a wise ruler who ruled wisely. He did not. What if he had not tried to stop the kar seva on that fateful December day when India changed forever? --- ENDS --- Commuters wait for their ride along a main road in Manila on Aug 15, 2017. (Photo: AFP/Ted Aljibe) A small bus taking the group to a dawn church service crashed into a larger bus in the town of Agoo killing 20 on board, including six children, police said. The nine other occupants of the small bus were injured, as were 17 travelling on the bigger bus, according to an updated tally released by regional police. "They (the family) were trying to catch a mass in Manaoag," Agoo police officer Vanessa Abubo told AFP, referring to a northern Philippine town near Agoo with a famous Catholic church. The centuries-old Our Lady of Manaoag church is a popular pilgrimage site in the mainly Catholic nation, featuring an icon of the Virgin Mary which the faithful say performs miracles. Agoo police chief Roy Villanueva told Manila radio station DZMM by telephone that the smaller vehicle had left its lane to overtake a third vehicle. Authorities are investigating whether the driver, who Abubo said was among those killed, had fallen asleep or was under the influence, Villanueva added. Agoo is located 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of Manila. The pilgrims had come from the town of Bauang, an hour's drive from Manaoag, police said. Raj Singh Arora, who plays the role of Mihir in Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, cannot stand Akash Dadlani. By India Today Web Desk: Bigg Boss has entered its thirteenth week and with seven remaining contestants, everybody seems to be clear about their favourite and not-so-favourite housemates. Yeh Hai Mohabbatein's Mihir aka Raj Singh Arora is the latest to jump on to the bandwagon. The actor took to social media to talk about his favourite and least favourite contestant. advertisement Recently evicted Hiten Tejwani was Raj's favourite contestant, after his eviction he's now supporting Vikas Gupta. While Raj feels Arshi, Shilpa and Hina are a lot of fun, he is indifferent towards Luv and Puneesh. The actor says Priyank is someone he doesn't understand. He has an interesting tag for his least favourite contestant Akash Dadlani and that is tapeworm. "Caught #BiggBoss11 tdy. Hiten was my Fav, Vikas my friend, Have no issues with the women Shilpa, Arshi & Heena they are fun. Luv & Puneesh am Indifferent towards! Priyank don't Understand. The Only person I can't stand is Akash Dadlani he is like a Tapeworm wiggling in that House!" he wrote. Rapper Akash Dadlani who was initially appreciated for being quite entertaining is facing trouble in the house because of his attitude. From losing his cool at the drop of a hat, to mouthing choicest of expletives, Akash has very few friends left in the house. First, he picked fight with Shilpa Shinde who he used to call his mother. He also managed to spoil his equation with Arshi Khan. It is Puneesh who has stood by him through thick and thin. Raj's Yeh Hai Mohabbatein co-star Karan Patel has been following Bigg Boss 11 too and has been slamming Miss Always Right Hina. Shilpa Shinde, Hina Khan, Akash Dadlani, Puneesh Sharma, Luv Tyagi, Priyank Sharma and Vikas Gupta are the remaining contestants out of which Hina and Vikas have already reached semi finals. --- ENDS --- Construction inspectors collaborate with functional forces to demolish an illegal building in District 2, HCM City. - Photo thanhnien.vn At a conference on construction hosted by the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), Liem said that employing private construction inspection services would help reduce the number of people on the State payroll and tighten building management. He told Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper that the State inspection agencies had poorly performed their functions of ensuring compliance, especially when several cases of construction law violations had been discovered. In Binh Chanh District of HCM City, for example, illegal residential construction on farming land had been underway for a long time before functional forces handled it. According to Liem, governmental construction inspection does not exist in many countries, including the USA. Evaluating building quality is therefore carried out by private service providers. Liem said that Viet Nam could adopt this model by piloting it in some districts of Ha Noi and HCM City. If the services proved efficient, the model could be duplicated in other provinces, Liem said. The current State construction inspections can be converted into companies providing services of inspecting and evaluating construction works. The government then only needs to maintain a small agency to make inspection plans before starting any project, Liem added. The newspaper also reported that a real estate companys leader expressed support for the proposal. According to him, many public construction inspectors are not specialised in construction, so they cannot analyse and diagnose problems like a professional engineer would. Far-reaching recommendations Meanwhile, some experts questioned Liems opinion. Nguyen Quoc Hiep, president of the Viet Nam Association of Construction Contractors, recommended rearranging the public construction inspections, giving control to local authorities. Moreover, he said that it was impossible to depend totally on outsourced inspection services as the Government also needed to manage the evaluation. Tran Viet Trung, deputy director of the Ha Noi Department of Construction, said that Liems suggestion called for further discussion. It is essential to analyse carefully Viet Nams condition before adopting the foreign countries model, said Trung. Pham Gia Yen, former chief inspector at the Ministry of Construction, agreed that private construction inspection services could provide tighter management, similar to the role of audit firms in the financial sector. However, as inspectors enforce the law, he said the Government should provide proper mechanisms on services employment. Architect Ngo Viet Nam Son, on the other hand, suggested the Government tighten construction management, beginning with the licensing process. He said illegal construction in Viet Nam is not completely addressed as constructors can pay fines to maintain their works. Meanwhile, in other countries, buildings without any permits will be demolished by functional forces. The removal of State construction inspection could worsen the problem. Therefore, firmer management policies should be adopted by related agencies, including the leaders of departments of construction and local authorities for the stricter law enforcement, he said. Pham Minh Chinh, head of the Central Organisation Commission (middle) handing over the Politburo's decisions to Tran Sy Thanh (right) and Lam Phuong Thanh (left) He has also been appointed as Secretary of PetroVietnam Party Committee. Lam Phuong Thanh, Deputy Chairman of the Central Propaganda and Education Committee, has been appointed as the Secretary of the Lang Son Party Committee to replace Tran Sy Thanh. The position of PetroVietnam's chairman has been vacant since March this year. It is considered a "hot seat" because the latest chairmen were sentenced to prison. Nguyen Xuan Son and Nguyen Quoc Khanhboth PetroVietnam chairmen for a term of one yearwere arrested and prosecuted due to financial mismanagement. Son was sentenced for life imprisonment. Earlier, Phung Dinh Thuc and Dinh La Thang were also chairmen and are currently facing legal proceedings related to serious economic crimes in the oil and gas sector. Tran Sy Thanh was born on March 16, 1971 in Thanh Chuong district, Nghe An province. Earlier, he was Secretary of the Bac Giang Party Committee during 2012-2015 and Deputy Chairman the Central Party Committee's Inspection Commission; Vice Secretary of the Dak Lak Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the Dak Lak People's Committee during 2010-2012; and deputy director general of the State Treasury Department of the Ministry of Finance during 2007-2008. Former PVN General Director to be prosecuted The police on Tuesday decided to prosecute former General Director of the Viet Nam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) Phung Dinh Thuc for causing serious economic loss. Dinh La Thang arrested and facing legal proceedings Dinh La Thang - a member of the Party Central Committee and deputy chairman of the committee's Economic Commission, was arrested on December 8, 2017 by the Investigation Police Department in relation to two serious economic crimes during his chairmanship of the Member Council of Vietnam's oil and gas group PetroVietnam. Former OceanBank officials may face heaviest penalty This morning the Hanois Peoples Procuracy proposed that OceanBanks former chairman Ha Van Tham be given a life sentence and former general director Nguyen Xuan Son be given the death sentence. PVN Deputy General Director arrested HA NOI Deputy General Director of Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PVN) Ninh Van Quynh was detained on Friday for deliberately violating State regulations and causing serious consequences for PVN. Deposed Politburo member now Party Central Committee advisor Dinh La Thang, who was voted out of the Politburo on May 7 due to past mismanagement of state-owned Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam), has been appointed as a deputy chairman of the Party Central Committees Economic Commission. Pope Francis celebrates mass on Christmas eve marking the birth of Jesus Christ on Dec 24, 2017 at St Peter's basilica in Vatican. (Photo: AFP/Andreas Solaro) "So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary," the Argentine pontiff, himself the grandson of Italian migrants, told worshippers at Christmas Eve mass in Saint Peter's Basilica. "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. The pontiff's plea for "hope" 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 Dec 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. FEWER TOURISTS IN BETHLEHEM 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". He urged "Christians of the Holy Land, who are worried, and perhaps afraid by the reduction of our numbers, the inadequacy of our means, the insecurity that characterises our daily life," to have courage in the troubled region. 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. "Jerusalem is our mother," he said, and if one of her children "is missing the mother cannot be at peace, so we have to pray for the peace of Jerusalem," the archbishop said in his homily in the presence of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has sparked almost daily protests in the Palestinian territories and put a damper on Christmas festivities. Palestinian scouts played drums and bagpipes at celebrations in Bethlehem, but many tourists stayed away. Hundreds 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. In the square, Nahil Banura, a Christian woman from Beit Sahur near Bethlehem, said Trump's decision had made the run-up to Christmas "miserable". "People are only going out to vent," she said. "SADNESS AND JOY" 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 at 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 earlier, 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". Mitri Raheb, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, told AFP 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". CHRISTMAS IN MOSUL 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. Hymns filled a Mosul church on Sunday as worshippers celebrated Christmas for the first time in four years after the city's recapture from the Islamic State group in July. Meanwhile a tragic Christmas weekend in the Philippines was compounded Monday by the deaths of 20 people killed in a bus collision while travelling to mass. Dozens of people were feared killed in a fire Saturday in the southern city of Davao. Thousands were displaced by floods and landslides from a storm that also killed more than 200 others on Friday. Sai Gon-Ha Noi Joint Stock Commercial Bank (SHB) has sold 98.47 per cent of its shares in its brokerage arm SHB Securities JSC (SHBS), equal to 14.77 million shares. Photo SHB The shares were sold equally to three individuals for VND7,850 (35 US cents) per share, lower than the par value of VND10,000 per share. SHB estimated it would receive nearly VND116 billion ($5.15 million) from the deal. SHBS was formerly known as Hanoi Building Joint Stock Commercial Bank (Habubank) Securities JSC (HabubankSc), which was owned by Habubank before 2012. The company was renamed SHBS after Habubank was acquired by SHB in 2012. In August 2016, SHB also offloaded its entire ownership in Sai Gon-Ha Noi Securities JSC for VND6,600 per share. Though SHB is no longer a shareholder of SHS, the bank remains the main source of financial capital for the securities company. The total value of short-term loans that SHB lent to SHS increased to VND700 billion at the end of September from VND386 billion in late second quarter. At the companys annual shareholder meeting in April 2017, shareholders of SHS approved the firms proposal to acquire SHBS. However, it has remained unclear if the two brokerage firms would finalise their merger. A dramatic change in market trends and the "fourth" industrial revolution are forcing Vietnamese enterprises to gradually apply new technologies to production. - VNA/VS Photo An Hieu Using the technology, businesses can increase their value. Many Vietnamese companies have started to invest in machines with modern technology to automate many production stages to increase productivity, improve quality and save time and money. According to the Viet Nam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (LEFASO), leather footwear has been a key industry in Viet Nam for many years, creating jobs for more than one million workers nationwide. The export turnover of leather and footwear reached more than US$16 billion last year. Turnover is expected to reach $17 billion this year, a year-on-year increase of more than 10 per cent. The world trend is changing and the new industrial revolution has made a dramatic change in terms of labour productivity and science and technology. Low labour cost is no longer an advantage, it is gradually moving to knowledge economy. According to leather workers, many big companies in Viet Nam have invested in machines, moving to automation. Viet A Chau Investment Development Corporation in HCM City is investing in technology to meet development requirements. The corporation has invested in scanners and 3D printers to serve moulding. The investment has helped businesses reduce time to 10 days for moulding -and to significantly reduce delivery time. Thai Binh Shoes has been equipped with a large amount of new machinery for sample development and production. They include programmable sewing machines, computerised embroidery machines and laser cutting machines to automate production stages. This helps the company reduce costs, increase labour productivity and reduce worker risks in several production stages. According to experts, while the labour productivity of domestic enterprises is only four to six pairs of shoes per person per day, those of foreign-invested enterprises has reached 16-18 pairs a day and is expected to increase to 20 pairs next year. This difference has cost domestic enterprises big losses compared to foreign enterprises in terms of export turnover and added value.Bnews.vn quoted Phan Thi Thanh Xuan, the footwear associations secretary, as saying that modern management methods and technology would solve the problem of labour productivity and the growth of the footwear industry. This investment required a lot of capital, but it would improve productivity and improve product quality, she said. Nguyen Duc Thuan, association chairman, said that it was important to improve the quality of human resources as well as strengthening the application of science and technology in production. Despite the high export turnover, the value of the footwear industry is still low, accounting for only 20-25 per cent of the value chain. Limitation on research and development has been a difficult problem for Vietnamese enterprises. Only by taking the initiative in research and development, Vietnamese enterprises can increase their value over the whole value chain. Recently, the Italian Trade Agency and the shoemakers association inaugurated the Italy-Viet Nam Footwear Technology Centre at the Lefaso Centre in the southern province of Binh Duong. Italy will assist Vietnamese companies improve product quality through technology transfer, consultancy and training of human resource. The centre is equipped with modern machinery and equipment imported directly from Italy and other European countries, allowing small and medium-sized enterprises in the leather-footwear industry to approach, research and develop new products. 99.64 per cent of the shares on offer found no buyers Notably, no foreign and domestic enterprises or organisations joined the auction. 229 individuals completed the purchase at the average price of VND11,959 apiece, showing that 99.64 per cent of the stake was unmarketable. After the deal, the state only acquired VND8.8 billion ($378,666) in proceeds. Song Da offered 219.68 million shares at the initial price of VND11,000 ($0.48). After the sale, the corporation expected to acquire VND2.4 trillion ($105.68 million) in proceeds and increase its charter capital to VND4.5 trillion ($198.2 million). Besides, Song Da planned to offer another 135 million shares, equalling 30 per cent of its charter capital, to strategic investors and sell 822,000 shares (0.18 per cent) to its employees. After the equitisation, the state was to hold 51 per cent of the charter capital, equalling 229.5 million shares, and then decrease it to under 50 per cent by 2020. Song Da Corporation conducted its equitisation as the companys business efficiency has yet to improve. Notably, in 2015, the corporation earned VND17.03 trillion ($762.1 million) in revenue and VND452 billion ($18.7 million) in after-tax profit, while the Return on Assets (ROA) was 1.84 per cent, and the Return of Equity (ROE) 7.49 per cent. In 2016, its revenue decreased by 42 per cent to VND9.9 trillion ($436.1 million). In the first six months of this year, Song Da Corporation recorded VND4.41 trillion ($194.3 million) in net revenue and VND118 billion ($5.19 million) in pre-tax profit, signifying year-on-year declines of 24 and 48 per cent, respectively. Along with the modest business results, Song Da Corporation bears a large debt volume. As of the end of the second quarter of this year, the total debt-to-capital ratio is 76 per cent and the total debt is triple the companys equity. Established in 1961, Song Da Corporation is specialised in developing thermal power plants, roads, industrial factories, and real estate projects, as well as manufacturing construction materials. Students with disabilities attend a life skills training course. - Photo courtesy of the Disability Research and Activities Capacity Development Centre in HCM City. The centres are part of the Disability Access Route to Education project being implemented by the Disability Research and Activities Capacity Development Centre (DRD) from January 2016 to December 2018. The main goal of the project, which is funded by Irish Aid, is to empower students with disabilities at the two universities so they can fully participate and contribute to society, Luu Thi Anh Loan, acting director of DRD, said. The HCM City Pedagogy University has the highest number of students with disabilities among universities in the city, with a total of 45 students, including 26 who are visually impaired, according to DRD. The students currently receive support such as scholarships, laptops and computers from sponsors, but the support is only seasonal. As part of the project, from April to December 2016, the mentors of two partner universities assessed the needs of 45 students with disabilities. Regarding their needs, students with disabilities have various demands and expectations, with skills training named as their top priority, followed by assistance with internships and employment; mobility support; learning devices; and social activities. Based on individual plans of students with disabilities and suggestions from mentors, the project delivered support packages to help them with their studies. The support included 32 monthly scholarships worth VN500,000 (US$22) each; 10 laptops, nine recorders and eight scholarships to study English; and four skills courses such as mobility orientation for the blind, communication and presentation, leadership and teamwork, and CV writing and interviewing skills. Students with disabilities also received books, soft skills training, speech therapy and physical therapy. Disability equality trainings were organised to help university staff and lecturers have a better understanding of disability issues and to develop strategies to provide more support for students with disabilities. US President Donald Trump, source: AFP "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. "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." Thomas McClelland, tax partner of Deloitte Vietnam, said tax authorities difficulties in implementing transfer pricing regulations resulted from a low level of transfer pricing knowledge and a lack of data on comparable transactions. To address the lack of data on comparable transactions, tax authorities need further cooperation amongst concerning agencies, for example between audit and tax declaration. They will develop their database of comparables. Overall there appears to be disappointment within tax authorities regarding the very limited results achieved under original transfer pricing regulations, he told VIR. Despite Circular 117/2005/TT-BTC by the Ministry of Finance in December 2005 promulgating the basic transfer pricing rules and documentation requirements, McClelland said many taxpayers had ignored the requirements and even the filing of the mandatory form for reporting transactions with associated parties. Although the General Department of Taxation has made adjustments upon audit to items like inter-company service charges, such adjustments have been made under other provisions of the Vietnamese tax law, not specifically under the transfer pricing circular, he said. Currently, a handful of foreign-backed enterprises have reported losses for several consecutive years to avoid paying tax, while expanding their businesses and production. According to Ho Chi Minh City Taxation Department, 60 per cent of the 3,500 foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) operating in the city reported losses in 2009 and 50 per cent in 2008. Meanwhile, Lam Dong statistics showed that there were up to 104 out of the total of 111 FIEs operating in the province having reported losses. Many experts said transfer pricing was one of the reasons for that situation, meaning FIEs raised the prices of materials bought from their parent companies abroad to evade taxes. Pham Chi Lan, a veteran economist, said price transfer would create an unequal business environment. This activity fetches real profits for parent companies abroad, but causes false losses to the FIEs in Vietnam. It also helps FIEs dodge corporate income tax and remittance fees, she said. To control this situation, Lan said, it was necessary for Vietnam to quickly build a system to keep an eye on world prices and the tax departments to closely check financial reports and compare them to the real import market prices of countries where parent companies were located. It is not difficult for tax departments to identify information which will be considered the basis to reject FIEs untrue reports, Lan added. Nguyen Trong Hanh, deputy chief of Ho Chi Minh City Taxation Department, said it was unacceptable that FIEs used transfer pricing to avoid paying tax. FIEs operating and making profits in Vietnam should be responsibile for their business. If they only take care of their own profits and evade taxes, it is not only an illegal activity but also a moral problem, Hanh said. Vietnamese tax authorities have reportedly received training and cooperation from other governments such as Japan and Australia, and software have been acquired for a transfer pricing database. And with the transfer pricing regulations stated in Circular 66/2010/TT-BTC dated April 22, 2010, tax authorities were more optimistic about transfer pricing enforcement said McClelland. By Nguyen Trang Trying to intimidate the whole world, Azerbaijan contributed to the growth of the tourist flow to Artsakh, blogger Alexander Lapshin wrote on Facebook. December 25, 2017, 15:43 Lapshin: Azerbaijan tries to intimidate the world, but tourist flow to Karabakh grows STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 25, ARTSAKHPRESS:For me, the outgoing year 2017 was not an easy one, because almost 9 months of this year were spent in an Azerbaijani prison because of a trip to Artsakh. I happened to dive into the dirty dismantling quarrels of the Azerbaijani clans, learned about the family squabbles of the Aliyevs, I even had a ride on the personal plane of the Baku sultan's wife, and I saw the bickering for power and oil money in this Muslim country, writes Lapshin. According to him, their racism and hatred is not only towards the Armenian people because of the conflict in Artsakh, but also towards any other non-Muslim nation. The calls for Jewish pogroms shouted by demonstrators outside the Baku court, where he was held, said a lot about the country, Lapshin said, adding that all the demonstrations are organized by the authorities. Trying to intimidate the whole world, dwarf Azerbaijan, on the contrary, contributed to the fact that in 2017 Artsakh was visited by almost twice as many tourists as a year earlier, wrote Lapshin. Among them were my good friends from the Baltics: Alexander Alimov and Ivar Utinas from Latvia, Slava Gorbunov from Lithuania and many others. They shot a cool film about this wonderful land, its culture, people, nature, monuments and architecture. Watch it, I'm sure you would like to visit it, too!: he wrote. Thick fog, lack of clear border demarcation lands three BSF jawans on the Bangladeshi side. By Sahidul Hasan Khokon: The BBG (Bangladesh Border Guards) have detained three Indian border troopers (BSF), who they claim had entered Bangladeshi territory inadvertently. The incident has been reported near the border at the northern district of Rajshahi's Paba Up-zilla in Bangladesh on Monday. Shamim Uddin, commanding officer of BBG 1 battalion, said the BSF members crossed the border around 7:30 am by mistake. advertisement The BSF jawans crossed over to the Bangladeshi side due to the thick fog in the area. Also, there is no clear demarcation of border in the area. The BBG official confirmed this. He also said that the BSF jawans have been detained. The detained BSF personnel have been identified as Sub Inspector Ramnath Singh, Constables Rakesh Kumar and Santosh Kumar. The jawan will be handed back to India after a flag meeting. The Indo-Bangladeshi border is largely conflict free barring a major incident of heavy firing in last decade. Other incidents involve warning shots fired from both the sides to deter civilians from crossing the border in to either of the countries. 14-year-old Sikh boy thrashed in US, family claims hate crime --- ENDS --- A company that manufactures equipment for oil and gas drilling is moving into one of the largest buildings in Waco. Brazos Iron Works plans to start operating in the former Patriot mobile-home manufacturing building on West Loop 340 on Jan. 15, 2018 officials said. The company, which makes drilling equipment such as pressure vessels and heater treaters, expects to employ 25 to 30 people next year and double that going into 2019. Brazos Iron Works President Eric Mehringer said Texas State Technical Colleges welding program excites him as a source for workers. The equipment made in Waco will be used across the continental United States, he said. Logistically, everything in Waco makes sense, vice president of operations Josh Lewallen said. The labor pool is great here. Weve worked in Fort Worth and Odessa and the Permian and everything for awhile. And Im from Waco, so I just figured it was time to come home. Brazos Iron Works plans to use about 48,000 square feet of the 129,000-square-foot building. Real estate agent Nathan Embry said the process of finding a tenant for the building was complicated because it had to be rezoned. Working through procedures with city and county leaders moved the project forward, he said. It sat on the market for awhile, and when you get a call on it, its pretty exciting because its a big player, generally speaking, who needs a lot of space, Embry said. Embry said the stretch of large buildings on West Loop 340 west of Interstate 35 is ripe for businesses. Were really looking forward to expanding and growing this business in Waco and having this as the central hub for our manufacturing facility, Lewallen said. I used to think I would grow to like fruit cake. Adults seemed to like these Christmas cakes and my mum's fruit cake and Christmas pudding recipes were the stuff of legend among her friends and our extended family. I've learned to love a lot of foods in my time. Fruit cake isn't one of them. Credit:Marina Neil Always a fan of cooking, I remember stirring the giant pot of cake batter on the stove when my mum was doing her Christmas baking. I loved the taste of the cake mix and used to pick the glace cherries out and eat them when she wasn't looking. But then she would add an ingredient I've never been able to get past. Fruit peel. She's a glamorous award-winning beauty, fashion and fitness model and a one-time high-flying marketing executive from northern Sydney. But now Katiusha Stepanyan, a 27-year-old Macquarie University commerce graduate, could face up to a decade in jail after police allegedly seized more than $220,000 in cash from the bedroom of her North Ryde home. Katiusha Stepanyan outside her North Ryde home. Credit:Nick Moir Nearly $10,000 more was allegedly found in the family's upstairs lounge room. Ms Stepanyan has been charged with two counts of recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime, carrying a 10-year maximum sentence. Congress has said that it would be two steps ahead of BJP's research with scientific analysis of voteshare in each constituency to help zero-in on right candidates. By Sweta dutta: As Congress gears up for the next round of Assembly polls and the big ticket parliamentary polls in 2019, the big takeaway from Gujarat is better candidate selection. Party leaders told Mail Today that scientific analysis of voteshare in each constituency will be conducted to help zero-in on right candidates. Unlike previous polls, the party is planning not to wait till the last minute to announce candidates but to give them an edge over their rivals by beginning their campaign early. advertisement In response to the BJP's strategy of analysing voteshare and voting patterns in constituencies on the basis of facts and figures, the Congress too is planning a more scientific approach to its candidate selection process. Apart from local feedback and field presence, a study of the demographics and voting patterns will be taken into account. While roping in professionals to conduct these studies could cost nearly Rs 80 lakh per constituency, the party is exploring ways of doing in-house studies to begin with. "We have been incessantly working on improving our candidate selection process and will continue to fine tune it. The primary focus will be to ensure selection of candidates early so that they have enough time for campaigning. A scientific methodology will also be taken up to gauge the mood in the constituency," explained Tom Vadakkan, national spokesperson. "Whatever research BJP undertakes, we will be two steps ahead of them." Rajasthan Congress Chief Sachin Pilot maintained that in his state, which goes to polls end of next year, a candidate's presence on the ground will be factored in. "For the past year or so, we are conducting studies on the candidates who fought the last time and their position in the constituency. Someone who lost an election but still hold sway over the constituency could be given another chance. Public sentiment cannot be ignored," Pilot said. "My focus is on 35 SC and 43 ST seats Madhya Pradesh. We hold just 3 SC and 12 ST seats. Need to work on these," MP Congress committee chief Arun Yadav told Mail Today. ALSO WATCH | Sholay in Congress: Gabbar Sonia grills 4 aadmi - Rahul, Hardik, Alpesh, Jignesh --- ENDS --- Santa won't be the only one busy this Christmas Day. He is joined by people across Sydney who will be spending their December 25 working or volunteering. Jayson Sharman has been a firefighter at Parramatta Fire Station for nearly 15 years and is working Christmas Day because "plain and simple, that was when I was rostered". Although his job on December 25 will be "no different to any other day", Mr Sharman expects that nice surprises may accompany the festive day: a cook-up with neighbouring stations, visiting children in hospital, and residents calling in to "wish us a Merry Christmas, or give us a card, or leave a little something as a thank-you for doing what we do". "We're very fortunate in this job in that we're at a workplace that's like home," says Mr Sharman. "We've got the option of being at home with our family, or the second-best choice, being at work with our second family." While the mood around the station will feel more relaxed fire trucks decorated with tinsel, and firefighters wearing Santa hats "as far as attending incidents and fires, that won't change one bit", he said. "We're here to help out people who might have something go wrong on [Christmas Day]. Hopefully that doesn't happen, but we're there to try and make it a better day for them." 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. A 67-year-old Kelmscott man has died after the car he was travelling in rolled over on the Brookton Highway near Jelcobine Road south-east of Perth. Another man and woman were injured in the same crash, which was reported at 5.48am but happened some time between 12.30am and 5am, police say. The RAC rescue helicopter flew an injured duo to hospital where they remain in a serious condition. Police are continuing their investigations but said the trio were travelling on the highway in a grey, 2004 model Mitsubishi Magna sedan when the crash occurred approximately 20kms west of Brookton after the vehicle left the road and rolled several times. A study suggests there may be twice the number of adult great white sharks off WA's coast. Preliminary results from the CSIRO have found white shark numbers in WA are not increasing but are steady and remain somewhere between 750 to 2,250, with a 90 per cent survival rate. CSIRO has confirmed that WA is Australia's great white shark hot spot Credit:DAVID DOUBILET On the other hand, the great white shark population in the east is estimated to be between 470 to 1,030. Federal Environment minister Josh Frydenburg and WA Liberal members are using the findings to put pressure on the WA Government to look seriously at its shark attack prevention measures. Zurich: A referendum in Switzerland to clarify the country's relationship with the European Union would be helpful, Swiss President Doris Leuthard says, after ties between the two sides cooled last week. Switzerland's frictions with the EU, of which it is not a member, arise as Britain negotiates its exit from the 28-country bloc. Swiss Federal President Doris Leuthard. Credit:Christophe Ena Talks on securing a new "framework" treaty to govern the Swiss-EU relationship have been underway for some time, with Brussels wanting to replace the more than 100 bilateral accords which regulate its relationship with Bern. But relations soured this week when the EU granted Swiss stock exchanges only limited access to the bloc, prompting Swiss threats of retaliation for what it called discrimination. A Dalit family was barred from the cremation ground in Madhya Pradesh's Bhind district village due to which they performed the final rites on their son right outside their residence. By Hemender Sharma: In a shocking incident reported from a village in Madhya Pradesh's Bhind district, a Dalit family was forced to cremate their son's body outside their house after some upper caste men barred them from the cremation ground. 60-year-old Kaptan Singh died after a prolonged illness on Sunday after which his family left for the cremation ground to perform his final rites. advertisement But to their horror, some upper caste men turned them back from the entrance claiming "exclusive right" over the cremation ground. Led by a man, identified as Lokendra Singh, the upper caste mob's belligerent actions forced the Dalit family to incinerate their son's body outside their residence in the village. On learning about the incident, the police registered a case against Lokendra Singh and his men. Meanwhile, the district administration tossed the upper caste community's claim on the land calling it "part of village grazing land, that was freed from the possession of the upper caste long time back." Amid the chaos, reports suggest that the Dalits in the village are now living in fear of retaliation by the community. --- ENDS --- By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 24, 2017 | 11:55 PM | PADUCAH, KY With the New Year just around the corner, the American Red Cross encourages donors to resolve to help save lives by giving blood. Donors are needed to give the gift of life at the Paducah Community New Year's Blood Drive Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday, Jan.1, 2018, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Concord United Methodist Church, 5178 Hinkleville Road, in Paducah. All presenting donors will receive a long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last. This special blood drive is being held in memory of Larry Dickey, a dedicated Red Cross hospital services volunteer and Concord United Methodist Church member who died in an automobile accident Oct. 14, 2017. "Larry was a joy to be around and found great fulfillment in helping others," said Robin Grace, manufacturing supervisor of the Red Cross Tennessee Valley Blood Services Region. "He would come in to help deliver blood products whenever we called him and worked with donor recruitment manager Anthony Tinin to set up and recruit for blood drives." In addition to driving nearly 9,030 hours and approximately 318,812 miles as a Red Cross volunteer, Larry was also an avid blood donor who made 175 blood donations. As a Red Crosser, his service knew no bounds. "Larry truly touched every aspect of blood services," said Grace. "He would donate blood at a drive, drive the products to the Nashville component lab for processing and bring back stock products for the Paducah distribution site. On many occasions, he took equipment and supplies to blood drives. He will be greatly missed by all that had the opportunity to work with him." The Paducah Community New Year's Blood Drive comes at a time when the Red Cross has a critical need for type O negative and B negative donors to help save lives. Type O negative and B negative blood donations are being distributed to hospitals as fast as they are coming in. Type O negative and B negative donors are encouraged to make a Power Red donation at the drive. The need is constant and blood and platelet donations tend to decline between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day when people become busy with holiday activities. Heroic blood donors of all types are needed to roll up a sleeve to help ensure patients continue to receive treatment throughout the winter. By Keith Todd, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Dec. 24, 2017 | 05:57 PM | FRANKFORT, KY As we approach the end of the year, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is reminding folks who plan to go over the river and through the woods to grandmas house to buckle up first. As of Friday morning, there had been 748 fatalities on Kentucky highways this year. Of those, about 53 percent were not wearing a safety belt. The 2017 total is 69 fatalities below the same date for 2016. Kentucky averages about 2.5 fatalities in crashes each day. That means more than 20 more deaths are likely be recorded in Kentucky between now and the end of the year. This year AAA estimates 108 million Americans will travel during the Christmas Holiday driving period. Most will take to the road for an average trip of about 75 miles. By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 24, 2017 | 11:49 PM | FRANKFORT, KY Kentuckians in need of extra Christmas cash should search for unclaimed property on the Kentucky State Treasurys website, www.treasury.ky.gov, Treasurer Allison Ball said Wednesday. The state treasury has returned over $22 million in unclaimed property in 2017 and over $45 million in 2016. Over 15,437 individuals and entities have found unclaimed property to claim on the website this year alone. The Treasurers office receives unclaimed funds from unclaimed insurance proceeds, bank accounts and stocks, among other things. Schools, non-profits, businesses, and local governments should also check the website, as these entities may also have unclaimed property to claim. City of Paducah gets update how $6.5 million ARPA funds will be spent VIDEO Filmed in Norway, the animals are thought to be a month old. Out of more than a million moose across the Northern Hemisphere, two twin moose calves dont quite look like the rest.While taking a brief gander out of the woods, the two young, all-white moose were captured on video with their mother during a rare sighting in Norway.Large moose populations are found throughout northern Europe, and thousands currently live in Norway.The calves, which Maines state deer and moose biologist, Lee Kantar, said appear to be less than a month old due to their size and mobility, were likely born in mid-Maymost calves are born around May 15 each year. Twin moose, although born at a smaller size, are also common.Although its hard to tell for sure, Kantar said he thinks the moose calves might be albino: If its true that they are, its extremely rare.They could also be piebald moose, he said, which are white with a few small brown specks. Still rare, they differ from albino animals that are pure white with pink or red eyes.Both albino and piebald moose are protected animals and legislation prohibits hunters from taking a moose that is predominantly white in color. Kantar said hes seen thousands of moose while working with wildlife in the Northeast United States, but hes never come across any that are white.Although they lack the typical brown coat, its unknown whether white and albino moose are at a disadvantage in the wild. The dark-colored coat makes them more difficult to see in a forest environment, Kantar said, but because there have also been sightings of adult moose with white coats, it may mean that cow moosethe mothershave more responsibility when caring for young, white-coated offspring.Most cow moose are highly protective of their newborn calves, and the probability of survival in the first month of life is dependent on how well the mother defends the calf from anything thats out there, Kantar said. IndiGo Airline passengers flying to and from Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru will have to start using IGI's T2 by February 15, 2018. By Sneha Agrawal: Indigo Airline passengers flying to and from Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru will now have to use Terminal 2 of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport as the Delhi High Court has dismissed its petition challenging the directions of DIAL, observing that traffic load at Terminal-1 was much beyond its capacity. SpiceJet, which was later impleaded as party in the matter, was also denied any relief. advertisement This year, Delhi International Airline Limited had issued directions to various airlines to operate flights to and fro Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru from Terminal-2 by January 4, 2018. These directions were challenged by Indigo that was dismissed by the court. The court however extended the deadline to February 15 as the earlier deadline for beginning the operations is nearing and is set to expire soon. It has also been directed that in the event, IndiGo and SpiceJet make a request for shifting of operations of their flights other than the sectors Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru, within seven days, the same shall be considered by DIAL. Indigo cited passengers' inconvenience due to shifting of the operations - to which the court said that the argument does not hold much water. "Be that as it may, passengers' convenience and security is much of the concern of DIAL than any airline. Any impact on the efficiency and increase in cost of the operations of the flights, in the given scenario, when the DIAL requires shifting of some operations for the purposes of renovations and expansion with a view to decongest Terminal-1 in the interest of public safety and safety of flight operations becomes irrelevant," DIAL said. DIAL told court that during the period of re-development of Terminal-1, it would reduce boarding gates from 15 to 10 and aircraft parking stand from 55 to 33, bringing down the capacity of Terminal-1 to 13 mppa. With additional measures, the capacity can be brought upto maximum of 17 million passengers per annum. It said even with the shifting of operations of GoAir to Terminal-2, the traffic at Terminal-1 is expected to be approximately 23 mppa, which would be in excess of maximum existing capacity of 20 mppa, which requires to be further reduced. DIAL also pointed out that peak fog season in January causes flight delays, resulting in an increased pressure on the infrastructure of the terminal, and endangers the safety of passengers as well as flights operations. --- ENDS --- Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. The city of Winona is taking a look at how its running its public campground. The citys Park and Recreation department put out a request for proposals Thursday regarding the management and general operations of Prairie Island Campground. The current managers, Russell and Terri Hoesley, had been on a rolling, year-to-year agreement previously. Theyve also been asked to submit a proposal. The city recently upgraded and repaired the electrical and water systems for the campsite the first major improvement since construction of the showers in the mid-90s as part of the 2017s $5 million recreation bond. While those improvements will be wrapping up in the spring, Winona also will be compiling a comprehensive park plan starting in January of this year. City manager Steve Sarvi said it felt like a good time to look at the parks operations, considering it had been over two decades since a thorough review. Were constantly looking at the ways things have been done and if theres a way to do it better, Sarvi said. If you never have a conversation youll never know whats out there. Proposals are expected to include things like how park maintenance is split between the city and the management and how the compensation system works. Currently, the management gets about 30 percent of the revenue, while the rest goes to the city. In 2016 the park took in about $260,000, with $185,000 going to the city. Chad Ubl, community services director, said in a presentation on the plans that the city was not recommending getting rid of seasonal camping, but potentially looking at modifying how much is allowed. The park and recreation department noted that it has seen more calls asking about being able to use the campground for short-term stays. The proposals also will likely include how the sales of things at the campground are split, and how the future of events and use of the space is. We know we have current and future growth opportunities, Ubl said. The 2018 season is slated to run from April 1 to Nov. 1, longer than previous years, with the aim of keeping seasonal campers in areas they enjoy. Ubl said any amendments would be phased in over time, if they come up with changes. They do expect fees to go up as they have done, and the way they handle rates and fees could also be subject to change. A public meeting regarding the process will be held at 6 p.m. Jan. 8 at city hall, while the deadline for proposals is due Jan. 17. The city expects to come back with recommendations in early February after evaluating the proposals, and start taking reservations for camping on Feb. 12. Yogi Adityanath's predecessor Akhilesh Yadav, a tech-savvy young leader, stayed away from Noida all through his five-year stint. By India Today Web Desk: Flagging off the Magenta Line of the Delhi Metro, Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about the Noida jinx and lauded Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for rising above "superstitions" and coming to Noida. "If anybody thinks that not going to a place will prolong their CM tenure and visiting a place will curtail it, such a person does not deserve to be a chief minister," Modi said while addressing a public meeting in Noida. advertisement So, what is the Noida jinx all about? The popular belief, or rather superstition, is that any chief minister who visits Noida loses the next election and is never voted back to power again. It all started in June 1988 when then chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Vir Bahadur Singh was asked to step down from the CM's chair just after he visited Noida. His successor N D Tiwari met with similar fate and lost power after visiting Noida. In recent times, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati defied the Noida superstition and flew to Noida to inaugurate the Dalit Smarak Sthal in October 2011. Barely a few months after her Noida visit, Mayawati was voted out of power and the Samajwadi Party led by Akhilesh Yadav formed the government in Uttar Pradesh. Akhilesh, a tech-savvy young leader, stayed away from Noida all through his five-year stint. He skipped the Asian Development Bank Summit organised in Noida in May 2013 where then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was the chief guest. He again gave Noida a miss by choosing to inaugurate the 165-km Yanuma Expressway from Lucknow. Rajnath Singh, who was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh from October 2000 to March 2002, avoided travelling to Noida and inaugurated the DND Flyway from Delhi. Current Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath first visited Noida a few days ago to inspect the preparation for the Metro line inauguration, and again shared the dais with Narendra Modi today during the launch event. Patting Yogi for breaking the Noida jinx, Modi said, "Unfortunately, there were superstitions associated with Noida and in his own style Yogi Adityanath has risen above these superstitions and come to Noida". WATCH: PM Modi with UP CM Adityanath by his side, inaugurates, takes a ride on Delhi Metro's Magenta line --- ENDS --- China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page The Department of Homeland Security announced that the recent shooting of police officers in Pennsylvania was a terror attack. Harrisburg authorities are asking the public for any information they may have on Ahmed Aminamin El-Mofty, 51. El-Mofty was a native of Egypt. He entered the United States as a result of the family-based immigrant visa program, which is also known as chain migration. On Friday, El-Mofty shot at a Capitol police officers at 3rd and Walnut Streets and then fired several shots at a Pennsylvania State Trooper at Fifth and Strawberry Streets, slightly wounding her. Later, with two handguns, he fired shots at officers at 17th and Mulberry Streets. Officers returned fire, killing him. El-Mofty has spent time in both Dauphin and Cumberland counties and recently visited a country the Middle East. Dauphin County DA Ed Marsico asked anyone with info to call 911 or submit a tip. A man flew thousands of miles to record himself having sex with a toddler, according to police in the United Kingdom. Kent police said that the pedophile from Tunbridge Wells who recorded himself abusing the 2-year-old girl in the Philippines has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by Judge Martin Joy. 42-year-old Timothy Smith saved videos of the abuse on his computer after he repeatedly raped his victim. Smith pleaded guilty to 16 separate charges relating to various sex offenses at the Maidstone Crown Court. These also included the sexual assault of another victim and making and sharing thousands of indecent images of children. The extent of Smithas crimes became apparent following an initial Kent police investigation into suspicious online activity at his home on Burslem Road. A search warrant was executed at this home by officers from the Paedophile On-Line Investigation Team. Smith was arrested at the time and his electronic devices were seized. During a police interview, he admitted visiting the Philippines and repeatedly abusing the 2-year-old girl. He told officers they would find videos of the abuse on his computers. Smith also readily confessed to searching and saving indecent images of children. He referred to himself as being a pedophile and spoke of how he would share a large number of illegal videos and images. He told police that on one occasion, he met another pedophile and gave him material, which he had copied onto 45 DVDs. Forensic checks by police were carried out on the items seized from Smithas home, which included two laptops and a USB hard drive. He was found to have stored videos containing abuse of children, which combined had a playback time totaling 57 hours. Smith also had at least 37,000 images of children, many of which were classed as category A, the most serious. Smith was convicted of 3 counts of sexual assault of a child, 1 count of sexual activity with a child, 3 counts of distributing indecent images of children, 6 counts of making indecent images of children, and 3 counts of taking indecent images of children. Smith was added to the sex offendersa register for life. Smith worked as a security guard for Tesco and founded and operated a ghost-hunting company called the Supernatural and Paranormal Investigation Team. Smith has previously been accused of raping a baby under the age of 1. A United States Postal Service (USPS) employee who became angry about losing his job went on a killing spree, according to police in Ohio. Columbus police said that they have arrested 24-year-old DeShaune Kilon Stewart after being accused of killing 52-year-old Lance Herrera Dempsey and 53-year-old Ginger E. Ballard. Stewart has been charged with 2 counts of aggravated murder. He was booked into the Franklin County Jail, where he is being held without bail. According to the police investigation, on Saturday, at around 7:15 a.m., officers were dispatched to the area of 5591 Bowland Place North on a report of a naked male chasing a female in the parking lot. Officers arrived and confronted the suspect, Stewart, who was naked and armed with a semi-automatic handgun. Stewart was immediately taken into custody without incident. The officers also found the victim, Ballard unresponsive as she was lying between cars in the same parking lot. Ballard was pronounced deceased at around 7:45 a.m. Officers realized this incident was related to a homicide that occurred at the Dublin Post Office just hours earlier. Stewart and Ballard were both employees of USPS. Stewart worked as a courier while Ballard was the postmaster. Stewart was upset with the postmaster after learning that he was about to be dismissed from his job. Earlier that day, at around 4:30 a.m., the police were called and advised of a possible active shooter at 6400 Emerald Parkway at the U.S. Post Office. When officers arrived the suspect had left the scene. The victim was a supervisor of the suspect. The victim, Dempsey, was pronounced deceased at around 5:00 a.m. Yet again, the infamous high class pimp, Geeta Arora alias Sonu Punjaban, (36), is in police's net. This time, she has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. By Chayyanika Nigam: Yet again, the infamous high class pimp, Geeta Arora alias Sonu Punjaban, (36), is in police's net. This time, she has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. A teenager, who was trafficked, tortured, drugged, and forced into prostitution, helped the cops in arresting Sonu. In 2014, a teenage girl escaped from the confinement of the traffickers. Somehow, she reached Najafgarh police station where she narrated her ordeal. advertisement A written complaint was made and her statement was recorded. However, before the victim could reach to the court, she ran away. The matter was then transferred to the Delhi Police Crime Branch. A senior official close to investigation said the girl was once traced by the cops, but again she managed to flee, believing that nothing will happen in the case and she will be killed by the pimp. For the last six months, the crime branch was trying to trace her whereabouts. Sub-Inspector Pankaj Negi managed to locate her in Delhi. "She was counselled and was assured that the police will help her," the official said. After getting the assurance, she told police that she was trafficked in 2013. Quoting her statements to the police, the official told Mail Today, "She was tortured and was sold to more than 12 persons. She was taken to Lucknow, Rohtak and other places. She was forced into prostitution where she was kept starved too." "She was then bought by Sonu Punjaban. Soon after she met her, Sonu gave her a makeover. She also taught her basic English only to impress the clients. They used to drug her before sending her to the clients," the police said quoting the victim. The victim further told police that the gang used to provide home services for which a driver along with a guard used to take the girls to the destinations. "Apart from Sonu Punjaban, there are many other persons involved in this racket. We have gathered basic information about them and raids are being conducted to bust the entire racket," said Bhishma Singh, DCP, Crime Branch. In 2014, a Delhi court acquitted Sonu, who was accused of running an organised sex racket, and was charged under stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Additional Sessions Judge Gulshan Kumar acquitted Sonu of the charges due to lack of evidence against her. In April 2011, Delhi Police nabbed Sonu after they received a tip-off that she was again spotted indulging in prostitution. Police deployed two officers, who posed as customers and laid the trap. The officers then struck a deal with the tout, Raju Sharma, and Sonu for two girls. advertisement Police then arrested Sonu, her four associates and four other men during a raid in Mehrauli. Police had earlier arrested Sonu twice, from Preet Vihar and Saket, before she was charged with MCOCA in 2011. In 2007, she was arrested under sections of the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act. While she got bail in the 2007 case, she was arrested for the same offence in 2008. When she was arrested in April 2011 as part of the Mehrauli raid, she had already been booked for the same offence twice - which is one of the preconditions for invoking MCOCA. Sonu is also allegedly involved in a murder case in Haryana's Jhajjhar district, police said. --- ENDS --- EUFAULA, AL (WTVM) Jonivan Edwards is no normal 10-year-old. Rather than asking for gifts this holiday season, Edwards decided to give back. The idea came to Jonivan after seeing homeless people. I just want to make them smile, Jonivan said with a grin. Jonivans mother, Nancy, found out about what her son wanted to do while she was trying to compile a list of gifts he wanted for Christmas. I said Jonivan you havent told me what you wanted for Christmas. Explained Nancy, He said, Mom, I just want to give to the homeless. Nancy was touched by her sons idea but was skeptical about how long it would last, when he first told me, I was extremely proud, but I must be honest in the back of my head I said as Christmas nears He is going to think of something that he wants. Jonivan never mentioned even one thing that he wanted. On Jonivans birthday, which also happens to be in December, his mother drove him and a group of friends to House of Mercy in Columbus to drop off the gifts they had collected. They were amazed, noted Jonivan, I think they thought that nobody cared about them. Jonivans grandmother says he is a giving child. Sometimes people get lost in their own families, she says but deep down most people care Jonivan not only brought gifts for the homeless, he also brought them notes. God bless you, God has a way. the note read, Keep your head up! We love you and God does too. With a big smile on his face Jonivan said, Next Christmas I want to do it again! MOBILE USERS: Download our WTXL news app on your Apple and Android devices for the latest from South Georgia and North Florida. Also, download our WTXL Weather Now app for Apple and Android devices to get the latest local weather wherever you go. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for additional local news and hourly updates. Copyright 2017 WTXL via Raycom News Network. All rights reserved. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 09:50:51|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close RAMALLAH, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said Sunday that Palestine will request full United Nations membership soon. At a news conference jointly held with Maltese Foreign Minister Carmelo Abela following a meeting in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, he said, "The recent voting of the UN General Assembly...was a victory (for) Palestine and big failure (for) the U.S. and its clear biased policy (toward) Israel." In spite of Washington's "threats" of reprisals, he said UN member countries overwhelmingly voted against U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. On Dec. 21, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on the status of Jerusalem to declare Trump's decision on Jerusalem "null and void". At a rare emergency special session, the draft resolution was adopted 128-9 with 35 abstentions. Earlier this month, the adviser to Palestinian President for Foreign Affairs, Nabil Shaath, was quoted in online media reports as saying that the request for full UN membership would be made in January 2018. Currently, Palestine participates in the world body as a non-member observer. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 09:55:53|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close by Abdul Haleem KABUL, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Despite learning Chinese language is difficult for many elsewhere in the world, but learning the hard and not still alphabetized Asian language is becoming more common among Afghan youths recently. Unlike other languages, while learning Chinese, the learner needs to draw characters, rather than to write alphabets, as an Afghan female teacher, Farzana Khashie said that despite being a little hard to learn, she found Chinese language too sweet to speak and now too easy to teach. Farzana Khashie who is teaching Chinese language at the Avicenna private University and feels proud of teaching the language, in an interview with Xinhua recently, narrated how she could learn the bewilderingly complex language well and how she can easily teach it now. "I have found that Chinese language is a very interesting language," she whispered and said. "After I started learning it at the university, I was not interested in but gradually it became my daily habit to learn Chinese even at the cost of my eye-surgery". Recalling her hard study, she said that one of her eyes even got problem due to hard study of the language and she had to have eye surgery. The unexpected blow took Farzana at least one month to decide whether she should attend Chinese Language Department, but, she eventually decided to carry on. Farzana was proud of not only being a Chinese language educated girl, but also a teacher at the university. Three of her students have succeeded in gaining scholarship eligibility, after successfully passing an exam held at the Kabul University. "I am proud of being a Chinese language teacher, as three of my students -- one in economics and the other two in Chinese language, managed to gain scholarship eligibility provided by Confucius Institute." Farzana has not still visited China, but she is glad to see in her own country that learning Chinese has become pervasive as the two countries' relations are getting closer. "Globalization of China's economy, is not only what the Chinese people hoped for, but it has also turned into a worldwide undeniable fact," Farzana said. She also believes that the Chinese language would become more popular to learn in the near future in her country and in the world at large. "As I know, the 21 century is the era of China and China will become the world's top economic power, so learning Chinese language is very important nowadays," she said. By the rapid expansion of business and cultural relations between Afghanistan and China, many Afghan youths believe that learning Chinese language is very important. Unlike Farzana who believed the language is, however, a little difficult to learn, Mohammad Reza, a student of the Chinese Language Department at Kabul University, told Xinhua that it was too easy to learn the language. "I think that Chinese language is too sweet to speak and too easy to learn and I am really interested in learning it," said Reza. The young man who has now spent seven months at the university to learn Chinese, believes he could advance with his higher education in China and can resolve his economic problems as well as serve his country through learning the language. China is currently, training about 1,000 professionals and provides 150 scholarships for Afghanistan annually, with the aim of strengthening mutual understanding and trust between the two nations. By PTI: New Delhi, Dec 25 (PTI) Bike-borne men snatched the mobile of Eenam Gambhir, the first Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, police said today. The incident occurred on Saturday when Gambhir had gone for a walk in Rohini with her mother, they added. The accused snatched the phone from her on the pretext of asking for directions, the police said. advertisement Since it was evening, she could not note down the vehicles registration number, they said. In her complaint, the diplomat said that the accused asked her for directions to Hanuman Mandir. When she started pointing towards the temple while holding her phone, they snatched the phone and fled, the police said. Gambhir stated that the iPhone had a US-registered SIM card and some important files related to her work, they said. In September this year, exercising Indias right to reply after Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi raked up the Kashmir issue at the UN General Assembly, Gambhir had made a strong rebuttal by calling Pakistan a "terroristan". Ukrainian Ambassador Igor Polikhas mobile phone was snatched in September while he was taking pictures of the Red Fort, following which one person was arrested. Delhi Police has registered as many as 7,870 cases of snatching this year till November 30. PTI SLB KJ --- ENDS --- Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 10:21:00|Editor: ZD Video Player Close LIMA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski on Sunday pardoned former leader Alberto Fujimori who had been serving a 25-year jail term, citing his health condition, the presidential office said in a statement. "The president ... has decided to grant a humanitarian pardon to Mr. Alberto Fujimori ... as he suffers a progressive, degenerative and incurable disease," the statement said. Fujimori, 79, was transferred from his cell to a hospital on Saturday after his blood pressure dropped. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2009 for the massacres in Barrios Altos (1991) and Cantuta (1992) in the neighborhood of capital Lima when he was president. Soldiers killed 25 people on his orders. His daughter Keiko Fujimori, who narrowly lost Peru's last presidential election to Kuczynski, leads the opposition Popular Force party. The party last week pushed to impeach Kuczynski but failed to pass the motion in the Congress, the Peruvian parliament. The motion to impeach Kuczynski followed revelations that companies linked to him had accepted bribes from disgraced Brazilian conglomerate giant Odebrecht, although Kuczynski denied any wrongdoing. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 10:21:01|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close by Mao Pengfei, Nguon Sovan PHNOM PENH, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The year of 2017 has marked a significant milestone in Cambodia-China tourism relations as China became the biggest source of foreign tourists to Cambodia after it overtook Vietnam in the first quarter of the year, said Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon. MILESTONE YEAR The year of 2017 will be the first year that Chinese tourists to the Southeast Asian country have surpassed the 1 million mark, he said. "It is a milestone year for tourism relations between our two countries," the minister told Xinhua in a recent interview. He said Cambodia received 4.3 million foreign visitors during the first 10 months of 2017, up 10 percent from the same period last year. Of the number, Chinese tourists accounted for almost 950,000, up 45 percent. The minister said Chinese tourists represented 21.9 percent of the total international tourists to the kingdom. "Based on the figures, it's expected that Chinese tourists to Cambodia will exceed 1 million in 2017," he said, adding that the arrivals of Chinese tourists had brought about 700 million U.S. dollars into the Cambodian economy this year. SPENDING POWER Thong Khon said that a tourist spent an average of 700 U.S. dollars during his or her stay in Cambodia, which greatly contributed to developing the local economy and reducing poverty. Their spending in Cambodia can feed many local people, the minister said. The minister attributed the strong and steady increase of Chinese tourists to Cambodia to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation that the two countries forged in 2010. "Following this positive and comprehensive strategic cooperation between the two countries, it has led to an increase in the number of Chinese investors as well as Chinese tourists to Cambodia every year," he said. The growth was also due to Cambodia's political stability, attractive tourism sites and increasing direct flights between the two countries, Thong Khon said, adding that there were 126 direct flights each week connecting China and Cambodia. "About 50 percent of Chinese tourists to Cambodia spend their holidays visiting the Angkor archeological Park in Siem Reap province," he said, adding that the rest of them visited coastal areas in Preah Sihanouk province and capital Phnom Penh. 2020 TARGET Thong Khon said Cambodia is projected to attract 7 million international visitors, including 2 million Chinese tourists in 2020, which could lead to a gross revenue of 5 billion U.S. dollars and create local jobs for 1 million people. To achieve the 2-million-Chinese tourist target by 2020, Cambodia launched a "China Ready" strategy in early 2016, he said. The strategy listed steps to be taken by tourism authorities to facilitate visits by Chinese tourists, such as providing Chinese signs and documents for visa processing, encouraging local use of the Chinese currency and the Chinese language, and ensuring that food and accommodation facilities are suited to Chinese tastes. The strategy also calls for an increase in the number of Chinese-speaking tour guides. "Based on our clear strategy, we are optimistic that we will be able to achieve the target," he said. Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, which represents about 250 tour and travel companies, said close Cambodia-China ties, the richness of Cambodia's cultural heritage sites, and better air route connectivity are the key factors attracting Chinese holiday makers to Cambodia. She said that Chinese tourists loved shopping, but that some of them were disappointed when they couldn't find enough variety of locally-made products, and when some vendors sold fake products. "Sometimes, vendors sell products at a very high price, or sell fake products. This is a problem that can affect our tourism business," said Sivlin, who is also president and chief executive officer of CSL Travel & Tours. "To attract more Chinese tourists, we suggest that the authorities concerned help educate souvenir vendors to sell real products at a reasonable price," she said. Ho Vandy, president of World Express Tour and Travel Company, which arranges high-class package tours for the more affluent Chinese tourists, said better livelihoods were also a factor encouraging more Chinese to travel overseas on their holidays. "With their better living conditions, some have been choosing premium tour packages, staying in five-star hotels," he said. "And some have hired helicopters for their journeys in Cambodia." Tourism is one of the four sectors supporting the Cambodian economy. The country has three world heritage sites, namely Angkor archeological park in northwestern Siem Reap province, Preah Vihear Temple in northwestern Preah Vihear province, and Sambor Prei Kuk archeological site in central Kampong Thom province. In addition, it has a pristine coastline stretching 450 km and spanning four southwestern provinces of Preah Sihanouk, Kampot, Kep and Koh Kong. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 10:21:02|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close MEXICO CITY, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Guatemala will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, becoming the first country to follow U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial stance to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, according to an announcement by the Central American country's President Jimmy Morales Sunday. After speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Morales announced on his Facebook account that one of the most important topics they discussed was the "return of Guatemala's embassy to Jerusalem" from its current location in Tel Aviv. "I have given instructions to the foreign ministry that it starts the necessary respective coordination to make this happen," Morales added. On Dec. 6, Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which is being strongly opposed by the international community. The United Nations (UN) Security Council subsequently voted on a Egypt-drafted resolution to make the United States withdraw its decision. While adopted by all the other 14 members of the Security Council, it was, however, vetoed by the United States. As a sequel to that, the UN General Assembly voted to adopt a non-binding resolution on the status of Jerusalem. The 128-9 vote indicated that few countries favor the U.S. decision. Guatemala was one of them. Jerusalem, located on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea, is considered a holy city in three major Abrahamic religions -- Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In 1967, Israel took over East Jerusalem from Jordan and declared the whole city as its "eternal indivisible capital" in 1980. However, it has not been recognized by the international community. The Palestinians want an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital in the final settlement to the territorial dispute. The last direct peace negotiations, brokered by the United States, stopped in April 2014 due to differences on major issues like settlement, security, borders and the recognition of a Palestinian state. Trump's Dec. 6 announcement has triggered weeks of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli security forces, which have left 12 Palestinians dead. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 11:06:07|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Former Brazil international forward Robinho plans to continue playing in 2018 despite being convicted of rape. An Italian court last month sentenced Robinho to nine years in prison for participating in the 2013 gang rape of a woman in Milan. The punishment will not be enforced until the appeal process ends but Brazil does not allow for the extradition of its citizens, meaning Robinho would only risk being arrested if he left his home country. The 33-year-old, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, said he would weigh up offers from interested clubs after parting ways with Brazilian Serie A side Atletico Mineiro. "Honestly, I haven't made up my mind," the former Real Madrid, Manchester City and AC Milan player told reporters on Sunday. "First I'm going to turn off the telephone and have a break. I want to rest with my family because the holiday period is short." Earlier, player agent Marisa Alija confirmed Robinho had opted not to renew his contract with Atletico Mineiro, whom he joined in February 2016. "Atletico gave us a deadline to respond and we couldn't do that within the given timeframe," Alija said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 11:16:09|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close by Xinhua Writer Qu Junya BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The year 2017 has seen the overland Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road reach more peoples and more lands. The year may mark a milestone in materializing the Belt and Road Initiative. Both a vision and a solution from Chinese wisdom valuing peace and harmony, the Initiative seeks common prosperity and safeguards globalization amid uncertainties and challenges such as a surge in protectionism, nationalism and isolationism in Western countries. "China is an inspiring example for many countries," said Andrei Vinogradov, a political expert with the Russian Academy of Sciences. "Its success and historical experience make it possible to provide the world with a solution based on win-win cooperation." BROADENING CONSENSUS Four years after it was put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Initiative has blended well with the respective development strategies of participating countries. For example, in mid-March, the United Nations resolution on Afghanistan highlighted the Chinese plan as key to rebuilding the war-ravaged country and boosting regional integration. The Initiative aims to expand infrastructure, trade and investment networks to connect Asia, Europe and Africa along and beyond ancient Silk Road routes. Furthermore, the Belt and Road is set to lead the world toward "a common community of a shared future for humankind," another vision devised by China out of its responsibility to respond to changes in the global landscape, and inscribed in multiple UN resolutions. The Initiative well serves the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, according to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. In a message to a November forum in New Zealand, Guterres noted "clear synergies" between them. Both strive to "stitch countries together in networks of trade and mutual gain," and aim to "deepen global connectivity," he said. The Initiative has in the past year responded to more calls for openness, inclusiveness, innovative growth, and freer and fairer trade at multilateral forums such as the World Economic Forum, G20 summit and BRICS summit. It has pushed for more partnerships and is lauded as a welcomed public good. Its prospect charmed over 1,500 representatives from over 130 countries and 70 international organizations and effected the signing of close to 70 agreements at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing in May, a milestone marking a new implementation phase for the Initiative. With policy support from the Chinese leadership on top of confidence built on China's steady growth, the Initiative has this year convinced more onlookers and skeptics than ever before. Notably, in November over 250 Japanese business leaders showed interest in playing a role in the Initiative's grand narrative. The infrastructure plan received a vote of confidence in December when the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a major source of funding for the Initiative, expanded in less than two years to a broader geographical area represented by 84 member countries and regions, up from its founding 57. "The Belt and Road offers new opportunities for development and the billions of people in areas it touches," said deputy speaker of the Czech parliament Vojtech Filip during a December visit to Beijing. MORE PROJECTS An increasing number of economic corridors, railways, highways, ports and power plants, among others, are being mapped out on paper while substantiated on the ground along the Belt and Road. The collaboration is based on extensive consultation with participating countries, who see the project as a means to boost economic growth. Under the Initiative, Chinese enterprises have invested roughly 50 billion U.S. dollars and helped build 75 economic and trade cooperation zones in 24 countries, generating over 209,000 jobs, according to official data. It plays a significant role in Australia in the development of its north, former Australian trade minister Andrew Robb said. It helps lay "one of the key cornerstones to Kenya's journey of transformation into an industrial, prosperous and middle-income country," said Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta during the launch of the passenger train service of the 472-km Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in May. The railway is the African country's single largest infrastructure project since its independence in 1963. In land-locked Laos, a railway under construction will make it land-linked. Railways built with Chinese expertise elsewhere will connect cities in and out of Thailand, Serbia, Hungary and other countries, while putting local development on a faster track, or simply bringing faster and easier travels to everyday life, not to mention jobs with better pay. In parallel with the progress on land, most recently in December the operation of the port of Jambantota in Sri Lanka was launched enabling it to join other hubs along the Belt and Road, including Piraeus in Greece and Gwadar in Pakistan. Not even the Arctic is left out. Russia and China in July agreed to find a shortcut between the Pacific and the Atlantic through the frigid north. Annual global freight costs could be cut by 50 billion to 120 billion dollars. The Silk Road on Ice via the Arctic is widely seen as the third arch of the Belt and Road, adding another sea route to ones starting from the South China Sea, to the Indian Ocean, Africa and the Mediterranean, and to the South Pacific and Oceania. (Xinhua reporters Yang Dingdu, Feng Wuyong and Chen Jing contributed to the story.) Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 11:31:11|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close MEXICO CITY, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The year 2017 turned out to be the deadliest year in a decade for Mexico, with rival drug cartels fighting for control of lucrative markets and smuggling routes that saw increasing bloodshed. The first 11 months of the year were marked by 23,101 homicides, the highest annual figure since 1997, when the government began to keep records. The majority of the killings -- about 54 percent -- occurred in just eight states, the worst-hit being the southern state of Guerrero. As law enforcement battled to dismantle the major cartels, they splintered into numerous smaller organized crime rings that began spreading across the country. Once Northern Mexico used to be the flashpoint of drug trafficking-related crimes. But today, the violence is more widespread. Approximately 20 states in different parts of the country saw more murders this year compared to 2016, which closed with 20,547 homicides, according to monthly data released by the Interior Ministry. The government admits the rise in crime is a result of turf wars between competing drug traffickers jockeying for power after law enforcement personnel capture their leaders. But it still has no strategy to tackle the changed circumstances, according to one expert. "Authorities have focused on combating organized crime in an inadequate way. They have tried under an erroneous policy of breaking up the groups," public security consultant Arturo Arango told Xinhua. A decade ago, when then president Felipe Calderon called on the army to wage a war on drugs, the police knew of the existence of six drug cartels. Today, dozens of small criminal groups are involved in growing or manufacturing drugs, the Interior Ministry acknowledged in November. Earlier this week, authorities found bodies hanging from bridges near Mexico's popular tourism resort of Los Cabos, on the tip of the Baja California Peninsula. It was an unprecedented grisly scene for the region. "We are ... facing a situation that has never happened before," the governor of the state, Carlos Mendoza Davis, told reporters on Thursday. According to Arango, Mexico's anti-drug strategy lacks effective measures to seize the cartels' drug money and stop trafficking in arms from the United States, which is fueling the violence. The strategy has also failed to curb the demand for drugs from the United States, a top official said. "Most of the violence stems from the demand for drugs," Renato Sales, Mexico's national security commissioner, told the Reforma daily this week. The authorities seem to think that bolstering security and police forces is the way to win the drug war. "Why are we the way we are? One answer is because we have not known how to build solid police officers, reliable police officers, solid and reliable public ministries," Sales said. According to the Interior Ministry, nearly 116,000 more police officers are needed at the state level to reach a ratio of 1.8 officers per 1,000 inhabitants, a number considered to be the international standard. From January to November 2017, the homicides surpassed the number reported in 2011 by 3 percent. Till then, 2011 had been the deadliest year on record. Arango predicts 2018 will be even more deadly. "I hope to turn out to be a poor prophet and be mistaken, but I think next year we will see at least a 25-percent increase in the violence. All the data points in that direction," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 12:41:20|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- A bomb warning led a shopping center in California's West Sacramento city to be temporarily evacuated Sunday afternoon but was then found to be a hoax call. Police said a woman called in from the parking lot of the shopping center, saying she believed there was a bomb in her car. A bomb squad was rushed to the scene with sniffer dogs while the lot was evacuated and the street closed. However, after searching the car and the surrounding area, police said they did not found any suspicious device. The caller, a 49 year-old, would be taken to hospital for a mental health evaluation, police said. The U.S. remains in a state of alert with law enforcement departments beefing up security ahead of Christmas and New Year in view of possible terrorist attacks. Local media reported Friday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had foiled an attempt to blow up Pier 39, a shopping center in San Francisco. The Los Angeles Police Department, county sheriff's department and the FBI have asked residents to remain vigilant during the holiday week. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 13:21:24|Editor: ZD Video Player Close LONDON, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- British Princess Michael of Kent has apologized for wearing a controversial brooch to a Christmas banquet held at Buckingham Palace Thursday. The brooch, featuring a black man in a gold headdress, is considered by some critics as bearing demeaning images of Africans. Prince Harry's fiancee Meghan Markle, whose mother is an African-American, was also present at the dinner. A spokesman for Princess Michael said late Friday that she was "very sorry and distressed" that such a brooch had caused offense. He added that the brooch "was a gift and has been worn many times before." The image of Princess Michael wearing the brooch on her way to Buckingham Palace has drawn her heavy criticism on social media. Many say her behavior is "disrespectful" and "blatantly racist." Princess Michael, born Baroness Marie-Christine von Reibnitz in former Czechoslovakia, entered the British royal family in 1978 when she married Prince Michael of Kent, cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 13:21:24|Editor: ZD Video Player Close MANILA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- At least 19 people were killed while 25 others injured on Monday when a passenger jeepney collided with a bus in a northern Philippine province, police have said. Chief Insp. Roy Villanueva, police chief of Agoo town in La Union province in Luzon, said the collision happened when a jeepney on the southbound lane of the Manila North Road collied head on at about 3:30 a.m. Monday with a bus on the northbound lane when it was about to overtake another vehicle. A total of 19 of the 29 jeepney passengers were killed in the collision, while 15 bus passengers suffered minor injuries, Villanueva told reporters. Villanueva said investigators are still in the process of identifying the victims. He also said that the youngest killed in the accident was a seven-month-old baby. Angkor Wat temple complex is seen in Siem Reap province, Cambodia, June 19, 2017. (Xinhua/Mao Pengfei) by Mao Pengfei, Nguon Sovan PHNOM PENH, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The year of 2017 has marked a significant milestone in Cambodia-China tourism relations as China became the biggest source of foreign tourists to Cambodia after it overtook Vietnam in the first quarter of the year, said Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon. MILESTONE YEAR The year of 2017 will be the first year that Chinese tourists to the Southeast Asian country have surpassed the 1 million mark, he said. "It is a milestone year for tourism relations between our two countries," the minister told Xinhua in a recent interview. He said Cambodia received 4.3 million foreign visitors during the first 10 months of 2017, up 10 percent from the same period last year. Of the number, Chinese tourists accounted for almost 950,000, up 45 percent. The minister said Chinese tourists represented 21.9 percent of the total international tourists to the kingdom. Spectator watches stage show Angkor Dynasty at a performing arts theater in Siem Ream Province, Cambodia, Oct. 25, 2017. (Xinhua/Mao Pengfei) "Based on the figures, it's expected that Chinese tourists to Cambodia will exceed 1 million in 2017," he said, adding that the arrivals of Chinese tourists had brought about 700 million U.S. dollars into the Cambodian economy this year. SPENDING POWER Thong Khon said that a tourist spent an average of 700 U.S. dollars during his or her stay in Cambodia, which greatly contributed to developing the local economy and reducing poverty. Their spending in Cambodia can feed many local people, the minister said. The minister attributed the strong and steady increase of Chinese tourists to Cambodia to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation that the two countries forged in 2010. "Following this positive and comprehensive strategic cooperation between the two countries, it has led to an increase in the number of Chinese investors as well as Chinese tourists to Cambodia every year," he said. The growth was also due to Cambodia's political stability, attractive tourism sites and increasing direct flights between the two countries, Thong Khon said, adding that there were 126 direct flights each week connecting China and Cambodia. "About 50 percent of Chinese tourists to Cambodia spend their holidays visiting the Angkor archeological Park in Siem Reap province," he said, adding that the rest of them visited coastal areas in Preah Sihanouk province and capital Phnom Penh. 2020 TARGET Thong Khon said Cambodia is projected to attract 7 million international visitors, including 2 million Chinese tourists in 2020, which could lead to a gross revenue of 5 billion U.S. dollars and create local jobs for 1 million people. To achieve the 2-million-Chinese tourist target by 2020, Cambodia launched a "China Ready" strategy in early 2016, he said. The strategy listed steps to be taken by tourism authorities to facilitate visits by Chinese tourists, such as providing Chinese signs and documents for visa processing, encouraging local use of the Chinese currency and the Chinese language, and ensuring that food and accommodation facilities are suited to Chinese tastes. The strategy also calls for an increase in the number of Chinese-speaking tour guides. "Based on our clear strategy, we are optimistic that we will be able to achieve the target," he said. Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, which represents about 250 tour and travel companies, said close Cambodia-China ties, the richness of Cambodia's cultural heritage sites, and better air route connectivity are the key factors attracting Chinese holiday makers to Cambodia. She said that Chinese tourists loved shopping, but that some of them were disappointed when they couldn't find enough variety of locally-made products, and when some vendors sold fake products. "Sometimes, vendors sell products at a very high price, or sell fake products. This is a problem that can affect our tourism business," said Sivlin, who is also president and chief executive officer of CSL Travel & Tours. "To attract more Chinese tourists, we suggest that the authorities concerned help educate souvenir vendors to sell real products at a reasonable price," she said. Ho Vandy, president of World Express Tour and Travel Company, which arranges high-class package tours for the more affluent Chinese tourists, said better livelihoods were also a factor encouraging more Chinese to travel overseas on their holidays. "With their better living conditions, some have been choosing premium tour packages, staying in five-star hotels," he said. "And some have hired helicopters for their journeys in Cambodia." Tourism is one of the four sectors supporting the Cambodian economy. The country has three world heritage sites, namely Angkor archeological park in northwestern Siem Reap province, Preah Vihear Temple in northwestern Preah Vihear province, and Sambor Prei Kuk archeological site in central Kampong Thom province. In addition, it has a pristine coastline stretching 450 km and spanning four southwestern provinces of Preah Sihanouk, Kampot, Kep and Koh Kong. Indian diplomat Eenam Gambhir had her phone stolen by two bike-borne snatchers in Delhi's Rohini after the two stopped her on the pretext of asking for directions. Eenam Gambhir is the first secretary in India's Permanent Mission to the UN (FILE) By Chirag Gothi: Young Indian diplomat Eenam Gambhir, who became a known name following a United Nations address in which she called Pakistan "terroristan", recently fell victim to a pair of mobile phone snatchers in New Delhi. Gambhir, who is the first secretary in India's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, had her phone snatched by two men on a motorbike who stopped her on the pretext of asking for directions. The incident took place Saturday night when Gambhir, who is in Delhi on vacation, was out on a post-dinner walk with her mother in the capital's Rohini area. advertisement Following the incident, a case under Indian Penal Code sections 356 (assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person) , 379 (punishment for theft) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) was registered at the Rohini North police station. According to Gambhir's statement, she was unable to note down the registration number of the motorbike since it was too dark. The police were yet to identify the two men as of Sunday evening. Men on bike snatched phone from Eenam Gambhir (India's First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the UN) in #Delhi's #Rohini on December 23. Case registered- ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 "We have registered a case and are making efforts to trace the suspects. We have formed several teams and we're scanning footage from available cameras in the area," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Rajneesh Gupta. Gambhir, a 2005-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, became a known name in India following her memorable rebuttal to Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqqan Abbasi's maiden speech at the 72nd United Nations General Assembly session earlier this year. In his speech, the Pakistani PM had called for the appointment of a "special envoy" for Kashmir and had alleged the "struggle of the people in the region [Kashmir] [was] being brutally suppressed by India". In response, India fielded Gambhir, who said, "In its short history, Pakistan has become a geography synonymous with terror. The quest for a land of pure has actually produced 'the land of pure terror'." "Pakistan is now 'terroristan'," Gambhir memorably added, "Its current state can be gauged from the fact that Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, a leader of the United nations designated terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, is now sought to be legitimised as a leader of a political party." She hails from Delhi and is a mathematics graduate from Delhi University's Hindu College. At the United Nations, Eenam is in charge Security Council reform, counter-terrorism, cyber security issues. WATCH | Eenam Gambhir responds to Pakistani PM at UN --- ENDS --- Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 13:46:27|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The wife and mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav, an alleged Indian spy, will travel to Pakistan Monday to meet him, officials said. Jadhav, a former Indian navy officer, was sentenced to death on charges of spying by Pakistan. He is in Pakistani jail. "The meeting will take place at Pakistan foreign ministry in Islamabad. They will reach there by a commercial flight and leave the same day," an official said. Reports said Indian deputy high commissioner in Pakistan, J P Singh will accompany Jadhav's wife and mother. Last week Pakistan issued visa to the two women to visit Islamabad to meet Jadhav. India approached International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Pakistan, saying the death sentence was a violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. The ICJ stayed the execution of Jhadav in May this year. Jadhav according to Pakistan was arrested on March 3 last year in restive Balochistan province and sentenced to death by military court for carrying out "espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan". Shortly after his arrest, Pakistan military's Inter Services Public Relations released his confessional video admitting involvement in spying. Balochistan is hit by a separatist insurgency and Pakistan blames India of backing the separatism in the province. India meanwhile, rejects Pakistan's claims and said Jadhav was "kidnapped" and tried on "concocted charges". New Delhi believes Jadhav has been picked up from Iran, where he was involved in business activities after retiring from the Indian navy. The two nuclear-armed neighbours - India and Pakistan have a long history of diplomatic spars and both sides often accuse each other of sending spies into their territories to create trouble. Last year the two countries blamed each others officials at their respective missions in New Delhi and Islamabad for spying and subsequently forcing each other to withdrew them. Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha watches a diagram at a ground-breaking ceremony for the first phase of the China-Thailand high-speed railway, on Dec. 21, Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand. (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. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 14:06:30|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close HEFEI, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- China started building its first national engineering laboratory for atmospheric environmental monitoring on Sunday in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province. Jointly launched by the Hefei government and Hefei Institute of Physical Science under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the lab aims to develop advanced monitoring technology and equipment for the country's environmental monitoring agencies and companies. Liu Wenqing, director of the lab, said construction will last three years. "The national engineering lab will research and develop advanced technology and equipment related to monitoring of fine particulate matter, gaseous pollutants, volatile organic compounds and heavy metals, as well as onboard and satellite telemetry systems," said Liu. Yan Qing, director of the Bureau of Science and Technology for Development under the CAS, said that the new lab will put China's home-grown atmospheric environmental monitoring technology into domestic and international markets. Tackling pollution has been listed as one of "the three tough battles" that China aims to win in the next three years, according to the Central Economic Work Conference, which concluded this month. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 14:11:33|Editor: ZD Video Player Close KABUL, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Eight people, including five civilians, were killed and two people wounded after a suicide bomb explosion rocked in central neighborhood of Kabul on Monday morning, officials said. The Islamic State (IS)-linked "Amaq" news website has claimed in an online statement the responsibility for the attack. The blast came at around 07:20 local time in Shash Darak locality after the attacker detonated his explosive vest in a crowded road in morning rush hour, Najib Danish, an Interior Ministry spokesman, told local media Tolo News TV. "Five civilians aboard a sedan passing by he area lost their live as a result of the explosion and the injured were bystanders," he said, adding that the initial information found the bomber, who was also killed on the spot, was a teenager. Hours after the attack, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah told the Council of Ministers meeting broadcasting live in Tolo News that the bombing also left one army soldier and a policeman dead in Shash Darak. The target of the blast remained unknown, but the incident occurred near a sub-office of National Directorate of Security (NDS), the country's primary intelligence agency. Sirens could be heard after the blast in the fortified area where several foreign embassies, the NATO-led coalition forces' headquarters, and scores of apartment buildings are located. The IS group, which emerged in eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar in early 2015, has been responsible for massive suicide attacks in Kabul and across the country over the past three years. On Dec. 18, three Islamic State (IS) fighters were killed and two Afghan Special Force members wounded after the attackers seized a building and fired with guns and rocket propelled grenades onto a nearby NDS training facility in western Kabul. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 14:36:36|Editor: ZD Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos in January next year, sources said Monday. Modi's appearance at the World Economic Forum will be the first by an Indian prime minister in the past two decades. "The Indian prime minister is expected to be at the global summit in the Alpine ski resort on Jan. 23-24. He is likely to address the first special plenary," sources said. Modi's presence at the global summit will give India a big edge at the summit and the country will try to showcase its business potential there. The World Economic Forum in Switzerland will see a congregation of world leaders, including over 40 heads of state and government, apart from business magnates all over the world. Immediately after the summit, Modi will fly back to India to attend the Republic Day parade and celebrations, where some foreign heads of state and government have been invited. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 14:48:33|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close Dancers perform the folk dance of Wazu ethnic group at Yunnan Minzu University in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Dec. 23, 2017. The performance was held to show folk dance of 25 ethnic groups living in Yunnan. (Xinhua/Hu Chao) Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 15:36:45|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Artists from China's Tianjin Symphony Orchestra show musical performance during New Year Concert in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, on Dec. 24, 2017. The two-day event was organized by China Culture Center in Nepal and Tianjin Symphony Orchestra to enhance the cultural exchange between China and Nepal as well as to welcome the New Year 2018.(Xinhua/Sunil Sharma) KATHMANDU, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A special performance by China's Tianjin Symphony Orchestra was launched here on Sunday evening to celebrate the upcoming New Year 2018 and to enhance Sino-Nepal cultural exchanges. The two-day concert, the first of its kind in the Himalayan country, has been organized by China Cultural Center in Nepal. The event held at the capital's Army Club drew an audience of about 300 people including government secretaries, officials, political leaders, former ministers and music enthusiasts from different walks of life. Addressing the function, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Chinese embassy in Nepal Yang Shichao noted that Tianjin Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1985, is one of the largest and popular symphony orchestras in China. "Music is a bond to link civilizations and mind with body. We believe such events are helpful to boost people to people exchanges and cultural cooperation", Yang said. According to the organizer, Tianjin Symphony Orchestra has successfully performed nearly 1,000 large symphonic works within China and in various countries like the United States, Australia, Japan and Germany among others. During the one-hour long performance, Chinese artists treated the audience with a number of well-known solo and duet pieces. The performances drew hearty rounds of applause and appreciation from the Nepali audiences. "Though I could not understand the language, I could feel the story through their music. It is important to hold such programs time and again to bring people of two countries closer", Ananda Pokharel, a former culture minister, told Xinhua after watching the performance. Apulal Awale, President of Nepal Chinese Guide Association said, "I am very much pleased to attend this performance from Tianjin. The music is soothing and relaxing one." The high-level musical performance will conclude on Monday. Source: Xinhuanet| 2017-12-25 15:43:30|Editor: Lifang Video Player Close By Maria Spiliopoulou ATHENS, Dec. 24 (Xinhuanet)-- The 12-member crew of a freighter was rescued amid rough seas in Greece this weekend. Greek Coast Guard released footage from the dramatic operation which lasted several hours. Panama - flagged Little Seyma had sailed from Russia and was en route to Cyprus loaded with 2,700 tons of flour. She ran aground a rocky islet off Mykonos island in the heart of the Aegean Sea on Friday evening. Winds up to 9 on the Beaufort scale were blowing in the area when she issued a distress call, according to the Greek authorities. The ship suffered water ingress in the engine room. Using the freighters rescue boat the seamen sought shelter in a rocky cave on the Tragonissi (goat) islet. Despite the prompt mobilization of Greek emergency services, and due to the adverse weather conditions, the nine Ukrainians and three others could not be evacuated until Saturday afternoon. The gale force winds did not allow two Greek Air Force and Greek Navy helicopters or Coast Guard and Greek Navy vessels to collect the men for many hours. The mariners were eventually transferred safely to Mykonos port with a fishing boat, with the Coast Guards guidance, according to a press release. They were all in good health after their adventure, local authorities said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 16:04:41|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Mallards swim in the Lhasa River, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Dec. 24, 2017. The populations of bar-headed goose, ruddy shelduck and mallard have increased in Lhasa River. (Xinhua/Zhang Rufeng) Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 15:51:47|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close NEW YORK, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- China-made DJI Spark drone was enlisted among "The best gadgets of 2017" published by Engadget for its smartness and modest prices. The U.S.-based blog network Engadget, which is specialized in tech news and analysis, released Sunday the list of the Best Ten after a 12-month testing of various hardware conventionally used during the past year. The network said palm-sized DJI Spark was "unexpectedly" chosen because it's so easy to use and operate even for a beginner. With facial recognition technology, a Spark can be controlled just by hand gestures, which means you can put aside phones or a controller when flying it. DJI Spark's modest price was also pointed out by Engadget. "For a long time, buying a decent drone meant shelling out loads of money. Not so much anymore," the report said. According to Google search, DJI Spark now sells at a price of around 600-830 U.S. dollars, depending on different colors and supporting appliances. A YouTuber named Jon Olsson said he was "mega impressed" by Spark. In a testing video, he commented, "I'm kind of blown away." His video has received over 1.3 million views. "Grabbing epic selfies has never been so simple." Engadget reporter said. Other hardware on the list of the Best Ten are iPhone X, Galaxy S8/S8 Plus, Surface Laptop, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One X, Sonos One, Mighty, Sony WH-1000XM2 and Cadillac Super Cruise. A family of penguins and parrots are getting together for the 'December Global Festivities' and Google is there to chronicle their celebrations. By India Today Web Desk: Wondering why your Google Search page has been taken over by a pair of cute penguins and a smiling parrot duo? No, this is not Google Doodle honouring the two respective species but celebrating what it calls the "December Global Festivities". The celebrations began last week when Google Doodle released the first in its four-part December Global Festivities series. The doodle series tells the story of two "slippery-footed siblings" excited to spend the festive season with their "warm-weather relatives". advertisement Last week on December 18, we saw the two penguins in their icy igloo busy packing as they looked set to begin a journey to warmed lands. With canned fish in tow, the two penguins set off to meet with parrot friends, arriving just in time for a merry Christmas dinner, an image from which forms today's Google Doodle. The 'December Global Festivities' aren't over for our penguin and parrot friends. Google has promised two more doodles - one on December 31 and another on January 1 when the "avian crew rings in the new year". Meanwhile, back home in India, Christmas started off with leaders greeting the nation on the festive day. President Ram Nath Kovind wished a "merry Christmas to all fellow citizens, especially our Christian brothers and sisters." PM Narendra Modi, on the other hand, tweeted a signed card, saying, "Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. We remember the noble teachings of Lord Christ." Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. We remember the noble teachings of Lord Christ. pic.twitter.com/Bi9XQUUoPP- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 25, 2017 WATCH | World's Tallest Christmas Tree Lit Up in Dortmund --- ENDS --- Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 16:01:48|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close DHAKA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Three members of the border guarding force of India have been detained by the Bangladeshi border guards after they trespassed into Bangladesh through a bordering area in the country's Rajshahi district, 256 km west of capital Dhaka. A Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) official who did not like to be named told Xinhua that the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) members, identified as Assistant Sub Inspector Harnam Shing, Constables Rakesh Kumar and Santosh Kumar, went about 1 km into Bangladeshi territory Monday morning. He said what they explained to the BGB members primarily is that while chasing some cattle smugglers amid thick fog they lost their ways and mistakenly entered Bangladeshi territory. Authorities are clarifying the incident. No further details were immediately available. The BGB official said the BSF personnel would be handed over to the border guarding force of India. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 16:46:55|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- China's cultural heritage authority has wrapped up this year's inspections of the Great Wall in eight provincial-level regions, saying that protection still needs to be improved. According to the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, the provinces of Jilin, Henan and Qinghai, as well as Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region either did not provide sufficient funds to protect the Wall or failed to fully use the money. A total of nine counties and districts in Liaoning Province in the northeast did not employ any staff to protect the Great Wall. None of the eight provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities had provincial level regulations on the protection of the Wall. Yue Zhiyong, an official in charge of supervision with the administration, said authorities in these regions should establish long-term mechanisms to explore the social, spiritual and economic value of the Great Wall. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 16:56:56|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has pledged better diplomatic work to serve the development of China and the world. As the largest developing country, the diplomatic work of China should serve the creation of a better external environment for the country's modernization, Wang said in an interview with journalists of the People's Daily, the flagship newspaper of the Communist Party of China (CPC). "On the other hand, we also need to take our international responsibilities and make new contributions to the development and progress of humanity," he said in the interview, which was published in the Monday edition of the newspaper. Wang said China will make every possible effort to host the Boao Forum for Asia, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation and the China International Import Expo next year to "open a new chapter" for win-win cooperation between China and other countries. He also said China will promote the healthy development of China-U.S. relations, maintain high-level strategic coordination with Russia, consolidate the sound momentum for relations with European countries, and work to build a framework for major-country relations featuring overall stability and balanced development. He said China will deepen its friendship with neighbors and seek political settlement regarding issues such as the Korean peninsula and Afghanistan. Wang said that in 2018, China will implement the results reached at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and put in place mechanisms to boost cooperation. The foreign minister said China will also participate in global governance, make economic globalization more open, inclusive and beneficial to more people, and advance international cooperation in responding to climate change and fighting terrorism. Moreover, he said China will participate in making rules regarding emerging sectors, such as cyberspace and outer space, and will oppose all forms of protectionism. To better serve the country's development, Wang said China will expedite communication and exchanges among Chinese and foreign personnel, improve consular services and explore building a safety network for overseas Chinese. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 17:42:07|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close TAIPEI, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan's exports have grown for the 14th month thanks to a recovering global economy and strong demand for electronic products, a report showed Monday. Exports rose 14 percent from a year earlier in November, according to a report by the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER). Taiwan's total exports in the first 11 months of this year rose 13.1 percent compared with the same period of last year, while its imports grew 12.6 percent, with the trade surplus reaching 51.7 billion U.S. dollars. The industrial production index rose year-on-year for the seventh month in November, but the growth rate slowed. The report showed that manufacturers are conservative about the economic outlook for the coming six months partly due to a decline in imports of semiconductor equipment. "Taiwan's economic growth in the first quarter of next year is unlikely to be as high as this year," said Sun Ming-Te, director of the TIER macroeconomic forecasting center. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 17:52:10|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close HANOI, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A white-bearded man with a big belly bursting out from a red outfit was riding an old motorbike along the packed Nguyen Trai Road in the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi, carrying a red sack full of toys, school aids and garments. Unbeknown to many, the delightful gifts contained in his large red scale, were mostly made in China. After leaving a toy shop, the full-figured young man wearing a red coat with white fur collar and cuffs, white-fur-cuffed red trousers headed to an old apartment block in the Thanh Xuan district some 5 km away, but it took him more than half an hour to reach the destination because of increasingly heavy traffic as Christmas Eve approached. Arriving at the apartment, the young man swiftly got off his bike and entered an apartment on the first floor. "Father Christmas is coming. Hurrah!" A cute girl with two pigtails exclaimed with sheer joy. The young Santa Claus, opened his sack, pulled out a colorful box and gave it to the little girl. He told her: "Hi, Ngoc Chau. If you study harder, and obey your grandparents and parents, I will give you more gifts next time, sweetie." While the girl hurriedly opened the box to find a lovely set of Elsa and Anna dolls, Santa Claus gave another colorful box to her cousin, a boy aged five, and asked him to eat more seafood, fruits and vegetables, drink more smoothies, and learn the alphabet in the coming summer, so that he can make a good start with his school life next year. The boy excitedly opened the box and quickly snatched a large sheet full of stickers and a small box of crayons. Santa Claus knelt down and embraced the two kids, while posing for a photo shoot. Before leaving the flat with the sack still nearly full of toys and school aids, he received a bank note as a tip from the girl's mother. And Santa Claus' journeys and actions were repeated a dozen more time in other flats or houses until the evening. "I'm Santa Claus now. I go door-to-door, greet kids by saying their real names or nicknames, give them gifts and tell them to do some productive things requested by their parents in advance. My work starts today (Dec. 22) and will end on Monday evening," said the young man, whose real name is Nguyen Van Huy, a second-year student at the Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Although the work is short-lived, it gives him a wage large enough to cover all his tuition fees and daily expenses for several months. "Normally, professional delivery service providers offer me 20 percent of the total value of each Santa Claus-delivering-gifts-at-home order," Huy said, adding that he is also hired by toy and grocery shops. To meet increasing demand for Santa Claus-delivering-gifts-at-home services, Thien Cam Investment Joint-stock Company in Hanoi recruited 10 more "Santa Claus" with preferences given to candidates who are chubby and good at driving motorbikes and finding locations in alley ways intertwined like spiders' webs. "We are now offering Santa Claus-delivering-gifts-at-home services at charges of 70,000-180,000 Vietnamese dong (3-8 U.S. dollars) depending on distance and time," one of Thien Cam's staff called Van said, adding that if large families or schools with dozens of kids gather at one place, the charges are higher - between 250,000-500,000 Vietnamese dong (11-22 U.S. dollars). But Santa Claus will stay with them for a much longer period of time: singing, dancing, playing games, and taking group photos for 20-30 minutes. Tran Binh Duong, director of the ANM Communications Company, owner of Kids' Paradise online supermarket, said the supermarket will offer free Santa Claus-giving-gifts-at-home service to buyers who spend at least 500,000 Vietnamese dong (some 22 U.S. dollars). The same policy is applied by Tien Phong bookstore chain, Vietnam's leading book and stationery chain. "If the bill is 500,000 Vietnamese dong (some 22 U.S. dollars) or more, our professional staff in standard Santa Claus outfits will deliver the goods to the buyer's house at a prearranged time," said Nguyen Thu Thuy, a shop assistant at Tien Phong bookstore, in Tay Son Street, Hanoi. The best-selling items during Christmas this year are Santa hats, books, school aids and toys, she said, noting that most of the goods are made in China. "I'm choosing a radio-controlled toy racing car worth 300,000 Vietnamese dong (13.3 U.S. dollars) for my nephew, and a big box of crayons worth 100,000 Vietnamese dong (4.4 U.S. dollars) for my niece. These Chinese products look very nice and are not very expensive," a shopper named Nguyen Van Quang, an employee of the Hanoi Post Office, said while standing in front of high racks full of Chinese toys and school aids in the Tien Phong bookstore. The situation is similar in other bookstores and shops. The Dai Ly Do Choi shop on Thai Thinh Street, Hanoi, is packed full of Chinese toys. "The number of our customers has increased 10 fold compared with our non-Christmas periods. Our best-selling toys are radio-controlled cars, helicopters, tanks and ships for boys, and Elsa and Anna dolls for girls," the shop's owner Vu Van Duy said. "I'm a grandpa now, but I'm still impressed by radio-controlled toys. China is really an expert in making toys which are inexpensive but very modern," the middle-aged man said, while holding a toy tank, which can move, fire plastic bullets, discharge smoke and make noises like a real tank in the battlefield. After handing over the tank at a price of 1.5 million Vietnamese dong (66.3 U.S. dollars) to a customer, Duy sold a radio-controlled toy submarine to another customer. "It's winter now, so toy submarine sales are slow. But submarines will sell like hot cakes in summer, when kids can play with them joyfully in swimming pools," he smiled. According to local experts, Vietnam is not a Christian country, but more and more residents are enjoying Christmas, mainly because of improved living standards. Many Vietnamese people, especially youngsters, consider Christmas as being a good occasion for them to show their care and affection to their loved ones by hanging out and giving gifts to each other, the experts said, adding that many young couples even consider Christmas a kind of Valentine Day. According to statistics from the Vietnamese government, as of 2014, there are 24 million people identified with one of the recognized organized religions in Vietnam, out of a population of 90 million. Among them, 11 million are Buddhists (12.2 percent), 6.2 million are Catholics (6.8 percent), 4.4 million are Caodaists (4.8 percent), 1.4 million are Protestants (1.6 percent), and 1.3 million are Hoahaoists (1.4 percent). Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 17:52:11|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Sharing economy is booming in China, but can it last? The answer is yes, according to economists, and growth will be fast, but not without challenges. THE SHARING MARKET The market value of sharing economy will reach 4.5 trillion yuan (about 680 billion U.S. dollars) in 2017, compared with 3.45 trillion last year, according to the State Information Center (SIC). The sharing economy is expected to maintain annual growth of about 40 percent over the next few years, the SIC forecast. The business model was originated from and flourished in the consumption sector, with companies such as Mobike and ofo in bike sharing and Airbnb in home sharing. It is now also accepted by manufacturing and artificial intelligence (AI) enterprises. By establishing a sharing platform that connects global innovation with China-made products, IngDan has now brought together over 16,000 programs of intelligent hardware, 14,000 suppliers, and 16 million hardware buyers. "The sharing economy is providing new growth in the manufacturing industry, while sharing of production materials will become more important," said Ding Minglei, analyst with the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development. Shenyang Machine Tool (Group) developed an "i5" smart operating system which serves as a sharing platform for raw materials. "The i5 is actually five 'i,' standing for five English words, industry, information, Internet, intelligent and integrate," said Guan Xiyou, chairman of the Group. Thanks to the core technology with multiple patents, i5 smart machine tools have received over 20,000 orders. Over 50 agreements have been signed to build smart factories nationwide. Knowledge sharing is also on the up. "Paying for superior online knowledge and content has become popular, replacing the previous mode of providing knowledge online for free," said Zhou Yuan, founder and CEO of Zhihu, an online community sharing knowledge. A series of credit services, including deposit exemption service, fueled the sharing economy, with users of sharing products increased by 12.7 percent month on month from January 2016 to April 2017, SIC data showed. THE REGULATORY CHALLENGE Despite the good news, the sharing economy faces blind expansion, with regulators struggling to forestall risks and clear the market. Large and medium sized cities including Beijing and Shanghai have made regulations since August, stopping bike-sharing companies from adding new bikes. "The industry has seen excessive production and delivery of bikes, causing road safety problems," said Tang Yunyi, a researcher with Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. Tempered by competition and regulation, a couple of bike-sharing companies have closed with nearly 1 billion yuan of deposit missing. A research report by the Tencent Research Institute showed that 15 companies providing transportation services, such as on-demand taxi service, have closed during 2016-2017. To promote the sharing economy, China issued guidelines in July. The government will encourage innovation in sharing while regulating the sector in a tolerant and prudent manner, according to the National Development and Reform Commission and other seven government departments. The country will open more government and public data to the market to improve efficiency. Specific employment and taxation policies would be adopted to assure the sharing economy's growth. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 17:57:13|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close JUBA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A cease-fire between government and several rebel groups in war-torn South Sudan went into effect on Sunday, aiming to revive a stalled 2015 peace deal and end four years of civil war. The South Sudanese government and numerous opposition factions on Thursday signed a cessation of hostilities agreement in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and it begun on Dec. 24. The cease-fire agreement brokered by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an east Africa regional bloc, asked the warring parties to stop military operations, demands that forces remain in their bases and further called for release of political detainees. South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Saturday directed the leadership of the army to comply with the agreement. Riek Machar, leader of the main rebel group, Sudan People's Liberation Army-in Opposition (SPLA-IO) on Friday ordered his forces to remain in their bases and cease confrontations. It remains unclear whether the rival factions would this time respect the latest cessation of hostilities agreement as they previously violated several others. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Friday called on all parties to respect the pact and work collectively to ensure durable peace in the east African nation. "The Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access is an important first step in the revitalization of the peace process," UNMISS said in a statement. "UNMISS is committed to supporting the peace process in line with its mandate through advancing reconciliation efforts, strengthening conflict resolution mechanisms, building national cohesion and engaging in regional and international peace initiatives," it added. IGAD and the international community are betting on the High-Level Revitalization Forum convened in Addis Ababa as the last push to end the devastating conflict in the world's youngest nation. South Sudan has been embroiled in four years of conflict that has taken a devastating toll on the people, and creating one of the fastest growing refugee crisis in the world. A peace deal signed in August 2015 between the rival leaders under UN pressure led to the establishment of a transitional unity government in April, but was shattered by renewed fighting in July 2016. The UN estimates that about 4 million people have been displaced internally and externally. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 18:02:16|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close Photo taken on Dec. 25, 2017 shows a view of the scene of an airstrike in Sanaa, capital of Yemen. A family of nine members, including five children, were killed on Monday morning when Saudi-led coalition warplanes hit the family's house five times in Yemen's capital Sanaa, residents and a Xinhua photographer at the scene witnessed. (Xinhua/Hasan Bamashmous) SANAA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A family of nine members, including five children, were killed on Monday morning when Saudi-led coalition warplanes hit the family's house five times in Yemen's capital Sanaa, residents and a Xinhua photographer at the scene witnessed. "Father, his wife, two women (who are sisters to the father), and five little children were killed on the spot after their house was hit by five missiles fired from fighter jets of the Saudi-led coalition," Xinhua photographer reported. Rescuers and medics said five other people from nearby houses were critically wounded. Residents said the targeted family's small house is located inside a cemetery near a densely populated neighborhood. Several houses in the area were badly damaged. The residents said the father was working as a guard of the cemetery, which contains graves of Egyptian soldiers who were killed in 1962 when they helped Yemenis in their revolution against Imamate regime. Last week, the Saudi-led coalition airstrikes killed ten women in central Yemen's province of Marib, according to a provincial security official and medics. The women were killed as the bus carrying them while returning home from a wedding party was hit by the air attack. On Dec. 13, the coalition launched seven airstrikes on a prison inside a police camp in Houthis-held capital Sanaa, killing 31 prisoners and wounding 59 others, according to Houthis-controlled state Saba news agency. The Saudi-led coalition has intervened in the Yemeni conflict since March 2015 to roll back the Houthi rebels and support the internationally recognized President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was forced into exile by the Houthis. The war has killed over 10,000 Yemenis, mostly children, and displaced 3 million others, creating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 18:52:26|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close COLOMBO, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena granted amnesty to 526 inmates Monday on the occasion of the Christmas, an official said. Prisons Commissioner H.M.T.N. Upuldeniya told Xinhua that these 526 inmates were in jail for minor offenses. Upuldeniya said special religious celebrations were also organized within the premises of the prisons throughout the country to mark the Christmas. Christians account for seven percent of Sri Lanka's total population, mainly concentrated in the western coastal belt of the country. Sri Lanka is in the habit of granting such pardons in respect of events of national significance such as the New Year, the National Independence Day and the Buddhist festival Vesak. The president has the constitutional power to grant full pardon to inmates or commute their sentences. File photo shows South Sudanese President Salva Kiir (R) and former South Sudanese first Vice-President Riek Machar (L) in Juba, capital of South Sudan, on April 26, 2016. Riek Machar was then sworn in as the country's first vice president. (Xinhua/Denis Elamu) JUBA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A cease-fire between government and several rebel groups in war-torn South Sudan went into effect on Sunday, aiming to revive a stalled 2015 peace deal and end four years of civil war. The South Sudanese government and numerous opposition factions on Thursday signed a cessation of hostilities agreement in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and it began on Dec. 24. The cease-fire agreement brokered by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an east Africa regional bloc, asked the warring parties to stop military operations, demands that forces remain in their bases and further called for release of political detainees. South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Saturday directed the leadership of the army to comply with the agreement. Riek Machar, leader of the main rebel group, Sudan People's Liberation Army-in Opposition (SPLA-IO) on Friday ordered his forces to remain in their bases and cease confrontations. It remains unclear whether the rival factions would this time respect the latest cessation of hostilities agreement as they previously violated several others. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Friday called on all parties to respect the pact and work collectively to ensure durable peace in the east African nation. "The Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access is an important first step in the revitalization of the peace process," UNMISS said in a statement. "UNMISS is committed to supporting the peace process in line with its mandate through advancing reconciliation efforts, strengthening conflict resolution mechanisms, building national cohesion and engaging in regional and international peace initiatives," it added. IGAD and the international community are betting on the High-Level Revitalization Forum convened in Addis Ababa as the last push to end the devastating conflict in the world's youngest nation. South Sudan has been embroiled in four years of conflict that has taken a devastating toll on the people, and creating one of the fastest growing refugee crisis in the world. A peace deal signed in August 2015 between the rival leaders under UN pressure led to the establishment of a transitional unity government in April, but was shattered by renewed fighting in July 2016. The UN estimates that about 4 million people have been displaced internally and externally. Here's how MoS Hansraj Ahir reacted after a civil surgeon didn't come to a hospital inauguration function he attended. By India Today Web Desk: Union Minister Hansraj Ahir attended a hospital inauguration today in Maharashtra's Naxal-hit district of Chandrapur, where a civil surgeon didn't come to the event because he was on leave. Ahir was furious to note the absence and advised the official to rather go and join the Naxalite movement. The reason for linking Naxalism, and a surgeon's failure to attend an event? Here's what Ahir said, according to the news agency ANI, which reported this story. advertisement The angry mantri first pointed out that he himself was "chosen by democracy." He asked what was "the use of going on leave" even when the doctor knew he would attend the event. Ahir went to say, "If there is no faith in democracy, then join the Naxalite movement, we will shoot you. There is no need to distribute tablets here. Naxalism does not like democracy." Hansraj Ahir is a minister of state in Rajnath Singh's home ministry. He happens to be the MP from Chandrapur. Well-known for exposing the coal mining scam, Ahir has been a minister in the Modi government since 2014. ALSO WATCH | Maoists: India fights Red Terror --- ENDS --- Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 19:12:32|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close MANAMA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A High Military Court in Bahrain on Monday issued a verdict in a high profile case of 18 members of a terrorist cell who planned to assassinate the country's top military chief, with six sentenced to death. Ten of the defendants appeared in the court while eight fugitives are at large in Bahrain or abroad including Iran, authorities said on Monday. "The defendants were accused with the formation of a terrorist cell, attempting to assassinate the Bahrain Defence Force(BDF) Commander-in-Chief and committing other terrorist crimes," said a statement posted on Bahrain News Agency. The court also convicted and sentenced seven defendants to seven years' incarceration and stripped their Bahraini nationality, and acquitted five others. The trial is the first of its kind since constitutional amendments were passed allowing military courts to try civilians accused of threatening the security of the state. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 19:17:32|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close Fire rages at a shopping mall in Davao City, the Philippines, Dec. 24, 2017. At least 37 people may have died in the massive fire that ravaged a shopping mall here on Saturday, authorities said on Sunday. (Xinhua/Stringer) MANILA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Local firefighters said on Monday that they have retrieved the remaining 36 bodies of those who died in a mall fire in the southern Philippine city of Davao, bringing the death toll to 37. Wilberto Rico Niel Kwan Tiu, regional director of Bureau of Fire Protection, said that 36 bodies were recovered on Monday inside the Davao shopping mall which was engulfed by the fire. "I personally counted them before I gave the information to our honorable mayor. And I counted them, around 36 in number," he added. One body was already recovered inside the mall on Sunday, according to the Davao official. Fire razed the local shopping mall in Davao on Saturday morning. It took the firefighters more than 24 hours to extinguish the massive blaze. Most of those trapped were employees of a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) on the fourth floor of the mall, authorities said. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte visited relatives of the victims who were anxiously waiting for their trapped relatives across the burning mall before dawn on Sunday. Duterte was accompanied by his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and his son Davao City Vice mayor Paolo Duterte, who announced that he already resigned on Monday partly due to the tragedy. Local authorities were still determining the origin of the fire. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 20:07:40|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- China will advance the development of information technology and spread internet applications in coming years, with the aim of becoming a world-leading cyber power by 2035, a senior official said Monday. "China will endeavor to basically build itself into a strong cyber power by 2035 to join the world's top rank in cyberspace," said Miao Wei, minister of industry and information technology, at a work conference. For that target, China will launch a series of strategic projects, seek breakthroughs in key technology and accelerate the upgrading of the internet, he said. Deeper integration between the internet, big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and manufacturing will be encouraged, and guidelines for spurring digital economy will be introduced, according to Miao. He also promised to strengthen regulation to better protect the safety of private information and online data. A booming digital economy is reshaping China's economic landscape as the spread of technology such as big data and AI revives traditional industries. As of June, there were 3.89 billion internet users around the world, of which 751 million were in China. The enormous number of web users has created room for risk takers in e-commerce, mobile payments and other emerging areas to take their chances. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 20:07:40|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close (Xinhua file photo) BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- China will stay on course for a proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy in 2018 to foster high-quality development while containing financial risks. "The proactive orientation of fiscal policy will be maintained, while the structure of fiscal spending should be optimized," said a statement released after the Central Economic Work Conference concluded last week. Fiscal support for major fields and projects will be ensured while reducing regular expenditures, according to the country's most important annual meeting on economic work. "Compared with previous years, when a proactive fiscal policy was also implemented, the priority for 2018 should be investment in weak links, including education, healthcare, social security and pubic services," said Zhao Xijun, a finance professor with Renmin University of China. Investment in innovation and entrepreneurship as well as emerging industries should also be increased to foster the country's strategic competitiveness, said Zhao. "Infrastructure investment in 2018 is expected to fall, with more funding going to environmental protection and targeted poverty reduction," said Lu Zhengwei, chief economist with Industrial Bank. Since the global financial crisis prompted the Chinese government to spend big to fend off risks, government-driven investment has resulted in falling business profits and efficiency for nearly a decade. With the focus of fiscal policy shifting further toward improving income distribution and mobilizing social resources next year, analysts believe further progress is expected in boosting the quality and sustainability of China's economic growth. In addition, concrete measures will be taken to strengthen regulation of local government debt, according to the conference, which reviewed China's economic performance over the past five years and mapped out plans for 2018. China's local government debt soared during an investment and construction binge following the global financial crisis in 2008. Well aware of the risks, authorities have taken an array of measures to reduce the local debt burden. Outstanding local government debt stood at 15.86 trillion yuan (about 2.4 trillion U.S. dollars) as of June 30, slightly higher than the 15.32 trillion yuan at the end of 2016, but below this year's government-targeted ceiling of 18.82 trillion yuan. On the monetary front, China will maintain a prudent and neutral monetary policy next year, keeping appropriate liquidity levels but avoiding excessive liquidity injections. "Prudent monetary policy should be kept neutral, the floodgates of monetary supply should be controlled, and credit and social financing should see reasonable growth," said the statement released after the tone-setting meeting. The Central Economic Work Conference in 2016 set the tone for monetary policy as prudent and neutral for 2017, while striving to smooth monetary policy transmission channels and improving mechanisms to help maintain stable liquidity. "Compared with 2017, China is more determined in 2018 to implement a prudent and neutral monetary policy," said Lu Zhengwei, noting that the Chinese leadership has made it a priority to prevent financial risks in 2018. China has maintained prudent monetary policy since 2011. However, in practice the policy has been loosening slightly due to downward pressure on economic growth. As the country's economic health continued to improve, policy makers announced that they would maintain "a prudent and neutral" policy for 2018. Analysts said the shift indicated that China will lean toward monetary tightening should they need to curb any asset bubbles or mitigate financial risks. "The monetary policy will remain prudent while tilting to slight tightening next year," said Li Qilin, senior researcher of Lianxun Securities, adding that the central bank should balance its goals of stabilizing economic growth and preventing bubbles. Proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy, both major macroeconomic policies, will pave a solid foundation for China's economic restructuring and deepening supply-side reform next year, said Zhao Xijun from Renmin University of China. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 20:07:40|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close KUNMING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A cargo flight loaded with 42 tonnes of electronic products departed from the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming for Bangalore, India, on Monday, the first all-cargo direct China-Bangalore route. The new route, served by Airbus A300-600, will fly twice a week before increasing to five weekly, according to the Uni-Top Airlines. The flight will carry high-end electronic products, mobile phone parts and communication equipment components made in Shanghai, Chengdu and Shenzhen. Bangalore is one of world's leading information and technology centers. The Uni-Top Airlines has cargo flights from China to several Indian cities such as Delhi and Mumbai. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 20:12:42|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close HANGZHOU, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Eighty years after its fall to the Japanese, east China's Hangzhou city paid tribute to an American missionary who helped save the lives of tens of thousands of people during one of the darkest periods of the city's history. In an event held on Sunday, teachers, students and historians of Hangzhou recounted the heroic deeds of Edward H. Clayton, who after the city's fall in 1937 established a refugee camp at the city's Wayland Academy, a school he founded, to provide shelter to more than 10,000 women and 2,000 orphans over the next four years. "As Japan hadn't declared war against the United States and Britain at the time Japanese troops captured Hangzhou, sites run by Americans and the British became temporary safe havens for refugees and injured soldiers," said Zhou Donghua, a historian at Hangzhou Normal University. In 1944, Clayton published a memoir titled "Heaven Below," recollecting his 30 years in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, including life after the city's fall. Shen Hong, a professor at Zhejiang University, came upon the book in 2007 and Clayton's stories became better known to Hangzhou residents. They hailed him as the "Oskar Schindler of Hangzhou," after the German industrialist who helped save the lives of more than a thousand Jews during the Holocaust. Teachers at Hangzhou No. 2 High School, a successor to Wayland, have started translating "Heaven Below" into Chinese in hopes of keeping the memories alive. In a visit to Vanderbilt University, Clayton's alma mater, Shen found among the archives two long letters Clayton sent home during WWII. They detailed the atrocities the Japanese had committed as well as the difficulties the missionary endured to keep the refugees safe. "From Clayton's letters, we know that he and his wife could have left China after the war broke out, but they chose to stay and offer humanitarian aid to women and children at the risk of their own lives," said Shen. "This heroic deed should be remembered by generations to come." Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 20:17:44|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close RIYADH, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Interior Ministry announced Monday finding the body of the judge abducted late last year in Al Qatif region in the Eastern Province, Saudi Press Agency reported. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jirani, the judge of Endowments and Inheritance Department was abducted in front of his house in Tarout town in the region. In January, the ministry tweeted the arrest of three citizens and named three other fugitives in the case. The kidnapped judge was targeted before in several attacks against his property and an attempt to arson his house. Qatif is among few areas populated with minority Shiite community in Saudi Arabia that face on and off violence and rioting by those who demand more rights. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 20:27:46|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Photo taken on Dec. 25, 2017 shows a view of the scene of a crash involving a bus that drove into a pedestrian underpass in Moscow, Russia, on Dec. 25, 2017. At least five people were killed and many others injured after a bus drove into a pedestrian underpass in Moscow Monday, Sputnik news agency reported, citing a source in emergency services. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi) MOSCOW, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and many others injured after a bus drove into a pedestrian underpass in Moscow Monday, Sputnik news agency reported, citing a source in emergency services. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 20:32:46|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close CHANGCHUN, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Traces of wild Siberian tigers have been spotted in forests in northeast China's Jilin Province, an expansion of the tigers' range, the local forestry administration said Monday. A forest ranger spotted 15-centimeter footprints of a feline animal in the Daxinggou forest on Dec. 17. One day later, a calf was killed and eaten. On Dec. 20, footprints were found again. The animal is believed to be a male Siberian tiger. Siberian tigers, one of the world's rarest animals, mainly live in eastern Russia, northeast China and northern parts of the Korean Peninsula. Fewer than 500 are believed to live in the wild. Since 2015, Jilin has banned commercial logging in key forest farms to improve the habitat for Siberian tigers. In March, Chinese authorities released a guideline to establish national parks for Siberian tigers and leopards in Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 20:42:48|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close KIEV, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian government and pro-independence insurgents in the eastern part of the country will exchange prisoners on Dec. 27, local media cited a rebel leader as saying on Monday. "We have agreed upon all the conditions, and on Dec. 27, the exchange will be carried out under the '306-for-74' formula," rebel leader Alexander Zakharchenko was quoted as saying by the insurgent-run Donetsk News Agency. Irina Gerashchenko, first vice speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, on Facebook confirmed Kiev's readiness to release 306 rebel supporters in exchange for 74 soldiers and pro-government civilians. She, however, gave no details on the dateline of the swap. Earlier, the government said that insurgents are holding at least 162 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians captured in the conflict, while rebels estimated that the government is holding 309 of their supporters. On Dec. 20, the conflicting parties agreed to carry out the exchange of the detained persons before the New Year and Christmas holidays. The prisoner swap is a key part of the Minsk ceasefire agreement designed to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine that has killed some 10,000 people since April 2014. If implemented, the prisoner swap will be the first exchange of hostages between the rival sides since the end of 2016. Armenia will export fish to the European Union, Ishkhan Karapetyan Head of the State Service for Food Safety, told reporters. December 25, 2017, 16:51 Armenia to export fish to EU STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 25, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS:He informed that the fish export process with the EU has already passed the three important stages and reached the audit stage. We have reached the final audit stage as a result of which we expect that the Armenian fish will be exported to the EU, he said. According to Ishkhan Karapetyan, there are also achievements in the export of honey from Armenia to China. We can state that we approached the final stage. A number of documents have already been initialed, and in the near future we will issue a statement on this, he said, adding that talks are underway with the United Arab Emirates to export animals and frozen meat. As for the border control, Ishkhan Karapetyan said in the passing year 60.000 kilograms of food has been eliminated in the border and 120 imports were suspended. Ileana D'Cruz seems to have made her marriage with boyfriend Andrew Kneebone, official, in a post on Instagram. By India Today Web Desk: There have been many rumours about Ileana D'Cruz marrying her boyfriend, Australian photographer, Andrew Kneebone in secret. Going by her latest Instagram post, she seems to have made it public now. On Saturday, the Rustom actress who spends most of her time with her beau in Australia, shared a picture of her decorating a Christmas tree. "My favourite time of the year," she captioned the photo. Interestingly, along with the hashtags, 'Christmas time', 'happy holidays', she gave the picture credit to "hubby" Andrew Kneebone. advertisement Earlier, when Ileana, who is in a live-in relationship, was asked if she plans to get married anytime soon, she answered, "I think marriage and live-in relationship aren't really different. It is just a piece of paper that separates the two. Marriage is great for a lot of people. It changes a lot of things between two people, but I don't look at it in that way. My commitment towards him is not going to change." The couple first caught the public eye, while exiting a Mumbai restaurant in 2014. Since then, the two have been making joint appearances at Bollywood bashes and going on long vacations often. Ileana who has done films like Barfi and Rustom, was last seen in Baadshaho . ALSO WATCH: Ileana D' Cruz talks about her fitness regime --- ENDS --- Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 20:47:50|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia's Southern regional state on Monday pardoned 361 suspects who had been charged with involvement in deadly riots in October 2016. Seifu Keneso, Attorney General for Justice Office at Southern regional state, said the individuals were pardoned to encourage them to be productive members of the society. However, 141 individuals suspected of grave offences including murder, severe bodily harm and rapes will have their criminal cases continue. Parts of Southern regional state was convulsed in deadly ethnic riots in October 2016 which left at least 34 people dead. The disturbance centered around Gedeo zone of Southern regional state saw ethnic Gedeos attack the properties of other ethnicities which they accuse of unfairly exploiting their resources. Gedeo zone is a key coffee producing region in Ethiopia earning the country millions of U.S. dollars in coffee exports annually. Coffee is Ethiopia's top export commodity that earned the country 866 million dollars during the Ethiopian Fiscal Year 2016/17 that ended July 9. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 20:52:52|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KAMPALA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan military said on Monday that it killed over 100 Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in an operation last Friday against rebel camps in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The airstrike and artillery operation, code-named "Tuugo," targeted eight ADF camps in Eringeti triangle in the DRC's North Kivu province, Maj. Ronald Kakurungu, spokesperson of the operation, told Xinhua by phone from the western border district of Bundibugyo. Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) used fighter jets and long artillery to carry out preemptive attacks on the ADF bases of Madina, Canada, Tadia, Popoke, Makayoba, Kainama, Ngiti and Kikingi after receiving intelligence that the rebels were planning to attack the east African country, Kakurungu said. "Our FARDC counterparts have since confirmed that up to 100 ADF were killed and eight camps destroyed in Eringeti area where the strikes targeted," said Kakurungu, using the acronym of the DRC armed forces. "We don't know the numbers of those injured because they moved out of the area," he said. "We believe they suffered a lot of serious injuries." Kakurungu said the military has been heavily deployed at the common border with the DRC to prevent rebels from infiltrating into the country to revenge the heavy losses that they suffered. "We have properly reinforced the border positions and the forces are on standby to be able to react and eliminate any groups that will try to cross into our side," said Kakurungu. "We are not sending any infantry troops as yet," he said. "The arrangement we have for now with the DRC is that we shall continue only conducting long-range (strikes) and assaulting their [ADF] positions from our side of the border and our FARDC counterparts conduct ground assaults." DRC government spokesperson Lambert Mende Omalanga, in a statement sent to Xinhua on Saturday, said the two militaries agreed to share intelligence about the ADF and Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). "Congolese and Ugandan forces are each enough prepared to deal with those negative groups in their respective countries," Omalanga said. The Ugandan assaults came after recent ADF attacks in eastern DRC, including the Dec. 7 killing of 15 United Nations peacekeepers and 5 DRC soldiers. More than 50 others were also injured in the attack in North Kivu province. File photo shows Ugandan soldiers patrol at fire-engulfed world heritage site in Kampala on March 17, 2010. (Xinhua/Samuel Okiror Egadu) KAMPALA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan military said on Monday that it killed over 100 Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in an operation last Friday against rebel camps in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The airstrike and artillery operation, code-named "Tuugo," targeted eight ADF camps in Eringeti triangle in the DRC's North Kivu province, Maj. Ronald Kakurungu, spokesperson of the operation, told Xinhua by phone from the western border district of Bundibugyo. Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) used fighter jets and long artillery to carry out preemptive attacks on the ADF bases of Madina, Canada, Tadia, Popoke, Makayoba, Kainama, Ngiti and Kikingi after receiving intelligence that the rebels were planning to attack the east African country, Kakurungu said. "Our FARDC counterparts have since confirmed that up to 100 ADF were killed and eight camps destroyed in Eringeti area where the strikes targeted," said Kakurungu, using the acronym of the DRC armed forces. "We don't know the numbers of those injured because they moved out of the area," he said. "We believe they suffered a lot of serious injuries." Kakurungu said the military has been heavily deployed at the common border with the DRC to prevent rebels from infiltrating into the country to revenge the heavy losses that they suffered. "We have properly reinforced the border positions and the forces are on standby to be able to react and eliminate any groups that will try to cross into our side," said Kakurungu. "We are not sending any infantry troops as yet," he said. "The arrangement we have for now with the DRC is that we shall continue only conducting long-range (strikes) and assaulting their [ADF] positions from our side of the border and our FARDC counterparts conduct ground assaults." DRC government spokesperson Lambert Mende Omalanga, in a statement sent to Xinhua on Saturday, said the two militaries agreed to share intelligence about the ADF and Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). "Congolese and Ugandan forces are each enough prepared to deal with those negative groups in their respective countries," Omalanga said. The Ugandan assaults came after recent ADF attacks in eastern DRC, including the Dec. 7 killing of 15 United Nations peacekeepers and 5 DRC soldiers. More than 50 others were also injured in the attack in North Kivu province. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 21:38:04|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close SKOPJE, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The opposition should return in the parliament as it must be part of the reform process and the country's perspectives, Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told reporters Monday. While congratulating Hristijan Mickovski for his election of at the helm of the largest opposition party, VMRO-DPMNE, Zaev said that he expected a constructive and critical opposition in the Parliament. "Stability of VMRO-DPMNE and SDSM results in stable Macedonia. The election of the new opposition leader is good for the country's perspective. Now, I wish that we all now think about Macedonia," Zaev told reporters. He further said that opposition's participation in parliament was needed for the democratic processes because of many important issues that are to be decided in the coming period. "I expect their vote on issues we will reach agreement, but also criticism on issues we fail to agree on," added Zaev. Mickoski was elected late Saturday as the new leader of VMRO-DPMNE, replacing the former prime minister and VMRO-DPMNE leader Nikola Gruevski. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 21:53:10|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close By Stefania Fumo ROME, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni has said the government would ask the parliament to move some Italian troops from Iraq to the western African country of Niger, in order to fight human traffickers and terrorism in the landlocked country south of Libya. Italy currently has 6,800 troops deployed in 33 non-combat missions jointly with NATO, the EU, and the UN in 22 different countries, most of them in Africa and the Middle East, according to Italian ministry of defense. In a pre-Christmas address to Navy officers and crew on board the Navy ship Etna on Sunday, the premier said the fight against human traffickers -- who bring illegal migrants from sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East across the Mediterranean to southern Europe -- is one of Italy's "strategic and fundamental interests". The Etna ship is part of EUNavForMed, a European Union mission launched in 2015 to fight human traffickers in the Mediterranean. "We have dealt blows to the human traffickers that perhaps we didn't even imagine possible," Gentiloni said in reference to deals Italy struck with Libya this year, which significantly reduced the number of traffickers' boats crossing the Mediterranean. Gentiloni went on to say his government will propose that Italy move some troops presently in Iraq -- where their mission includes defending the Mosul dam from the so-called Islamic State (IS) extremist militia and training local forces -- to Niger, a landlocked country on Libya's southern border. The objective of such a move, Gentiloni said, will be to fight human traffickers in Niger, a major country of transit for refugees being smuggled from Nigeria and other conflict areas, across the Sahara desert and towards the Mediterranean. "Terrorism has been consolidating...in Africa" and this is why troops should be moved to Niger, Gentiloni explained in his speech, which was posted on the government's website. He also pointed out that Italy is not backing down on its commitment to refugee rights. For example, Italy has opened a humanitarian corridor to grant refugees safe and legal passage out of migrant detention centers in Libya, the premier said. On December 22, a total of 162 refugees, most of them women and children, landed at Pratica di Mare military airport near Rome. Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti -- who was instrumental in striking agreements with Libya to shut down the trafficking routes -- was there to meet them on arrival. "This is a historic day," Minniti said, according to an interior ministry statement. "For the first time a humanitarian corridor has been opened from Libya towards Europe." The 162 refugees arrived thanks to an agreement between Italy, Libya, the United Nations, and the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), the statement said. "This is just the beginning," Minniti said. "We will continue...fighting illegality and building legality." Italy has borne the brunt of the migrant crisis because its southernmost islands are the first European landfall for migrant vessels crossing the Mediterranean. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 21:53:11|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close COLOMBO, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Two schoolboys were drowned in a river on Monday in the area called Puthukuduiruppu in northern Sri Lanka when they tried to take a selfie in the river, the local police said on Monday. The police told Xinhua that seven schoolboys had reached the river for a picnic bath. Two of them, aged 17, got into the middle of the river to take a selfie. The two boys were caught in the water current and got drowned, and their bodies had been recovered for the conduct of post mortem. Chairman of the National Council for Road Safety Sisira Kodagoda said as many as 35 people have died in trying to get selfies while travelling in trains or standing on railway tracks. "There are fatalities reported when making attempts for selfies in or near reservoirs and rivers. We have to educate people in this regard more and more," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 21:53:11|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close KIEV, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The fresh truce that came into effect in eastern Ukraine on midnight Saturday is largely observed despite minor violations, the conflicting parties said. Vasyl Labay, a government military spokesman, said independence-seeking insurgents have carried out a single attack against government forces at about midday local time (GMT 1000), but it posed no threat to Ukrainian soldiers. Meanwhile, the rebel operational command said the Ukrainian army have violated the cease-fire "several times," without using heavy weapons. There were no reports on the casualties in the conflict since the truce started. The conflict in eastern Ukraine has been underway since April 2014, claiming the lives of more than 10,000 people, including civilians and combatants on both sides. On Wednesday, the Trilateral Contact Group on the settlement of the situation in eastern Ukraine reached an agreement on a fresh round of truce starting from Dec. 23 for civilians to celebrate winter holidays. More than 30 previous rounds of truce efforts have failed, with the two sides accusing each other of cease-fire violations. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 21:58:13|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce on Monday determined to turn China into a "strong economic and trading nation in all respects" by 2050. In the past five years, China's domestic consumption, foreign trade and investment all surpassed most other economies, laying a solid foundation for economic and trade strength, Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan said at a meeting. Before 2020, China should consolidate its position as a large economy and trader. The goal of becoming a strong trading nation should "be basically realized" by 2035 and be accomplished in all respects by 2050, according to Zhong. The minister said efforts should be made to complete the goal in advance, without giving specifics about the meaning of "a strong economic and trading nation." China has remained the world's largest goods exporter and second largest importer for eight straight years. The market share of China's export in the world rose from 10.4 percent in 2011 to 13.2 percent in 2016. China's trade growth has contributed to the global economic and trade recovery, as Chinese products benefit people around the world, while imports help the development of trade partners, according to a statement from the ministry. However, Chinese products rely mainly on quantity and price advantages in international competition, while lacking core competitiveness and added value. China aims to basically realize socialist modernization by 2035 and develop into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful by 2050, according to a report delivered to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 22:08:15|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The first United Nations (UN) meeting on surveying and mapping is to be held in November next year in Deqing of east China's Zhejiang Province, authorities said Monday. It is the highest-level international event on surveying and mapping to be held in China, according to a statement issued after a meeting on the event. UN Under-Secretary-General Liu Zhenmin said that participants will exchange views on the latest achievements in surveying and mapping and deliberate measures supporting the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Proposals are also expected to be raised at the meeting to deal with global challenges in the sector, Liu said. With the evolution of new technologies including satellite navigation and artificial intelligence, UN established the UN Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management in 2011 and launched the highest level governmental coordination mechanism in the sector. The meeting will be sponsored by UN and hosted by China's National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation and the People's Government of Zhejiang Province. Pakistan Foreign Office today clarified that India has not been given consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav . By Indo-Asian News Service: The Pakistan Foreign Office on Monday clarified that India has not been given consular access to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav who is accused of espionage, ahead of his meeting with his wife and mother in Islamabad. Foreign Office spokesperson Muhammad Faisal said the presence of an Indian diplomat during the scheduled meeting between Jadhav and his family does not mean India has been given consular access to Jadhav, on death row in Pakistan. advertisement Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif earlier had said that India had been given consular access to Jadhav, describing it as a "concession". After their arrival from Dubai earlier in the day, Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother Avanti and wife reached the Foreign Office here to meet him. They were accompanied by Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh, and will be allowed to meet him for 30 minutes. They are slated to leave Pakistan later in the day. The roads leading from and to the Foreign Office building have been closed to traffic. A Mumbai-based former naval officer-turned-businessman, Jadhav was arrested on March 3, 2016, and was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism. After persistent demands by New Delhi, the Pakistan government finally permitted the meeting terming it as "purely on humanitarian grounds". India has maintained Jadhav's innocence and said he was kidnapped from Iran where he had gone for handling his businesses after superannuation from the Indian Navy. Despite the death verdict, Pakistan last week reiterated that he was not under a threat of an immediate execution as his mercy petitions were still pending. WATCH | Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother arrive at Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the meet --- ENDS --- Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 22:38:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Eighty Cambodians, mostly rural residents, were killed by lightning strikes in 2017, down 26 percent from the 108 deaths in 2016, a disaster control spokesman said on Monday. Besides the fatalities, thunderbolts also injured 63 others this year, down 40 percent from the 105 injuries last year, said Keo Vy, the spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management. He said although the fatal numbers from lightning strikes had declined, lightning was still the leading cause of deaths among fatalities from natural disasters. "The weather this year was much better than that of last year," he told Xinhua. Lightning happens often during the rainy season from May to October in Cambodia, the spokesman said, adding that to avoid the dangers of lightning strikes, people should stay inside their houses when there is rain. According to Keo Vy, in addition to lightning casualties, storms and flooding had claimed 23 lives and injured 55 others in 2017. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 22:43:25|Editor: Jiaxin Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Li Shengjiang NAIROBI, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Nowadays, one can hardly travel around Africa without noticing the presence of Chinese nationals -- regardless of whether they are tourists, businessmen, peacekeepers, staff members of medical teams, or employees of Chinese-owned enterprises. No matter which African country they are in, or what sort of occupation they are engaged in, they are the practitioners of China's Africa policy of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith. As China approaches the center of the world stage, they are extending the olive branch of friendship to the African people and serving as a driving force behind Africa's development and her dream of rejuvenation. FIGHT AGAINST DISEASES, DISASTERS China is a friend indeed in Africa's fight against diseases and disasters. On Nov. 26, China's naval hospital ship Peace Ark completed its maiden voyage around Africa and departed from the port of Dar es Salaam, the economic capital of Tanzania in East Africa. During its voyage that lasted nearly 100 days and covered 13,000 nautical miles (24,076 km), the Peace Ark provided medical treatment, including 246 surgeries, for 52,000 people in Djibouti, Sierra Leone, Gabon, the Republic of Congo, Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania. To many Africans, the Peace Ark is both a "ship of hope" and "a ship of friendship." In mid-August, sustained torrential rains pounded Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone in West Africa, triggering landslides that claimed the lives of more than 1,000 people. Immediately, local Chinese businesses formed the first foreign rescue team that arrived at the scene. A group of Chinese military medical experts stationed in Sierra Leone followed quickly in rescue missions, providing treatment and taking preventive measures to cut off infectious diseases. PEACEKEEPING China is also Africa's partner in maintaining peace and stability. On Aug. 1, Chinese troops formally entered the military support base in Djibouti, a country in the Horn of Africa. As China's first overseas support base, it facilitates the Chinese military's humanitarian aid and escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia. In South Sudan, Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chinese blue helmets are among the most welcome. Besides fulfilling their missions mandated by the United Nations, they are also doing their best to help local residents solve problems. "China, good!" the Chinese peacekeepers are often greeted with such kind remarks by the local people. INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION To African countries endeavoring to realize social and economic growth, China is also partner that not only gives a fish, but also teaches one how to fish. At the end of May, the Chinese-constructed railway connecting Kenya's capital Nairobi and its eastern port city of Mombasa started operations. The electrified railway that utilizes full Chinese standards has greatly facilitated the travel of Kenyans living along it, having already carried 600,000 passengers with an average attendance rate of about 95 percent. On Nov. 2, West Africa's largest hydropower dam was inaugurated in Soubre, Cote d'Ivoire. The Chinese-built power station sitting astride the Sassandra Rriver is a flagship project of the China-Africa infrastructure and industrial capacity cooperation. It serves to alleviate local power shortages and help create lots of jobs. Speaking at the 29th African Union summit in July, U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed called on African countries to harness the historic opportunity offered in China's Road and Belt Initiative so as to push forward the integration process of the African continent. Ethiopia, which is churning out a miracle of economic growth on the African continent, has often been regarded as following a development path similar with that of China. Some other African countries, including Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and Angola, are also increasingly turning their eyes to China. The African countries that study and learn from the "Chinese path" have generally done better in terms of economic growth than other African countries, says a Financial Times report. Executive Director of Africa Economic Research Consortium Lemma Senbet told Xinhua in a recent interview that China-Africa partnership has been framed around mutual respect and pursuit of common aspirations. The African countries can learn from China as they embark on economic diversification, regional integration and strengthening of political institutions, said Senbet. Proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa on and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes. It comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which is originally composed of one route spanning westward from China to Europe, and the other extending from the country's eastern coastline down to the Indian Ocean. A young man who claims he was injured by an airstrike shows his amputated arms as he lies on a bed at a hospital where he is treated in Sanaa, Yemen November 14, 2017. (Reuters Photo) SANAA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A family of nine members, including five children, were killed on Monday morning when Saudi-led coalition warplanes hit the family's house five times in Yemen's capital Sanaa, residents and a Xinhua photographer at the scene witnessed. "Father, his wife, two women (who are sisters to the father), and five little children were killed on the spot after their house was hit by five missiles fired from fighter jets of the Saudi-led coalition," Xinhua photographer reported. Rescuers and medics said five other people from nearby houses were critically wounded. Residents said the targeted family's small house is located inside a cemetery near a densely populated neighborhood. Several houses in the area were badly damaged. The residents said the father was working as a guard of the cemetery, which contains graves of Egyptian soldiers who were killed in 1962 when they helped Yemenis in their revolution against Imamate regime. Last week, the Saudi-led coalition airstrikes killed ten women in central Yemen's province of Marib, according to a provincial security official and medics. The women were killed as the bus carrying them while returning home from a wedding party was hit by the air attack. On Dec. 13, the coalition launched seven airstrikes on a prison inside a police camp in Houthis-held capital Sanaa, killing 31 prisoners and wounding 59 others, according to Houthis-controlled state Saba news agency. The Saudi-led coalition has intervened in the Yemeni conflict since March 2015 to roll back the Houthi rebels and support the internationally recognized President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was forced into exile by the Houthis. The war has killed over 10,000 Yemenis, mostly children, and displaced 3 million others, creating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 22:53:26|Editor: Jiaxin Video Player Close COLOMBO, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Russia agreed to lift the restriction on the imports of agriculture products including tea from Sri Lanka from Dec. 30, a Sri Lankan minister here said on Monday. The official delegation from the Sri Lanka Tea Board met with the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance on Monday to discuss the temporary restriction imposed by Russia on imports of plant-origin products from Sri Lanka. Russia imposed temporary restriction on such imports after an insect called the Khapra beetle was found in a consignment of tea from Sri Lanka earlier this month. Sri Lankan Plantation Industries Minister Navin Dissanayake told Xinhua that Russia agreed to lift the restriction from Dec. 30. "We sent our team to Russia. The team was able to convince the Russian side of our position. Accordingly, the Russian authorities agreed to remove the restriction. It will be a major boost to our tea industry," he said. Tea accounts for nearly 80 percent of Sri Lanka's exports to Russia. Sri Lanka has exported 114.18 million U.S. dollars worth of Ceylon Tea to Russia from January to August this year, according to the data released by the Sri Lankan Industry and Commerce Ministry. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 22:58:28|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MOSCOW, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- At least four people were killed and nine others were injured after a bus drove into a pedestrian underpass in western Moscow on Monday, Russia's Interior Ministry said. The Interior Ministry's Moscow division said in a statement that considered causes of the incident include "failure of the driver to control the vehicle or a malfunction of the vehicle." The driver has been detained and is now being interrogated by police, it said. Currently, investigators and traffic police are working at the scene. "According to the driver, the bus, while being at a bus stop, suddenly began to move independently despite the driver's attempts to stop it because the braking system did not work," the Russian Investigative Committee said in a separate statement. The committee has launched criminal proceedings on the grounds of "providing services that fail to meet security requirements and violation of traffic and vehicle operation rules." Sergei Sobyanin, mayor of Moscow, tweeted, "We rendered urgent assistance. I sympathized with the relatives and friends of the victims." Earlier in the day, media outlets and the Interior Ministry's Moscow division said five were killed in the incident. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 22:58:28|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close The graphic shows the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee made public a regulation to promote transparency in Party affairs Monday. (Xinhua/Shi Manke) BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee made public a regulation to promote transparency in Party affairs Monday,the first CPC regulation on disclosure of Party affairs. Transparency in Party affairs is "a great measure" in implementing the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the CPC, firmly upholding full and strict governance over the Party and improving the Party's ability to govern and lead, said the CPC Central Committee in a statement. Party organizations are required to disclose affairs concerning the Party leadership and Party building among the CPC members or outside the Party in accordance with rules, according to the regulation. Party organizations' implementation of the Party's basic theory, line, and policy, their leadership over economic and social development, and efforts to strictly govern the Party and strengthen Party building shall be generally made public, along with information about the organizations' function and structure, it said. However, promoting transparency in Party affairs should not pose a threat to political, economic, military, cultural, social, homeland security and the safety of the people, the regulation warned. The regulation specifies which content should be released by Party organizations at different levels. Central Party organizations should make public Party theories, lines, principles and policies, decisions and plans of Party and state governance, speeches and instructions by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, and important meetings, activities and appointment and removal of officials by the CPC Central Committee, among others. Local Party organizations should publicize plans on local economic and social development, major reform events, and responses to major emergencies, according to the regulation. Local Party organizations are also asked to reveal how they are fulfilling their responsibility to exercise strict Party self-governance in every respect, as well as major conferences, events and official appointments and removals, it said. Primary-level Party organizations are required to release information about their goals, plans and implementation of major tasks, as well as their political education, general election, and management of regular membership dues, it said. The regulation stipulated that Party organs for discipline inspection should publicize cases involving violations of CPC Central Committee discipline and punishment of officials who severely breach rules or neglect their duties. Party committees at and above the county level and their discipline inspection organs are required to establish and improve the spokesman system and hold regular press conferences to release Party affairs in a timely manner, said the regulation. Promotion of transparency in Party affairs was first put forward by the CPC at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee in 2004. It was added to the Party Constitution in 2007. The CPC Constitution states that "Party organizations at all levels shall practice transparency in Party affairs in accordance with regulations, helping Party members to be better informed of internal Party affairs and enabling them greater opportunity to participate." In July 2009, the central Party affairs disclosure work leading group was set up in Beijing. Two months later, the Party passed a document at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee, stressing efforts toward transparency in Party affairs. Previous documents on making public Party affairs mainly targeted local and primary-level Party organizations, while the new regulation included requirements for central Party organizations, showing the Party's confidence and openness, and the CPC Central Committee's duty to take the lead, said an unidentified official with the General Office of the CPC Central Committee. The regulation embodies the Party's confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and is conducive to strengthening the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee and encouraging intra-Party democracy, the official said. The regulation is of great importance to forming an improved system of intra-Party regulations by the time when the CPC celebrates its 100th anniversary, the official said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 23:03:29|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers have called for more people-oriented approaches to improve work on cultural heritage. During panel discussions on Monday afternoon, legislators discussed a report on cultural heritage work submitted to the ongoing bi-monthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), which runs till Wednesday. While acknowledging progress in the work, especially in protection, some were concerned about the distance between the protection and the people, and expected the work to be more people-oriented. "In a lot of places, antiques are stored but not exhibited," said Yang Bangjie, member of the NPC Standing Committee. "It makes it hard for us to appreciate the antiques and do research, as many of them cannot be approached and inventories are obscure." Wang Gang, another member of the Standing Committee, compared China with Europe, where the interpretation of cultural heritage is often combined with that of things such as philosophy, technological evolution and history, but in China people, especially youngsters, are seemingly more interested in the value of the antiques. He believed that while the protection of cultural heritage is the top priority, its ultimate goal is to place cultural heritage deep inside people's hearts. "Efforts are required to convert the achievements of the protection into social human value in people's spiritual lives," he said. For He Yehui, China should use the various forces in society, as merely counting on the spending of the government is far from enough. "The central government, local authorities, society, communities and every single person should play their parts," she said. She was echoed by Iong Weng Ian from Macao, deputy to the NPC, who seconded the idea of making better use of social resources. "Hopefully, we'll take them into further consideration, whether they're from the Chinese mainland or overseas Chinese," she said. "Many overseas Chinese are actually keen on making their own contributions to the protection of Chinese antiques." Her calls went in line with the report, which suggested further cooperation with other countries and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao to enhance the country's "soft power" and the influence of Chinese culture. According to the report, China's international exchanges in cultural heritage are gaining momentum, with nearly 300 exhibitions of Chinese antiques held abroad, and more than 100 foreign exhibitions held in China over the past five years. Furthermore, China has signed bilateral treaties or memorandums of understanding on cooperation on cultural heritage with 50 countries. The report also included numbers on cultural heritage work in China. Over 12,000 trafficked antiques have been seized by Chinese customs since 2013. Some 48,000 people have been trained to inherit intangible cultural heritage in China. The Ministry of Culture has also set up 21 state-level pilot areas for the protection of cultural ecology, and provinces have set up 146 on their level, according to the report. Since 2013, the central government has spent about 65.6 billion yuan (10 billion U.S. dollars) on protecting cultural heritage, the report said. Chinese Minister of Culture Luo Shugang delivered the report on Saturday. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 23:08:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Huang Zhixian has been elected president of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots (ACFTC), according to a statement released Monday. The statement was released following a four-day session of the 10th national congress of Taiwan compatriots. Huang, born in 1956, is also a member of Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League. The statement said the congress also resulted in the election of a new 100-member council for the ACFTC and a new 33-member standing council. It said the ACFTC will continue to enhance its capacity to accomplish its mission of winning the support of Taiwan people, endeavor to achieve national reunification and the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation. The congress was attended by over 300 representatives of Taiwan compatriots from across the country. It deliberated and approved the report of the ninth ACFTC council, and adopted an amendment to the ACFTC Constitution. Established in December 1981, the ACFTC consists mainly of native Taiwanese residing on the Chinese mainland. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 23:23:33|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TEHRAN, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Supreme Court of Iran has approved the death sentence on an Iranian researcher over spying for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, Tehran Times reported on Monday. Ahmad Reza Jalali, the convict, had admitted that he had eight meetings with Mossad's agents and that he had received money in return, Tehran Prosecutor Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi was quoted as saying. Jalali had passed information to Mossad agents about projects related to the Defense Ministry and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), including information about the AEOI plants, the ministry's plans and blueprints of important buildings belonging to the ministry and the AEOI, the prosecutor said. He had also provided Mossad with the names and information of top executives of the AEOI and the Defense Ministry, Jafari-Dolatabadi said, adding that according to Jalali's confessions, he had used flash memories to gather information from the individuals' computers. "The aforementioned person provided (to the Mossad intelligence agency) complete and documented information about 30 top figures working on research, military, defense and nuclear projects, including the two martyred, Ali Mohammadi and (Mohammad) Shahriari" in 2010, he said. The convict was given money and was granted a Swedish citizenship for himself and his family in exchange for the information, he added. The prosecutor also said Jalali's death sentence was upheld by Supreme Court on Dec. 2, 2017. Jalali, who has been in prison since April 2016, was shown on national TV earlier this month confessing to providing information to Mossad about Iranian military and nuclear scientists, including two who were assassinated in 2010, according to the report. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 23:33:36|Editor: Jiaxin Video Player Close BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- There has been a 12 percent increase in the number of companies registered in Brunei in the third quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, the central bank's latest policy statement said. According to the statement from Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD), Brunei's central bank, the increase is due to the reforms in the country's business infrastructure and improvements in the economic climate. The tourism sector, under the services sector, also recorded encouraging growth, experiencing a 25.7 percent increase in the second quarter (Q2) of 2017 compared to Q2 2016. The policy statement further added that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in constant prices expanded 0.7 percent year-on-year (y-o-y) in Q2 2017, recovering from a 1.7 percent y-o-y contraction in Q1 2017. The oil and gas sector expanded by 1.1 percent y-o-y at constant prices, supported mainly by the increase in the manufacture of liquefied natural gas and methanol by 11.4 percent y-o-y. Meanwhile, the non-oil and gas sector also increased by 0.1 percent y-o-y in Q2 2017, mostly contributed by growth in the manufacture of food and beverage products by 13.5 percent y-o-y. Ongoing diversification efforts of the economy include the attraction of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs); expansion of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs); the development of economic clusters; and the improvement of the business climate. In 2017, the sultanate received significant committed investment from China's Hengyi Industries Company totalling 3.445 billion U.S dollars for the first phase of the development of an oil refinery and aromatics plant. The downstream petrochemical, oil and gas industry is expected to expand rapidly with the onset of this project's second phase. Several FDI projects have been realised through the setting up of food manufacturing factories such as Western Food and Packaging, Saahtain Asia and also in the services sector through the Muara Port Company. Meanwhile, Brunei was listed as the world's most improved country in the Doing Business 2018 report released by the World Bank, with its ranking improving from 72nd to 56th. People attend a candlelit vigil to mourn the victims of Manchester terror attack at Albert Square in Manchester, Britain on May 23, 2017. On Monday night, a suicide terror attack took place at Manchester Arena at the end of a pop concert, killing at least 22 people, several of whom were children, while injuring 59 others. (Xinhua/Han Yan) LONDON, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- British Queen Elizabeth II on Monday paid tribute to the terrorist attack survivors in the country and those killed in the deadly Grenfell Tower fire in her Christmas message. "This Christmas, I think of London and Manchester, whose powerful identities shone through over the past 12 months in the face of appalling attacks," said the monarch. The 91-year-old praised the emergency service workers who risked their lives to save others during the Manchester attack, where 22 were killed and some 120 others injured. In her televised address, the queen said the "powerful identities" of London and Manchester had managed to come to the fore despite the "appalling attacks" this year. In March, the Westminster Bridge terrorist attack saw four pedestrians and a police officer killed, while eight others were killed when three terrorists in a vehicle ploughed into bystanders on London Bridge and then embarked on a knife rampage in Borough Market in June. The queen also mentioned the horrific Grenfell Tower blaze which killed 71 people, calling it "sheer awfulness". Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-26 00:08:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BANGKOK, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- An estimated 240,000 rubber pillows made in Thailand are expected to be exported to China on a yearly basis, said an official of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. Thailand's rubber pillows are made by rubber planters under the Network of Rubber Planters Institutes of Thailand, said Suphat Eawchai, the official attached to the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. The Network of Rubber Planters Institutes of Thailand has recently signed an agreement with China's Sichuan Kennan Trading Co. to supply rubber pillows to China, Suphat said. Sichuan Kennan Trading Co. has already placed orders for 20,000 rubber pillows monthly or about 240,000 rubber pillows on a yearly basis, he said. The Thai government has also instructed relevant institutions to promote the use of rubber in bid to boost its lowered prices, such as using rubber as the coating of asphalt roads throughout the country. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-26 00:13:45|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government officially launched the Construction Industry Transformation Council on Monday in a bid to add new impetus to the country's growing construction sector. The council, to be chaired by the Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, has brought together government ministries and stakeholders from public and private entities. It is expected to serve as a consultative platform. Aisha Mohammed, Ethiopian Construction Minister, said during the launching ceremony on Monday that the council "will immensely contribute to the sector's sustainable development through the development of new ideas, policies and recommendations regarding the current state of the construction industry in the country." As Ethiopia's construction sector keeps expanding, with its contribution to the east African country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) currently standing at around 9 percent, the newly established council is expected to tackle major challenges affecting the sector's general development. "The council will serve as an impetus towards the sustainable development of our country's construction industry," Aisha said. Construction sector contractors, regional administrative officials, city mayors, and professional associations are also said to be part of the council. The draft bill for the establishment of the council was ratified by the Ethiopian council of ministers in October. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-26 00:28:47|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with his Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 25, 2017. Rabbani is here to attend a China-Afghanistan-Pakistan foreign ministers' meeting. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani in Beijing on Monday, who is here to attend a China-Afghanistan-Pakistan foreign ministers' meeting. Calling Afghanistan an important partner in the Belt and Road Initiative, Wang said China hopes to synergize its development strategy with Afghanistan, and expand cooperation. China expects to see a wide and inclusive political reconciliation process in Afghanistan led and owned by the Afghan people, he said. The trilateral foreign ministers' meeting, the first of its kind, is scheduled in Beijing on Tuesday. Wang said the meeting aims to set up a communication platform for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and boost trilateral cooperation. He called on the two countries to build trust, enhance understanding and improve ties. Calling China a forever and reliable parter of Afghanistan, Rabbani said Afghanistan is ready to actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, and enhance cooperation with China in such areas as interconnectivity, infrastructure and energy. He expected to cement political trust through the trilateral foreign ministers' meeting, and jointly respond to development and security challenges. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-26 00:43:49|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BISHKEK, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A member of the international terrorist organization has been detained in Kyrgyzstan, the press service of the State Committee for National Security reported on Monday. The Security Services of Kyrgyzstan reported that the detainee, a 27-year-old citizen, was in the ranks of the international terrorist organization, where he underwent terrorist training and took an active part in military operations against Syrian government troops. On the instructions of terrorist organization's leaders, the detainee arrived in Kyrgyzstan to commit sabotage and subversive actions and form new channels for the transfer of militants from Kyrgyzstan to Syria. At present, the investigative bodies of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan have initiated a criminal case on participation of a Kyrgyz citizen in military conflicts or military actions on the territory of a foreign state. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-26 01:23:55|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RABAT, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Morocco has dismantled nine terror cells in 2017, which represents a significant decrease in the number of busted terror cells compared to the last few years. In 2015, security services in the north African kingdom broke up 21 terror cells and 19 in 2016, according to statistics from Morocco's counter-terrorism agency, the Central Bureau for Judicial Investigations (BCIJ). The number of terror suspects has also declined drastically in 2017. The number of arrested people does not reach 200 this year, while it exceeded 275 in 2015 and 2016. The latest counterterrorism operations took place Monday in the southern Souss-Massa region. According to Le360.ma news site, four people were arrested over suspected links to terror organizations in the three-city raid. However, the most serious threat posed by the busted cells this year came from a cell that was busted in the northern city of Fez last October. On Oct. 14, Morocco announced the arrest of 11 people with suspected links to the Islamic State (IS) group, saying their cell was planning attacks in sensitive areas in coordination with an affiliate of IS. Authorities deemed the cell as "extremely dangerous." During a heavy police raid, firearms, ammunition, knives, gas canisters and chemical products used in bomb-making were seized. In less than a month, police arrested 6 terror suspects in two separate counter-terrorism operations in Fez, tourist destination and spiritual center. In a recent interview with Morocco's official MAP news agency, Abdelhak Khiame, director of BCIJ, ascribed the decline in terror cells busting to Morocco's proactive security approach, which is part of a larger multidimensional counter terrorism efforts. He also warned of the threats posed by returning battle-hardened foreign fighters, noting that Morocco has since 2015 arrested 92 Moroccans returning fighters, including 20 fighters in 2017. Morocco's counter terrorism bureau estimates the number of Moroccans who have joined terror groups in the Middle East since the eruption of the conflicts in Iraq and Syria to total 1,660. According to the same estimations, some 596 of those fighters are believed to be killed during the fights. Morocco adopts strict approach regarding returning fighters. A Moroccan terrorism law criminalizes joining armed groups, therefore returning fighters are systematically arrested. Morocco was hit by terrorism twice. On May 16, 2003, the Moroccan economic capital of Casablanca was rocked by a suicide bombing, killing 40 Moroccans. In 2011, terror attack targeted a cafe in Marrakesh's main tourist center of Jamaa El Fna, leaving 17 Moroccans and foreign nationals dead. Since the first attack, the north African kingdom has directed major efforts to counter terrorism through security operations, religious training and human development. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-26 01:53:59|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DUBAI, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Emirates Airline said Monday it will stop flight services between Tunis and Dubai "as instructed by the Tunisian authorities," state news agency WAM reported. The suspension of flights will be effective from Monday, said the report. The international carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said the suspension was in place "until further notice." Media reports in Tunisia and the UAE indicated that the row started after Emirates banned last week a number of Tunisian women in Tunis from boarding a Dubai-bound plane due to "security issues." Sudan's President Omer Al Bashir welcomes Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Khartoum Airport, Sudan December 24, 2017. (Reuters Photo) KHARTOUM, Dec. 25 (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| 2017-12-26 02:54:07|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RIYADH, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Around 20 Saudi Arabian princes and officials accused of corruption were released after accepting financial settlement, local media reported Monday. Among those released were a former official of the Finance Ministry and a number of businessmen, an advisor to the Saudi government was quoted by the Sabq online news website as saying. More people are expected to be freed soon as part of the government's pledge to end the country's largest corruption case in history that has attracted attention worldwide. The Saudi government officially announced early this month that 159 individuals were arrested over corruption charges. Most of them have agreed on financial settlement. Early last month, local media reported that 11 princes and 38 sitting or former ministers were arrested over corruption charges. The arrest orders were issued by a panel formed by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The panel also announced that it is reopening the case of the 2009 Jeddah deadly floods and investigating the case related to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Coronavirus. The panel summoned 320 individuals to provide more information, while detaining a number of suspects. It has also frozen 376 bank accounts of the detainees or related persons. (FILES) This file picture taken on November 28, 2016 shows Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) shaking hands during a joint press conference after signing bilateral agreements at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem. (AFP PHOTO) JERUSALEM, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Guatemala's President Jimmy Morales on Monday for deciding to move his country's embassy to Jerusalem. Morales said in a post on his official Facebook page that he decided to transfer the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem after talking with Netanyahu. His move echoes U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to relocate the U.S. embassy, which triggered an international dispute. "God bless you, my friend, President Jimmy Morales, God bless both our countries, Israel and Guatemala," Netanyahu said in a weekly meeting with his Likud party. Netanyahu said that during their telephone talk, he told Morales that other countries are expected to follow the U.S. and recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and announce the transfer of their embassies to it. "Well, here is the second country and I reiterate: It is only the beginning and it is important," Netanyahu said. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on December 6 that his country recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital, revising a decade-long White House policy and triggering condemnations from Arab countries and U.S. allies. Last week, 128 member-state of the United Nations General Assembly voted in favor of a resolution calling the U.S. to withdraw its decision. Guatemala voted against the resolution together with the U.S., Honduras, and the Pacific island states of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, and Palau. Israel seized East Jerusalem together with the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the 1967 war. Shortly later, it annexed East Jerusalem, proclaiming it as its "indivisible capital," in a move never recognized internationally prior to Trump's announcement. The Indian security forces today gunned down three Pakistan Army soldiers along the LoC at Rawlakot sector's Rakhchikri. By India Today Web Desk: If the Pakistan media is to be believed, the Indian Army today gunned down three Pakistan Army soldiers along the LoC at Rawlakot sector's Rakhchikri. According to reports, one Pakistan Army soldier has also been grievously injured in the firing. The Pakistani army's publicity wing, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), posted on its website that Indian soldiers killed three Pakistani troopers 'in act of unprovoked fire.' advertisement "India initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation along LoC at Rakhchikri, Rawlakot sector. Three soldiers embraced shahadat (died).One injured," the post reads. The Rawlakote sector is in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. --- ENDS --- Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-26 03:34:11|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close CAIRO, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel-Aati stressed on Monday the importance of reaching a fair deal on the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD), official MENA news agency reported. Egypt will not be a party to any agreement that does not preserve its water rights and interests, Abdel-Aati told lawmakers. He underlined that the talks are now focused on the declaration of principles deal that was signed two years ago. The minister announced that Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry will head to Ethiopia this week before a visit planned by his Sudanese counterpart to Egypt next week as part of the negotiations aiming at reaching a deal concerning the Ethiopian dam. Egypt is worried about its annual share of 55.5 billion cubic meters of the Nile River water amid the GERD's rapid construction. Egypt's ties with Ethiopia have seen ups and downs since the latter started the dam project in April 2011 as the Arab country has been suffering from turmoil following an uprising that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak. When President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi took office in 2014, he showed understanding of Ethiopia's aspiration for development through the GERD that would produce around 6,000 megawatts of electricity to the country. In March 2015, the leaders of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan signed an initial cooperation deal on the principles of sharing the Nile River water and the construction of the GERD, which will be Africa's largest dam upon completion. Earlier in 2010, an agreement was signed among some Nile Basin states in Uganda's Entebbe about the sharing of the Nile River water, but it was rejected by Egypt and its downstream partner Sudan, citing the deal affects their usual annual share of the Nile water. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-26 03:49:14|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close by Jamal Hashim BAGHDAD, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The hard-won victory in 2017 over the terror group Islamic State (IS) by Iraq is overshadowed by a growing conflict with the Kurds following a controversial independence referendum. In early 2017, Iraqi forces advanced into the city of Mosul, IS' de facto capital, after grueling fighting with IS militants armed with booby-traps, snipers and suicide bombers. On July 10, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, formally declared full liberation of Mosul, after nine months of fierce fighting. The recapturing of Mosul was a great victory and turning point in the Iraqi anti-terrorism war, as it symbolized the collapse of IS. After the liberation of Mosul, Iraqi forces launched several offensives to dislodge IS militants from remaining smaller redoubts in Tal Afar area near Mosul, Hawijah Pocket in southwestern Kirkuk, al-Qaim and Rawa areas near the border with Syria in the western province of Anbar. On Dec. 9, Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants, sealing a final victory in the three-year war. "I announce to the Iraqi people and all the world that our forces have reached the last redoubts of Daesh (IS) and have raised the Iraqi flag over areas of western Anbar (province) which was the last occupied land by IS," Abadi said in a televised speech. But there are still small groups of IS militants hiding in urban areas as sleeper cells or fled to deserts and rugged areas to seek a safe haven. They are still capable of carrying out attacks from time to time against the security forces and civilians. INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM TURNS DISPUTE INTO CONFLICT For years after the U.S. invasion into Iraq in 2003, the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq has been at odds with the Iraqi central government over wealth distribution and lands outside the region. The Kurds consider the northern oil-rich province of Kirkuk and parts of Nineveh, Diyala and Salahudin provinces as the "disputed areas" which they want to be incorporated into their Kurdish region, a move fiercely opposed by the Arabs and Turkomans living there and by Baghdad. The ethnically mixed Kirkuk province, located in the south of the Kurdish region, is rich in oil resources and has a population of estimated 1, 25 million. It has been controlled by the Peshmerga since 2014. The dispute between Baghdad and the region escalated into conflict after the Sept. 25 referendum that approved the independence of the Kurdistan region and the disputed areas. But the Kurds later lost the battle of Kirkuk, as the independence move is opposed by most countries, especially by Iraq's neighbors such as Turkey, Iran and Syria, which fear it will threaten their own territorial integrity, as a large population of Kurds live in those countries. On Oct. 16, Abadi ordered government forces to enter the oil-rich Kirkuk province and took control of the city of Kirkuk, as well as key military sites and oilfields. This undermined the Kurds' hope of creating a viable independent state, forcing Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani to show conciliatory signals, including freezing the outcome of the referendum. But Abadi said Baghdad will accept only cancelation of the controversial vote before any negotiation between the two sides could begin. There have been catastrophic consequences for the Kurdish region after the referendum as the Kurds lost much of their gains that they got, especially after the 2003 Iraqi war launched by the U.S. The defeat in Kirkuk put Barzani under high pressure, as many Kurds and Barzani's rival political parties held him responsible for the loss. On Oct. 29, Barzani told the Kurdish parliament in a letter he was to step down as president of the Kurdish region from Nov. 1. Iraq's Supreme Federal Court on Nov. 20 issued a verdict, ruling the referendum as "unconstitutional." INTERNAL RIFT SURFACES IN KURDISTAN FOLLOWING BARZANI'S RESIGNATION Soon after Barzani's resignation, his frustrated supporters attacked and looted offices of Kurdish political parties opposed to Barzani in Duhok province, while other protesters stormed the Kurdish parliament building when it met to approve Barzani's resignation. The political division and economic crisis led hundreds of Kurds to take to streets on Dec. 18 in several cities and towns in Sulaimaniyah province in northeastern Iraq. The protests turned violent later as some demonstrators attacked the offices of all five Kurdish political parties, and set fire to the office of the ruling Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP), headed by Barzani. Five people were killed and more than 100 others were wounded during violent clashes between Kurdish protesters and security forces. On Dec. 20, two Kurdish parties, Gorran and the Islamic Group of Kurdistan (Komela), decided to withdraw from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Kurdish Parliament Speaker Yousif Mohammed, from Gorran Movement, also decided to quit after a demand by his party. However, it is widely expected that Abadi will continue to take measures against the Kurdish region to strip it of more power. The negotiations between Baghdad and Erbil are expected to start in the coming year to resolve the referendum crisis, as Iraq will hold national elections on May 12. The future of the Baghdad-Erbil standoff largely depends on the new generation of Kurdish leaders after the death of the veteran Jalal Talabani and the resignation of Barzani. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny speaks to the media outside the Central Election Commission in Moscow on December 25, 2017. (AFP Photo) MOSCOW, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) on Monday denied opposition leader Alexei Navalny the right to participate in the 2018 presidential election due to his criminal conviction. Under Russian legislation, if someone is found guilty of a crime, he or she will not be eligible to bid for the presidency, CEC head Ella Pamfilova said in a video of the commission's meeting published on Navalny's personal website. Russian media reports confirmed the election ban on the 41-year-old lawyer, citing CEC member Boris Ebzeyev. "We declare an electoral strike," Navalny said in a separate video on his website, calling his supporters throughout the country to persuade people to boycott the election and organize monitoring at the polling stations to prevent falsification. In February, a Russian court found Navalny guilty of embezzlement at a timber company and gave him a five-year suspended sentence. But he said he was innocent and the sentence was politically motivated and aimed at preventing him from continuing his political activities. Navalny, the founder of an anti-corruption foundation, often publicly criticized the Kremlin and announced his intention late last year to run for the presidency in 2018. Russia will hold its presidential election on March 18 next year. Several politicians, including President Vladimir Putin, said they will take part in the once-in-six-years race. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-26 04:29:19|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close CAIRO, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian army announced Monday that its troops have killed 12 terrorists in the terror-hit Sinai Peninsula in the past days. The Egyptian army launched several anti-terror operations in central and northern Sinai in cooperation with the Egyptian Air Force, the army's spokesman said in a statement. A terrorist was arrested during the operations in Sinai, where eight hideouts were discovered, the statement said. A motorcycle, an explosive charge and weapons were seized by the army, it added. The operations were conducted as part of the intensified efforts by the Egyptian armed forces to eradicate terrorism. Egypt has been fighting against a wave of terrorism that has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the military toppled former Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in 2013. Terror attacks used to be centered in North Sinai before spreading nationwide and targeting the Coptic Christian minority as well. Most of the attacks were claimed by a Sinai-based terror group loyal to the regional militant group Islamic State (IS). The Egyptian military and police have also killed hundreds of militants and arrested a similar number of suspects as part of the country's anti-terror war. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-26 04:59:25|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Photo taken on Dec. 22, 2017 shows theUnited Nations Security Council voting on a resolution on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) at the UN headquarters in New York. The United Nations Security Council on Friday adopted a resolution to tighten sanctions against the DPRK. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) by Xinhua writer Wang Jiangang UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Looking back on the year of 2017, the United Nations, while trying hard to uphold international peace and security and committed to global governance, has withstood strains of severe traditional and non-traditional challenges and threats. In the face of multiple unprecedented challenges and threats as well as snowballing difficulties of global governance, the vast majority of the UN member states are rallying around the lofty ideal: making the world a better and safer place to live. TOP CONCERN: TENSIONS ON KOREAN PENINSULA In addition to augmenting traditional challenges and threats, non-traditional ones functioning as terrorism and extremism, nuclear crisis, trans-boundary crimes, refugee crisis, drug trafficking, climate change, cyber security and other global problems are running rampant, posing severe threats and challenges to the world. Among them, the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula has been recognized as the top security concern of the year, disturbing the relations among major powers. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have reached an unprecedented level in 2017 due to a nuclear test and multiple missile launches by the DPRK and constant U.S.-South Korea joint military drills. The crisis has also been worsened by the exchange of personal insults and confrontational rhetoric raising the specter of war between the United States and the DPRK. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Dec. 15 that he was deeply concerned over the risk of military confrontation on the Korean Peninsula. Describing the situation on the Korean Peninsula as "the most tense and dangerous peace and security issue in the world today," he warned: "Any military action would have devastating and unpredictable consequences." In 2017, the DPRK conducted activities related to its nuclear and ballistic missile programs "at an alarming and accelerated pace," he said, adding that over the year, the DPRK conducted 20 ballistic missile launches. On Sept. 3, the DPRK conducted its sixth nuclear explosive test, involving what it claimed was a "two-stage thermo-nuclear weapon," he added. UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey David Feltman visited the DPRK on Dec. 5-8, the first in-depth political exchange of views between the UN Secretariat and officials in Pyongyang in almost eight years. But the visit seemed to have produced little positive results. In response to the crisis, the Security Council has once and again called emergency meetings over the year to discuss ways and means in the hope to contain the development of the situation. The Security Council on Dec. 22 unanimously approved new sanctions targeting DPRK's economy following the launch of a ballistic missile on Nov. 29 that the DPRK said it could target the entire continental U.S. The new restrictions were meant to slash the DPRK's imports of refined petroleum products, further restrict shipping and impose a 24-month deadline for expatriate the DPRK's workers to be sent home. The secretary-general welcomed the continued unity of the Security Council, which is essential to achieve the goal of denuclearization and create the space for diplomatic initiatives aimed at achieving it in a peaceful manner. MANIFOLD OTHER CHALLENGES, THREATS UN statistics show that an unprecedented 65.6 million people around the world have been forced from home. Among them are nearly 22.5 million refugees, over half of whom are under the age of 18. There are also 10 million stateless people who have been denied a nationality and access to basic rights such as education, healthcare, employment and freedom of movement. In a world where nearly 20 people are forcibly displaced every minute as a result of conflict or persecution, said the UN Refugee Agency. The world's fastest growing refugee crisis evolved in Myanmar. Driven by violence and human rights abuse, more than 600,000 stateless Rohingya fled to Bangladesh, where the fragile infrastructure is overwhelmed. The UN scaled up emergency aid and called on Myanmar to end military operations against the Rohingya. In Yemen, 8.5 million people are on the brink of the world's largest famine in modern times. Water and sanitation systems are all but destroyed, sparking a deadly cholera outbreak. The UN sent in emergency supplies and urged all parties not to block civilians from humanitarian aid. Four famines, in Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and Nigeria, are the result of unresolved conflicts exacerbated by droughts and missed harvests. In the deadliest attack on a UN peacekeeping mission in decades, 14 Tanzanian peacekeepers lost their lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. "It is another indication of the enormous sacrifices made by troop contributing countries in the service of global peace," said the UN chief. In Syria, six years of conflict have left 250,000 people dead and 5 million displaced. Temporary ceasefires were brokered and the UN's special envoy for Syria has been working tirelessly to bring the parties to the negotiating table and for an end to the war. Almost 100,000 migrants crossed the Mediterranean Sea in 2017, and more than 3,000 have drowned. Most are fleeing poverty and conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa. More than a million people were waiting for a passage in Libya, caught in an endless cycle of abuse, exploitation and even slavery. Around the world, 130 million girls are still not going to school, which is unacceptable, said UN Messenger of Peace Malala Yousafzai. "If we want to go forward, we have to give education to girls and once you educate girls, you change the whole community; you change the whole society," said the 19-year-old Malala. Shortly after the UN first Ocean Conference, a series of mega hurricanes cut a trail of destruction through the Caribbean. On some islands like Dominica, hardly a tree or house was left standing. Scientists have already seen strong evidence that climate change magnified the strength of the storms and other natural disasters. Therefore, the UN called on countries to speed up the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement. At the end of the year, global anti-terrorist pressure has not been alleviated by the disintegration of the Islamic State, UN said. Terrorism in new forms is emerging in the "Post-Islamic Era," and global counter-terrorism faces new problems. From suicide bomb attacks to storming of cities, from random attacks to the use the Internet, terrorist groups are developing themselves by making use of the divergence of the interests among countries, posing cutting challenges to the anti-terrorist abilities of all countries. In June, the UN restructured its anti-terrorist architecture and set up a UN anti-terrorism office to coordinate a global effort to prevent violent extremism and other root causes of terror. Strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation has become an international consensus, said the UN chief. CHINA: MAINSTAY OF GLOBAL GOVERNANCE In the face of accumulating threats and challenges, especially in the maintenance of unity of the United Nations, China has always paid attention to strengthening communications with other Security Council members and UN member states to effectively embody the concept of "wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits." China respects and takes care of the concerns of developing countries and practices the right approach to justice and interests. China has played an objective, just and responsible role for developing countries. The establishment of "a community with shared future for mankind" is a major innovation in China's diplomacy and has produced a broad and far-reaching international impact, observers say. On Feb. 10, the concept of "a community with shared future for mankind" was first written into a UN resolution. On Nov. 1, the concept was reloaded into two UN resolutions. Izumi Nakamitsu, UN under-secretary-general and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, said that the UN welcomes China's strong commitment of multilateral diplomacy, which is the "community of shared future for mankind." "The reference of 'shared common future,' I think it is a commitment that China is making globally to multinationalism in general," she said. "China will continue to play a very critical role in terms of how they work with other nations in the platform of multilateralism, one very important platform for that is the United Nations," she added. EMBRACE FUTURE AMID HOPES Since taking office on Jan. 3, Guterres has been busy shuttling between countries, practising "good offices" among conflicting parties, attending international meetings now and then, and once and again urging countries to join efforts to realize the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Over the year, he has been making tireless efforts to make sweeping changes to the UN in hope of forging a "more effective, flexible and responsible" world body to manage the crisis of the 21st century. However, because of the contrasting interests of different countries and the diverse cultures, religions and ideologies, UN reform cannot be achieved overnight, observers say. The United Nations, the 72-year-old world body, is bidding farewell to another extraordinary year. Observers have happily found that while facing common challenges and threats, the vast majority of UN member states have shown unprecedented consensus at such world concerns as nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, climate change, fighting terrorism and extremism and other major threats and challenges. Although the unilateralism thoughts displayed by the United States are worrisome to some extent, observers say, solidarity and unity of the UN are gaining momentum. This undoubtedly is bringing new hopes to the United Nations, which still has a long way to go. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-26 05:04:26|Editor: Jiaxin Video Player Close SKOPJE, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Venko Filipce was elected on Monday as new health minister of Macedonia, replacing Arben Taravari who resigned from this post in early October to run for mayor of Gostivar. Filipce was elected in a special plenary session, garnering 62 votes in favor, one abstention and none against. In his remarks in the parliament, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said the government had proposed neurosurgeon Filipce to take up the post of health minister, believing in his capacities to do the best for this sector. MPs also elected Aksel Ahmedovski as minister of state in charge of implementing Roma Inclusion Strategy, succeeding Samka Ibraimovski who resigned last week to keep the post of MP. by Xinhua writer Wang Jiangang UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Looking back on the year of 2017, the United Nations, while trying hard to uphold international peace and security and committed to global governance, has withstood strains of severe traditional and non-traditional challenges and threats. In the face of multiple unprecedented challenges and threats as well as snowballing difficulties of global governance, the vast majority of the UN member states are rallying around the lofty ideal: making the world a better and safer place to live. TOP CONCERN: TENSIONS ON KOREAN PENINSULA In addition to augmenting traditional challenges and threats, non-traditional ones functioning as terrorism and extremism, nuclear crisis, trans-boundary crimes, refugee crisis, drug trafficking, climate change, cyber security and other global problems are running rampant, posing severe threats and challenges to the world. Among them, the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula has been recognized as the top security concern of the year, disturbing the relations among major powers. Photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Nov. 30, 2017 shows the test-firing of an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile on Nov. 29, 2017. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) successfully test-fired a newly developed Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), the country's Korean Central Television reported. (Xinhua/KCNA) Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have reached an unprecedented level in 2017 due to a nuclear test and multiple missile launches by the DPRK and constant U.S.-South Korea joint military drills. The crisis has also been worsened by the exchange of personal insults and confrontational rhetoric raising the specter of war between the United States and the DPRK. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Dec. 15 that he was deeply concerned over the risk of military confrontation on the Korean Peninsula. Describing the situation on the Korean Peninsula as "the most tense and dangerous peace and security issue in the world today," he warned: "Any military action would have devastating and unpredictable consequences." In 2017, the DPRK conducted activities related to its nuclear and ballistic missile programs "at an alarming and accelerated pace," he said, adding that over the year, the DPRK conducted 20 ballistic missile launches. On Sept. 3, the DPRK conducted its sixth nuclear explosive test, involving what it claimed was a "two-stage thermo-nuclear weapon," he added. UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey David Feltman visited the DPRK on Dec. 5-8, the first in-depth political exchange of views between the UN Secretariat and officials in Pyongyang in almost eight years. But the visit seemed to have produced little positive results. In response to the crisis, the Security Council has once and again called emergency meetings over the year to discuss ways and means in the hope to contain the development of the situation. Photo taken on Dec. 22, 2017 shows the United Nations Security Council voting on a resolution on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) at the UN headquarters in New York. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) The Security Council on Dec. 22 unanimously approved new sanctions targeting DPRK's economy following the launch of a ballistic missile on Nov. 29 that the DPRK said it could target the entire continental U.S. The new restrictions were meant to slash the DPRK's imports of refined petroleum products, further restrict shipping and impose a 24-month deadline for expatriate the DPRK's workers to be sent home. The secretary-general welcomed the continued unity of the Security Council, which is essential to achieve the goal of denuclearization and create the space for diplomatic initiatives aimed at achieving it in a peaceful manner. MANIFOLD OTHER CHALLENGES, THREATS UN statistics show that an unprecedented 65.6 million people around the world have been forced from home. Among them are nearly 22.5 million refugees, over half of whom are under the age of 18. There are also 10 million stateless people who have been denied a nationality and access to basic rights such as education, healthcare, employment and freedom of movement. In a world where nearly 20 people are forcibly displaced every minute as a result of conflict or persecution, said the UN Refugee Agency. People inspect the site of airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, Dec. 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Mohammed Mohammed) The world's fastest growing refugee crisis evolved in Myanmar. Driven by violence and human rights abuse, more than 600,000 stateless Rohingya fled to Bangladesh, where the fragile infrastructure is overwhelmed. The UN scaled up emergency aid and called on Myanmar to end military operations against the Rohingya. In Yemen, 8.5 million people are on the brink of the world's largest famine in modern times. Water and sanitation systems are all but destroyed, sparking a deadly cholera outbreak. The UN sent in emergency supplies and urged all parties not to block civilians from humanitarian aid. Four famines, in Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and Nigeria, are the result of unresolved conflicts exacerbated by droughts and missed harvests. In the deadliest attack on a UN peacekeeping mission in decades, 14 Tanzanian peacekeepers lost their lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. "It is another indication of the enormous sacrifices made by troop contributing countries in the service of global peace," said the UN chief. In Syria, six years of conflict have left 250,000 people dead and 5 million displaced. Temporary ceasefires were brokered and the UN's special envoy for Syria has been working tirelessly to bring the parties to the negotiating table and for an end to the war. Almost 100,000 migrants crossed the Mediterranean Sea in 2017, and more than 3,000 have drowned. Most are fleeing poverty and conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa. More than a million people were waiting for a passage in Libya, caught in an endless cycle of abuse, exploitation and even slavery. Around the world, 130 million girls are still not going to school, which is unacceptable, said UN Messenger of Peace Malala Yousafzai. "If we want to go forward, we have to give education to girls and once you educate girls, you change the whole community; you change the whole society," said the 19-year-old Malala. Shortly after the UN first Ocean Conference, a series of mega hurricanes cut a trail of destruction through the Caribbean. On some islands like Dominica, hardly a tree or house was left standing. Scientists have already seen strong evidence that climate change magnified the strength of the storms and other natural disasters. Therefore, the UN called on countries to speed up the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement. At the end of the year, global anti-terrorist pressure has not been alleviated by the disintegration of the Islamic State, UN said. Terrorism in new forms is emerging in the "Post-Islamic Era," and global counter-terrorism faces new problems. Afghan army soldiers take part in a military operation against Islamic State in Khogyani district of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, Dec. 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Rahman Safi) From suicide bomb attacks to storming of cities, from random attacks to the use the Internet, terrorist groups are developing themselves by making use of the divergence of the interests among countries, posing cutting challenges to the anti-terrorist abilities of all countries. In June, the UN restructured its anti-terrorist architecture and set up a UN anti-terrorism office to coordinate a global effort to prevent violent extremism and other root causes of terror. Strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation has become an international consensus, said the UN chief. CHINA: MAINSTAY OF GLOBAL GOVERNANCE In the face of accumulating threats and challenges, especially in the maintenance of unity of the United Nations, China has always paid attention to strengthening communications with other Security Council members and UN member states to effectively embody the concept of "wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits." China respects and takes care of the concerns of developing countries and practices the right approach to justice and interests. China has played an objective, just and responsible role for developing countries. The establishment of "a community with shared future for mankind" is a major innovation in China's diplomacy and has produced a broad and far-reaching international impact, observers say. On Feb. 10, the concept of "a community with shared future for mankind" was first written into a UN resolution. On Nov. 1, the concept was reloaded into two UN resolutions. Izumi Nakamitsu, UN under-secretary-general and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, said that the UN welcomes China's strong commitment of multilateral diplomacy, which is the "community of shared future for mankind." "The reference of 'shared common future,' I think it is a commitment that China is making globally to multinationalism in general," she said. "China will continue to play a very critical role in terms of how they work with other nations in the platform of multilateralism, one very important platform for that is the United Nations," she added. EMBRACE FUTURE AMID HOPES Since taking office on Jan. 3, Guterres has been busy shuttling between countries, practising "good offices" among conflicting parties, attending international meetings now and then, and once and again urging countries to join efforts to realize the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Over the year, he has been making tireless efforts to make sweeping changes to the UN in hope of forging a "more effective, flexible and responsible" world body to manage the crisis of the 21st century. However, because of the contrasting interests of different countries and the diverse cultures, religions and ideologies, UN reform cannot be achieved overnight, observers say. The United Nations, the 72-year-old world body, is bidding farewell to another extraordinary year. Observers have happily found that while facing common challenges and threats, the vast majority of UN member states have shown unprecedented consensus at such world concerns as nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, climate change, fighting terrorism and extremism and other major threats and challenges. Although the unilateralism thoughts displayed by the United States are worrisome to some extent, observers say, solidarity and unity of the UN are gaining momentum. This undoubtedly is bringing new hopes to the United Nations, which still has a long way to go. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-26 05:49:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RABAT, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people protested in the eastern Moroccan city of Jerada on Monday over the death of two young men in coal mine. The victims, two brothers aged 23 and 30, died on Friday while clandestinely digging in an abandoned mine, sparking a wave of anger in Jerada, which is long dependent on mining. The wave of protest started on Friday with anger against what the families of the victims and local residents called "delay in the extraction of the two bodies from the well and the lack of adequate equipment of local rescue workers." The Moroccan Hespress.com news site said the rescue operation took some 36 hours. The protest grew in intensity over the weekend, reaching peak on Monday at the funeral of the two brothers. A general strike was largely observed in the city, and thousands of people attended the funeral of the victims. Later in the day, protesters marched in the main streets of the city, demanding justice for the dead and improving the city's living conditions. The city had grown around the flourishing mining activities since 1920s, but it suffered a major blow since late 1990s after the closure of coal mines that employed thousands of local people. However, many local residents have continued illegal mining in the abandoned mines, while others moved to other cities looking for job opportunities. According to Medias24.com news site, up to 3,000 people work in clandestine mining in the city, extracting some hundreds of tons of coal every day. Speaking in parliamentary session, the Moroccan Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani said an investigation has been opened in the case, expressing his readiness to meet Jerada parliamentarians. During the same session, lawmakers called for stopping clandestine digging and urged the government to shoulder its responsibilities for ensuring decent living conditions for all the people. Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-26 06:04:33|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KHARTOUM, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday called for full lifting of the economic sanctions on Sudan. "The sanctions have stolen much from the future of this country," said Erdogan in a speech at a ceremony in which he was awarded an honorary doctorate of laws by Sudan's University of Khartoum Monday. The Turkish leader reiterated his country's support for Sudan, saying "Turkey will continue standing alongside the Sudanese people." "As we stood alongside the Sudanese people previously, we will continue supporting them in the future. The love of our Sudanese brothers made us feel like we are in Istanbul, our country, and not in Khartoum," Erdogan said. Last Oct. 6, the U.S. decided to lift its economic sanctions on Sudan, but still keeps Sudan on the U.S. list of countries sponsoring terrorism. Erdogan on Sunday arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum as the first stop of his tour in Africa that will also take him to Chad and Tunisia. Erdogan's visit marked the first time that a Turkish president has visited Sudan since the independence of the North African nation in 1956. Source: Xinhuanet| 2017-12-25 16:05:55|Editor: Lifang Video Player Close ATHENS, Dec. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Greek police released a humorous video to wish Merry Christmas and Happy New Year this year. Police officers serving in various units, including anti-terrorism squads and K-9 units, held leading roles in a major unprecedented operation. Men and women patrolling the streets on bikes, traffic police officers and police dogs joined forces to decorate a Christmas tree. The shining star on the top of the tree was placed by a special unit officer who fast roped down from a police helicopter. All protagonists in the unique production posed in front of the Christmas tree as the police band played Christmas songs. The special video ended with wishes for Happy Holidays with Security and a reminder We protect and serve the citizens. Within a few hours after it was posted on the Greek polices social media pages it had had thousands of views. The response had been great. Until today we had 50,000 views on Facebook and also 30,000 views on Twitter. Also the comments from the people are very positive and encourage us to go on and make videos like this in the future, Greek police spokeswoman Ioanna Rotziokou told Xinhuanet on Sunday. Greek police chose to send wishes with this funny video to highlight another angle of police officers work and stress their human and social face, she explained. We also wanted to underline the importance of the group spirit. When there is a good combination between the people, the group dynamic can be very strong, the police spokeswoman stressed. Ghost commander of terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed and brother of its chief Masood Azhar, Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar has assured the outfit of a strike in India bigger than Pathankot attack. By Ankit Kumar: Jaish-e-Mohammed's (JeM) 'ghost' commander and Pathankot Air Force Station attack mastermind is back to haunt Indian security agencies. The ghost commander identified as Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar has assured the terror outfit of an attack bigger than Pathankot's in India this time. In exclusive footage accessed by India Today, Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar-brother of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar - is seen telling a huge gathering inside a mosque near Bahawalpur, Pakistan, that "people will again remember Pathankot and Nagrota". The only available footage or visual of Asghar confirms that JeM was involved in the Pathankot attack . advertisement "I want to assure Jaish members that we are going to carry out an attack which will be bigger than Pathankot," thunders Asghar. "I salute the martyr of Pathankot Abdul Qayum, who was known as Major, a Pakistani whose voice reverberated in Pathankot for four days" says a belligerent Asghar, against whom an Interpol Red Corner Notice was issued in 2016 after the Pathankot attack. The video shows how brazenly the terrorist organisation operates in Pakistan. He can be clearly heard asking people to support JeM, which is a banned outfit in Pakistan. Jaish-e-Mohammed has also been designated as a terrorist organisation by several countries, including India, the US, the UK and Australia. 'INDIA TERI MAUT AAYEE' As Asghar comes out of the mosque, jihadi slogans blare out of loudspeakers which are followed in quick succession by gunfire. Soon, several men start shouting anti-India slogans like "India teri maut aayee, Jaish aayee" meaning that JeM's arrival is India's end. Ex-Deputy Indian Army Chief Raj Kadyan told India Today, "The video accessed by India Today is an incontrovertible proof that JeM was involved in Pathankot attack. It's an admission from the horse's mouth. This piece of evidence should be handed over to the NIA [National Investigation Agency] so that they can use it to nail Pakistan's lies." According to intelligence, Rauf made the public appearance in the third week of December. Bahwalpur, where both Azhar and Asghar reside, is considered as JeM's stronghold. Unlike terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-ud-Dawa , it is very rare for top JeM leaders to be seen on camera. Usually, JeM puts up pamphlets and makes announcements barring video recording of any of its gatherings. According to the NIA's Pathankot chargesheet, investigative agencies had collected voice data records to establish a clear link between Asghar and the attackers. Known as Mufti, Asghar was also responsible for the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC 814 on December 24, 1999, and the attack on Parliament on December 13, 2001. Despite security agencies having Rauf's voice samples from various intercepts like call data and audio clips released by JeM, there was no visual proof before this footage. advertisement The lack of visual proof against Rauf also led to a massive mix-up back in April 2011, when the Chilean police arrested a Pakistani citizen named Mohammad Rauf mistaking him for Asghar. It was only after a CBI team interrogated the man in Santiago, was it revealed that he was not Asghar. ALSO WATCH | Former Pakistan PM Musharraf continues to sing pro-Hafiz tunes --- ENDS --- If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - This morning, shortly before 6:30 AM, the Yuma Fire Department received a call that smoke was coming from a business at 6179 E Gila Ridge Road. Further reports were that there was also an active ammonia leak from that business, Tanimura & Antle. Arriving firefighters found smoke coming from a mechanical room. Inside Firefighters found there had been a small fire and also a small ammonia leak in that room. The fire was extinguished and the leak contained to the room. As a precaution the building was evacuated. Although there is no threat to the surrounding area, YFD's Special Operations Vehicle was dispatched due to the hazardous material (ammonia) involved. YFD firefighters were on the scene, for several hours. Fire damage was limited to contents of the mechanical room. The cause of the fire and small ammonia leak are currently under investigation. There were no injuries reported on this incident, and evacuations were local to the business only. Less than fifteen minutes after the fire/ammonia leak response, reports were received of a trailer fire at Araby Acres, 6649 E. 32nd Street #76. YFD personnel arrived to find heavy smoke and flames outside of a trailer. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire before it could destroy the trailer or spread to any other nearby structures. Two adults and two children were inside at the time of the fire. The fire started outside of the trailer, and was confined to storage materials outside, and portions of the exterior structure. There were no injuries reported, and the American Red Cross was called to the scene to help the occupants who were displaced. The cause of this fire was determined to be accidental. Dhaka: Bangladesh Health Minister Mohammed Nasim has said that Rohingya refugees will return to their homeland as soon as the international community and the UN pressurise Myanmar into repatriating them. "Bangladesh government has an extremely tolerant approach towards Rohingyas and we are also working to implement the Rohingya Repatriation deal," Dhaka Times quoted Health Minister Mohammed Nasim as saying at a grants distribution program in Cox`s Bazar on Monday. Lauding the efforts of the locals of Cox`s Bazar for their unimaginable support towards Rohingyas, Nasim claimed that not a single Rohingya died without a treatment on Bangladesh soil. Myanmar and Bangladesh had earlier this month formed Joint Working Group (JWG) to handle the repatriation of Rohingya refugees. The crucial JWG with 15 each from Bangladesh and Myanmar will oversee the repatriation of over 600,000 Rohingya refugees who have taken shelter in Bangladesh to escape ethnic violence in the latter. Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Huq will head the JWG from the Bangladesh side while the Myanmar side will be headed by Permanent Secretary at Myanmar Foreign Ministry Myint Thu. More than 655,000 Rohingyas have crossed into Bangladesh since August 25, escaping a military crackdown in Rakhine state, which many countries and human rights bodies have described as ethnic cleansing. The military action was triggered after their posts became targets of terrorist attacks.There is global outrage over the distressing plight of dispossessed Rohingya in Bangladeshi camps currently. A majority of them left the Rakhine state at the end of August this year, recounting incidents of murder, rape and arson at the hands of the Myanmar Army. On October 12, a United Nations` report based on interviews conducted in Bangladesh found that brutal attacks against Rohingyas in the northern Rakhine state have been well-organised, coordinated and systematic, with the intent of not only driving the population out of Myanmar but preventing them from returning to their homes. The Rakhine state is home to a majority of Muslims in Myanmar, who have been denied citizenship and long faced persecution in the Buddhist-majority country, especially from the extremists. CHENNAI: After AIADMK's crushing defeat in the RK Nagar by-poll, party leader and Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (OPS) on Monday attacked TTV Dhinakaran, calling him a liar and 420. "Whatever TTV Dhinakaran says are nothing but lies. He himself told us that he is a big 420," said OPS at AIADMK headquarters in Chennai. On Sunday, the RK Nagar by-polls were swept by independent candidate and expelled AIADMK leader Dhinakaran, who defeated his nearest rival AIADMK candidate E Madhusudhanan by over 45,000 votes. Earlier today, AIADMK sacked six office-bearers for allegedly supporting Dhinakaran, nephew of jailed leader VK Sasikala. The sacked members are Vetrivel, Thanga Tamil Selvan, Rangaswamy, Muththaiya, VP Kalairajan and Sholinghur Parthiban. A day before RK Nagar by-poll counting, unseen footage of late AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa inside Chennai's Apollo Hospital was released P Vetrivel. The decision to sack the members was taken during a high-level committee meeting. The emergency meeting was called by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy (EPS) and OPS to discuss party's performance in the recent polls. Following his massive victory in the RK Nagar by-polls, Dhinakaran on Sunday predicted that the AIADMK-led state government will fall in three months time. By PTI: Shirdi, Dec 25 (PTI) Actor-turned-politician Jaya Prada today supported the proposed triple talaq bill, saying it will bring justice and respect to Muslim women. Speaking to reporters after visiting the Sai Baba temple here, Jaya Prada said she respected the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, but if Parliament passes the bill, the Board should respect the decision of the topmost law-making body. advertisement She was answering a question about the Boards opposition to the bill. "The bill will bring benefits for women. They will get justice and respect," she said. She also said most Muslim women voted for the BJP in the Uttar Pradesh elections, which showed that they were not happy (with the stand of the previous government on the triple talaq issue). PTI CORR HVJ KRK --- ENDS --- Chennai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) high command is not going to be too happy about this. In the contest between the None Of The Above (NOTA) and BJP during the RK Nagar by-polls results, NOTA managed to pull in more votes than the saffron party candidate Karu Nagarajan. NOTA emerged at the fifth position with 2,373 votes while Nagarjuna secured a distant sixth place with just 1,417 votes. On Sunday, the RK by-polls were swept by Independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran who got a massive 89,000 votes, defeating his nearest rival AIADMK candidate E Madhusudhanan who got 48,306 votes. The third highest votes 24,681 went to DMK candidate N Marudhu Ganesh, followed Naam Tamizhar party who got 3,860 votes. In Tamil Nadu politics, AIADMK and DMK have been the traditional heavyweight players. Following Jayalalithaa's death, TTV Dhinakaran the expelled AIADMK leader emerged as the third giant and contested the polls as an independent candidate. At present, a BJP government (solo or in alliance) is in power in 19 states. Nagarajan, the BJP face on Tamil channels, had previously unsuccessfully contested the 2016 Assembly polls from Mylapore constituency in this city. AIADMK had then won the seat. New Delhi: 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". New Delhi: On the auspicious occasion of Gurpurab, social media is flooded with wishes and posts. The day to mark the birth anniversary of the 10th Sikh guru of SikhsSri Guru Gobind Singh Ji is celebrated across the globe as Gurpurab. The celebrations marking the 351st Prakash Parv (birth anniversary) of the Guru have already begun in various parts of the country. Several Indian celebrities took to Twitter and wished their fans on this special day. Check out their tweets here: Ssssshhhh To Negativity. "NEGATIVITY IS ERASING YOUR LIFE, SO MAKE SURE THERE IS NO HATE IN YOUR LIFE." MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY GURPURAB and HAPPY any other festival today. Wishing love and success to everybody. pic.twitter.com/RleDi0xZRo RaftaaR (@raftaarmusic) December 25, 2017 Wishing you all a very happy gurpurab pic.twitter.com/IABLGZzr9m Ashnoor Kaur (@ashnoork_3504) December 25, 2017 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh ji. Do good, even if it takes your life away - #GuruGobindSingh Gurpurab di lakh lakh vadaiyaan ! pic.twitter.com/1rt7Ajqn4x Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) December 25, 2017 Of many teachings of Sri #GuruGobindSingh ji that I want to share on the auspicious day of 351st #PrakashPurab the need of the hour for us as #Indians as #HumanBeings is #RecogniseTheWholeHumanRaceAsOne .. Boleeeee so Nihaal, SatSriakal!! pic.twitter.com/iZfji9xv5a Randeep Hooda (@RandeepHooda) December 25, 2017 Guru Gobind Singh was born as Gobind Rai and was the 10th Sikh Guru or spiritual master. Born to parents Guru Tegh Bahadur, who was the 9th Sikh Guru and Mata Gujrihe was the only son. The spiritual master was born in Patna, Bihar. The divine shrine of Takht Sri Patna Harimandar Sahib marks the site of the house where he was born and spent the first four years of his life. Guru Gobind Singh Ji was formally anointed as the Sikh leader and master at a tender age of nine, making him the last of the living Sikh Gurus. The 10th spiritual master lost four of his sons during the Mughal-Sikh warstwo were killed in the battle while other two were executed by the Mughal army. Guru Gobind Singh Ji spread his spiritual teachings to a lot of followers. He wrote many Sikh texts and enshrines Guru Granth Sahib as the ultimate eternal Guru of Sikhism. The teachings and philosophy of Guru Gobind Singh Ji continue to inspire many. PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi will be attending the oath-taking ceremony of the new BJP government in Gujarat, official sources said here on Monday. Kumar and Modi are likely to leave late tonight for Gandhinagar, where the ceremony will take place tomorrow, in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, besides chief ministers of other NDA-ruled states. The Bihar CM had rejoined the NDA a few months ago, four years after having snapped ties with the BJP. He had predicted a comfortable victory for the saffron party in the home state of the Prime Minister, who served as Gujarat chief minister for three terms. The BJP retained power in Gujarat for the sixth consecutive term by winning the recently-held Assembly polls. The party has decided to reappoint Vijay Rupani and Nitin Patel as the state's chief minister and deputy chief minister, respectively. New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday found a new admirer - a 107-year-old grandmother. It all started when Twitter user Dipali Sikand tweeted, "Today my grandmother turned 107. Her one wish. To meet Rahul Gandhi. I asked her why? She whispers... He`s handsome." She also attached a picture of her grandmother cutting a cake on her 107th birthday. In his reply, Rahul said, "Dear Dipali, Please wish your beautiful grandmother a very happy birthday and a merry Xmas. Please also give her a big hug from me. Best, Rahul." Today my grandmother turned 107. Her one wish. To meet @OfficeOfRG Rahul Gandhi ! I asked her why? She whispers ... He's handsome ! pic.twitter.com/k3wUaSMKfE Dipali Sikand (@SikandDipali) December 25, 2017 Dear Dipali, Please wish your beautiful grandmother a very happy birthday and a merry Xmas. Please also give her a big hug from me. Best, Rahul. https://t.co/lcp8NUa8Di Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 25, 2017 On December 16, 2017, Rahul took charge as the president of the Congress party in the presence of the 132-year-old party's top brass and his family members. The Congress' central election authority (CEA) had handed him over the certificate of his elevation to the top post during a grand event held at the lawns of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters. 47-year-old Gandhi scion was handed over the certificate in the presence of his mother and predecessor Sonia Gandhi, sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and her husband Robert Vadra, former PM Manmohan Singh and other senior party leaders. He is the sixth Nehru-Gandhi scion to helm the party after his great great grandfather Motilal Nehru, great-grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru, grandmother Indira Gandhi and father Rajiv Gandhi. Rahul entered politics in 2004, by contesting the May 2004 General Elections, from his father's former constituency of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. He became the vice-president of the party in January 2013. The Amethi seat had been held by Sonia until she was transferred to the neighbouring seat of Rae Bareilly. (With PTI inputs) NEW DELHI: Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother will on Monday arrive in Pakistan to meet the Indian prisoner on death row. They will arrive in Islamabad by a commercial flight and leave the same day after the meeting. 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 Dec and leave the same day. Indian DHC in Islamabad will be the accompanying diplomat," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal had tweeted. Pakistan on December 8, had granted permission to Jadhav's kin to meet him and on December 20, the neighbouring country had issued the visa to Jadhav's wife and mother. 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. Kulbhushan Jadhav the alleged Indian spy was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of 'espionage' and 'terrorism' in April this year. Following this, India moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in May. The ICJ halted his execution on India's appeal pending the final verdict by it. Pakistan had earlier said that Jadhav was not under any threat of immediate execution. "Let me assure you that the Jadhav is under no threat of immediate execution," Faisal had said. Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from 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. India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy. Jadhav had filed an appeal with the Army chief to seek clemency, which is still pending. After India approached the ICJ, a 10-member bench on May 18 restrained Pakistan from executing Jadhav till adjudication of the case. Jadhav's sentencing had evoked a sharp reaction in India. In its application, India had also informed the ICJ that it learnt about the death sentence against Jadhav from a press release. India acknowledges that Jadhav had served in the Indian Navy but denies that he has any connection with the government. India has also handed over to Pakistan an appeal by Jadhav's mother, initiating a process to get his conviction overturned. India has warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the "premeditated murder" was carried out. In June 2017, India had dismissed as "farcical" Pakistan releasing a fresh "confessional video" of Jadhav and had said that "manufactured facts" could not alter the reality in the case. In a strong reaction, the External Affairs Ministry said India expects Pakistan to desist from attempting to influence the proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case through false propaganda. New Delhi: It is a common sight to see vehicles coming to a halt at railway crossings around the world to allow trains a continuous passage. But not in Gwalior and not on Monday. In what can only be termed as a gross negligence and shocking indifference, a driver parked his SUV right next to the tracks in Ramdas Ghati and left the spot. An alert driver of a narrow-gauge train running between Sumawali and Gwalior managed to spot the vehicle and brought his train to a standstill in time to avoid a collision. The Railway Police Force was then informed about the situation. It is reported that Railway officials and staff on board the train searched for the driver of the car for several hours but could not locate him. Not only did it cause a needless delay in the train's schedule but also resulted in a large crowd gathering around the car and the train. Help from a number of bystanders was eventually taken and the vehicle was pulled away from the tracks to let the train pass. RPF has seized the vehicle and has registered a case against the owner. New Delhi: A BJP Lok Sabha member has urged the Centre to identify those who fought for the country's Independence since 1857, and give their family members monetary and other government benefits. Sharad Tripathi, an MP from Uttar Pradesh, said many of those who fought against the British rule in 1857, recognised by many as the country's first war of Independence, are not known much among the masses. "I believe that India's fight for Independence began in 1857 leading to the freedom in 1947. The government should do a study and recognise such heroes as martyrs. Their family members should be given benefits," he told PTI. Earlier this year in Parliament, Tripathi had demanded that a martyrs gate be built in the national capital in the honour of freedom fighters who laid down their lives between 1857 and 1947. A list containing the names of such freedom fighters should be released by the government as currently, there is no such authentic record, he said. While the names of Indian soldiers who fought the World War-II were inscribed by the British on the India Gate, there is no such commemoration for the Indians who died for the country's freedom from 1857 to 1947, he had said. By PTI: Jammu, Dec 25 (PTI) In a significant decision, the Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to hold the much-awaited panchayat elections from next year. The decision to commence the panchayat elections from February 15, 2018, was conveyed by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to Governor N N Vohra during her hour-long meeting with him here, an official spokesman said. advertisement The panchayat elections were scheduled in the Valley last year, but could not be held due to the troubled atmosphere following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8, 2016. The incident had sparked violent protests, resulting in the killing of over 86 persons. The PDP-BJP coalition government yet again failed to hold the elections this year after large-scale violence during the bypoll to Srinagar constituency on April 8 left eight persons dead. PTI TASA SRY --- ENDS --- NEW DELHI: The nation on Monday celebrates the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who turns 93 today. A leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior. The Prime Minister, President and Indian National Congress took to Twitter to greet the former prime minister on his birthday. "Birthday greetings to our beloved Atal Ji. His phenomenal as well as visionary leadership made India more developed and further raised our prestige at the world stage. I pray for his good health," tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Greeting Vajpayee on Twitter, President Ram Nath Kovind wrote, "Birthday wishes to our much-loved and respected former Prime Minister." Congress also wished Vajpayee saying, "We wish former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee a very Happy Birthday." Party followers in Delhi also celebrated in front of Vajpayee's residence at Krishna Menon Marg. #Visual from former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee's residence at Krishna Menon Marg in Delhi; he turns 93 today. pic.twitter.com/yQSA392rQ1 December 25, 2017 He is the 10th Prime Minister of India whose birthday is celebrated as Good Governance Day by the government. BJP workers in Uttar Pradesh performed 'havan' in Kanpur, praying for the good health and long life of the former prime minister. #UttarPradesh: BJP workers perform 'havan' in #Kanpur praying for good health and long life of former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee as he turns 93 today pic.twitter.com/RsbvmcD8kO ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 25, 2017 Vajpayee served the country first for 13 days in 1996 and then from 1998 to 2004. New Delhi: Don't judge a book by its cover and a man by what he wears. This is what Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to highlight when he heaped praise on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday. PM Modi inaugurated the Delhi Metro's Magenta line connecting south Delhi and Noida. He took the opportunity to praise work done by Adityanth since taking over as the state Chief Minister and brushed aside doubts about his ability. "Due to his dress, few people find it fashionable to believe that CM Yogi Adityanath is not 'modern enough' but it is Yogi Adityanath Ji who has done what CMs of UP never did - he came to Noida," said PM Modi. "Faith is important but blind faith is not desirable." I am very happy. Due to his dress, few people find it fashionable to believe @myogiadityanath is not 'modern enough' but it is Yogi Adityanath Ji who has done what CMs of UP did not do- he has come to Noida. Faith is important but blind faith is not desirable: PM December 25, 2017 PM Modi was referring to the political superstition according to which, any UP CM who visits Noida ends up losing power. The Prime Minister also elaborated on how he himself defied superstitious beliefs when he first became Chief Minister of Gujarat. "When I became CM, people told me of a few places where no CMs went because they were inauspicious. I was clear I would go to all those places in my first year itself," he said. "There were superstitions associated with Noida and in his own style, Yogi Adityanath Ji rose above them and came to Noida." Firebrand BJP leader Yogi Adityanath became Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in March after a resounding win for his party. At the time, he promised that his government will focus on development and work to create more employment opportunities. Islamabad: Pakistan on Monday described Kulbhushan Jadhav as "the face of Indian terror" and said it would decide on consular access to him at an appropriate time. It added that the meeting between Jadhav and his family was not the last. "This is not the last meeting. Let me say it categorically," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammed Faisal told reporters after former Indian Navy officer Jadhav's wife Chetankul and mother Avanti met him for the first time after his detention in March 2016. Jadhav met his wife and mother at the Foreign Office for around 40 minutes, but interacted through a glass panel and intercom. The arrested Indian citizen is on death row but his case is pending before the International Court of Justice. Faisal said December 25 was chosen to allow Jadhav meet his family because it is Pakistan founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah's birth anniversary. He said the two women spoke "openly and had a productive meeting" with Jadhav. "It was a positive gesture, extended on humanitarian grounds. We extended the meeting by 10 minutes on the request of Jadhav`s family. It has nothing to do with legalities." The spokesperson also "categorically" denied it was a consular access even as Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh was present during the meeting, but seated at a distance. "The Indian diplomat could see the meeting but was not allowed to meet. It would have been consular access had the Indian diplomat spoken to Jadhav," he said, adding the Indian request for a possible consular access was with Pakistan and "would be taken up at an appropriate time". Faisal reiterated that the meeting did not mean any change in Pakistan's stance regarding Jadhav, who he termed "a spy and terrorist who has been sentenced to death". "Jadhav is the face of Indian terror in Pakistan. He has confessed to killing Aslam Chaudhary. He expressed remorse for taking Pakistani lives. He is a serving naval officer, has confessed to being a RAW agent." Indian has always denied the allegations, saying Jadhav was abducted from Iran where he had gone on a private business trip and then brought to Pakistan. Earlier, Jadhav`s mother and wife landed in Islamabad via Dubai around noon on Monday and will be departing for India later. NEW DELHI: The mother and wife of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been jailed in Pakistan on charges of spying, met with him in Islamabad on Monday after they were allowed on "humanitarian grounds". The meeting was held inside a high-security glass-partitioned room through an inter-come facility and lasted for about half-an-hour. Pakistan has stressed that it was arranged on a humanitarian ground and not under the consular access programme. Before their meeting, there have been conflicting media reports from Islamabad, raising doubts whether it would actually take place, with some claiming that Pakistan had denied consular access to the family. Citing the foreign office, Geo News had reported that there was no such move by the Pakistan government. #WATCH: Wife, mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav reach Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad along with JP Singh, Deputy High Commissioner pic.twitter.com/Dnp9eUc5je ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 Pakistan had repeatedly refused Indian consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies. It claimed Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of 'spying' and carrying out 'sabotage' activities. However, on December 8, it granted permission to Jadhav's mother and wife to meet him. The Pakistan High Commission in Delhi issued their visas on December 20. India's Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan JP Singh is also accompanying the Jhadav's family to the meeting. Kulbhushan Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of 'espionage' and 'terrorism' in April this year. Following this, India moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in May. The ICJ halted his execution on India's appeal pending the final verdict by it. Pakistan had earlier said that Jadhav was not under any threat of immediate execution. Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from 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. India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy. Jadhav had filed an appeal with the Army chief to seek clemency, which is still pending. After India approached the ICJ, a 10-member bench on May 18 restrained Pakistan from executing Jadhav till adjudication of the case. Jadhav's sentencing had evoked a sharp reaction in India. In its application, India had also informed the ICJ that it learnt about the death sentence against Jadhav from a press release. India acknowledges that Jadhav had served in the Indian Navy but denies that he has any connection with the government. India has also handed over to Pakistan an appeal by Jadhav's mother, initiating a process to get his conviction overturned. India has warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the "premeditated murder" was carried out. In June 2017, India had dismissed as "farcical" Pakistan releasing a fresh "confessional video" of Jadhav and had said that "manufactured facts" could not alter the reality in the case. In a strong reaction, the External Affairs Ministry said India expects Pakistan to desist from attempting to influence the proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case through false propaganda. Singapore: Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean will join India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for a two-day ASEAN-India Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to be held here next month. Apart from Swaraj, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Assam, N Chandrababu Naidu and Sarbananda Sonowal, will also attend the function, Indian High Commissioner to Singapore Jawed Ashraf said here today. The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated every year to mark the contribution of overseas Indian community in the development of India. "External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari will attend the event on January 6, while Naidu and Sonowal, on January 7," Ashraf said. Singapore's Trade and Industry Minister S Iswaran and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan will also be addressing over 2,500 delegates expected at the meeting, which is being held for the first time in Singapore. The India-Singapore/ASEAN Entrepreneurship Bridge (InSpreneur) will be also held on January 5 and 6, on the second day, co-terminus with the PBD. The event will focus on startups, fintech, cyber security, disruptive technologies in manufacturing and India Stack. In addition to panel discussions, startups will have an opportunity to pitch to investors and interact with other start-ups in curated "speed dating" sessions. The event will culminate in the launch of the India- Singapore/ASEAN start up portal. Around 600 invited delegates, including 300 curated start -ups, with around 120 from India, are to participate in the event. Over 60 investors have listed themselves for the investor pitching session and 100 start ups have signed up for speed dating sessions. In addition, 35 startups will set up booths in the Startup Exhibition from January 5 to 7. The event is supported by Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry and India's the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), Invest India, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM). "We have also drawn upon the excellent pool of Indian professional and institutional associations, including IIM Alumni Association, IIT Alumni Association and TiE," he said. "We expect Indian startups to tap into Singapore?s investor community, develop links with them and also expand into the ASEAN market. "Equally, the other objective is to support our efforts to promote India as a global destination for Startups and fintech companies, and attract Singapore?s excellent start up community to India," Ashraf said. The event is intended to promote India's successful model of UID-enabled governance, public services, financial inclusion and payment systems in Southeast Asia/ASEAN region. Fintech is emerging as an exciting new area of collaboration ? both at regulatory and promotional levels. The launch of the India-Singapore startup portal, anchored in startup India, will become a channel for pursuing these objectives on a sustained basis. The PBD also commemorates 25 years of ASEAN-India Partnership, ahead of the Commemorative Summit on January 25- 26. The event is largely organised through local support, the Indian High Commissioner said. The theme of "Ancient Route, New Journey: Diaspora in the Dynamic ASEAN-India Partnership" aims to highlight the ancient human, maritime, cultural, commercial and religious links between India and Southeast Asia; and, promote greater economic, cultural and diplomatic cooperation between India and Southeast Asian nations as well as ASEAN. The event will also showcase Indian Diaspora's talent and achievements and deepen their ? especially the youth's - emotional and economic links with India. The Convention has evolved into one of the biggest business meets on India and ASEAN in Singapore with a full day of sessions on ASEAN-India Economic Partnership; India and ASEAN in the Digital World, Infrastructure, Financial Partnership, expanding trade and services, Make in India, legal framework of doing business in India and ASEAN, Science and Technology, and Tourism and Connectivity. Over 40 Indian business heads from CII and FICCI will join business leaders from ASEAN in the event. Many of Singapore?s leaders of the corporate sector are of Indian origin. ASEAN-India Business Council, Singapore India Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Institute of South Asian Studies, Singapore Tourism Board are among the institutional partners for the event. Other sessions at PBD will cover areas such as India- ASEAN partnership in the new world order and in the digital world, diaspora history, social impact contribution in India, culture, youth, education, and Ease of Being Overseas Indian in India and ASEAN. Bengaluru: Union Minister Ananth Kumar Hegde on Monday said that 'secularists' and 'intellectuals' were unaware of their parentage. Hegde, 49, said a new tradition was in vogue, where people project themselves as secular, but asserted he would feel 'happy' if someone claims with pride that he is a Muslim, or a Christian, or a Lingayat, or a Brahmin, or a Hindu. "I feel happy because he (the person) knows about his blood, but I don't know what to call those who claim themselves secular," the minister had said at an event organised by the Brahman Yuva Parishad in Kukanur town in Koppal district on Sunday, PTI reported. Hegde had launched the Parishad's website and women's wing. "Those who, without knowing about their parental blood, call themselves secular, they don't have their own identity... They don't know about their parentage, but they are intellectuals," he had added. Urging people to identify with their religion or caste, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship had also said, "I will bow to you, you are aware of your blood. But if you claim to be secular, there arises a doubt about who you are." He had further said that he respects the Constitution but "it will be changed in the days to come". "We are here for that and that is why we have come," Hegde had said. The remark by the five-time Lok Sabha MP from Karnataka sparked condemnation from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who said the BJP leader does not know the parliamentary or political language. The Karnataka Congress too slammed the BJP leader. "What has Ananth Kumar Hegde done for Karnataka as a Union Skill Development Minister? Promoting Hatred & voicing arbitrary things like he will change the constitution is his only Skill": @dineshgrao #BJPUgraAgenda pic.twitter.com/0jKh8Kitxp Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) December 25, 2017 "Ananth Kumar Hegde has violated the oath he has taken as MP by saying he will change the Constitution. EC should take suo motu action. Does @BJP4India endorse their Union Minister? If they do, they should face Election on this agenda": V.S. Ugrappa, MLC #BJPUgraAgenda pic.twitter.com/S920PQzFQA Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) December 25, 2017 Our country is built on the ideals of secularism and coexistence of people of all castes, creed, race and religion. Our constitution is based on ideals, which the BJP is denigrating by allowing Hegde to make such disparaging statements. https://t.co/rPwjtqodhz Dinesh Gundu Rao (@dineshgrao) December 25, 2017 Hegde's speeches and actions are an insult to Ambedkar who envisioned an equitable and egalitarian society. His actions and words do not befit the office of an elected representative, much less a minister. December 25, 2017 Ananthkumar Hegde is not worthy of being called a Hindu, his words of hate are not part of the tenets of Hinduism. He preaches hindutva & hate, not the language of peace & tolerance as propounded by Hinduism. Dinesh Gundu Rao (@dineshgrao) December 25, 2017 Hitting out at Hegde, Siddaramaiah said that the minister has not learnt the social system and added that people belonging to various religions live in India. "Each and every individual in this country is an Indian and every religion has equal right and opportunity. He does not have this basic knowledge," Siddaramaiah told reporters in Hubballi. On September 3, 2017, PM Narendra Modi had rejigged his council of ministers and Hegde was appointed as the Skill Development Minister. He has been a member of the 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th and 16th (present) Lok Sabha from Uttara Kannada. (With PTI inputs) JAIPUR: The Rajasthan High Court on Monday warned the doctors on strike with arrest on the failure of any settlement with the government. The High Court said that the two presidents of doctors association - Dr Ajay Chaudhary and Durga Shanker - should be arrested if no agreement happens between doctors and the government. Rajasthan doctors have been protesting for higher pay and promotion since December 16. On Sunday, members of AIIMS Resident Doctors Association asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to wear the apron and live their life for one day to understand the amount of stress they take. In a letter to the Prime Minister, the AIIMS doctors said, 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. JAIPUR: Reacting to allegations of a mob attacking a suspected cow smuggler in Alwar, a Rajasthan BJP legislator has threatened that cow smugglers are likely to be killed. "Gau taskari, Gaukashi karoge to yun hi maroge (If you smuggle cows, you're likely to be killed)," says Gyan Dev Ahuja, a BJP MLA from Alwar. Zakir Khan, an alleged cattle smuggler, was pulled out of his truck and beaten up by a mob on Saturday in Alwar. He was later was arrested by police. Ahuja claimed that no one attacked Khan and that the injuries were caused after the truck he was driving overturned. Use janta ne nahin peeta, wo bahana kar raha hai (The mob didn't attack him, he's giving excuses), added Ahuja. Ahuja is known to make controversial statements. Last year, during the stand-off between the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and the government, Ahuja alleged that some 3,000 condoms and anti-pregnancy injections are used daily in the campus and do bad things with our daughters and sisters. SURAT/KOLKATA: As many as 251 couples in Gujarat's Surat tied the knot at a mass wedding ceremony on Sunday. On the same day, at least 101 Bengali couples celebrated 'day for love' as Kolkata's Vishwa Jagriti Mission Trust, a multifaceted philanthropic organisation organised a mass marriage program. Mahesh Savani, a businessman from Surat, arranged the mass marriage event. He has been organising such mass weddings for the past five years. Savani took up the responsibility to pay for the expenses of marriages of girls who have lost their father and are not financially stable to meet the expenses of marriage. So far, Savani has done the ritual of 'Kanyadaan' of nearly 1000 girls which also includes the 251 brides who got married on Sunday. The businessman not only takes the responsibility of Hindu girls but there are five Muslim girls and one Christian girl, whose marriage will take place according to their religious customs. The marriages in Kolkata were solemnized in traditional Bengali customs and traditions among chanting of mantras by Pandits Secretary of the Vishwa Jagriti Mission Sushil Goenka said this is the 5th such mass marriage program since the inception of their Trust. More than 500 couples have been married the mass weddings, over the past 10 years. Mumbai: As news channels played out images of Kulbhushan Jadhav meeting his mother and wife - separated by a glass wall - a childhood friend of the former Indian Navy officer expressed his frustration on the Pakistani authorities not allowing the family members to hug him. Jadhav, who is on death row in Pakistan for alleged spying, met his wife and mother in Islamabad in a carefully choreographed event that unfolded in tweets, photos and TV footage. The 40-minute meeting, which took place after many representations, at the heavily guarded Foreign Affairs Ministry building came after the International Court of Justice asked Pakistan in May to stay his execution. Tulshidas Pawar is Jadhav's childhood friend and lives in Mumbai's Parel area. He watched images of Jadhav's mother Avantika and wife Chetna sitting across a glass screen flicker on the TV set at his home. "Can you imagine what a mother who last saw her son two years ago must have felt when allowed to meet him from across a glass partition and was unable to touch him," Pawar told PTI. "The Pakistan authorities should have allowed the mother to hug her son," he said. "This carefully choreographed meeting was a sham." He said, "What Pakistan did (allowing Jadhav's mother and wife to meet him) is just a spectacle for the global community," Pawar said. For him, the treatment meted out to Jadhav's mother and wife by the Pakistan authorities was "unacceptable". "The next hearing in Jadhav's case in the International Court of Justice is scheduled soon. Pakistan mere completed a formality by arranging the meeting in such a manner," he said. "Pakistan should be condemned for not having the decency to allow a mother to hug her son, for disallowing a wife to touch her husband," Pawar said. "One can only imagine the plight of Jadhav's mother." Pawar said he and Kulbhushan's other friends would request Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to bring Jadhav back home at the earliest, he said. It was the fist time Jadhav was meeting his family since his arrest in March last year. The 47-year-old 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. It is expected to hold another hearing in March or April. By PTI: event Mumbai, Dec 25 (PTI) Miffed over senior doctors remaining absent from a function he was attending at a government hospital in Maharashtra, Union Minister Hansraj Ahir today said "these people" should join the Naxals if they dont believe in democracy, and the government will then shoot them down. The Minister of State for Home Affairs was speaking at the inauguration of a 24x7 store for generic medicines at a government-run hospital in eastern Maharashtras Chandrapur, which he represents in the Lok Sabha. advertisement "The mayor came, the deputy mayor came but what stopped the doctors from coming for the event?" an angry Ahir asked, noting the absence of senior doctors at the event. "What do the Naxals want? They dont want democracy... So these people (the absent doctors) dont want democracy, then they should join the Naxals. Why are you here? Then (once you join the Naxals) we will pump you with bullets, why you are dispensing pills here?" Ahir said, punning on the Marathi word goli -- which means both a pill and a bullet. Ahir wondered if it was appropriate for doctors to go on leave when a "democratically-elected" minister was on a visit. Chandrapur is one of the four districts in Maharashtra which have been identified by the central government as affected by Left-Wing Extremism. PTI ND VT KRK KIS --- ENDS --- New Delhi: India-focussed offshore funds and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) witnessed net inflows of USD 565 million in November and helped the overall tally to reach nearly USD 6.5 billion in 2017, reflecting confidence of overseas investors in Indian markets. In comparison, these funds had seen a pull out of USD 674 million in November last year, according to a report by Morningstar. Offshore India funds - not domiciled in India - receive flow from overseas investors and in turn, invest the money in Indian markets. India-focussed offshore funds and ETFs are a subset of the overall foreign portfolio investor (FPI) flows. According to the report, India-focussed offshore funds have seen an investment of USD 501 million last month, while those of ETFs witnessed an infusion of USD 55 million, translating into a total of USD 565 million. This also marked the highest investment since June, when such funds had received net inflows to the tune of USD 738 million. Flows into offshore funds are generally considered to be long-term in nature, whereas flows into ETFs indicate predominantly short-term money. Assets coming through India-focused offshore funds are long term in nature, compared to India-focused offshore ETFs as the later is less expensive and offers easy exit option, Morningstar India Senior Analyst Manager Research Himanshu Srivastava said. "Pleasingly, through 2017, India-focused offshore fund consistently received net inflows into offshore funds, indicating that the confidence of long-term investors on Indian markets has not withered enough in testing times. The money that moved out was largely short term in nature," he said. FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar: Cristiano Ronaldo to Lionel Messi, stars likely to play their last WC New Delhi: Actress Avika Gor says people often talk about her "romantic relationship" with her former "Sasural Simar Ka" co-star Manish Raisinghani, but she asserts they are just the "best of friends". Apart from acting, the "Balika Vadhu" star enjoys going behind the camera. "This (directing short films) started because of Manish's and my fans. Back then in 'Sasural...', there were no romantic scenes between me and Manish. Fans wanted us to see us together. So, we wrote a five-minute script and put it on YouTube. People really liked it. "Manish was always into photography. I was also learning with him. It was interesting then we thought to do something from the heart, and then we started making films. Now, our film is travelling to different parts of the world," Avika told IANS. They launched the poster of their short movie "Ankahee Baatein" at the 69th Cannes Film Festival's Short Film Corner last year. But the news of the two dating kept popping up. Was she affected? "Absolutely not. I was 13 when all of this (dating rumours) started. He was 32. So there was no point of even thinking about stupid stuff like this. Whenever those articles came, we laughed it off." "Even now since we travel together, people talk, but it doesn't matter. We don't give any importance to the rumours. We are still best of friends. I don't have the time to be in a relationship right now," she added. She is currently seen in the Colors show "Laado - Veerpur Ki Mardaani". SHIMLA: Jai Ram Thakur is all set to swear-in as the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday, December 27. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah are likely to attend the ceremony. A five-term MLA, Thakur won from Seraj constituency, defeating Congress candidate Chet Ram. Thakur has been a cabinet minister with the former BJP government of the hill state. He was Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. He was elected to Himachal Pradesh Assembly from Mandi and had won his first election in the year of 1998. The BJP won 44 of the 68-seat Himachal Pradesh Assembly, ousting Congress from the hill state. 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. 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. London: The Hubble Space Telescope has captured the image of a planetary nebula that looks like a colourful holiday ornament in space, according to the European Space Agency (ESA). Planetary nebulae are one of the main ways in which elements heavier than hydrogen and helium are dispersed into space after their creation in the hearts of stars. Eventually some of this out-flung material may form new stars and planets. The nebula, NGC 6326, has glowing wisps of outpouring gas that are lit up by a central star nearing the end of its life, ESA said. When a star ages and the red giant phase of its life comes to an end, it starts to eject layers of gas from its surface leaving behind a hot and compact white dwarf. Sometimes this ejection results in elegantly symmetric patterns of glowing gas, but NGC 6326 is much less structured. This object is located in the constellation of Ara, the Altar, about 11,000 light years from Earth, ESA said. Bengaluru: 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 religion 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. New Delhi: The tenth spiritual mast of SikhismSri Guru Gobind Singh Ji's 351st birth anniversary or Prakash Parv celebrations begun from December 24, 2017. to mark the auspicious day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the nation on Twitter. 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. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 24, 2017 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. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 24, 2017 I congratulate CM @NitishKumar Ji and the Bihar Government for the wonderful arrangements for Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji's 350th birth anniversary celebrations at Takht Sri Patna Sahib Ji. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 24, 2017 Guru Gobind Singh was born as Gobind Rai and was the 10th Sikh Guru or spiritual master. Born to parents Guru Tegh Bahadur, who was the 9th Sikh Guru and Mata Gujrihe was the only son. The spiritual master was born in Patna, Bihar. The divine shrine of Takht Sri Patna Harimandar Sahib marks the site of the house where he was born and spent the first four years of his life. Guru Gobind Singh ji was formally anointed as the Sikh leader and master at a tender age of nine, making him the last of the living Sikh Gurus. The 10th spiritual master lost four of his sons during the Mughal-Sikh warstwo were killed in the battle while other two were executed by the Mughal army. He made several contributions to Sikhism in which founding the warrior Sikh communityKhalsa in 1699 was the most prominent one. Besides, he introduced the 5 K's that every Sikh follows: Kesh: uncut hair Kangha: a wooden comb Kara: an iron or steel bracelet worn on the wrist Kirpan: a sword Kachchera: short breeches Guru Gobind Singh Ji spread his spiritual teachings to a lot of followers. He wrote many Sikh texts and enshrines Guru Granth Sahib as the ultimate eternal Guru of Sikhism. The teachings and philosophy of Guru Gobind Singh Ji continue to inspire many. In January 2017, PM Modi had paid his obeisance to the Guru in Takht Sri Patna Harmandir Sahib. He shared the picture on Twitter: In January 2017, I had the opportunity to visit Patna to join the 350th birth anniversary celebrations of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Sharing my speech on the occasion. https://t.co/vNFXVMGW2y pic.twitter.com/XueXwVn0Ut Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 24, 2017 Also, the official Twitter handle of Bihar tourism tweeted these celebration pictures while Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda too wished his fans on the special day: Panj Pyaare at Prabhatpheri (last) 351 Prakash Purub of Sri Guri Gobind Singh Ji Maharaja pic.twitter.com/eCTljAkoww Bihar Tourism (@VisitBihar) December 23, 2017 Of many teachings of Sri #GuruGobindSingh ji that I want to share on the auspicious day of 351st #PrakashPurab the need of the hour for us as #Indians as #HumanBeings is #RecogniseTheWholeHumanRaceAsOne .. Boleeeee so Nihaal, SatSriakal!! pic.twitter.com/iZfji9xv5a December 25, 2017 The Akal Takht this year decided to celebrate the Gurpurab on December 25 as per the Bikrami calendar. Here's wishing everyone a happy Gurpurab! London: Popular messaging platform WhatsApp will drop support from certain platforms on December 31st 2017, the company confirmed in a statement. According to express.co.uk, the Facebook-owned mobile messaging app, will stop working for people using BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10, Windows Phone 8.0 and older. WhatsApp had originally told users that support for these mobile platforms would be dropped by the end of 2016. Meanwhile, Android OS version 2.3.7 and older will also stop functioning after February 1st, 2020. The tech giant had earlier ended support for Android versions older than 2.3.3, Windows Phone 7, iPhone 3GS or any iOS 6 device and Nokia Symbian S60. A minister in the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh sparked a row on Sunday as he mocked the poor. During a public gathering in Balrampur, UP minister for welfare of backward classes and empowerment of handicapped Om Prakash Rajbhar said that a vote of a poor person is confirmed when given liquor and chicken. Rajbhar said that all poor people consume alcohol and eat chicken to give vote to political parties. He added that after winning elections, the parties treat the poor as nothing but chickens. "Baati-chokha kaccha vote, daaru murga pakka vote. Saare garib daaru peete ho, murga khaake vote dete ho aur ye Delhi, Lucknow jaane waale neta 5 saal tujhe murga banake ghumate hain," says UP Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar in #Balrampur (24.12.17) pic.twitter.com/bQgg9aaff1 December 25, 2017 "Baati-chokha kaccha vote, daaru murga pakka vote. Saare garib daaru peete ho, murga khaake vote dete ho aur ye Delhi, Lucknow jaane waale neta 5 saal tujhe murga banake ghumate hain, (Baati-chokha doesnt confirm a vote, but chicken and liquor do. All poor people consume alcohol, eat chicken and vote for political parties that win elections and form governments in Delhi and Lucknow. The governments then treat the poor people as chicken for next five years)," said the UP Minister. Rajbhar is the president of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), which is an ally of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. This comes month after the minister accused members of his Rajbhar community of alcohol abuse. He had said that members of his community spend as much money on liquor as the BJP spends in a month. (With ANI inputs) Afghanistan woke up to a gloomy Christmas as a suicide bomber blew himself up near an Afghan spy agency in Kabul killing at least 7 people. Afghan security forces keep watch at a check point close to a compound of Afghanistan's national intelligence agency in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Photo: Reuters) By Indo-Asian News Service, Agencies: At least seven people were killed on Monday in a suicide bomb attack near Afghanistan's intelligence agency in Kabul, said officials. The attacker, who was on foot, blew himself up near the entrance of an office of National Directorate of Security (NDS) in the capital city's Shashdarken neighbourhood, Nasrat Rahimi, spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior Affairs, told Efe news. advertisement The suicide bomb attack took place around 8 in the morning, at the time office-goers were arriving. This incident comes a week after an attack on NDS' training facility, the same spy agency which was targeted today. But that ended when the attackers were gunned down before causing any significant casualties. According to the Health Ministry, one other person was injured and the toll might rise. The wounded were taken to city hospitals, said an official. In a statement issued through the group's Amaq news agency, Islamic State claimed responsibility for today's suicide attack on a compound of Afghanistan's national intelligence agency. --- ENDS --- Guatemala City: Guatemala is to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, President Jimmy Morales has announced, following US President Donald Trump's controversial lead on the holy city. After speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Morales wrote to Guatemalans on his Facebook page Sunday that "one of the most important topics was the return of Guatemala's embassy to Jerusalem," from Tel Aviv where it is currently located. "For this reason I am informing you that I have given instructions to the foreign ministry that it start the necessary respective coordination to make this happen," Morales wrote. Guatemala's leader made the announcement on Christmas Eve, three days after two-thirds of UN member states rejected Trump's decision to have the United States recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday hailed the decision, saying other nations would also follow Washington's controversial lead. "Other countries will recognize Jerusalem and announce the relocation of their embassies. A second country did it and I repeat it: there will be others, it's just the start and it's important," Netanyahu said in a statement. In all, 128 nations voted to maintain the international consensus that Jerusalem's status can only be decided through peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Only eight countries stood with the United States in voting no to the resolution held in the UN General Assembly, among them Guatemala and fellow Central American country Honduras. Guatemala and Honduras are both reliant on US funding to improve security in their gang-ridden territories. The two nations are, along with El Salvador, in what is known as the Northern Triangle of Central America. Violence, corruption and poverty have made them the main source of illegal migration to the United States, which is giving them $750 million to provide better conditions at home. Morales, like Trump, was a television entertainer with no real political experience before becoming president of Guatemala in 2016. On Friday, Morales foreshadowed the decision he was to make regarding Jerusalem, as he defended his government's vote at the UN backing the United States. "Guatemala is historically pro-Israeli," he told a news conference in Guatemala City. "In 70 years of relations, Israel has been our ally," he said. "We have a Christian way of thinking that, as well as the politics of it, has us believing that Israel is our ally and we must support it." Morales's position has become fragile in recent months because of allegations of corruption against him being investigated by a special UN-backed body working with Guatemalan prosecutors. The United States ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, had said her country would "take names" of the states opposing its position, and Trump threatened to cut funding to countries "that take our money and then vote against us." Several significant US allies abstained from the UN vote, among them Australia, Canada, Mexico and Poland. Others, such as Britain, France, Germany and South Korea were in the majority of 128 nations denouncing any unilateral decision to view Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The eight countries on the US side of the vote were: Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Togo. Following the US decision on Jerusalem, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said he would "no longer accept" any peace plan proposed by the US, dealing a pre-emptive blow to a new initiative expected by Washington next year. Trump has tasked his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who had no prior experience in government, with spearheading the complicated peace plan efforts. The World Baloch Organisation (WBO) has moved to top gear in advertising its 'Free Balochistan' campaign and recently ran a mobile drive with prominent signs against Pakistani atrocities in Balochistan, in New York. Days after it ran its campaign on close to 100 NYC cabs, WBO posted a huge banner on a delivery truck which criss-crossed the city. While the objective of the campaign is to raise awareness amongst New Yorkers about the Baloch cause and about the atrocities committed by Pakistan in the region, the most-recent campaign also raised question marks over China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. "No to CPEC, the China-Pakistan project aims to loot and plunder Balochistan," read the sign. World #Baloch Organisation (WBO) continues its campaign in New York with trucks carrying adverts with the slogan, "#FreeBalochistan from human rights abuses by Pakistan" pic.twitter.com/lCMirVByG3 ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 It is reported that the NYC campaign will run for a month, during which the WBO will continue to make use of different methods of campaigning to highlight the dire situation in Balochistan. In recent months, WBO has upped its scale of campaigning with numerous advertisements across different modes of transportation in London and even in other parts of mainland Europe. In October, more than 100 London buses carried adverts that say "Free Balochistan", "Save The Baloch People" and "Stop Enforced Disappearances". Many of the iconic taxis in the city too were painted with 'Free Balochistan' message. Despite Pakistan's hue and cry over the 'Free Balochistan' advertisements in London, the United Kingdom's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) had shot down suggestions of any action against the campaign. The ASA council had clarified that "the advertiser had a right to express their views, as long as they were in line with the rules in the Advertising Code. "The Council considered that the tagline '#Balochistan"' (and) 'FreeBalochistan' was an invitation to find out more about a particular political cause; and the ad itself did not make any specific claim that threatened the territorial integrity or sovereignty of Pakistan," a letter from the council read. In November, British High Commissioner to Pakistan Thomas Drew had expressed his country's inability to control the advertisements about Balochistan in London. "I understand the strength of feeling about adverts in London. The British Government does not and cannot control advertising in the UK. But our own position is clear about the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan, of which Balochistan is and will continue to be an integral part," Saama TV quoted Drew as saying in response to concerns about advertisements about Balochistan in London. WBO, meanwhile, remained determined. "Despite attempts by the Pakistan government to censor our advertising campaign, the billboard advertising campaign is going ahead on roadsides all over London," a message from #FreeBalochistan billboard campaign read. Pakistan has repeatedly tried to block these ad campaigns from appearing on foreign soil. Earlier this year, there was even a diplomatic row of sorts when a 'Free Balochistan' poster was seen on a bus in Geneva. Swiss authorities did not act against the campaign despite Pakistan's protests. The WBO has repeatedly urged the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for its crimes against humanity in Balochistan including enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings and torture. Bhawal Mengal, a member of the WBO who organised the advertisements, has said, "Our campaign aims to highlight the situation in Balochistan which has long been concealed". (With agency inputs) LAHORE: Ignoring all warnings from the Pakistan government, Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed has opened the first political office of Milli Muslim League (MML) in Lahore district. Saeed, the co-founder of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), was freed by a Pakistan court after being under house arrest for 297 days. His release was met with global outcry, with the United States asking the Pakistan government to immediately re-arrest and prosecute him. Milli Muslim League (MML) has been touted as the political face of terror outfit JuD. The country's Interior Ministry has called it an offshoot of the banned LeT. Saeed inaugurated the MML office on Mohni Road and listened to civic problems of the area, a report in Pakistani daily Dawn stated. Pakistan's Interior Ministry has opposed the registration of MML as a political party with the Election Commission by terming it as an "offshoot of proscribed entities". The Ministry`s opposition came after a security agency`s report expressing apprehension that the registration of MML as a political party "would breed violence and extremism in politics". Saeed, who has a USD 10 million bounty on his head for terror activities, has requested the United Nations to strike off his name from the list of global designated terrorists. Interestingly, the MML office was inaugurated from the National Assembly constituency NA-120 of Lahore district a seat traditionally contested by the Sharifs, who never lost since their debut in politics in 1985 here. The MML is yet to be registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The party has already fielded Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh to fight the election under its banner. Sheikh filed his nomination papers with the ECP as an independent candidate. Expressing support for Saeed, former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf said that he would welcome an alliance with global terrorist and 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed for the general election in 2018. Vatican City: Pope Francis used his Christmas message on Monday to call for a negotiated two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after US President Donald Trump stoked regional tensions with his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel`s capital. Francis spoke of the Middle East conflict and other world flashpoints in his "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) address, four days after more than 120 countries backed a UN resolution urging the United States to reverse its decision on Jerusalem. "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," he said, referring to the Israelis and Palestinians. "We see Jesus in the children of the Middle East who continue to suffer because of growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians," he said in his address, delivered from the balcony of St. Peter`s Basilica to tens of thousands of people. It was the second time that the pope has spoken out publicly about Jerusalem since Trump`s decision on Dec. 6. On that day, Francis called for the city`s "status quo" to be respected, lest new tensions in the Middle East further inflame world conflicts. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future independent state, whereas Israel has declared the whole city to be its "united and eternal" capital. Francis, leader of the world`s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, urged people to see the defenceless baby Jesus in the children who suffer the most from war, migration and natural calamities caused by man today. "Today, as the winds of war are blowing in our world ... Christmas invites us to focus on the sign of the child and to recognise him in the faces of little children, especially those for whom, like Jesus, `there is no place in the inn,`" he said. Francis, celebrating the fifth Christmas of his pontificate, said he had seen Jesus in the children he met during his recent trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh, and he called for adequate protection of the dignity of minority groups in that region. More than 600,000 Muslim Rohingya people have fled mainly Buddhist Myanmar to Bangladesh in recent months. The pope had to tread a delicate diplomatic line during his visit, avoiding the word "Rohingya" while in Myanmar, which does not recognise them as a minority group, though he used the term when in Bangladesh. "Jesus knows well the pain of not being welcomed and how hard it is not to have a place to lay ones head. May our hearts not be closed as they were in the homes of Bethlehem," he said. He also urged the world to see Jesus in the innocent children suffering from wars in Syria and Iraq and also in Yemen, complaining that its people had been "largely forgotten, with serious humanitarian implications for its people, who suffer from hunger and the spread of diseases". He also listed conflicts affecting children in South Sudan, Somalia, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Ukraine and Venezuela. At his Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter`s Basilica on Sunday, Francis strongly defended immigrants, comparing them to Mary and Joseph finding no place to stay in Bethlehem and saying faith demands that foreigners be welcomed. Lima: Peru's jailed ex-president Alberto Fujimori, who was serving a 25-year sentence for corruption and rights abuses, has been pardoned on humanitarian grounds, the presidency announced today. "The president of the republic... Has decided to grant a humanitarian pardon to Mr Alberto Fujimori and seven other people in similar condition," it said in a statement. Fujimori was transferred from his cell to a clinic Saturday suffering from low blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat. The 79-year-old had a "sudden drop of pressure with marked arrhythmia," doctors said. "He is making adequate progress in the intensive care unit," said his physician Alejandro Aguinaga. "He will remain hospitalized for as long as necessary, until he has stabilized." Fujimori, in office from 1990 to 2000 and imprisoned since 2005, was admitted amid rumors that he could be pardoned this Christmas. Speculation about a pardon arose after his lawmaker son Kenji broke ranks with the ex-president's daughter Keiko, who leads the Peruvian opposition and was pushing last week to impeach President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. That allowed Kuczynski to survive a Congressional session on whether to impeach him. Analysts debated whether the president would pay off his political debt to Kenji Fujimori by pardoning his disgraced father. Fujimori has been admitted to hospital on several previous occasions, the last time in September. Despite his conviction for human rights abuses, Fujimori retains a level of popularity in Peru for having defeated the Marxist guerillas of The Shining Path and for stabilizing the economy after a period of crisis. On Thursday Kuczynski survived a 14-hour session in Congress that failed by eight votes to institute impeachment proceedings. Kuczynski had been accused of taking $5 million in bribes from Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht and then lying to cover his tracks. Vatican City: Pope Francis in his Christmas eve mass Sunday urged the world`s 1.3 billion Catholics not to ignore the plight of migrants who are "driven from their land" because of leaders willing to shed "innocent blood". "So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary," the Argentine pontiff, himself the grandson of Italian migrants, told worshippers in Saint Peter`s Basilica "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, who will give his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" Christmas address on Monday. The pontiff`s plea for "hope" came as fresh tensions simmered in the West Bank following Washington`s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel`s capital. The announcement by US President Donald Trump 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.Celebrating 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". He urged "Christians of the Holy Land, who are worried, and perhaps afraid by the reduction of our numbers, the inadequacy of our means, the insecurity that characterises our daily life," to have courage in the troubled region. 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. "Jerusalem is our mother," he said, and if one of her children "is missing the mother cannot be at peace, so we have to pray for the peace of Jerusalem," the archbishop said in his homily in the presence of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. Trump`s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has sparked almost daily protests in the Palestinian territories and put a damper on Christmas festivities. Palestinian scouts played drums and bagpipes at celebrations in Bethlehem, 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. 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. In the square, Nahil Banura, a Christian woman from Beit Sahur, near Bethlehem, said Trump`s decision had made the run-up to Christmas "miserable". "People are only going out to vent," she said.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 at 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 earlier, 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". Mitri Raheb, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, told AFP 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".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. Hymns filled a Mosul church on Sunday as worshippers celebrated Christmas for the first time in four years after the city`s recapture from the Islamic State group in July. Muslims stood alongside Christian worshippers amid the candles and Christmas trees at St Paul`s Church in Mosul. Washington: It's the question every good little girl and boy asks on Christmas Eve: When is Santa coming? As it has done every year since 1955, a Canadian and American defense agency is tracking the jolly old man's path around the globe in his reindeer-powered sleigh. A 3-D, interactive website at www.Noradsanta.Org shows Santa on his delivery route, allowing users to click to learn more about the various cities along the way. The Santa tracker presented by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) dates to 1955, when a Colorado newspaper advertisement printed a phone number to connect children with St Nick mistakenly directed them to the hotline for the military nerve center. To avoid disappointing the little ones, NORAD's director of operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, ordered his staff to check the radar to see where Santa might be and update the children on his location. When not spreading holiday cheer, NORAD conducts aerospace and maritime control and warning operations -- including monitoring for missile launches from North Korea, something that may have been on Santa's mind as he passed over the country's capital of Pyongyang. "NORAD radars have sensed movement near the North Pole. It appears that the elves have finished loading Santa's sleigh and Santa has lifted off! Even loaded with all the gifts and goodies, Santa's sleigh seems to be moving lightning fast," the website said in a video clip at the launch of Santa's global journey. As of 1545 GMT, Santa was headed for the Indonesia capital of Jakarta, having already left nearly 1.5 billion gifts for sleeping children in countries including New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan, the Philippines, and Malaysia. This year, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania, who are spending the holidays at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, were expected to participate in Santa Tracker calls Sunday afternoon. Volunteers manning the NORAD phone line included military members in uniform, with a soldier completing his look with a camouflage Santa hat, according to photos on the website's Twitter account. The Santa tracker "has become a magical tradition for generations of families everywhere," General Lori Robinson, commander of the US Northern Command and NORAD, told Politico. "While certainly a reminder that we have the watch defending North America, our ultimate goal is to provide good will and cheer during the holiday season." Volunteers are armed with a 14-page handbook detailing the "tracking operation," Politico reported. "When a rocket or missile is launched, a tremendous amount of heat is produced -- enough for the satellites to see them," it says. "Rudolph's nose gives off an infrared signature similar to a missile launch. The satellites detect Rudolph's bright red nose with no problem." By PTI: (Eds: With fresh inputs and quotes of President) New Delhi, Dec 25 (PTI) As former premier Atal Bihari Vajpayee turned 93 today, greetings poured in for the veteran statesman, with President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extending their wishes. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu went to meet Vajpayee at his residence here. "Birthday wishes to our much-loved and respected former Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee #PresidentKovind," the official Twitter handle of the President of India read. advertisement Modi was among the first to meet the BJP veteran at his residence. "Visited Atal ji to convey birthday greetings to him. Spent time with his family as well," the prime minister wrote on Twitter. Earlier in the day, Modi credited Vajpayees phenomenal and visionary leadership which "further raised our prestige at the world stage. I pray for his good health". Naidu posted a poem in Hindi on Twitter by the former prime minister, who is keeping indifferent health and has not been seen in public for a long time now. The poem urged people to remain united and not to give up hope in tough times. BJP president Amit Shah and Home minister Rajnath Singh also visited Vajapayees residence to greet him. "Visited Atal jis home to wish him on his birthday," Shah said in a tweet. "Warm wishes to our beloved leader and guide, Shri Atalji on his birthday today. Atalji is a towering and visionary leader who introduced good governance, development and politics of performance in Indian polity. I pray for his good health and long life," Singh said in a tweet. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also wished the BJP veteranAwell on his birthday. "Warm birthday wishes to Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji. A visionary leader who called for peace, progress & prosperity in J&K by imbibing the spirit of Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat & Kashmiriyat," Mehbooba said on Twitter. Several union ministers, including Ravi Shankar Prasad, Arun Jaitley, Smriti Irani and Nirmala Sitharaman, also greeted Vajpayee. The prime minister also payed tributes to freedom fighter Madan Mohan Malaviya on his birth anniversary. "His impact on Indias history is strong and unforgettable. His efforts to further education and a spirit of patriotism will always be remembered," Modi said in a tweet. Born in 1924, Vajpayee entered politics during the Quit India movement in 1942. He was the first external affairs minister to deliver a speech in the UN Assembly in Hindi. 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. PTI NAB MP GVS --- ENDS --- advertisement Livestock farmers in cold climates all over the globe would really appreciate a particular gift this holiday season: for everyone in the world to start eating reindeer meat. Finland, Russia, Norway, Alaska, and Canada all have domesticated reindeer populations, but Christmas-related PR problems have hampered their progress in bringing the meat into the mainstream with its cousin venison though reindeer meat can be found on the fine restaurant menus of Oslo and Helsinki. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has gone so far as to create a separate species name for Santas reindeer to differentiate the flying variety from the rest (Saintnicolas Magicalus yes really). Reindeer meat is extremely lean with a favorable fatty acid profile. Nutritionists praise it for its high vitamin and low fat content, much of which is healthy fats. In fact, reindeer meat is often compared to fish in terms of nutrition. Economically, a roaring trade in reindeer meat could be great for rural economies. Marketplace reported last week that one remote village in Alaska used grant funding to start a herd of reindeer to provide affordable food in an area where a gallon of milk cost more than $20. But reindeer populations are on the decline and it has nothing to do with Christmas festivals or sleigh rides. Climate change (reindeer cant thrive in warmer temperatures), land development and loss of territory, and predators (bears, wolverines, lynx) are all hitting both wild and domesticated populations hard. In Canada, some reports put the drop at as much as 80% in the last decade. No frequent reader of AgFunderNews should be surprised then, that there is an app and a sensor out there to help herders protect their animals. A consortium of technologies brought together by the Finnish Reindeer Herders Association, has created a sensor, worn by female reindeer, that can alert the herder to distress through an app. Finland has approximately 300,000 domesticated reindeer, which bring in around $25 million per year in meat, fur, and antler products. The app is the work of Actility, an international IoT company with products for other livestock as well, along with soil, weather, and air pollution sensors. Finnish communications firm Digita worked on a LoRaWAN network to improve connectivity in remote forests and Finnish startup Mapitare provides the mapping and visualization software. Matti Sarkela, head of the Finnish Reindeer Herders Association, told the BBC the technology still has a way to go. We have high expectations of the internet of things We need a sensor that lasts for a year, at a low cost, and with improved location technology it can be hard to get good GPS signals in the high Arctic. Were working now on finding the best technology mix and getting the best sensor, said Sarkela. Are you ready to start a new tradition and eat reindeer meat on Christmas Day? Whether the answer is yes or no, at least with these new wearables, well be able to prove once and for all if they really can fly. PLEASE NOTE! Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate! All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited! (One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!) 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. The Art of Christmas: New Mexico Style PLEASE NOTE! Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate! All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited! (One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!) YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. 2017 was full of events for Matenadaran - the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, acting director of the Matenadaran Vahan Ter-Ghevondyan told Armenpress. We usually summarize the results of research activity in the form of monographs, collections, articles, as well as reports of our researchers at different scientific conferences. In this sense the year of 2017 exceeds the results of the previous years. In terms of the number of scientific articles this year the number exceeds that of 2015 by three times. If 50 articles were published in 2015, this year more than 150 articles, ad nearly 90 articles were published in 2016. These articles have different emphasis philology, historiography, art criticism and etc, Vahan Ter-Ghevondyan said. This year four international scientific conferences were held in the Matenadaran. One of them was dedicated to the 350th anniversary of the publication of the Armenian Bible. Within the frames of the next scientific conference mainly the specialists of the CIS states gathered who were engaged in the preservation, restoration and digitization of manuscripts and documents. This year also the 3rd youth scientific conference was held during which high-level reports were presented. The researches of Matenadaran this year participated in international congresses, scientific conferences organized by the worlds major universities. This year the exhibition halls of Matenadaran were upgraded and new exhibits were displayed. An exhibition was organized in Amsterdam dedicated to the 350th anniversary of the Armenian publication of the Bible. Ancient, valuable books were presented. Another exhibition was also held in Matenadaran dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the Mekhitaristic Congregation in Venice. Vahan Ter-Ghevondyan also stated that the year was also significant in terms of donations. He said a number of valuable manuscripts, large archival collections were donated. An Iranian-Armenian Avo Hovhannisyan donated manuscripts, ancient books, archival documents to Matenadaran. Archives were also sent from France. The collection of Matenadarans manuscripts exceeds 20.000 most of which are donations. 17.000 of them are in Armenian, the rest is in Arabic, Persian, Greek and etc. Among the current activities the acting director highlighted the process of creating the main list of Armenian manuscripts. The 9th volume has already been printed. He added that the works will continue on this path in the future. On Sunday, Dec. 3, we began the liturgical season of Advent in preparation for the celebration of Christs birth on Christmas Day. In the first reading from Isaiah proclaimed on that day, we heard these words: No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you doing such deeds for those who wait for Him. (Isaiah 64:3) The marvelous deeds of God powerfully were witnessed in Jesus when He came among us in the gift of the Incarnation. In the Holy Gospels we read that Jesus asked His disciples to report His works to John the Baptist, who asked if indeed this was the Messiah: Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. (Matthew 11:4-5; Luke 7:22) In meditating upon these words, one cannot fail to wonder how is it that Jesus would end His earthly mission in crucifixion after the people had seen such marvelous deeds! What possibly could have happened? Perhaps these miraculous cures performed by Jesus were far more appealing than the challenges Jesus posed to his listeners: to take up their crosses and follow Him; to believe that the Eucharist is His Body and Blood; to live the Beatitudes; to forgive; to love others as He has first loved us! Jesus was acceptable, even wonderful, as long as He was kept at a distance, did not interfere with their lives, left them to go their own way after serving their purposes. We must be attentive to the voice of Jesus, lest we become no different from the crowds on Palm Sunday that cried out, Hosanna, but just a few days later cried out, Crucify Him on Good Friday. As long as Jesus does not make any demands upon us throughout our daily lives, all is fine. But when He expects us to proclaim His presence at home, at school, in the neighborhood, and at the workplace, then faith becomes uncomfortable, and Jesus, whether intentionally or unintentionally, can be ignored. Our silence allows others to advance agendas and cultures contrary to the Gospel. Respect for the dignity of every person is thwarted by the objectification of persons to selfishly engage in immoral actions. We can become numb to violence, indifferent to the poor, and have no interest in creating a just and moral society for future generations. From the simplicity of that cave in Bethlehem, there came forth eternal truths that to this day, and ever more, have been the foundation of human development truths that have protected humanity from conception until natural death, created a home for the refugee, provided for the poor, enlightened the schooled and unschooled, and carried the sick over the threshold into eternal life. These values remain as the Saviors gifts to us and He calls us to share them with our sisters and brothers in Gods family. I pray that the celebration of our Saviors birth will find us at the crib, like the shepherds and magi, presenting the Child with the gift of our faith in Him, with all its struggles and imperfections, and the gift of our sincere desire to work for the peace of that holiest of nights, never forgetting the suffering of so many who still long to hear the angelic voices proclaiming peace. Leaving the crib a changed people, we pray that in our particular vocations we do bring some joy to these our sisters and brothers; we bring them the joy of knowing Jesus, a joy already in our own hearts. As we go to Bethlehem, Let us then allow the joy of this day to penetrate our souls. It is no illusion. It is the truth. For the truth the ultimate and genuine truth is beautiful. And it is good. When people encounter it, they become good. The truth speaks to us in the Child Who is Gods own Son (Benedict XVI, The Blessing of Christmas, pp. 132-133). A blessed Christmas and a joyous New Year to you all! Kulbhushan Jadhav met his wife and mother for 40 minutes today. Pakistan allowed the meeting "on humanitarian grounds." Here's why New Delhi feels it represents a "major climbdown." By Sudhi Ranjan Sen: India feels today's meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav and his family was as much an image-building exercise as a tacit message from Pakistan to New Delhi, and so represents a "major climbdown." Jadhav was sentenced to death by Islamabad in April, on charges of espionage. India claims the former Navy officer, who set up a business in Iran's Chabahar port after retiring from the force, was abducted and sold to Pakistan intelligence agencies by the Taliban. advertisement Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav, so why did Islamabad permit what it called a "humanitarian" meeting"? A top source in the Indian security establishment told India Today that Pakistan's military, which is all-powerful within the country, "wants to show that it is capable of doing business with India. And, they want to tell us that Jadhav is alive." At another level, Pakistan is also collecting evidence to show the international community that it's acting according to established protocol. New Delhi is aware of the anti-India sentiment in Pakistan, and feels that allowing the meeting at this juncture was a bold move, but one aimed at "window dressing" the Pakistan's military's image. "The fact that Pakistan military is tacitly signaling to India indicates a major climb down. Initially, Pakistan tried to show-case India's alleged interference in Pakistan using Jadhav, now it wants a thaw in the relations and they (are) using Jadhav," a senior official said. WILL INDIA BLINK? India is unlikely to change its stand or its Pakistan policy in a hurry. Diplomatically, India is trying to isolate Pakistan in the international area. It has also refused to engage Pakistan bilaterally. "India appreciates the internal situation in Pakistan and even understands the tacit message being sent by Pakistan," a source said. What's more, the decision on India-Pakistan engagement will also take into account the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. This year has been particularly violent. While security forces have killed over 200 terrorists and have seen a surge in infiltration attempts by terrorist groups backed by the Pakistan Army (like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)), India has lost over 50 soldiers as well. WATCH | Kulbhushan Jadhav's meeting with wife, mother: Cruel photo opportunity? --- ENDS --- YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan on December 25 signed a decree on establishing an inter-agency committee which will coordinate the actions aimed at ensuring the implementation of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between Armenia on the one hand and the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their member states on the other hand, as well as the Partnership Priorities document between Armenia and the European Union, the Presidential Office told Armenpress. According to the decree, the inter-agency committee will coordinate the activities of competent authorities of Armenia and the EU and its member states within the frames of commercial and sectoral cooperation defined by the agreement and the document. It will also confirm the action plan aim at ensuring the implementation of reforms deriving from the agreement and the document developed by the public administration authorities of Armenia. The inter-agency committee will pre-discuss the commercial and sectoral cooperation issues included in the agendas of the Armenia-EU Partnership Council and Partnership Committee envisaged by the agreement. The activities of the inter-agency committee will be held through sessions which will be convened in case of necessity, but not less than once in a quarter. According to the decree, the public administration authorities of Armenia should pre-discuss with the committee the programs relating to the issues under the committees coordination, the meetings, actions and the documents which will be signed and approved. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and Azerbaijan do not lay down their arms. Despite the ceasefire signed in 1994, the peace agreement never arrived. More than two decades into the Nagorno-Karabakh (NK) war, the two countries continue to confront each other. In the line of contact between Azerbaijan and NK every day there are exchanges of fire, Armenpress reports citing Diario de Noticias website. She goes unravelling bits and pieces of life. Telling about herself and her people. Alternating between smiles and tears, which sometimes stubbornly accumulate in her eyes. Lida Sargsyan is 82 years old and features which do not belittle her age. The wrinkles are deep, excavated by the passage of time and all the mourning that life has put on her path. Her father died on a battlefield during World War II. And three of the seven children had the same fate during the conflict that in the early 1990s put Nagorno-Karabakh in the spotlight. In April last year, she feared the worst, when Talish, the village where she lived, near the northwest border of the territory, was attacked by Azerbaijan's military. Fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenian forces lasted only four days, but it was enough to show that despite the ceasefire signed in 1994, peace and security are far from palpable realities. The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh dates back to the 1920s, when, in the aftermath of World War I, Joseph Stalin decreed that this autonomous regionwith an Armenian and Christian majority would become an integral part of the newly created Socialist Republic of Azerbaijan, predominantly inhabited by Shia Muslims. The following decades, lived under the unifying communist mantle, were of relative calm, but everything changed with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Shortly after the Azerbaijani parliament revoked the autonomous status of Nagorno-Karabakh, in December 1991, the region unilaterally declared independence. Tension and clashes intensified and the war settled. The weapons would only go quiet in 1994, with the Armenian victory. Since then, the conflict has been frozen. Peace has never been signed and the country is not recognized by any Member State of the United Nations. In addition to dominating the territory of the former Soviet oblast - composed of five provinces - the Armenian forces, as a result of the war's achievements in the 1990s, also control seven other Azeri regions, thus allowing for a link with Armenia. Rotten peace collapsed last year. In the early hours of dawn on April 3, the village of Talish woke up under fire. "I left the house when they started firing, and my husband asked me not to do it, but I told him I was going out.If they are going to kill me, let them do it outside, not in here," Lida recalls. Some neighbors got her inside a car to escape the attack. Zora, her husband, refused to go. He explained that he did not want to leave the house. That he would not leave behind the photographs and the memories of the children who died in the war. Married for 61 years, during "three or four days" Lida and Zorahad no newsof each other. Today, like 45 other Talish families, they live in Alashan, a small place about 20 kilometers away. They live in improvised, pre-fabricated housing provided by the government, while they wait for the day when they can return home. For the time being, Talish is a deserted village, with much of the houses destroyed by the attack of the Azeri forces. The reconstruction work is progressing little by little, but it will still take long months until the inhabitants can return. Among laughter, children run across the dirt floor. The wind stirs the sheets hung to dry in the street, hanging from a rope stretched between two trees. They would be pieces of a normal life, if Alashan were not just a piece of borrowed land. The school and place of death The house, of exposed bricks and with a zinc roof, is on the edge of the dirt road. The vegetation, against which no one has fought for a year and a half, is advancing toward the walls. The door is open. Inside, in the living room, Captain Gegham Grigoryan, a press officer for the Nagorno-Karabakh army, points to the bullet holes on the couch. "The woman was lying here when the body was found, she was 95. And here was her husband," the soldier explains. "They came in and killed them. First they killed them, and then they cut off their ears." Valera and RazmelaKhalapyan were two of the three civilian casualties in Talish. Despite the brutality of the image, last year the photograph of the corpses was widely publicized in the Armenian press to serve as evidence of a war crime. When the attack on the village began, the couple's son escaped by car with his wife and five children. He would return hours later to try to save his parents, but it was too late. He found the two lying on the floor. The blood marks have already been washed, but the drawings of the children of the family remain hung on the wall of one of the rooms, like colored ghosts, made of naive traits, which veil the rest of the empty space. Very close to the house of Lida and Zora, stands the villages school, facing the Azeri positions. The glasses are broken. Scattered on the floor are books, photographs, scrolls, drawings, and student work. "The existence of this school in Talishproves that neither the bombing (1991) nor the artillery shelling (1990-1992) nor the forced removal of the population (1992-1994) were able to break the will of a people who accepted Christianity as the religion of the State in the year 301, "can be read, almost ironically, on a billboard hung in one of the now empty classrooms. The trenches and the cleanliness of the capital The so-called Nagorno-Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact is heavily militarized on both sides. It is there, on the border, that the expression "frozen conflict" sounds a lot like a euphemism. This year, by mid-October, the Armenian casualties amounted to 47 soldiers. Andduring the four-daywar, last year, more than 90 died. About the number of Azeri victims there is no information available. The Baku government does not disclose the casualties. "The cease-fire regime is violated almost every day," says Major RudikHakobyan, commander of this post on the north-western front of the territory. "The last shots were only four hours ago," he adds. A periscope, installed in the trenches excavated in the almost white earth, allows observing the Azeri positions from a distance. But an eye that is not trained for military purposes doesnt distinguish anything, except for harmless houses, isolated and scattered across the plain. In the so-called four-day war in April 2016, Rudiks detachment suffered two casualties. He is 30 years old, and nine serving on the front line, but many of the soldiers accompanying him are young men between the ages of 18 and 20, who are on compulsory two-year military service. Unless it is necessary, men, as a rule, spend no more than two weeks in a row in the line of contact without going home. "All families are prepared for something to happen. We all have war in our daily lives, but we try to live normally," says the commander. Far from the trenches, Stepanakert is the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh. With about 55 thousand inhabitants, it is far from being a militarized place. Here, unless spoken of, war cannot be seen or felt. It is a city like almost every city in the world. With shops, restaurants, hotels, children on the way to school, adults busy with their normal life errands. ArtakBeglaryan was born in Stepanakert. He was six years old when a landmine explosion made him totally blind. The accident happened while playing with three friends in the yard. His parents placed him in a school in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, dedicated to students with special needs. The inability to see did not stop him from studying. He graduated from Yerevan State University and holds a master's degree in political science from University College in London. Today he is a spokesman for the government of Nagorno-Karabakh. More than two decades into the 1994 ceasefire, landmines are an almost overcome problem. The Halo Trust, a Scottish-based NGO, has been working permanently in the region since 2001 and believes that by 2020 the land will be mine-free. "We have already cleared 90% of the territory," says Amasia Zargarian, an Iranian American with theHalo Trust team. The official accounts show that, since 1995, there have been 287 accidents with mines. These provoked 374 victims, 78 of them mortal. In total, since the NGO started to work in the former Soviet oblast, almost 12,000 explosive deviceswere deactivated. In Karegah, a community situated in the narrow corridor of Lachin, which connects Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, it is time for lunch. Nazeli, a 40-year-old woman, is in her restingbreak. For a year and four months she has been working as a de-miner. Sitting on the ground, on a slope in the middle of the woods, she explains that she feels that her functions are important. Not just to save lives, but so that people can use the land to gather firewood and collect other food. Hate Speech "I am convinced that peace will be impossible in the coming decades," regrets ArtakBeglaryan. "Currently Azeris are poisoned with hatred of the Armenians because of the propaganda of the authorities. It will take several generations to change that. Peace is impossible when the strategy of one side is to kill the other," continues the spokesman of the government, chatting in the balcony of a restaurant in the capital. To exemplify the difference in attitude, Beglaryan resorts to the rhetoric of military communiques on both sides: "They use the term enemy and we use adversary. Our army says it protects and defends, but Azeris speak of revenge". With the eyes that do not see resting on the interlocutor, he explains that peace will be impossible while the vocabulary of hate lasts. It is not difficult to find official quotes that attest to the aggressiveness of words. "Our main enemies are all Armenians in the world," said, in 2012, IlhamAliyev, president of Azerbaijan since 2003,when he succeeded his father. "Armenia, as a country, has no value at all. It is a colony, a territory artificially created in Azerbaijans lands," he said. In September, addressing the United Nations General Assembly, IlhamAliyev stressed that Azerbaijan is a "center of multiculturalism, where all religions and ethnic groups live in harmony." The Azeri president also stressed that the conflict must be resolved on the basis of international law and that Azerbaijan's control over its territories must be restored. DN contacted by e-mail the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Baku. HikmatHajiyev, the spokesman, answered the questions (see interview), arguing that any step towards resolving the conflict will have to start with the withdrawal of the Armenian forces from the occupied territories. In 1993, between April and November, the United Nations Security Council adopted four resolutions calling for this withdrawal. Hajiyev further asserts that Armenia has carried out an "ethnic cleansing" in these territories and stresses that even in the Armenian textbooks there is also a hate speech against Azerbaijan. DN even made an interview with an Azeri researcher, an expert on international relations, who offered to find other members of civil society willing to speak. Later she explained that no one had accepted and asked - justifying himself with the "sensitivity of the subject and the safety challenges" in the country - for the interview not to be used in this article. Friends will be friends; countries not necessarily Anna Safarian (fictitious name) is 24 years old, born in 1993, a native of Stepanakert and her mother became pregnant during the conflict in the 1990s. She is part of a new generation of Armenians who were born after, during or shortly before the war. After completing her degree in Armenia, she completed a master's degree in International Law from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, and now works for the Nagorno-Karabakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She assures that she never felt any kind of hatred towards the Azeris. "They are normal people. Just like us, they have their families. Just like us, parents have their children in the army, serving in the front line. They also feel the same fear and the same pain. No, I never hated them, she insists, stressing that the problem lies with the aggressive discourse of the government of Azerbaijan. While studying in the United Kingdom, she made contacts with Azeri colleagues, but the connections ended up being lost: "They do not want to keep in touch on Facebook, because it would be dangerous for them to have Armenian friends." Ani Minasyan (fictitious name) is 28 years old, holds a degree in History from Yerevan State University and specializes in politics and society in Azerbaijan. She made a point of learning the language of the neighboring country in order to have access to "propaganda-free" sources of information. A few years ago she participated in several "peacebuilding meetings". Meetings held on neutral ground, usually in Georgia. Organized by Armenian and Azeri emigrants living in the United States, these meetings are aimed at getting young people to know who is on the other side and to establish a dialogue. Ani recalls that at one of these meetings, when she was presenting her vision of the conflict, a girl from Azerbaijan stormed out of the room shouting. "She claimed I was lying. She was not prepared to listen to my side of the story. Later I was able to understand her reaction. I understood that she was subject to propaganda, that she had never left the country, that she had never met anyone from Armenia. It was something very new for her. She was just expecting to hear me apologising, not to listen to my side of the story," she explains. From these meetings some friendships were born. One of Ani's friends, whom she met in a 2012 meeting in Georgia, was to be arrested in 2013 by the Azeri authorities and sentenced to eight years in jail. He was involved in N!DA, a civic movement that fights for human rights and democratic values. He was released last year. Ani prefers not to say hisname: "I do not want to get him into more trouble." The academic is convinced that neither the Armenians nor the Azeris want war. Butshe has no short-term illusions: "The conflict is useful for Aliyev, the Azeri president. It helps him keeping power." Frozen peace Last year's clashes have shown that the return of a large-scale war is a danger that is not far off. "Even before April 2016, it was not a frozen conflict, it was a shaky situation," said AshotGhulyan, speaker of the Nagorno-Karabakh parliament. "Azerbaijan has long been playing with the ceasefire regime to see what the reaction of the international community would be. When they realized that there was no clear and assertive response they decided to attack. They showed again that exterminating the Armenian population is still on their agenda.This seriously affects the negotiation process,"he adds. For Ghulyan, it will be very difficult to re-establish relations in the coming decades: "Since kindergarten, Azeri children learn that Armenians are the enemy." The peace process seems to be in a dead end. Baku government continues to assert that it will never abdicate from Nagorno-Karabakh, and the United Nations does not recognize the region's independence. Created in 1992 by the Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe, the Minsk group, co-chaired by France, Russia and the United States, aims to find a platform for understanding. Despite efforts, progress has been scarce. One of the problems is Stepanakert's absence from the negotiating table. Baku does not agree to dialogue with Nagorno-Karabakh until Armenia withdraws its troops from the occupied territories. "The involvement of Nagorno-Karabakh in the negotiations is indispensable for the resolution of the conflict. Without our participation it is impossible," said BakoSahakyan, President of the country. "If Azerbaijan and the Minsk group want to find a solution they have to make Nagorno-Karabakh part of the negotiating process," AshotGhulyan points out. Neither Sahakyan nor any other politician interviewed for this report agreed to reveal what percentage of the Nagorno-Karabakh state budget is invested in Defense. And which desire is stronger: independence, or reunification with Armenia? Regardless of whom the interlocutor is, in Stepanakert or Yerevan, the answer is almost always the same: first recognition of independence, and then reunification. Going immediately to the union of the two territories would be a step bigger than the leg and more difficult to understand for the international community. "Reunification is a natural thing, but if the world is not prepared to see us as part of Armenia, at least be prepared to accept us as an independent territory," says Ghulyan. President BakoSahakyan, noting that Nagorno-Karabakh has many friends in Europe, draws attention to what he considers a paradox: "European countries have very close relations with Azerbaijan - which is a dictatorial regime that disrespects basic international principles simply because it is recognised. At the same time, they refuse having institutional relations with Nagorno-Karabakh - which is a completely democratic state - only because it is not recognized internationally. This is ridiculous. According to Stepanakert, the justification for Western immobility lies in Baku's "aggressive diplomacy." "European politicians do not want to lose money. Some recent news shows how Azerbaijan uses corruption," Ghulyan said. These statements were made just days after the German newspaper SuddeutscheZeitung revealed that an ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel had received money to lobby for Azerbaijan. "In the West, people are not well informed about Nagorno-Karabakh. Gaps are filled by Azeri propaganda because they have money and exert pressure on a much larger scale," adds Armine Alexanyan, Deputy Foreign Minister in the government of Stepanakert. Knock down borders For Armenia, Azerbaijan is not the only neighbor with whom relations are problematic. There is also Turkey. Although there are flights between Yerevan and Ankara and Istanbul, land borders are locked. Fending off the two nations is still the spectre of ethnic cleansing of the Armenian population at the hands of the Ottomans in 1915 during First World War. Turkey does not recognize the Genocide, which for Armenia is an undeniable historical fact. Everything happened more than a century ago, but the wounds remain open, impeding good relations between the two countries. David and Davit are Armenians. Elif and Asya are Turks. The four are between 16 and 18 years old and it is easy to see that there is genuine friendship and complicity between them. They study together in Dilijan, northern Armenia, in one of the 17 colleges of the United World Colleges network in the world. Here there are 213 students from 82 different countries, who live and learn together. "Last year, the Armenian and Turkish students organized a celebration to honor all those who died. It was an opportunity for me to understand and empathize with the pain of the Armenians," Elif says, sitting next to Davit. In Turkey, she studied in a private school, but Asya attended public education. Both have contrasting experiences. The first tells that the subject was addressed in the classes, and they studied and talked about the subject. But for the second, the reality was different. "A university professor came to our school and gave a presentation on the Armenian Genocide saying it never happened. In public schools the curriculum is based on the denial of genocide," Asya reports. Elif explains that in Turkey it is possible to find three different views on the subject: there are the negationists, there are those who admit that there were massacres but they do not accept to speak about genocide, and there are still others who recognize the genocide. "There is no doubt that we are two close peoples and two distant neighbors," summarizes Asya. "There is a mental border because there are no links between the two peoples," adds Elif. Both said that living in Armenia showed them the cultural similarities between the people. "It would be good if it was also possible to live with Azeri students. I am sure they advocate peace," says David. Perhaps the new generation may be able to bridge the walls that politics has been building for decades. Perhaps the trenches, dug in the line of contact between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan, may one day be nothing more than fossils of a past conflict. Perhaps Lida and Zora may one day return to Talish. The journalist Jose Fialho Gouveia travelled at the invitation of the European Friends of Armenia, an NGO in Brussels. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan on December 25 signed a number of laws adopted by the Parliament, the Presidential Office told Armenpress. The laws concern making changes in the law on Protection of economic competitiveness, changes and amendments in the laws on Food safety and Veterinary Medicine. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. Nearly 25 new photos depicting the evacuation of the participants of the Mount Musa heroic battle through the French warships have been discovered by the efforts of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, reports Armenpress. The Museum-Institute said the photos were taken by the French navy officer in September 1915. The photos depict the process of transporting the Armenian civilian people by boats to the warships. The new photos will be available to public in April 2018. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. Finding an alternative route to Upper Lars involves serious challenges for Azerbaijan, Narek Minasyan head of the Insight Analytical Center for Applied Policy and Research, told reporters, adding that the opening of such corridors is a serious blow to the blockade policy somehow making it effective, reports Armenpress. Azerbaijan already conducts a very serious lobby among the Georgian lawmakers. The evidence of this are the statements of the lawmakers. We can suppose from this that Baku already takes actions, he said. He added that the issue of finding alternative routes to Upper Lars has always been in the Armenian-Georgian agenda, and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyans upcoming two-day visit to Georgia is very important in this regard. In early 2017 during his visit to Georgia Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan said there will be alternative routes, and this proves that the Armenian side had certain involvement in the process although at close formats, he said, stating that the Presidents visit can have a positive impact in terms of the use of the abovementioned alternative measures by Armenia. Narek Minasyan said Russia also must take its step to solve the issue of finding an alternative route to Upper Lars, and taking into account the Armenian-Russian relations, it is likely that the issue can also be included in the Armenian-Russian agenda. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. With the amount, donated by Ucom subscribers within the frames of Lets Keep Children in Families charity program, implemented by joint efforts of Ucom Foundation and World Vision Armenia, a new house was bought and presented to the Karakhanyan family, living in one of the communities of Sisian urban region, Ucom told Armenpress. 27 years later this family finally could have their own house, bought thanks to effective cooperation of Ucom and World Vision Armenia, and furnished with the support of the latter. Its been already 1 year since the family was enrolled in Poverty Reduction and Phase-by-phase Development program initiated by World Vision, within the frames of which intense social works are carried out. The Karakhanyan family lived in extreme poverty, in the Category 4 hazardous building of the rural club. For around 7 years the father of the family has been looking after his 6 children without a wife. Lack of a woman has even more intensified poverty in this family. The family is facing a number of serious problems, among them unfavorable socioeconomic conditions, lack of elementary household skills, extreme sanitary and hygienic conditions of the dwelling and children. One of the girls of the family stays with a neighbor and sleeps at their home, other children as well spend most of their time with the neighbors and other acquaintances. Im just back from the army. Once we are in our new house, Ill buy a bag of flour and make lavash for my brothers and sisters so that they are never hungry again, resolved Artur, the elder son of the family. Today, Ucom subscribers have done a good thing, by being part of this SMS-charity program. Thanks to the efforts of a thousands of good-hearted people, the Karakhanyan family will welcome the New Year in their warm and bright family atmosphere, of which theyve dreamed their whole life, said Hayk Yesayan, the Director General at Ucom. When working with families living in extreme poverty, its important not only to focus on financial support of these families, but also help them develop independent living skills, for them to be able to live with dignity, without external intervention. World Vision will continue working with the Karakhanyan family, in order to achieve the desired result soon, said Zhirayr Edilyan, the Program Director at World Vision Armenia. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Yerevan State University, on December 25 participated in the year-end session of the YSU Foundations Board of Trustees, the Presidential Office told Armenpress. The members of the Board of Trustees discussed and approved the Rectors reports on the 2016-2017 YSU activities, and the upcoming actions in 2016-2017 academic year by the 2016-2020 YSU development strategy program. The YSUs activity in 2016-2017 academic year has been rated as satisfactory. During the session Rector Aram Simonyan briefed members of the board on the YSU revenue and expenditure performance report. The Board members approved the YSU revenue and expenditure estimates for 2018 financial year, and the universitys structure and staffing list for 2018. In addition to agenda issues, current issues were also discussed. The President answered the questions of the members of the Board. At the end of the session President Sargsyan addressed congratulations and wishes to the members of the Board of Trustees and all university members on the New Year. In his congratulatory remarks the President talked about the passing year of 2017 and considered it as a successful year in terms of achievements and activities which is a favorable base to strengthen the achievements in the spheres of economy, foreign policy, as well as in other fields. At the end of winter, or, perhaps at the beginning of spring, we will try to sum up the results of the year, and if we really are able to add something to 2018, I think we will already move on a more pleasant development path than the one which was full of shocks, problems and crisis. But as the most important I consider the works carried out in our country in the fields of security and defense after the elections. During this year our Armed Forces were supplemented by both arms, as well as numerous reforms have been implemented and are being implemented. I am convinced that if we continue such pace we will have no problems in the security field, more concretely, in the Armed Forces. And no matter many students publicly ask the citizens of the Republic of Armenia to pity us, and protect our homeland, we will not do such things because it is not only our homeland, but also that of everyone. Besides, any such statement made in Armenia becomes the property of both the Azerbaijanis and Turks in a few minutes. The more all of us is able to effectively work, the more our country will move on successfully. We have no problems with the activeness of students, we have no problems to listen to any proposal, but I think its time for all of us to fulfill his/her duties, than to teach the others how they should conduct their duties. I want to once again repeat that the proposals, the discussions are quite normal, our society cannot develop without them, but when decisions are made as a result of discussions, the task of each of us should be to at least implement these decisions. I want everyone to live with this consciousness in 2018, starting from me up to our first-year student. I wish warmth in your families so that each of you will be at peace. I wish peace in our country, the President said. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. Nearly 1000 children from Yerevan, other cities and Artsakh will take part in the New Year and Christmas celebrations in the Armenian Presidential Palace, which has already kicked off. The Presidents Office said children from several border communities have been hosted by President Sargsyan and First Lady Rita Sargsyan this morning. On December 25, winners of educational Olympiads, children with disabilities and children of Syrian Armenian refugees will be hosted by the President also. The Christmas Tree lights were turned on and the celebrations began. The President and the First Lady congratulated the children on the holidays and delivered a speech. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian-Georgian relations are at a very high level both in economic and political domains, Alik Eroyants expert in Georgian studies, told Armenpress. This level allows to say that the relations have potential to constantly develop and expand. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyans visit to Georgia once again proves the high level of relations between the two countries and the aspirations to expand the opportunities, he said. The expert stated that different comments were made on the postponement of the Georgian prime ministers visit, some even called it scandalous in the context of the Armenian-Georgian ties, but today we see that the Armenian-Georgian relations continue deepening. According to him, the Armenian Presidents visit to Georgia is unique in a sense that Armenia recently signed the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with the EU. It seems the relations of Armenia and Georgia enter a new stage in a sense that Georgia follows the European direction for quite a long time. After signing the agreement with EU the dialogue between Armenia and Georgia can become easier, he said. Armenia and Georgia established diplomatic relations on July 17, 1992. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. The imprisonment of Russian-Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin by the Azerbaijani authorities had a counter affect since in 2017 the number of visitors to Artsakh increased drastically compared to the previous year, reports Armenpress. For me 2017 was not an easy year since during this year I spent almost 9 months in the Azerbaijani jail for visiting Artsakh. I had to go deep into the dirty actions of Azerbaijani clans, to learn about the dirty deeds of the Aliyev family, tour with the personal plane of wife of Bakus sultan, personally see and listen to the clashes in this Muslim country for power and oil money. Their racism and hatred is not only against Armenians as a result of the Artsakh conflict, but against all people belonging to other religions in general, Lapshin writes in his blog. He considered paradoxical the fact that despite by the trial against him Azerbaijan wanted to scare the whole world, Baku contributed to the double increase of tourist visits to Artsakh in 2017 compared to 2016. Among them were my friends from the Baltic countries. They shot a great movie about that wonderful place, its culture, people, nature, architectural monuments. Watch it, I am sure you also would like to be there, Lapshin writes. Below is a short video about the movie. The Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammed Faisal today at a press meet termed the Jadhav family meet as "Not the last". By India Today Web Desk: "Not the last meeting" the Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammed Faisal today said, while addressing the media after Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav met his wife and mother . "This is not the last meeting. Let me say it categorically," Faisal told reporters after former Indian Navy officer Jadhav's wife Chetankul and mother Avanti met him for the first time after his detention in March 2016. Jadhav met his wife and mother at the Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad for around 40 minutes, but interacted through a glass panel and intercom. advertisement Faizal's remark comes at a time when the debate of consular access has been raging wide and hot between the both countries. Earlier in the day, Pakistan said that today's meet between Jadhav and his family - was purely allowed on humanitarian grounds. The foreign office spokesperson also said that the meeting was extended by 10 minutes on the request of Jadhav family. Faizal further reiterated the government's stand and "categorically" denied it was a consular access even as Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh was present during the meeting. JP Singh was indeed present at the meeting, but he was seated at a distance and was not allowed to speak to Jadhav. "The Indian diplomat could see the meeting but was not allowed to meet. It would have been consular access had the Indian diplomat spoken to Jadhav," Faizal explained, adding the Indian request for a possible consular access was with Pakistan and "would be taken up at an appropriate time". WHAT DID JADHAV AND HIS FAMILY TALK ABOUT He said the two women spoke "openly and had a productive meeting" with Jadhav. "It was a positive gesture, extended on humanitarian grounds. We extended the meeting by 10 minutes on the request of Jadhav's family. It has nothing to do with legalities." WHY DECEMBER 25 Faizal also explained that December 25 was chosen as the day for Jadhav to meet his family because it is the birth anniversary of Pakistan's founding father- Mohammed Ali Jinnah. JADHAV, A TERRORIST: FAIZAL Faisal reiterated that the meeting did not mean any change in Pakistan's stance regarding Jadhav, who he termed "a spy and terrorist who has been sentenced to death". "Jadhav is the face of Indian terror in Pakistan. He has confessed to killing Aslam Chaudhary. He expressed remorse for taking Pakistani lives. He is a serving naval officer, has confessed to being a RAW agent." ABOUT KULBHUSHAN JADHAV An Indian national, Kulbhushan Jadhav has been languishing in a Pakistani jail ever since his arrest last year over allegations that he is a spy for the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India's premier external intelligence agency. On April 10 this year, a military court in Pakistan convicted him of espionage charges and sentenced him to death. advertisement The death sentence against Jadhav was stayed in May this year after New Delhi took Islamabad to the International Court of Justice alleging Pakistan had violated the Vienna Convention on Consular Access. With inputs from IANS Watch: Kulbhushan Jadhav's story told by a hanging rope --- ENDS --- YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. President of Iran Hassan Rouhani visited the families of two Armenians fallen in the Iran-Iraqi war on December 24 on the occasion of Christmas, IRNA reports. During the visit to the family of Georgekeshish Harutun fallen in war, the Iranian President appreciated the self-sacrifice of the families, stating that the whole Iranian nation guards the blood of the martyrs who defended the motherland by sacrificing themselves. President Rouhani said all religious and ethnic groups in Iran stand by each other in happiness and sadness. Our peoples have always stood by each other and will continue to do so. Georgekeshish Harutuns mother and sisters expressed their gratitude to the President for the visit. Thereafter, the Iranian President visited the family of another Armenian man Edwin Shahmiriyan fallen in war. This is our duty and the least we can do for you dear families of martyrs. You have devoted your son for defending the country, Rouhani said as a response to the warm reception of Edwin Shahmiriyans mother. The President stated that the Iranian people have always been grateful to their fellow Armenian citizens and consider them trustworthy, hard-working and honest people who love their country. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. Armenia will export fish to the European Union, Ishkhan Karapetyan Head of the State Service for Food Safety, told reporters, reports Armenpress. He informed that the fish export process with the EU has already passed the three important stages and reached the audit stage. We have reached the final audit stage as a result of which we expect that the Armenian fish will be exported to the EU, he said. According to Ishkhan Karapetyan, there are also achievements in the export of honey from Armenia to China. We can state that we approached the final stage. A number of documents have already been initialed, and in the near future we will issue a statement on this, he said, adding that talks are underway with the United Arab Emirates to export animals and frozen meat. As for the border control, Ishkhan Karapetyan said in the passing year 60.000 kilograms of food has been eliminated in the border and 120 imports were suspended. YEREVAN, 25 DECEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 25 December, USD exchange rate is up by 0.88 drams to 481.43 drams. EUR exchange rate is up by 0.42 drams to 569.68 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate is up by 0.05 drams to 8.29 drams. GBP exchange rate is up by 0.03 drams to 643.53 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price is up by 35.78 drams to 19573.13 drams. Silver price is up by 0.92 drams to 250.36 drams. Platinum price is up by 25.94 drams to 14193.63 drams. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. According to the information received from the Consulate General of the Republic of Armenia in Rostov-on-Don, Upper Lars checkpoint is already open for all types of vehicles, ARMENPRESS reports, the Facebook page of MFA Armenia informs. It was earlier reported that the Russian Emergency Ministry had stationed camps and field kitchen for Armenian citizens locked in Upper Lars section. Snow cleaning works are still underway at Kazbegi checkpoint. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia had informed that at the Russian side of the Stepantsminda-Lars highway there were 282 vehicles stuck in jam, 247 of which were trucks, 32 were passenger cars and 3 buses. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. Armenian and Georgian Presidents highlighted preservation of balanced approaches towards sensitive issues for one another and, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan told the reporters after meeting his Georgian counterpart in Tbilisi. We share the opinion that a comprehensive and lasting settlement of a conflict can be achieved through exclusively peaceful means, within the framework of agreed formats and only and only through negotiations, correspondent of ARMENPRESS reports President Sargsyan saying. President Sargsyan assured that during any negotiation Armenia always makes efforts that the documents, statements or resolutions in no way damage the interests of Georgia. I think that the preservation of this position by both Armenian and Georgian sides can only bring benefit to our peoples, Armenian President Serzh sargsyan said. 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. News / National by Staff Reporter The prediction by Malawian prophet, Shephard Bushiri, based in South Africa that Kembo Mohadi will be appointed to the highest offices has come to pass after President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed him Vice President.Bushiri last year prophesied that Mohadi will be appointed to the highest office but did not elaborate to which position. Apparently the prophesy received criticism from Zanu PF then led by Robert Mugabe and it was not taken seriously.Mohadi, who had recently been appointed as Minister of Defence has now been elevated by Mnangagwa to the VP position standing for Zapu. Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. . ..CAMERA Media Analysis..21 December '17..Judging by the way thecovered today's United Nations vote about Jerusalem, it would seem the outcome in favor of the resolution was an astounding rarity.In the first paragraph of the newspaper's story on the vote, reporter Rick Gladstone called the General Assembly resolution "a stinging rebuke to the United States." In the second paragraph, it was "a collective act of defiance toward Washington." In paragraph three, the lopsided vote was no less than a sign that "the Trump administration's decision to defy a 50-year international consensus on Jerusalem's status has unsettled world politics and contributed to America's diplomatic isolation.""Stinging" might be an objective fact in an article about bees, but not in a news story about the United Nations, where, as CNN's Jake Tapper pointed out, anti-Israeli politics are mundane and hypocrisy seems to be rampant. Indeed, in the long record of General Assembly votes related to Israel, the vote looked like more of the same, or even an erosion of the large majority that can typically be relied on to back pro-Palestinian resolutions.Today's resolution repeated boilerplate UN language declaring any decisions that purport to alter the status of the city "null and void," while also alluding to the recent U.S. announcement that it intends to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Israel's capital city. It passed by a majority of 128 to 9, with 35 countries abstaining and 21 absent from the vote.The numbers are hardly as shocking as theintroduction suggested. Every November, in fact, the UN's General Assembly votes for a resolution with largely similar language about Jerusalem. Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we are looking at in a different size. Today we look at the Emilio Draig K. This is a cigar we last assessed in the Corona size back in July 2012. Wrapper: Colombian Cubanito Maduro Binder: Unknown Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan Country of Origin: Honduras (El Paraiso) Robusto: 5 x 50 Its hard to believe that 5 1/2 years has passed since the release of Emilio Cigars limited edition Draig K. Its even harder to believe that it was 6 years ago when we first started hearing about this from our friends at Stogie Review. 2011 was a breakthrough year for Emilio Cigars, a premium cigar brand started by LJ Zucca, the company that owned the Delaware Cigars retail chain. At the time Emilio Cigars was being spearheaded by Gary Griffith who not only managed the retail operation, but was also the brand developer for Emilio Cigars. Following the successful launch of three regular production brands Emilio AF1, Emilio AF2, and Emilio Grimalkin, Griffith turned his attention to introducing a limited edition offering under the brand and thus the Draig line was born. The plan with Draig was to introduce a different blend from a different factory on an annual basis. The Emilio Draig K was the first release of the Draig line. The name Draig paid homage to Griffiths Welch background. Draig K specifically paid homage to a Welch friend of Griffiths named Ken who had recently passed away in a car accident. For the blend, Griffith turned to the Plasencia Familys El Paraiso factory in Honduras (who also produced the Emilio Series H line). The cigar was highlighted by a very dark wrapper from Colombia known as Cubanito Maduro over an undisclosed binder and a filler of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos. It was produced in 3 sizes (Corona, Robusto, Toro) with a total of 400-ten count boxes per size produced. Using a powerful social media marketing machine, Griffith propelled the Emilio Draig K into one of the most anticipated boutique limited edition releases seen in recent years. There was a double-edged sword with the Emilio Draig K. Flavor-wise, the cigar delivered. In fact, the Corona size landed as the Cigar Coop #15 Cigar of the Year for 2012. However when it was released, there were some issues: Draig K should begin arriving at retailers today. Over the weekend we test smoked a few, and it seems as though, considering the heat and humidity both here and in Central America, the coronas could use a bit of rest before smoking. We just felt that in all fairness to consumers we should give this advice. Not a thing wrong with them as far as construction or flavor, but they are a bit moist, likely a combination of a wrapper that does not breath well, and the smaller ring gauge. Finally the pink dragon on the band did create a bit of a stir on social media, but in the end, it probably didnt affect the sales. Today we revisit the Emilio Draig K, but this time in the Robusto size. 2012 was the only time the Draig K was released, so this cigar had been resting in the Cigar Coop humidor for 5 1/2 years! When I smoked the aged Emilio Draig K Robusto, I was treated to coffee, chocolate, black pepper, cedar, and an apple vinegar-like flavor. The apple sweetness was something I remembered from my experiences with the Draig K in 2012, but this time it had more of an astringent quality to it. During the first third, the coffee and apple vinegar notes were more prominent. As the Draig K got into the second third, there was a rich, somewhat-heavy chocolate note that emerged with the coffee. By this time the apple flavor had diminished into the background. By the last third, the coffee notes returned to the forefront. At the same time, the pepper and cedar notes had increased while the apple notes diminished. Overall, I found the flavors to be medium to full-bodied countered by medium strength. Back when it was first released, while I never had the problems due to moisture, these were not the best burning cigars. Five plus years later there was not much improvement in terms of the burn on each of the three cigars I smoked this despite long-term aging in the humidor. With 5 1/2 years age on this cigar, I think its fair to say that the Draig K Robusto might have slightly gone past its peak. Unfortunately, while there was a second Draig released with a new blend called the Draig Cayuquero, it was still fun revisiting not only this cigar, but the story of the Draig line. Id still encourage cigar enthusiasts to try this cigar, but I caution that I dont think age will improve it. I look forward to smoking my remainder of my supply. If you can find these, its worth picking up multiples. Summary Key Flavors: Chocolate, Coffee, Apple Vinegar, Cedar, Black Pepper Burn: Fair Draw: Excellent Complexity: Medium Plus Strength: Medium Body: Medium to Full Finish: Good Rating Value: Buy Multiples Score: 89 References Previous Assessment: Emilio Draig K News: Press Release: Draig K by Emilio Cigars Price: $10.80 Source: Purchased Brand Reference:: Emilio Photo Credits: Emilio Cigars, except where noted. In seven photographs, we tell you the story of Kulbhushan Jadhav's meeting with his mother Avanti and his wife Chetankul. Kulbhushan Jadhav meets his mother and his wife at the Pakistan Foreign Office in Islamabad By India Today Web Desk: On Christmas Day, after a nearly two-year-long wait, Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother Avanti looked through a glass barricade into the eyes of her son, a former Navy officer who Pakistan sentenced to death in April on charges of espionage. But she could not hug him, hold his hands while asking him how he was, or press his palm to reassure him. He remained behind the partition. advertisement With his mother was his wife, Chetankul Jadhav, the only other family member Islamabad allowed him to meet today on "humanitarian grounds." JP Singh, India's Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan, accompanied them. Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.- Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 Kulbhushan Jadhav's family before the meeting (Photo: Twitter/ANI) The meeting lasted 40 minutes (Photo: Twitter/ANI) Jadhav was only able to speak to his family through a glass barricade (Photo: Twitter/ANI) "I'm sure that was emotionally...rather painful, especially since the man has been officially sentenced to death, that means that they may never see him alive again," said Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. "This was, in that sense, a very disappointingly unhumanitarian spirit in which it (the meeting) was conducted." (Photo: Twitter/ANI) (Photo: Twitter/ANI) After a 40-minute meeting, Jadhav's family went to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, before departing for India. In a videotaped statement, Kulbhushan Jadhav thanked the Pakistan government for its "grand gesture." (Photo: Twitter/ANI) One of the photographs of the meeting appeared to show signs of injury to Jadhav's head and right ear. Shashi Tharoor said "many people" who were "more knowledgeable" than him had suggested that there were "signs of torture." A spokesperson for the Pakistan Foreign Ministry told reporters that the time Kulbhushan Jadhav spent with his family was only a humanitarian meeting, and that there was no consular access. He said today's meeting - conducted on Jinnah's birth anniversary - was not the last. He said India's request for consular access would be "taken up at an appropriate time." Kulbhushan Jadhav thanking the Pakistan government in a videotaped statement (Photo: Twitter/ANI) Jadhav's wife and mother leave the Pakistan Foreign Office (Photo: Twitter/ANI) (Inputs from agencies) WATCH | Video captures missing ear-lobe and bruises on Kulbhushan Jadhav's neck and head --- ENDS --- Secretary of State Rex Tillerson affirmed in remarks to the United Nations Security Council that the greatest threat to the security of the United States and the international community remains the North Korean regime. "North Koreas growing capabilities reflect a direct threat to our security, and the security of the entire world," he said. The Security Council has taken a leading role in condemning North Koreas unlawful nuclear and missile programs and imposing consequences. Secretary Tillerson urged each UN member state to fully implement all existing UN Security Council resolutions. "For countries who have not taken action," said Secretary Tillerson, "I urge you to consider your interests, your allegiances, and your values in the face of this grave and global threat." The United States believes more must be done to reign in North Korea. Last spring, the United States initiated economic and diplomatic sanctions with the intent of pressuring the regime to engage in serious negotiations toward the complete abandonment of its nuclear weapons programs. Over the past year, many allies and partners of the United States have joined in these efforts. "We ask these nations to continue to increase pressure through unilateral action," said Secretary Tillerson. "Doing so will further isolate North Korea politically and economically, cutting off support" for its nuclear weapons program. Secretary Tillerson particularly "call[ed] on Russia and China to increase pressure [on North Korea]." Russia has continued to allow North Korean laborers to toil in slave-like conditions inside Russia in exchange for wages used to fund North Korea's nuclear weapons programs. Similarly, Chinese crude oil continues to flows to North Korean refineries. North Korea has a choice, said Mr. Tillerson. "It can reverse course, give up its unlawful nuclear weapons program, and join the community of nations, or it can continue to condemn its people to poverty and isolation." Secretary Tillerson reaffirmed that "all options remain on the table in the defense of our nation, but," he added,. . .our hope remains that diplomacy will produce a resolution." The U.S. will continue to hold North Korea accountable for its reckless and threatening behavior. Secretary Tillerson said, "We ask all to join a unified effort to achieve a complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." DUBAI, Dec 25 (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Court has upheld a death sentence against a Sweden-based Iranian academic convicted of spying for Israel, the Tehran prosecutor was quoted as saying on Monday, confirming reports by Amnesty International and his family. Ahmadreza Djalali, a medical doctor and lecturer at the Karolinska Institute, a Stockholm medical university, was accused of providing information to Israel to help it assassinate several senior nuclear scientists. Djalali was arrested in Iran in April 2016 and later convicted of espionage. He has denied the charges, Amnesty said. At least four scientists were killed between 2010 and 2012 in what Tehran said were assassinations meant to sabotage its efforts to develop nuclear energy. Western powers and Israel said Iran aimed to build a nuclear bomb. Tehran denied this. The Islamic Republic hanged a man in 2012 over the killings, saying he was an agent for Israeli intelligence agency Mossad. On Monday, Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi said the Supreme Court recently upheld the death sentence against Djalali, the news site of Iran's judiciary, Mizan, reported. Dolatabadi said Djalali had confessed to meeting Mossad agents repeatedly to deliver information on Iran's nuclear and defense plans and personnel, and helping to infect Defense Ministry computer systems with viruses, Mizan reported. London-based Amnesty International and Djalali's wife said earlier this month that his lawyers were told that the Supreme Court had considered his case and upheld his death sentence. Iranian state television broadcast last week what it described as Djalali's confessions. His wife said he had been forced by his interrogators to read the confession. Djalali was on a business trip to Iran when he was arrested and sent to Evin prison. He was held in solitary confinement for three months of his detention and tortured, Amnesty said. It said Djalali wrote a letter inside prison in August stating he was being held for refusing to spy for Iran. Sweden condemned the sentence in October and said it had raised the matter with Iranian envoys. Seventy-five Nobel prize laureates petitioned Iranian authorities last month to release Djalali so he could "continue his scholarly work for the benefit of mankind". AMMAN, Dec 25 (Reuters) - Syrian army forces backed by Iranian-backed militias pushed deeper into the last rebel-held enclave near a strategic border area with Israel and Lebanon in a new expansion of Tehran's influence in the war-torn country. The army and the Shi'ite forces advanced east and south of the Sunni-rebel held bastion of Beit Jin backed by some of the heaviest aerial bombing and heavy artillery shelling since a major assault began over two months ago to seize the area, rebels said. The Syrian army said it had encircled the village of Mughr al Meer at the foothills of Mount Hermon as troops moved towards Beit Jin amid fierce clashes. The enclave is the last rebel bastion left in the south west of Damascus known as the Western Ghouta that had since last year fallen under government control after months of heavy bombing on civilian areas and years of siege tactics that forced rebels to surrender. A western intelligence source confirmed rebel reports that Iranian-backed militias including the powerful Lebanese Hezbollah Shi'ite group were playing a major role in the ongoing battles. "The Iranian backed militias are trying to consolidate their sphere of influence all the way from southwest of Damascus to the Israeli border," said Suhaib al Ruhail, an official from the Liwa al Furqan rebel group that operates in the area. Worried by Iran's expanding influence in Syria after the defeat of Islamic State, Israel has in the last few weeks stepped up its strikes against suspected Iranian targets inside Syria. Early this month an Israeli strike on a base near Kiswah, south of Damascus was widely believed to be an Iranian military compound, according to a Western intelligence source Israel has been lobbying both big powers to deny Iran, Lebanons Hezbollah and other Shiite militias any permanent bases in Syria, and to keep them away from the Golan, as they gain ground while helping Damascus beat back Sunni-led rebels. The southwest of Syria is part of a de-escalation zone in southern Syria agreed last July between Russia and Washington, the first such understanding between the two powers. The area has not seen Russian bombing unlike other ceasefire areas in Syria. Diplomatic sources say several thousand Shi'ite fighters who have been amassing from outside the Quneitra province are pitted against hundreds of Islamist and mainstream Free Syria Army (FSA) rebels closing ranks under the banner of Itihad Quwat Jabal al Sheikh "Union of fighters of Jabal al Sheikh". They are mainly drawn from local fighters from the area. With the army and Iranian backed offensive widening, the rebels have called on youths to enlist as mosque imams in Beit Jin called on people to take up arms and fight the army. Rebels still have a sizeable presence in central and southern Quneitra, in the Syrian Golan Heights. Western diplomatic sources say the crushing of the Sunni rebel presence in areas they have been in since 2013 will allow Lebanon's Hezbollah to open another secure arms supply line from its border in southern Lebanon into Syria. Since the beginning of the conflict in Syria, Iran has had a growing presence in the country, deploying thousands of Shi'ite fighters who have fought against both mainstream Sunni rebel groups and more militant groups. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 Trend: Meeting of the Supervisory Board of the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) was held on December 25, 2017. SOFAZs draft budget for 2018 was discussed at the meeting, chaired by Mr. Artur Rasi-zadeh, Prime Minister of Azerbaijan and Chairman of the Supervisory Board. Considering the Opinion of the Chamber of Accounts of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Supervisory Board recommended the Fund's 2018 draft budget, along with major directions to SOFAZs investment policy, its draft annual operating expenditures, along with the Opinion of the Chamber of Accounts for the approval by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Supervisory Board also approved the amendments to Accounting Policy and Chart of Accounts of the Fund in accordance to the transition of the Oil Funds International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) to a new standard number 9 Financial Instruments. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: If states do not comply with their statements, it will become impossible to implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals, said First Deputy Chairman of the Azerbaijani parliament Ziyafat Asgarov. He made the remarks at a conference held at the Azerbaijani parliament on the role of parliament in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Asgarov said that there is a serious famine problem today in the world, especially in African countries. Although African states gained independence in the previous century, all of their wealth was plundered, he noted. The flow of migrants today from Africa to Europe is also related to these problems, added Asgarov. He noted that these problems can be solved today if the actions and statements of states coincide. Every state should contribute to the implementation of these Goals. Azerbaijan seriously considers this project. The Azerbaijani parliament also contributes to the implementation of these goals, added the official. Details added (first version posted on 11:32) Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 Trend: President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Maxim Oreshkin. Oreshkin conveyed the best wishes and greetings of Russian President Vladimir Putin to President Ilham Aliyev. Congratulating the head of state on his birthday, the Russian minister wished him success in his activities for the well-being of the Azerbaijani people. He said that the development processes ongoing in Baku made a very good impression on members of the Russian delegation. Asking to convey greetings and best wishes to Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Aliyev recalled with satisfaction the phone conversation he recently had with the Russian president. The president emphasized that bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Russia are successfully developing in all spheres, and noted the importance of taking additional measures to further expand economic cooperation, increase trade turnover, and expressed satisfaction with the growth of Azerbaijani exports to Russia. The head of state said that the visit of Maxim Oreshkin to Azerbaijan creates a good opportunity to consider the issue of expanding the two countries import and export opportunities. The Russian minister noted with satisfaction the growth of agricultural products from Azerbaijan by 60 percent. Saying that even in the Soviet period, Russian consumers received quality agricultural products from Azerbaijan, Maxim Oreshkin noted that this growth was perceived by Russians as good news. He added that the Russian side made a decision on the entry of agricultural products of 14 more Azerbaijani companies to Russian markets. During the meeting, the importance of the International North-South Transport Corridor for both countries was emphasized. Meanwhile, the dynamic growth in trade relations between the two countries was noted, and the opportunities of cooperation in the areas of mutual investments, tourism and transit transport were discussed. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 Trend: Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has congratulated Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. On my own behalf and on behalf of the people and government of Turkmenistan, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you on the occasion of your birthday, President Berdimuhamedov told President Aliyev in his congratulatory letter. Under your leadership, fraternal Azerbaijani people achieved significant success in state building, great achievements in various spheres of your country's economy. I would like to stress the high level of cooperation between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, added Berdimuhamedov. I am absolutely sure that bilateral relations based on the principles of mutual respect, trust and good-neighborliness will continue to develop and strengthen through our joint efforts for the well-being of the peoples of the two countries. I wish you robust health, happiness, as well as great achievements for the sake of progress and prosperity of the Azerbaijani people," the Turkmen president said. Aydan Asadova, a student of Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS), has won an international contest conducted by BP among participants of the company internship program around the world. During the contest, the students shared their impressions about BP and experience they gained, memories about people they met and worked with, and photos telling about their participation in the program at various BP facilities. As a winner of the contest, Aydan Asadova was awarded by BP with a GoPro action camera. Aydans success story as well as the story told by herself are published on BP official website and on the companys page on Facebook. Earlier this year, she became one of the winners of Techno Fest 2017 student projects presentation contest conducted by BP-Azerbaijan for interns undertaking summer internship at the company and received a certificate on successful participation in the contest. Aydan Asadova is a fifth-year Process Automation Engineering student of Baku Higher Oil School. After photos of Kulbhushan Jadhav's meeting with his family were made public, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said people "more knowledgeable" than him had suggested there were "signs of torture." By India Today Web Desk: Did the Pakistan government torture Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer which it sentenced to death on charges of espionage? Photos of Jadhav's meeting with his wife and mother, have aroused suspicions that it did. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who spent many years working for the United Nations as a top diplomat, told the news agency ANI that "many people" who were "more knowledgeable" than him had suggested that there were "signs of torture, that clearly the man has been held under duress." advertisement In one of the photos that was taken during Kulbhushan Jadhav's meeting with his family, his right ear appears to show signs of injury. Here's a close-up of that photo. In a tweet, activist and politician Shehzad Poonawalla lambasted the "inhuman" Pakistan government, and said there were "torture bruises" on Jadhav's head and ear. Disgusted with Pakistan!! How can you be so inhuman? Separating #KulbhushanJadhav with a glass wall from his Mom & wife!! Making them wait for a car for a perry photo-op!! And look closely at KJ's head and ear! Clear torture bruises!! Just sick!! #FreeJadhav @AnchorAnandN pic.twitter.com/4m2VWailPO- Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) December 25, 2017 Pakistan allowed Kulbhushan Jadhav to meet two family members on "humanitarian grounds" today, over eight months after he was sentenced to death. Jadhav's mother and wife were accompanied by JP Singh, India's Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan. To read our full report on the meeting, click here. WATCH | Video captures missing ear-lobe and bruises on Kulbhushan Jadhav's neck and head --- ENDS --- Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 Trend: State-owned Azer Turk Bank relocated budget provided for corporate gifts on occasion of International Solidarity Day of Azerbaijanis and New Year to pay the tuition fees of 10 outstanding students studying on the third course at different universities members of Sabah groups and ASAN service volunteers. Earlier, the Bank covered tuition fees of 10 students on occasion of Novruz Holiday. SABAH career academy is created at 11 Azerbaijan universities, in order to provide professional career development of its alumni, and support of the student in this field. The project is held upon the initiative of Azer Turk Bank, the official partner of SABAH career academy. The Bank actively supports the realization of the social projects and will continue this activity in future. The state owns 75 percent of shares of Azer Turk Bank, operating in Azerbaijan for 22 years. The latest on the bus accident in Kars, Turkey Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: 16:14 (GMT +4) The Azerbaijani citizens placed in hospitals in Turkeys Sarikamis and Kars following a passenger bus accident in Kars are in fair condition, the Sarikamis State Hospital told Trend Dec. 25. Twenty-eight Azerbaijanis received minor injuries (cuts from glass shards). 13:26 (GMT+4) A passenger bus with Azerbaijani citizens inside overturned in Turkey's Kars Province as the driver lost control of the vehicle, Kars State Hospital told Trend Dec. 25. Thirty people, who are mainly from Azerbaijans Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, were injured in the accident. They have been placed in hospitals of Sarikamis and Kars. Four citizens of Azerbaijan were released from hospitals after outpatient treatment. The latest on the bus accident in Kars, Turkey Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: 15:51 (GMT +4) The Azerbaijani citizens placed in hospitals in Turkeys Sarikamis and Kars following a passenger bus accident in Kars are in fair condition, the Sarikamis State Hospital told Trend Dec. 25. Twenty-eight Azerbaijanis received minor injuries (cuts from glass shards). 13:26 (GMT+4) A passenger bus with Azerbaijani citizens inside overturned in Turkey's Kars Province as the driver lost control of the vehicle, Kars State Hospital told Trend Dec. 25. Thirty people, who are mainly from Azerbaijans Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, were injured in the accident. They have been placed in hospitals of Sarikamis and Kars. Four citizens of Azerbaijan were released from hospitals after outpatient treatment. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Nigar Guliyeva Trend: Uzbekistan and Iran considered transit cargo transportation, as the Uzbek Foreign Trade Ministry hosted a meeting with Deputy Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade of Iran Mojtaba Khosrotaj. The sides mulled the current state and prospects of trade and economic cooperation, as well as further cooperation in the field of transport and transit cargo transportation. In addition, the parties agreed to organize a regular meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade-Economic and Transport-Communication Cooperation in the first half of 2018 in Tehran. In October, the Uzbek-Iranian business forum was held in Tehran. Then the parties inked trade agreements worth over $ 25 million. In addition, the parties signed a protocol of intentions for $7.5 million. Also, Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov and his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif signed the Cooperation Program for 2018-2019. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Ali Mustafayev Trend: Government agencies of Kazakhstans Almaty region concluded memorandums on cooperation with local companies within the framework of the "State Order-2018" annual action. Kazakh companies will supply furniture, cartridges to public offices, as well as street lamps for local districts. "We provide our local enterprises with orders, which allow them to work at full capacity. They will expand production, creating new production lines, increasing tax revenues to the city's budget, as well as increasing investment in the manufacturing industry of the region," said Ganibet Aubakirov, deputy head of the Enterprise and Industrial Innovation Development Department of Almaty region, Kazakh media outlets reported. The official noted that the manufacturing industrys production in the region increased from 250 billion tenge to 809 billion tenge since 2009, when the first "State Order" action was issued. Aubakirov said the plan has yielded positive results already, as in the previous year, Almaty companies signed more than 12,000 contracts worth 809 billion tenge. "Some of the concluded contracts will be valid until 2019," Aubakirov added. The "State Order" action is aimed at increasing the share of Kazakh producers in procurement of state agencies, national companies and enterprises of Almaty. Details added (first version posted on 12:06) Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Anvar Mammadov Trend: The portfolio volume of Russian Export Center (REC) JSC on the support of Russian companies in Azerbaijan amounted to almost $500 million, Head of the REC Group Peter Fradkov said at an opening ceremony of the REC office in Azerbaijan. The opening of a representative office in Azerbaijan is very important for the REC, since your country has long become a strategic direction for us, Fradkov said. He said that the funds of the REC were allocated for projects in various spheres of the economy, including railway engineering and transport projects, support of investments in Azerbaijan. At the same time, we understand that there is much greater potential for cooperation, therefore, the opening of this office shows that we will continue supporting not only large companies, but also small and medium-sized enterprises, he added. Azerbaijans trade with Russia for eleven months of 2017 amounted to $1.89 billion, $528.97 million of which accounted for the export of Azerbaijani products to Russia, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Azad Hasanli Trend: Staff changes were made in the Azerbaijani Taxes Ministry. Jamal Gasimov has been appointed adviser to the Azerbaijani minister of taxes, a source in the countrys government told Trend Dec. 25. According to the source, personnel may be reshuffled again in the ministry soon. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Azad Hasanli Trend: Excise rates on import of certain types of gasoline will be increased in Azerbaijan starting from Jan. 22, 2018, according to a decision by the countrys Cabinet of Ministers. Thus, excise rates on import of gasoline with an octane number less than 95 will be increased from 1 to 200 manats. Earlier this year, the excise rate was lowered from 200 manats to one manat due to suspension of manufacture of oil products at the Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery, which was stopped at planned maintenance. Therefore, it was decided to exempt import of AI-92 gasoline from taxes, and the excise rate on the import of this type of gasoline was reduced from 200 to 1 manats, so that the prices for gasoline remain unaffected by the shutdown of the refinery. Since production at the Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery is now resumed, there is no need to import this type of gasoline. Excise rates on other types of gasoline remained unchanged. (1.7001 manats = 1 USD on Dec. 25) Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Anvar Mammadov - Trend: Russias investments into Azerbaijan have reached $1.5 billion, Russian Minister of Economic Development Maksim Oreshkin said. Oreshkin made the remarks at an expanded meeting of the Azerbaijani-Russian and Russian-Azerbaijani business councils in Baku Dec. 25. The minister stressed the high potential of economic relations between the two countries. This is a positive fact that the volume of mutual investments between the two countries is growing, he said. Russias investments into Azerbaijan have already reached $1.5 billion. Azerbaijan is also actively investing in Russia. Oreshkin added that the two countries have achieved great progress in solving many issues. "A week ago, 14 Azerbaijani companies received permission for the supply of tomatoes to the Russian market, he said. The capacity of these companies is more than 60,000 tons, so we expect big volumes to be supplied to Russia." Both sides have outlined directions for further work and they will continue to work in this direction with the aim of diversifying the Azerbaijani and Russian economies, the minister said. The minister also stressed the possibility of joint export of both Russian and Azerbaijani products to the markets of third countries. The data of the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee shows that the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Russia for 11 months of 2017 amounted to $1.89 billion, of which $528.97 million accounted for the export of Azerbaijani products to Russia. Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Dec. 25 By Mammad Dashdemirov Trend: Uzbek Finance Minister Jamshid Kuchkarov dismissed 50 employees today, including head of the Tax and Customs Tariff Policy Department Irina Golysheva and head of the Methodology of Accounting and Audit Department Sharafitdin Khaidarov. The reason for the dismissals is the shortcomings in the work of the Finance Ministry and, in particular, the lack of purposefulness in the draft 2018 state budget, which Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev refused to sign. Addressing the Uzbek parliament earlier, the president criticized the work of the Finance Ministry. The president said he dismissed Ella Ostrogojskaya, who headed the Main Department of the State Budget of the Ministry of Finance, but Ostrogojskayas influence is felt up to now. The president threatened to dismiss the finance minister and all his deputies if there are no changes in the work of the ministry within one month. Despite being in jail, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has found a way out to stay in touch with his followers on Twitter. Know how Lalu, who is convicted in the fodder scam, will be active on social media. By Rohit Kumar Singh: RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav who has been convicted in the Rs 950 crore fodder scam case is presently inside the Birsa Munda jail in Ranchi. Lalu who has remained pretty active on social networking site Twitter in the last few months is definitely being missed by his followers as he has not tweeted anything in the last 48 hours. His last post was minutes after he was arrested on Saturday. advertisement However, Lalu was back on Twitter on Monday evening and he tweeted about his innovative method which he would be adopting from now on to communicate with his followers. Dear friends! While in jail, My Twitter handle shall be operated by my office in consultation with family. I shall speak my mind through visitors. The fight to preserve the Constitution & protect the rights of vulnerable groups shall go on.- Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) December 25, 2017 Lalu said that from now on whenever he has to share his views on any issue, national as well as related to Bihar, he would be tweeting about it and and his Twitter handle would be operated by his office or his family members. So the question arises is how would Lalu's office or his family come to know about what he wants to share. For this, he would be using the services of those who would be visiting him inside the Birsa Munda jail in Ranchi. Tweeting about this on Monday, he said that his visitors would convey his message to his family members who would then tweet his opinion. "Dear Friends! While in jail my Twitter handle shall be operated by my office in consultation with family. I shall speak my mind through visitors. The fight to preserve the constitution and protect the right now vulnerable groups shall go on", tweeted, Lalu Prasad Yadav, RJD chief. Also read: Lalu in Birsa jail: TV, newspaper and everything else RJD chief has access to --- ENDS --- Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Azad Hasanli Trend: Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Fund (ADIF) has enough funds to pay compensation to the depositors of DemirBank, the license of which was revoked, the fund said in a message Dec. 25. DemirBank has been excluded from the ADIF registry of banks. DemirBanks license was revoked Dec. 23, 2017. The Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FIMSA) of Azerbaijan said that the license was liquidated due to the discrepancy between the total capital of the bank and the minimum requirement established for banks, and the adequacy ratio of the aggregate capital is lower than three percent stipulated by the legislation. The bank also lacks the capacity to fulfill its obligations to creditors. DemirBank is a member of ADIF, and accordingly, deposits of the population in this bank will be returned by the Fund. A temporary administrator was appointed in the bank under FIMSAs decision. The Authority also appealed to the court in connection with the beginning of the bankruptcy process. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Anvar Mammadov Trend: Emin Akhundov has been appointed as the Chairman of Management Board of the Azerbaijani-Iranian car plant Azermash OJSC, created jointly with Iran Khodro, a source on the auto market told Trend Dec. 25. Akhundov, who is the founder of Azermash, has occupied leading positions in Azerbaijans banking sector for 15 years. The car plant Azermash is being built in Azerbaijans Neftchala Industrial Site on the basis of an agreement signed between Irans automobile manufacturer Iran Khodro and Azerbaijans AzEuroCar LLC. It was previously expected that the plant will be commissioned in December 2017, but then the plants opening was rescheduled for 2018. The joint Azerbaijani-Iranian plant is expected to manufacture Dena, Rana, Soren and Samand cars, as well as a number of Peugeot models. The projects cost is estimated at 24 million manats and the plants annual capacity will be about 10,000 cars. The cars are planned to be exported to Ukraine, Russia and Central Asian countries in the future. Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Dec. 25 By Diana Aliyeva Trend: State Committee of Uzbekistan for Land Resources, Geodesy, Cartography and State Cadaster hosted a meeting with a Chinese delegation, the committee reported Dec. 25. During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on the experience gained in geodesy and geological information. In addition, the parties discussed promising areas of cooperation. Following the meeting, the Chinese delegation expressed hope for joint implementation of projects, as well as further development of partnership with Uzbekistan in geological information technologies. As part of their visit to Uzbekistan, the Chinese delegation visited the Department of Land Resources and State Cadaster of the Samarkand Region. China is the second partner of Uzbekistan (after Russia) in terms of trade volume for 10 months of 2017. Details added (first version posted on 14:46) Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Anvar Mammadov - Trend: Russias investments into Azerbaijan have reached $1.5 billion, Russian Minister of Economic Development Maksim Oreshkin said. Oreshkin made the remarks at an expanded meeting of the Azerbaijani-Russian and Russian-Azerbaijani business councils in Baku Dec. 25. The minister stressed the high potential of economic relations between the two countries. This is a positive fact that the volume of mutual investments between the two countries is growing, he said. Russias investments into Azerbaijan have already reached $1.5 billion. Azerbaijan is also actively investing in Russia. Oreshkin added that the two countries have achieved great progress in solving many issues. "A week ago, 14 Azerbaijani companies received permission for the supply of tomatoes to the Russian market, he said. The capacity of these companies is more than 60,000 tons, so we expect big volumes to be supplied to Russia." Both sides have outlined directions for further work and they will continue to work in this direction with the aim of diversifying the Azerbaijani and Russian economies, the minister said. The minister also stressed the possibility of joint export of both Russian and Azerbaijani products to the markets of third countries. The data of the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee shows that the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Russia for 11 months of 2017 amounted to $1.89 billion, of which $528.97 million accounted for the export of Azerbaijani products to Russia. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Turkeys Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association (MUSIAD) intends to expand its activity in Azerbaijan, head of the MUSIAD representative office in Azerbaijan Abdurrahman Uzun told Trend. Uzun expressed confidence that the number of Azerbaijani entrepreneurs in the Association will grow. He said the Association is meant for supporting entrepreneurs both in Turkey and Azerbaijan. "We want to be useful both for the society and the economies of the countries in which we operate, he said. The representative office of the Association in Azerbaijan has been recently established. Presently, we are working on establishment of internal commissions to be headed by the members of the Association. We are also preparing an action plan for 2018." Uzun added that among the plans for the next year is the preparation of various studies involving scientists and entrepreneurs. He did not rule out the possibility of cooperation with other Turkish associations operating in Azerbaijan in the future, but stressed that presently there are no such negotiations. "The Association has clear principles and operates under the 'high ethics and high technology' slogan, and we would like the members of the Association to meet these criteria," Uzun added. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Maksim Tsurkov Trend: As of Dec. 1, 2017, revenues of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) for the entire period of its activity amounted to $137.22 billion, a source in the Fund told Trend. SOFAZ gets revenues both from the oil and gas sales and its investment activity. "As of early December 2017, the Funds revenues from asset management for the whole period of its activity amounted to $4.8 billion," said the source. "This is while revenues from the sale of profit oil and gas for the same period amounted to $132.42 billion." Total expenditures of SOFAZ amount to $100.4 billion. SOFAZ was established in 1999, with initial assets worth $271 million. As of October 1, 2017, assets of SOFAZ increased by 8.67 percent, as compared to early 2017 ($33.147 billion) and amounted to $36.02 billion. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 1 By Huseyn Valiyev Trend: Azerbaijan is in need to stimulate sales of intellectual property products in the foreign market, Microsoft Azerbaijan told Trend. The company said this is mostly due to creating of the so-called "digital bridge", work on which is conducted jointly with the Information and Computing Center of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan. "The year before last we signed a document with the Information Technology Center ITC on the creation of a digital signature security infrastructure in the country, the company said. From our side all the work is completed." Currently the efforts of the center are aimed at getting Azerbaijan's e-signature recognized in other countries. In this regard, it is planned to form a new infrastructure, the so-called certification center, which plays the role of a bridge with the countries of the region, the company said. Negotiations in this direction are conducted with Turkey and technological approaches are determined for the realization of the set goal. The advantage is that every citizen, being in his office or at home, will be able to open a bank account in Turkey, or sign the necessary documents. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Huseyn Valiyev Trend: A backup television tower has been commissioned in Baku, a source involved in the project told Trend Dec. 25. The tower will ensure uninterrupted broadcast of state-owned TV channels in case of possible problems. Additional TV transmitters have been installed there for this purpose. FM-radio transmitters will be installed until the end of the week. The backup tower will be used in case of necessity, for example during maintenance work. According to the source, initially all TV channels included in the social package as well as Public Radio will be broadcast via the backup television tower. "The number of radio channels can increase in the future as far as the radio companies show interest in that," the source said. The backup television tower is based in Bakus Narimanov District and will be connected with the Baku television tower. The height of the backup television tower is 140 meters. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Fatih Karimov Trend: The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) intends to hold an international tender to purchase film laboratory materials. Tender No.: 96/109-112/26 Subject: Purchasing non-chemical materials usable in film laboratory in accordance with the technical specification and other terms and conditions mentioned in the tender documents. Place to obtain the documents: Purchasing (KALA) Dept., 4th Floor of IRIB Administration Complex, Hotel Esteghlal St., Vali-e Asr Ave., Tehran Iran. To receive the tender documents, a sum of three million rials(about $85) should be paid to IRIBs account #2172918037001 at the Bank Melli Iran, Amaniyeh Branch. The deposit receipt should be provided at the time of document obtainment. Deadline for receiving the documents: Jan. 3, 2018. The completed tender documents should be submitted to the Purchasing (KALA) Dept. no later than 16:00, Feb. 3, 2018. Bid bond: $5,000 in the form of bank guarantee Bidders should hold licenses from authorized bodies. For more information please visit www.iriboffice.ir Presentation of cars RAVON and buses ISUZU of UzAvtoprom, offered for production in Kyrgyzstan, took place in Bishkek, Kabar reports. Before the official part of the event, the Agency for Promotion and Protection of Investments, which is the organizer of this event, held a special press conference. During the meeting with the journalists, the Agency Director, together with the management of the Uzavtosanoat JSC, told about the agreements reached between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in the field of engineering, as well as plans for their implementation. At the press conference, the sides noted that in 2017 the relations between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan reached a qualitatively new level, as evidenced by the mutual visits of the two heads of state and the establishment of direct ties between the parliaments, ministries and departments of the two countries. The parties also indicated that the development of industry, including the automobile industry, is one of the priorities of state policy, since it serves as the creation of a large number of jobs, the development of exports and the image of the country in the international community. At the same time, it is important to take into account the considerable experience of colleagues from Uzbekistan in the creation and development of the automotive industry and the intention to exchange experience between the two countries. At the official part of the event, representatives of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the leadership of the Uzavtosanoat JSC delivered welcoming speech, where they stressed the importance of the agreements reached and expressed confidence in their successful implementation. Further the participants were presented the cars and buses. 55 year old maoist had a large bounty on him. Police expect more top maoists to surrender in coming days. By Ashish Pandey: Disillusionment with so called maoist movement is appearing to be the reason behind top Maoist Jampanna's surrender. Jinugu Narsimha Reddy aka Jampanna surrendered along with his wife Rajitha. The government has officially confirmed the development. 55 year old Jampanna carried a bounty of 25 lakh in Telangana while his wife carried a bounty of 5 lakh. He was number 7 in hierarchy of maoist command and was also part of the Central Regional Bureau (CRB)of the maoists. His surrender is a major blow to maoists movement. According to Jamapanna, he developed serious differences with the top leadership of Maoist after the 5th Central Committee meeting which was held in February 2017 at the forest of Kandamal In Odisha. advertisement He alleged that the Maoists party has lost the contact with masses especially with peasants, working class and students which culminated in his surrender on ideological grounds. The Telangana police will give the couple the bounty which they carried earlier and the government will take all measures to rehabilitate them. After the surrender of Jampanna, 18 other senior rebels including Ganapathi who also belongs to Telugu state have remained active but the police chiefs have a hope that more top maoist leaders will lay down weapons and surrender in coming days. Kulbhushan Jadhav's emotional reunion with wife, mother in Islamabad --- ENDS --- Manufacture of ISUZU buses and RAVON passenger cars will begin before the end of 2018, spokesman for Uzavtosanoat JSC Sanzhar Alimov said during a press conference in Bishkek, Kabar reports. He said that for the accelerated implementation of the planned projects, they need the support of the Government of Kyrgyzstan in the form of special preferences and the development of appropriate legislation. "With the support of the government, we will try to start production in Kyrgyzstan by the end of next year. In the city of Osh we already have production areas, where at the initial stage we will organize a large-scale assembly of RAVON brands. In Bishkek, we plan to launch a project to create buses of SamAvto's products, whose partner is the Japanese company ISUZU, Alimov said. On 22 December 2017 in New York there was held a signing ceremony of the Joint Communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Tajikistan and the Independent State of Samoa, Khovar reports. According to the MFA Information Department, the Permanent Representatives of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Independent State of Samoa to the United Nations Mahmadamin Mahmadaminov and Aliioaiga Feturi Elisaia to this effect, signed the Joint Communique. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Ali Mustafayev Trend: The European Union starts to consider the issue of facilitating the visa regime with Kazakhstan, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kairat Abdrakhmanov on the sidelines of the Government hour in the parliament of the country. "We continue to receive good news from the European Union, which will soon start considering the issue of facilitating the visa regime for citizens of Kazakhstan," said Kairat Abdrakhmanov. In addition, he stressed that Kazakhstan currently negotiates the abolition of the visa regime with a number of countries, including Thailand and Macau. Previously, Kairat Abdrakhmanov said that in the first quarter of 2018 Kazakh citizens will most probably be able to freely visit the United Arab Emirates. "All Emirates must conduct their internal procedures (upon ratification of the agreement on visa-free regime). After this work is completed, they will give an official response. I think our citizens will be free to visit the United Arab Emirates, starting from the first quarter of next year. This applies not only diplomatic, but all other kinds of passports," said Kairat Abdrakhmanov. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Ali Mustafayev Trend: Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are fraternal and allied states, which already have a constructive and confidential dialogue in all spheres, said the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev during the official meeting with the President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov, the press service of the Kazakh president said in a message. Nazarbayev expressed gratitude to Sooronbai Jeenbekov for accepting his invitation to visit Kazakhstan on an official visit and noted that the first visit of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic is taking place on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. "Kyrgyz people have given you confidence by choosing you their president. Welcome to Kazakhstan, we are glad to see you on hospitable Kazakh land. We come and go, but people remain, so our duty is to leave friendly, fraternal relations in that pure form to the next generation," Nursultan Nazarbayev emphasized. He noted that during their meeting in Minsk, Belarus, on November 30, 2017, a number of issues of bilateral cooperation were resolved. "I believe that there are no such problems that could not be solved between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. During the first 10 months of this year, trade turnover between our countries grew by 13 percent. Kazakhstan is one of the main partners of Kyrgyzstan, as well as one of the main investors. During last years, weve invested about $650 million in the Kyrgyz economy, several hundred joint ventures already operate," Nursultan Nazarbayev said. In turn, Sooronbai Jeenbekov thanked Nursultan Nazarbayev for the opportunity to pay an official visit to Kazakhstan and for congratulating him on winning the last elections. "My first visit to Kazakhstan takes place in the year of the double anniversary - the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries and the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Eternal Friendship. Our countries have one history, one language, one faith, one culture," said the president of Kyrgyzstan. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Tillakhoja Alimuhamedov Trend: Tashkent hosted Uzbekistans first-ever election of the countrys MPs to the district councils. Previously, interests of residents of the Uzbek capital were represented only by the MPs of the city council. In accordance with the number of districts in Tashkent, 30 MPs were elected in each of 11 councils. As many as 1,650 people nominated by four political parties (330 people each) and self-government bodies of Uzbekistan were registered as candidates. Some 330 electoral districts and 855 polling stations, which were mainly located in the buildings of schools, colleges and lyceums, were established for the election. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev voted at a polling station No. 162 in Mirzo Ulugbek district of Tashkent. Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Dec. 25 By Diana Aliyeva Trend: Uzbek Interior Ministry hosted a meeting with a high ranking US security official, where security issues of the US Embassy in Tashkent were discussed, the ministry said in a message. At the meeting, the US side expressed gratitude to Uzbekistan for the high level of security of representatives of the US embassy in Tashkent, ensured by the staff of the Separate Battalion for the Protection of Diplomatic Missions under the Uzbek Interior Ministry. Lieutenant Colonel Erkin Marupov, head of office of the International Cooperation Department of the Uzbek Interior Ministry, Lieutenant Colonel Umidjon Atadjanov, commander of the Separate Battalion for the Protection of Diplomatic Missions under the Head Department of Security Guard and Patrol Service and Protection of Public Order of the Uzbek Interior Ministry, Lieutenant Colonel Askar Begmatov, Atadjanovs deputy, as well as Captain Sardor Tulyaganov, inspector of the Head Department of Security Guard and Patrol Service and Protection of Public Order of the Uzbek Interior Ministry took part in the meeting. At the meeting, the US side expressed satisfaction with the quality and promptness of the assistance of the Uzbek Interior Ministry in the investigation of the terrorist attack committed Oct. 31 in New York by a 29-year-old native of Tashkent. During the meeting held in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and trust, other issues of mutual interest were also discussed. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Tillakhoja Alimuhamedov Trend: President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to prepare, within two months, a draft resolution on the introduction of a dual corridor system for customs at the time of registration of export-import documents. The Uzbek president made the relevant remarks while addressing the countrys parliament. He said that the complexity of customs procedures is one of the main factors hampering the development of entrepreneurship in Uzbekistan. According to the World Bank, today the country ranks 177th among 190 states for the convenience of passing customs procedures, which takes almost a month in Uzbekistan. Customs clearance is carried out on the basis of data of the security alert systems in all developed countries. This saves the public resources and time of entrepreneurs, added Mirziyoyev. The country will set the order of passage of customs through the green and red corridors in 2018, depending on the honesty of entrepreneurs. Earlier, it was reported that export customs duties on all types of goods and licensing of exports of goods except for specific goods were abolished in Uzbekistan. This was stipulated by a decree of the Uzbek president On additional measures to stimulate exports and ensure the competitiveness of domestic goods in foreign markets, dated December 15, 2017. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is likely to pay a visit to Azerbaijani capital, Baku, and Central Asian countries over the next year, an Iranian official said. According to plans that are currently being prepared, Mr President will presumably visit Baku and a couple of Central Asian countries. I assume that the visit will take place early in the coming solar year [Iranian calendar year starting March 21, 2018], ISNA news agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi as saying during a press conference in Teharan on Monday. Ties between Iran and Azerbaijan over the recent years have improved. According to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee, trade turnover with Iran amounted to almost $229 million in January-November 2017, more than $213 million of which accounted for the import of Iranian products. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Fatih Karimov Trend: One Iranian border guard was killed in an armed clash with drug smugglers in south eastern province of Sistan and Balouchestan on Dec. 25 morning, Iranian police website said. The clash was occurred near the Border Regiment of Saravan, where deputy commander of 129 commando Unit of Mok Sukhteh, major Rasoul Talebi was injured and passed away before arrival to hospital. The Iranian security forces sized about two tons of drugs from the smugglers. Two smugglers were also killed in the operation. Irans police have seized over 400 tons of various drugs during the first half of the current fiscal year (March 20-Sept. 22), which indicates a rise by 11 percent year on year, according to the latest statistics of Iran Drug Control Headquarters. The country sits on a major drug route between Afghanistan and Europe, as well as the Persian Gulf states. The Islamic Republic shares about 900 kilometers of common border with Afghanistan, over which 74 percent of opium is smuggled. The fight against drug trafficking annually costs Iran about $1 billion, according to the official estimates. According to the statistics, there are about two million drug users in Iran. By PTI: Nagpur, Dec 24 (PTI)AMortal 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. advertisement Maharashtra energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule was also present at the airport. Major Moharkars 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. PTI CLS ND A KRK --- ENDS --- By Rashid Shirinov An interesting observation is that most of the agreements signed by Armenia with various foreign structures have a common feature. Majority of these agreements are charitable and they do not seem to be agreements between equal partners. Very rarely they say about cooperation, since most of them are about help and assistance to Yerevan. The European Union intends to increase the amount of assistance provided to Armenia by 20-25 percent, the head of the EU delegation to Armenia Peter Svitalsky said at a meeting of the EU-Armenia parliamentary cooperation committee last week. He said this assistance will be used to finance certain reforms in human rights and economic development. The amount of EUs assistance to Armenia after this increase has not yet been reported. Armenia began using the EU for its benefit since 2004, when the country became part of the European Neighborhood Policy. Since 2009, Armenia has been included in the Eastern Partnership program of the EU, and since 2012 it has been negotiating for an association with the EU. The appropriate document was finally signed this year. During all this time, the European Union put considerable funds into Armenia. In the past three years, 118.5 million euros have been spent on democracy in this country. Since 2009, the EU has provided more than 473 million euros to the Armenian economy. The countrys media report that a total of 25,000 enterprises received assistance from EU om grants and 900 new jobs were created. This is an extremely low figure given almost half billion euros provided by the EU. The EUs support to Armenia is much more than this. It spent 1.1 million euros on improving the water supply in Yerevan. From 2008 to 2014, the Union provided Armenias state bodies with a grant of more than $270 million. Moreover, Armenia received the humanitarian aid from the EU for 10 million euros in 2016 alone. But what has changed in Armenia over all these years? There were no tangible reforms or development, which the EUs funds were directed to. Elections in the country remain fake, the civil society is still oppressed, and political opponents are as always subjected to repression. In addition, there is neither freedom of entrepreneurship nor equitable justice in Armenia. In short, none of the goals stated by the European Union was achieved, because Armenia is not a country that thinks about obligations, especially when no one requires fulfilling them. Today, the ruling regime of the country continues to misappropriate majority of the EU-provided funds, while only a tiny part of them benefit the country's population and economy. The National Bank of Georgia (NBG) was praised for its use of stress test tools in the latest report of Basel Committee on Banking Supervision titled Supervisory and bank stress testing: range of practices, which sets out a range of observed supervisory and bank stress testing practices, Agenda.ge reports. Georgia, the report says, along with Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Turkey and Great Britain, is an example of countries that use stress tests as supervisory tools which, together with other tools, are a factor in assessing the adequacy of capital in the face of adverse macroeconomic conditions. Since the global financial crisis, an increasing number of countries use stress tests as general supervisory tools to assess capital adequacy and/or to inform the setting of a specific capital buffer above which banks must remain, said the report. Four jurisdictions that have a more rules-based treatment are Mexico, Korea, Sweden and Georgia. For example, in the case of the National Bank of Georgia, the quantitative outcome of the exercise forms a stress test buffer in the Pillar 2 requirement, which combines with other buffers, read the report. The NBG has adopted a supervisory approach, called "GRAPE (General Risk Assessment Process), which integrates microprudential and macroprudential supervision in one process. The stress testing framework under GRAPE is designed to incorporate principles of risk sensitivity, simplicity, and comparability and is an inherent part of the supervisory cycle. "Scenarios are adjusted counter-cyclically, complementing other macroprudential tools. Along with key macro variables, the scenario specifies a sectoral distribution of shocks (for example a drop in sales), allowing banks to stress exposures at transaction level. This makes stress tests more forward-looking and less demanding of historical financial-sector data, captures the nonlinearity of results, reduces modelling errors, and increases comparability across banks, read the report. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in contact with more than 10 countries from every continent in the world who have expressed interest in following the US lead and moving their embassies to Jerusalem, Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely said on Monday, The Jerusalem Post reports. Hotovelys comments, in an interview on Reshet Bet, came following Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales decision to move the countrys embassy. He announced the move in a Facebook post on Sunday evening. "Today I spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu," Morales wrote on his Facebook page. "We spoke about the great relationships we have had as nations since Guatemala supported the creation of the State of Israel. One of the most relevant topics was the return of the Embassy of Guatemala to Jerusalem," he continued. The decision comes three weeks after the United States decided to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move its embassy, and four days after Guatemala was one of only nine countries in the UN to vote against a resolution slamming the US move. That resolution passed 128 to nine, with 35 abstentions. Only three of the eight central American countries voted against Israel at Thursdays UN vote. Hondorus, Guatemala's neighbor to the east with whom Israel has strong ties, also voted against the measure and is widely believed to be a leading candidate to be the next country to announce that it will move its embassy. A team of college students is getting attention from internet companies and Congress after developing a browser extension that alerts users to fake and biased news stories and helps guide them to more balanced coverage, Washington Post reports. The plug-in, Open Mind , was developed earlier this month during a 36-hour problem-solving competition known as a hackathon at Yale University. The winning team was comprised of four students: Michael Lopez-Brau and Stefan Uddenberg, both doctoral students in Yales psychology department; Alex Cui, an undergraduate who studies machine learning at the California Institute of Technology; and Jeff An, who studies computer science at the University of Waterloo and business at Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario. That team competed against others to win a challenge from Yales Poynter Fellowship in Journalism, which asked students to find a way to counter fake news. The teams software, designed as an extension for Googles Chrome browser, will display a warning screen when someone enters a site known to disseminate fake news. It also will alert a reader if a story shared on social media is fake or biased. But it does much more than just warn. The plug-in uses existing sentiment analysis technology to analyze any story that might appear in a newsfeed, identifying the major players and any political slant. It then can suggest to the reader other stories on the same topic that have an alternate viewpoint. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: An explosion occurred in one of the military units in the eastern Turkish province of Hakkari on the border with Iraq, the Turkish media reported Dec. 25. Reportedly, one serviceman was killed and two others became injured as a result of the explosion. The explosion occurred due to the careless handling of a hand grenade. The injured servicemen were hospitalized and their health condition is assessed as serious. A criminal case has been launched, according to the reports. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Egypt stands for the normalization of relations with Turkey, as the peoples of the two states have much in common, the Egyptian media quoted the countrys Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry as saying Dec. 25. Shoukry noted that Egypt is ready to resume relations with Turkey. He said that currently, there is no special tension in the Turkey-Egypt relations. Periodically, Turkish officials make statements, showing desire to normalize relations with Egypt, added the foreign minister. After the ouster of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi from power in 2013, relations between Turkey and Egypt deteriorated severely. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly stated the violation of the principles of democracy by the new Egyptian authorities. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: The state of emergency in Turkey, which was introduced after an attempted military coup in July 2015, will be canceled in February 2018, the Turkish media reported Dec. 25. Reportedly, the state of emergency will not be prolonged in the country in February 2018. On July 15 evening, 2015, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed. Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said the death toll as a result of the military coup attempt stood at 246 people, excluding the coup plotters, and over 2,000 people were wounded. He also declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20. The state of emergency was last prolonged for 90 more days on Oct. 3. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu By PTI: faith not desirable (Eds: Adds PM quotes, background) Noida, Dec 25 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today praised Yogi Adityanath for rising above "superstitions" that Uttar Pradesh chief ministers lose office whenever they visit this Delhi suburb in what is known as Noida jinx, saying "blind faith is not desirable. advertisement Modi also said that if anybody thinks that not going to a place will prolong their chief ministerial tenure and visiting a place will curtail it such a person does not deserve to be a chief minister. Adityanath visited Noida twice in three days rubbishing a widely believed myth in Uttar Pradeshs political and bureaucratic circles that a chief minister visiting Noida would face problems retaining his or her post. In this Delhi suburb to inaugurate the Metros Magenta line, Modi pointed to the saffron robed Adityanath and said that looking at his dress, the chief minister appeared to be superstitious, but had actually shown that he had the courage to break superstitions. "I am very happy. Due to his dress, few people find it fashionable to believe Yogi Adityanath is not modern enough but it is Yogi Adityanath Ji who has done what chief ministers of Uttar pradesh did not do--he has come to Noida. Faith is important but blind faith is not desirable," he said. A priest-turned-politician, Adityanath, was seen smiling as Modi lavished praise. "Unfortunately, there were superstitions associated with Noida and in his own style, Yogi Adityanath has risen above these superstitions and come to Noida." "If anybody thinks not going to a place will prolong their CM tenure and visiting a place will curtail it, such a person does not deserve to be a chief minister," he added. The prime minister said that Noida was not the only place to which superstitions had gained ground. Recalling his days as the chief minister of Gujarat, Modi said there were 6 to 7 places in the state where no chief minister went out of fear that whoever does so would lose his seat but he ignored this belief. "When I became chief minister, people told me of a few places where no CMs went because they were inauspicious. I was clear...I would go to all those places in my first year itself. Driven by blind faith and superstition, leaders never went to places for decades. How unfortunate is that?" Modi said, highlighting that he remained Gujarat chief minister for nearly 20 years. In the modern scientific world there is no place for superstition, he asserted. Significantly, Adityanaths chief ministerial visits to Noida came eight years after the last by the then chief minister Mayawati. In the ensuing election Mayawatis BSP lost and her successor Akhilesh Yadav did not vist Noida. "Our chief minister believes in working in the interest of people and does not care for superstitions, which have prevented past chief ministers from going to Noida. With his visit he will also end the superstition attached with the place," state BJP spokesman Chandramohan said in Lucknow last week. advertisement Though Noida or Gautam Budh Nagar district was developed from a cluster of small villages into the prime economic zone of the state, it has been avoided by past chief ministers. something attributed to the "jinx" about the city. Adityanaths predecessor and Akhilesh Yadav stayed away from Noida. The Samajwadi Party(SP) leader did not attend the Asian Development Bank Summit organized there in May 2013 though then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was the chief guest. Akhilesh Yadav had launched the Rs 3,300 crore development projects, including access to six-lane Yamuna Expressway, through video link from Lucknow. The family members of Dadri lynching victim Mohammad Ikhlaq were brought to Lucknow from there to meet Akhilesh Yadav. Before him, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kalyan Singh and Rajnath Singh too avoided going to Noida. The superstition attached with Noida began with then chief minister Veer Bahadur Singh, who was asked to step down in June 1988 by the central leadership. advertisement Interestingly, he had just returned from Noida, when he was asked to relinquish office. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati ignored the superstition during her term as chief minister (2007-12) and attended programmes organised by the state government in Noida. When the BSP lost power in the 2012 Assembly election, the Noida jinx was back in the news. PTI CORR ADS GSN GSN --- ENDS --- KYODO NEWS - Dec 25, 2017 - 07:06 | All The Defense Ministry is considering buying new fighter jets that may be put on its "helicopter carriers," in what could be seen as a change in Japan's defense posture that has banned the possession of offensive aircraft carriers, government sources said Sunday. The sources said the introduction of F-35Bs, which are capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings, will be useful to counter China's growing maritime assertiveness. They are expected to bolster defenses of far-flung islands in Japan's southwest, where only short runways exist, they said. The move, however, is likely to trigger a backlash from China and other neighboring countries, because they could perceive it as contradicting Japan's so-called "exclusively defense-oriented policy" under the pacifist Constitution. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government has pushed for various changes in Japan's postwar security policy over the past years, most notably through the enactment of security legislation that largely expanded the activities of the Self-Defense Forces. Under the strictly defense-oriented policy, the government has maintained that it cannot possess "attack aircraft carriers," saying that they are among what can be deemed as offensive weapons exceeding the minimum necessary capacity for self-defense. The Maritime Self-Defense Force currently possesses flat-topped destroyers known as "helicopter carriers." Its largest Izumo-class carriers are 248 meters long and can carry up to 14 helicopters. The sources said F-35Bs can also be operated even from the existing helicopter carriers once modifications are made to the bow, deck and other areas of the ships. Such destroyers, modified or newly built, will then be used as small-scale aircraft carriers. Japan has already been purchasing F-35As for its Air Self-Defense Force as part of a plan to acquire a total of 42 of the aircraft. But the Defense Ministry is considering including some F-35Bs in its purchase, or buying some F-35Bs in addition to 42 F-35As. The F-35B is the U.S. Marines variant of the F-35 stealth plane, made by Lockheed Martin Corp. The F-35A has conventional takeoff and landing capability. A 3,000-meter runway is usually needed for the takeoff and landing for the ASDF's F-15 and other fighter jets, but Shimojijima Airport is the only airport equipped with a long runway among the islands located southwest of Okinawa's main island. Shimojijima Airport is not allowed to be used by military aircraft based on an accord reached in 1971 between the central and local governments. With the F-35Bs, the ASDF can use small airports in remote islands such as Yonaguni and step up its surveillance activities of the area, the sources said. Yonaguni is only around 100 kilometers east of Taiwan. The disputed Senkakus in the East China Sea are located about 150 km north of Yonaguni. Chinese vessels have frequently entered Japanese territorial waters around the uninhabited islets, called Diaoyu by China. KYODO NEWS - Dec 25, 2017 - 12:07 | Feature, All Japan's aging population and the higher cost of keeping dogs has likely contributed to the sliding number of pet canines in the country, with cats overtaking them this year for the first time since an annual survey began in 1994, according to industry experts. "The biggest reason behind the fall in the number of pet dogs is probably declining birthrate and graying population," said Tomoko Ishida, a 52-year-old public relations officer at major pet company Aeonpet Co. She says more elderly people are giving up on dogs and keeping cats instead due to the perception that dogs require greater care as owners need to take them out for walks every day and are legally obliged to get them vaccinated. A survey by the Japan Pet Food Association released last week showed that the estimated number of pet cats stood at 9,526,000 in 2017, remaining almost unchanged in recent years, while the number of dogs fell to 8,920,000, down for the third consecutive year. Number of pet cats surpasses dogs for 1st time in Japan: survey According to the association, the average cost of keeping a dog for its entire lifetime is estimated at about 1.6 million yen ($14,000) while that of a cat about 1.08 million yen. The gap possibly affected people's choices. Toshiharu Ishiguro, the 69-year-old head of the Gifu Veterinary Medical Association, said, "More baby boomers who used to keep dogs are giving up welcoming new dogs" fearing they may not be able to take care of them until their death as a dog's average life expectancy now exceeds 14 years. Also behind the trend is a surge in the prices of pet dogs. Regulations tightened under a revised animal protection law have triggered a fall in the number of breeders, which has dented pet dog supply. "Dogs sold in pet shops now cost hundreds of thousands of yen. Financially struggling young people cannot keep dogs," Ishiguro said. While more than 70 percent of pet dogs are purchased at shops and other places, many owners start keeping cats for free by receiving them as gifts or taking in strays. But cat owners are not free from concerns either. According to the Environment Ministry, some 46,000 cats were killed in fiscal 2016 through March 2017 by public health authorities, compared with about 10,000 dogs. Although the figure includes stray cats, many are former pet cats believed to have been abandoned. Ryoko Tomomori, the 40-year-old chief of Mignon Plan Inc., an organization protecting neglected pets and matching them with new owners, said, "Cats need exercise. They are not an animal that only requires food," contrary to a common belief that they are easy going and can be left unattended. She said the organization receives increasing complaints from owners who are not familiar with common cat habits such as crying in early mornings. "Now keeping cats indoors has become common and people welcome them as a family member. I want owners to fully understand their habits before keeping them as pets," she said. KYODO NEWS - Dec 25, 2017 - 14:22 | All, World The Peruvian government on Sunday pardoned on medical grounds former president Alberto Fujimori, who has been serving a 25-year sentence for human rights abuses. The office of President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said Fujimori, 79, was suffering from "a progressive, degenerative and incurable disease" and that his imprisonment posed a serious risk to his health. Fujimori, who is suffering from a number of ailments, is unlikely to return to the center stage of Peruvian politics but is expected to retain some clout. The humanitarian pardon came after Kuczynski survived an impeachment bid backed by the main opposition party, which is led by Keiko Fujimori, the former leader's eldest daughter. Her younger brother, Kenji, a lawmaker also belonging to the party, abstained in the vote, fueling speculation that the president and Kenji may have negotiated the pardon for Kenji's father. Kenji tweeted Sunday, "On behalf of the Fujimori family, I want to thank President Kuczynski for his magnanimous gesture." But the decision is set to enrage families of victims of human rights abuse during Fujimori's rule and international human rights organizations. Fujimori, who been serving his sentence in a police facility in a suburb of Lima, is likely to stay for a while in a hospital where he was taken on Saturday due to a drop in blood pressure stemming from arrhythmia. Fujimori, who was born in Peru to Japanese immigrants, was elected president in 1990. He was lauded for rebuilding the economy and suppressing leftist guerrilla uprisings. He also led an armed operation to free hostages from the Tupac Amaru insurgency during a siege of the Japanese ambassador's official residence in Lima in 1996-1997. In 2000, Fujimori fled to Japan, following a corruption allegation against his aide and was later dismissed as president by the Congress. After traveling to Chile in 2005, he was extradited to Peru two years later and convicted of involvement in human rights atrocities that claimed the lives of civilians. After undergoing six operations for tongue cancer, Fujimori had complained of dizziness and pain and was repeatedly hospitalized. KYODO NEWS - Dec 25, 2017 - 20:10 | Urgent, All A man and woman who were arrested after the death of their 33-year-old daughter confessed they confined her to a tiny room for around 15 years due to a mental illness they say made her violent, police sources said Monday. The police said that an autopsy showed the woman, Airi Kakimoto, whose body was recovered on Saturday from her Neyagawa home in western Japan's Osaka Prefecture, froze to death and that she was in a state of extreme malnutrition, weighing only 19 kilograms and standing 145 centimeters tall. Outdoor surveillance cameras discovered at Osaka confinement site Her 55-year-old father, Yasutaka Kakimoto, and 53-year-old mother, Yukari Kakimoto, reported her death to the police on Saturday and were arrested on the initial charge of illegally disposing of a body. The woman is believed to have died around Dec. 18. The police are now looking to build confinement and other charges after the couple admitted to investigators that they had held her in a room of around 3 square meters since she was 16 or 17 years old, the sources said. The parents allegedly told police that recently they had only fed their daughter once a day. According to the police, the Kakimotos renovated their house to add the small room fitted with a double door that can be unlocked only from the outside and a monitoring camera. Inside the unheated room, there was a makeshift toilet and a tube designed to allow the woman to drink water from a tank sitting outside. Rabies is a viral disease that kills tens of thousands of people every year, predominantly in Africa and Asia. The disease is transmitted through the bites of infected dogs and foxes. In West- and Central Europe, rabies was eliminated some 20 years ago. Switzerland was declared free of rabies in 1999 after implementing a strategy targeting foxes. "If you want to prevent humans from dying from rabies in Africa and Asia, you need to eliminate dog rabies," said Jakob Zinsstag from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), first author and principal investigator of a study in Science Translational Medicine. Swiss TPH, together with collaborators in Europe and in Africa, demonstrated the proof-of-concept that elimination of rabies is feasible. "We have shown that African teams in one of the poorest countries can eliminate human rabies through mass vaccination of dogs. What is needed next is additional funding and a concerted political will," said Zinsstag, an epidemiologist and veterinary public health expert. The investigation was carried out in N'Djamena, the capital of Chad where 1.1 million people live alongside some 30,000 dogs. In 2012 and 2013, 20,000 dogs were vaccinated each year against rabies. Hence, more than 65% of the city's estimated dog population participated in the intervention, "an excellent coverage rate," said Zinsstag. "We mobilised the neighbourhood chiefs and they in turn mobilised the people and their dogs." A model African-European collaboration Swiss TPH is a world-leading institute in the field of human and animal health - increasingly known as "One Health" - and maintains a productive collaboration with Chad dating back to the 1990s. Swiss TPH collaborated with a public-private partnership in Chad, namely the Centre de Support en Sante Internationale (CSSI) and the Institut de recherche en elevage pour le developpement (IRED). An additional player was the Laboratoire Central Veterinaire (LCV) in Bamako, Mali. For the genetic analyses of collected rabies viruses, Swiss TPH was supported by the ETH Zurich in Basel, Switzerland, and by the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France. At Swiss TPH, an interdisciplinary team was estab-lished with expertise in molecular diagnostics, mathematical modelling and veterinary epidemiology. "The mathematical modelling shows that the reproductive number, that is the number of secondary infections for one rabies-infected dog, fell under one, hence transmission is interrupted, and a molecular analysis shows that the circulating strains disappear," said Zinsstag and Nakul Chitnis, a co-investigator at Swiss TPH. Further insights through phylodynamics The study is one of the first research projects to apply a rigorous phylodynamic method to dog rabies, and hence, it expands upon the normative phylogenetics (i.e. assessing the genetic relatedness of virus strains) with the dynamics of transmission over time. This made it possible to calculate the reproductive number of rabies among the dogs after the first mass dog vaccination in 2012. "Dog rabies was likely re-introduced through the import of dogs by humans from outside N'Djamena after the rabies elimination had been achieved," Zinsstag explains. The phylogenetic analysis supports this finding, since the sequence of nucleoprotein of the new viruses showed a different genetic structure. "The molecular method ascertained the results put forth by the mathematical model through an independent approach," said Zinsstag. "Therefore eliminating rabies is not a technical problem, but a matter of political will and sufficient financial resources." The Swiss TPH study was financially supported by the UBS Optimus Foundation in Switzerland (vaccine, epidemiological field work and laboratory investigations). The Chadian government covered other costs (logistics and personnel). Towards elimination of rabies in Central and West Africa Eliminating dog mediated human rabies by 2030 is part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). "It will be a formidable challenge to reach this SDG goal by then, but we can prevent people from dying from dog-transmitted rabies," said Zinsstag. "Our study provides an important proof-of-concept for the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) and the Pan-african Rabies Control Network (PARACON) that rabies elimination in Africa indeed can be achieved." As a next step, Swiss TPH and its partners plan to extend mass dog vaccination against rabies across Chad. "We have calculated that with 28 million euros, it would be possible to eliminate rabies throughout the country. However, an important challenge is migration: once Chad is free from rabies, the disease might be re-imported from neighbouring countries such as Cameroon and Sudan. We therefore need a concerted Pan Central and West African approach, led by the Economic Unity of West African States ECOWAS and the African Union. This would bring along the additional benefit of promoting peace through cooperation." Zinsstag estimates that in order to free Central and West Africa from rabies, the costs would amount to around 1 billion euro over a 20-year period. One Health rabies research at Swiss TPH Swiss TPH maintains a West African research network in the field of human and animal health based on an excellent collaboration with many African partners, such as CSSI in Chad and the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Cote d'Ivoire (CSRS), among others. Swiss TPH pursues a two-pronged approach with the overall aim of eliminating rabies in humans: eliminating dog rabies and making post-exposition prophylaxis accessible to all people in West and Central Africa. For this last approach, Swiss TPH collaborates with the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI). One Health is, in Zinsstag's own words, the "added value of a close collaboration of human and animal health. If medical experts and veterinarians work together more closely, they can improve health to a greater extent than they could alone." The concept of One Health was instigated by the veterinary epidemiologist Calvin W. Schwabe in the 1960s. Swiss TPH has developed the scientific theory behind it as well as the associated teaching and training. For instance, Swiss TPH developed the first massive open online course (MOOC) in One Health, which is now being offered in its second year. ### Link to original paper active from Wednesday, 20 December 2017, 08:00 p.m. CET: http://stm.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.aaf6984 Related study: Lechenne M, Oussiguere A, Naissengar K, Mindekem R, Mosimann L, Rives G, Hattendorf J, Moto D.D, Alfaroukh I.O, Zinsstag J. Operational performance and analysis of two rabies vaccination cam-paigns in N'Djamena, Chad. Vaccine. 2016;34(4):571-577. DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.11.033 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26631415 Human and animal health: https://www.swisstph.ch/en/about/eph/human-and-animal-health/ MOOC online course in One Health: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/one-health/2/ Book on One Health - theory and practice: https://www.cabi.org/openresources/43410/ On rabies: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs099/en/ 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. Cosmic Girl Boeing 747 carrying a LauncherOne rocket. VOX Space's Cosmic Girl Boeing 747 fires satellites into orbit from the air. Image source: 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. Story continues 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. More From The Motley Fool 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. By PTI: (Eds : Rptg after recasting intro) Bhubaneswar, Dec 25 (PTI) The Opposition BJP and the Congress today said the dalits, tribals, farmers and the poor in the state have suffered in the hands of the Naveen Patnaik government, an allegation that was denied by the ruling BJD. The leaders of both the opposition parties hurled a volley of questions and sought explanations over various administrative matters from the BJD, which is set to celebrate its 20th foundation day tomorrow. advertisement "Although the state government formed a corpus fund for chit-fund victims, none of them has received any money. When will they get back their money?" BJP state unit general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan said at a press meet here. Many ponzi scheme companies flourished under the patronage of the ruling party in the state, he alleged. Harichandan also sought to know the time frame by which the ruling party would dole out compensation to the family members of farmers, who have committed suicide due to crop loss and debt burden. He also asked for an explanation from the government for the delay in implementation of agriculture commissions recommendations and demanded action against leaders and officials responsible for distribution of fake seeds and pesticides among farmers. Stating that the health sector in the state was in a shambles, Harichandan said a large number of posts of doctors and other staff is lying vacant in government hospitals. Despite being endowed with vast coal reserves, many parts of Odisha are still languishing in darkness, the BJP leader said, adding that a whopping 36 lakh houses in the state are devoid of electricity supply due to inefficiency on the part of the Naveen Patnaik government. Slamming the BJD regime on similar lines, senior Congress leader and former Union minister Srikant Jena said unemployment has assumed alarming proportions in the state. The chief minister should tell people the number of jobs his government has created since the BJD came to power in 2000, Jena said. Claiming that over 40 lakh unemployed youths are on the verge of migrating to other states in search of jobs, Jena said the Odisha government has failed to ensure social and economic justice in the state. The Congress leader also held the BJD regime responsible for the plight of farmers, many of whom were forced to end their lives due to crop loss. The state government has failed to speed up industrialisation, he claimed adding due to its misrule the economy of the state was in doldrums. BJD spokesperson Prashant Nanda, however, refuted the charges levelled by the BJP and the Congress and said the opposition parties are wary of the rising popularity of the ruling party. advertisement The BJD, which is going to celebrate its 20th foundation day tomorrow, is all set to storm into power for the 5th time in a row in 2019, he added. PTI SKN RMS KK SNP --- ENDS --- artificial intelligence baidu REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon When Jay Jacobs, director of research at Global X, and his team were looking to start new theme-based exchange-traded funds last year, a robotics and artificial intelligence ETF just made sense. "I think a lot of times the finance world gets lost in its own jargon of risk adjusted returns and Sharpe ratios and risk factors," Jacobs told Markets Insider. "The story behind robotics and AI is very straightforward to everybody." Jacobs is a chief mind behind the BOTZ, an exchange-traded fund from Global X which launched in September of 2016. BOTZ invests in companies that gain a majority of their revenue from robotics and artificial intelligence. The fund's market capitalization recently crossed over the $300 million mark. The explosive growth of BOTZ makes sense. It combines the red-hot ETF market with skyrocketing tech stocks. Jacobs says it's the fastest growing funds he's been involved with in his four plus years with Global X. With returns of around 39.1% since the fund's inception last year, the growth is hardly surprising. BOTZ is comprised of 29 companies spread across four sub categories: industrial automation, non-industrial robotics, unmanned vehicles and artificial intelligence. It's weighted by market cap, with no single company comprising more than 8% of the fund, and no less than 0.3%, according to Jacobs. The largest holding is currently Mitsubishi, followed by Nvidia and Keyence Corp, each making up about 7.5% of the fund. Those top three holdings are up an average of 77.4% since the inception of BOTZ. Global X has positioned BOTZ to be popular among a younger investing crowd. A strong majority of millennials, about 83%, are interested in thematic investing, compared to only 31% of the general population, according to a study done by the firm. When creating BOTZ, Jacobs said the team had millennial investors in mind. Story continues "We see that younger generations are the trendsetters, so if we see that millennials are the ones saying [AI] is real ... that's meaningful and it's going to start working its way up the chain," Jacobs said. mit team robot helios Patrick Fallon/Reuters Formatting the fund as an ETF made sense as well. The ETF market for stocks has grown by 500% in the last eight years, in part because it allows for easy access to themes like AI and robotics. Investing in the fund is as easy as buying a stock. "You get international exposure, which is critical for robotics," Jacobs said. "You get diversified exposure." There are drawbacks to the Global X approach. Almost half of the fund's holdings are based in Japan, meaning events in the country could have an outsized effect on the fund. The fund is also missing some major players in AI, like Facebook and Google, which are leaders in artificial intelligence technology but excluded from the fund because they don't derive most of their revenue from the theme. Still, a thematic fund like BOTZ allows investors to bet on a general idea instead of a specific company, which investors seem to like. After all, "tech is only going to get better," Jacobs said. NOW WATCH: The CIO of a crypto hedge fund shares the 3 biggest risks of investing in cryptocurrencies See Also: SEE ALSO: The world's hottest investment market looks like a bubble but it still has a ways to go ALMATY (Reuters) - Kazakhstan's government and central bank may appeal a judgment by a British court in an effort to regain access to $22.6 billion in National Fund assets frozen by Bank of New York Mellon, the Kazakh Justice Ministry said on Saturday. In a rare move related to a long-standing legal dispute between Kazakhstan and a Moldovan businessman, BNY Mellon froze the assets in October. Kazakhstan hoped that a court in London would force the bank to lift the freeze, but the court dismissed the claim on Thursday. "Both the National (central) Bank and the Republic of Kazakhstan are now considering appealing this court judgment," the ministry said in a statement. Moldovan businessman Anatolie Stati, his son Gabriel and their companies are investors in Kazakhstans oil and gas industry. They say they have been subjected to harassment from the state aimed at forcing them to sell their investments cheaply. Kazakhstan denies the allegations, but Anatolie and Gabriel Stati and two of their companies Ascom Group S.A. and Terra Raf Trans Traiding Ltd., have won an international arbitration award of around $500 million against the government. Kazakhstan has refused to pay, accusing Stati of using fraudulent means to secure a favourable arbitration ruling and filing lawsuits against him. The Justice Ministry said BNY Mellon, which acts as one of the custodians of the National Fund, initially refused to freeze its assets in response to rulings by Dutch and Belgian courts. But on Oct. 30 "BNY Mellon suddenly changed its position" and agreed to freeze the assets, the ministry said, adding that it would seek from Stati compensation of all losses including those related to the freeze. "In any case, the risks to the Republic of Kazakhstan are limited by the arbitration award - $497,658,101 plus interest ... and half of Stati's legal fees," it said. Kazakhstan's rainy-day National Fund, worth $57 billion, is replenished by revenue from the oil and gas industry, and used to partly finance the budget deficit. While the former Soviet republic is unlikely to find itself in urgent need of the frozen money soon, the freeze may limit its ability to manage a large part of the fund's portfolio, which is mostly invested in high-grade bonds. (Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; editing by Andrew Roche) SpaceX's 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 California's central coast was Space Exploration Technologies Corp.'s 18th this year. That's 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 they've 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 year's 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 NASA's Apollo 11 mission to the moon. The maiden flight of Falcon Heavy, SpaceX's 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 Co. both have contracts with NASA to deliver American astronauts to the orbiting lab as part of the "Commercial Crew" program. Story continues "If you liked tonight's launch, you will really like Falcon Heavy next month, Musk wrote on Twitter early Saturday. "3 rocket cores & 3X thrust. SpaceX's 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 Corp., launched eight government missions on its Atlas and 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. "They've established that they can launch more than any other program in the world, and they've 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, Musk's 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 that's why they are getting so much business," Caceres said. Friday's 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 didn't attempt to land the rocket after Friday's 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. See original article on Fortune.com More from Fortune.com Firemen battle a fire that rages at a shopping mall, Saturday, Dec. 23, 2017, in Davao city, southern Philippines. The fire which still raging for hours now have trapped an undetermined number of people, fire officials said. (AP Photo/Manman Dejeto) DAVAO, Philippines (AP) -- The Latest on the fire in the shopping mall in the southern Philippine city of Davao (all times local): 1:15 p.m. A Philippine official says firefighters have recovered one body from a burning shopping mall and there is "zero" chances of survival for 36 other people trapped inside the four-story building in southern Davao city. Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said Sunday firefighters told distraught relatives of the 36 trapped employees of a business outsourcing company at the top floor of the NCCC Mall that nobody could survive the extreme heat and thick black smoke in the building. It is unclear when firefighters can break into most areas of the mall, where the blaze was put under control Sunday morning although smoke continued to billow from the popular shopping venue. Duterte-Carpio says firefighters won't stop until they find all those reported missing. 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. A man in a suit putting a business card in his pocket that reads, tax reforms. Image source: Getty Images. 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: No deduction or credit shall be allowed for any amount paid or incurred during the taxable year in carrying on any trade or business if such trade or business (or the activities which comprise such trade or business) consists of trafficking in controlled substances (within the meaning of schedule I and II of the Controlled Substances Act) which is prohibited by Federal law or the law of any State in which such trade or business is conducted. Story continues 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. A hemp farmer pruning his plants. Image source: Getty Images. 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. A judge's gavel next to a pile of cannabis buds. Image source: Getty Images. 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. More From The Motley Fool The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. President Donald Trump told friends at his lavish Mar-a-Lago club you all just got a lot richer after the passage of his tax cut legislation, CBS News reported Sunday. President Donald Trump told friends at his lavish Mar-a-Lago club you all just got a lot richer after the passage of his tax cut legislation, CBS News reported Sunday. Trump reportedly made the remark during dinner on Friday at the exclusive Florida resort, where initiation fees cost $200,000, just hours after he signed the bill into law. Asked for comment by CBS News, the White House on Saturday stood by its claims that the legislation would benefit the middle class. While households at every income level will see a tax cut next year, wealthy taxpayers would benefit the most from the bill, according to independent analysts. The heart of the measure is a massive corporate tax cut a permanent reduction in the top rate from 35 percent to 21 percent. Most tax cuts for individuals, however, are set to expire in eight years. The remarks Trump reportedly made on Friday also seemingly contradict a promise he made several months ago when he first began pitching his tax proposal to Congress. The rich will not be gaining at all with this plan, Trump said after a Sept. 12 meeting with lawmakers at the White House. We are looking for the middle class, and we are looking for jobs, jobs being the economy. So, were looking at middle class, and were looking at jobs, he added. Trumps friends likely wont be the only ones who stand to gain from the tax cut legislation. The president himself is set to save $11 million a year from a single rule change in the bill, according to Forbes. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Pakistan, by allowing an Indian diplomat's presence during Kulbhushan Jadhav's meeting with his wife and mother, is granting India consular access to him, the country's foreign minister said. By India Today Web Desk: It's a Christmas miracle for Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, languishing in a Pakistani jail on a death row after being convicted of espionage. Islamabad has claimed it has decided to grant India consular access to former Indian Navy officer, a right over which India and Pakistan have been sparring at the International Court of Justice. advertisement The Pakistani foreign minister told a local news channel that an Indian diplomat would be allowed to accompany Jadhav's wife and mother, who are meeting him today in Pakistan, and that this constituted "consular access". Indian officials, however, had a wait-and-watch response to the Pakistani claim. Sources within the Indian establishment told India Today that all depends on whether the diplomat in question - JP Singh - is allowed to speak to Jadhav or not. News agency PTI initially reported the news of Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif telling Geo News that the country had granted India consular access to Jadhav. #Pakistan grants #India consular access to #KulbhushanJadhav, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif tells Geo News- Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 25, 2017 This comes on a day Jadhav is scheduled to meet his wife and mother in Pakistan. The mother-wife duo are expected to land in Pakistan sometime around noon today. Jadhav's meeting his mother and wife is linked to the "consular access" Pakistan claims it has granted India. A PTI report quoting Geo News had Pakistani Foreign Minister Asif as saying that an Indian High Commission accompanying Jadhav's wife and mother during their meeting with him constituted "consular access". "Had India been in place of us, it would not have given us this concession," he was further quoted as saying. While the PTI report went on to say that Indian officials had rejected the Pakistani claim, India Today's sources had a more guarded response, saying they would wait to see whether Jadhav is allowed to speak to the diplomat who will be present at the meeting. The Indian govenrment has previously slammed Pakistan for conducting a "farcical" trail to convict Jadhav of espionage charges and has refuted Pakistani allegations that he is a spy of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India's external intelligence agency. India also castigated Pakistan for breaking international conventions by refusing New Delhi's request for consular access 14 times since Jadhav was first arrested in 2016. Pakistan, for its part, has been claiming that since Jadhav has been convicted of spying, Islamabad is under no obligations to grant him consular access. advertisement After he was convicted on April 10 this year and sentenced to death, India approached the International Court of Justice alleging Pakistan had violated the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. On May 18, the ICJ stayed Jadhav's death sentence until the world court heard the matter in full and decided upon India's plea. (This story has been updated to include the update that Indian sources have said they will wait to see if Jadhav is allowed to speak to the diplomat in question) WATCH | India's full argument of Kulbhushan Jadhav's case in ICJ --- ENDS --- At least 10 people have been killed in a suicide bombing near the headquarters of Afghanistan's intelligence agency in Kabul, officials say. The attack took place during the morning rush hour at Abdul Haq Square in the Shash Darak neighborhood of Kabul close to the entrance of the National Directorate for Security (NDS), the Interior Ministry said. Five other people were injured when the attacker, who was on foot, blew himself up as agency employees were on their way to work. The U.S. Embassy and NATO headquarters are also located in the area. The Islamic State (IS) extremist group claimed responsibility for the attack through a message on the AMAQ website associated with the militants. Security forces closed off the main road leading to the NDS building after the attack. Another Interior Ministry spokesman told the AFP news agency that several people were killed while riding in their car when the attacker, traveling on foot, detonated his bomb. Both the Taliban and IS have carried out deadly attacks in Kabul in the past. Last week, IS also targeted a training center belonging to the NDS. Separately, six Afghan border police officers were killed when their military vehicle hit a roadside bomb in the southern province of Helmand. Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor, said six other policemen were wounded in the incident which took place in Marjah district. Qari Yusuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for the attack in Helmand. The Western-backed government there has been struggling to fend off militants since the withdrawal of most NATO troops in 2014. Security in the capital has been ramped up since May 31, when a truck bomb ripped through the city's diplomatic quarter, killing about 150 people and wounding hundreds, mostly civilians. On December 18, IS claimed responsibility for an attack on the intelligence agency's training center in Kabul. Three attackers were killed in that incident, and several security officers were injured. On October 20, suicide bombers attacked two Shi'ite mosques in the city, killing more than 72 people. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has sharply criticized neighboring Pakistan, accusing it of providing a safe haven for terrorists operating in Afghanistan. Islamabad denies the allegations. With reporting by Reuters, Tolo News, AFP, and dpa Historians have long thought that America was, from the beginning, profoundly influenced by the Lockean notion of liberty, with its strong emphasis on individual rights and self-interest. Yet in his recent book, historian J. G. A. Pocock argues that early American culture was actually rooted in the writings of Machiavelli, not Locke. The implications of this substitution are important: if Pococks argument is right, then Americans may not be as deeply individualistic and capitalistic as many believe. Pocock argues that out of the writings of antiquity Machiavelli created a body of political thinking called classical republicanism. This body of thought revived the ancient belief that a human being was by nature a citizen who achieved moral fulfillment by participating in a self-governing republic. Liberty was interpreted as a condition that is realized when people are virtuous and are willing to sacrifice their individual interests for the sake of the community. To be completely virtuous, people had to be independent and free of the petty interests of the . The greatest enemy of virtue was commerce. This classical republican tradition is said by Pocock to have shaped the ideology of America during the eighteenth century. Many events in early American history can be reinterpreted in light of Pococks analysis. Jefferson is no longer seen as a progressive reader of Locke leading America into its individualistic future; instead Jefferson is understood as a figure obsessed with virtue and corruption and fearful of new commercial developments. Influenced by Pocock, some historians have even argued that a communitarian and precapitalist mentality was pervasive among the eighteenth-century farmers of America. Yet Pococks thesis and the reinterpretation of the history of eighteenth-century America engendered by it are of dubious validity. If Americans did believe in the ideals of classical virtue that stressed civic duty and made the whole community greater than its discrete parts, then why did the colonists lack a sense of obligation to support the greater good of the British Empire? If indeed America has not always been the society of individual rights and self-interest that it is today, how and when did it be come so? Classical republicanism is elitist, and it certainly had little to offer the important new social groups of artisans and shopkeepers that emerged in America during the eighteenth century. These middle-class radicals, for whom John Wilkes and Thomas Paine were spokesmen, had none of the independence from the market that the landed gentry had. They were less concerned with virtue and community than they were with equality and private rights. They hated political privilege and wanted freedom from an elite-dominated state. In short, the United States was created not in a mood of classical anxiety over virtue and corruption, but in a mood of liberal optimism over individual profits and prosperity. Show Spoiler A 1. Which of the following best states the authors main point? (A) Classical republicanism could not have been the ideological basis of eighteenth-century America. (B) Classical republicanism is an elitist theory that was rejected by eighteenth-century artisans and shopkeepers. (C) Pocock understates the importance of the contributions Machiavelli made to the formation of early American culture. (D) Pocock fails to capture the great extent to which eighteenth-century Americans were committed to a sense of civic duty. (E) Pococks account of Jefferson is incompatible with Jeffersons commitment to a Lockean notion of liberty. Show Spoiler E 2. The conception of liberty that, according to Pocock, formed the basis of Americas eighteenth-century ideology is most clearly exhibited by which of the following individuals? (A) The merchant who rebuilds the damaged sidewalk in front of his store in order to avoid potential lawsuits by customers who might fall there (B) The professor who allows her students to help her design the content and the format of the courses she teaches (C) The doctor who bows to government pressure and agrees to treat a small number of low-income patients at no cost (D) The lawyer who argues that a state law prohibiting smoking in public places unfairly encroaches on the rights of smokers (E) The engineer whose business suffers as a result of the personal time and energy he devotes to a program to clean up city streets Show Spoiler C 3. According to the author, eighteenth-century American artisans and shopkeepers had little reason to (A) support the political efforts of Thomas Jefferson (B) reject the ideals of classical virtue (C) embrace the principles of classical republicanism (D) renounce the political objectives of the British Empire (E) worry about increasing profits and maintaining general prosperity Show Spoiler D 4. The author mentions which of the following as a fact that weakens Pococks argument about the ideology of eighteenth-century America? (A) Jeffersons obsession with virtue and corruption and his fear of commercial development (B) The precapitalist mentality that was pervasive among farmers in early America (C) The political decline of artisans and shopkeepers in eighteenth-century America (D) The colonists lack of commitment to support the general welfare of the British Empire (E) The existence of political privilege in early American society Show Spoiler C 5. The passage suggests that, if classical republicanism had been the ideology of eighteenth-century America, which of the following would have resulted? (A) People would have been motivated to open small businesses and expand commercial activity. (B) Citizens and politicians would not have been encouraged to agitate for increased individual rights. (C) People would have been convinced that by pursuing their own interests they were contributing to the good of the group. (D) The political and social privileges enjoyed by the landed gentry would have been destroyed. (E) A mood of optimism among people over individual profits and prosperity would have been created. Show Spoiler A 6. The author implies that Pococks argument about the ideology of eighteenth-century America would be more plausible if the argument explained which of the following? (A) How a society that was once committed to the ideals of classical virtue could be transformed into a society of individual rights and self-interest (B) How Thomas Jefferson could have become obsessed with individual rights and with prosperity and profits (C) Why classical republicanism had such wide appeal among those who were free from the demands of the (D) Why many colonists who embraced classical republicanism were reluctant to place their individual interests above those of Great Britain (E) Why the landed gentry in eighteenth-century America should have believed that moral fulfillment is achieved by participating in a self-governing republic Show Spoiler C 7. According to the passage, Pococks theory suggests that many eighteenth-century Americans believed that increasing commercial activity would (A) force the landed gentry to relinquish their vast holdings (B) enrich the nation and increase individual rights (C) cause some people to forfeit their liberty and virtue (D) create a mood of optimism about national prosperity (E) strengthen the political appeal of middle-class radicals Show Spoiler A 8. The author is primarily concerned with (A) refuting a proposed thesis about eighteenth-century America (B) analyzing a long-established interpretation of American history (C) criticizing a set of deeply held beliefs about early American ideology (D) reconciling opposing interpretations of eighteenth-century American ideology (E) defending a novel reading of the ideology of eighteenth-century America (A) Classical republicanism could not have been the ideological basis of eighteenth-century America.(B) Classical republicanism is an elitist theory that was rejected by eighteenth-century artisans and shopkeepers.(C) Pocock understates the importance of the contributions Machiavelli made to the formation of early American culture.(D) Pocock fails to capture the great extent to which eighteenth-century Americans were committed to a sense of civic duty.(E) Pococks account of Jefferson is incompatible with Jeffersons commitment to a Lockean notion of liberty.(A) The merchant who rebuilds the damaged sidewalk in front of his store in order to avoid potential lawsuits by customers who might fall there(B) The professor who allows her students to help her design the content and the format of the courses she teaches(C) The doctor who bows to government pressure and agrees to treat a small number of low-income patients at no cost(D) The lawyer who argues that a state law prohibiting smoking in public places unfairly encroaches on the rights of smokers(E) The engineer whose business suffers as a result of the personal time and energy he devotes to a program to clean up city streets(A) support the political efforts of Thomas Jefferson(B) reject the ideals of classical virtue(C) embrace the principles of classical republicanism(D) renounce the political objectives of the British Empire(E) worry about increasing profits and maintaining general prosperity(A) Jeffersons obsession with virtue and corruption and his fear of commercial development(B) The precapitalist mentality that was pervasive among farmers in early America(C) The political decline of artisans and shopkeepers in eighteenth-century America(D) The colonists lack of commitment to support the general welfare of the British Empire(E) The existence of political privilege in early American society(A) People would have been motivated to open small businesses and expand commercial activity.(B) Citizens and politicians would not have been encouraged to agitate for increased individual rights.(C) People would have been convinced that by pursuing their own interests they were contributing to the good of the group.(D) The political and social privileges enjoyed by the landed gentry would have been destroyed.(E) A mood of optimism among people over individual profits and prosperity would have been created.(A) How a society that was once committed to the ideals of classical virtue could be transformed into a society of individual rights and self-interest(B) How Thomas Jefferson could have become obsessed with individual rights and with prosperity and profits(C) Why classical republicanism had such wide appeal among those who were free from the demands of the(D) Why many colonists who embraced classical republicanism were reluctant to place their individual interests above those of Great Britain(E) Why the landed gentry in eighteenth-century America should have believed that moral fulfillment is achieved by participating in a self-governing republic(A) force the landed gentry to relinquish their vast holdings(B) enrich the nation and increase individual rights(C) cause some people to forfeit their liberty and virtue(D) create a mood of optimism about national prosperity(E) strengthen the political appeal of middle-class radicals(A) refuting a proposed thesis about eighteenth-century America(B) analyzing a long-established interpretation of American history(C) criticizing a set of deeply held beliefs about early American ideology(D) reconciling opposing interpretations of eighteenth-century American ideology(E) defending a novel reading of the ideology of eighteenth-century America bb wrote: you won't get a job just because you went to Foster while there are other more qualified people applying so you need an edge - better interview, better resume, a personal recommendation, etc. You get the idea. the deciding factor Jika Anda mencari situs web sbobet88 login yang andal dan aman untuk bermain poker online, permainan kasino, dan bentuk perjudian lainnya, Anda telah datang ke tempat yang tepat. 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Swimmers participate in the annual Sea of Galilee swim, the oldest and most popular swimming event, near Tiberias, northern Israel. Israel is heading into its fifth consecutive year of drought, putting three celebrated biblical bodies of water at risk. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Swimmers participate in the annual Sea of Galilee swim, the oldest and most popular swimming event, near Tiberias, northern Israel. Israel is heading into its fifth consecutive year of drought, putting three celebrated biblical bodies of water at risk. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) advertisement The biblical bodies of waters - pilgrimage sites for baptisms and beach parties alike - are crucial to the survival and stability of Israel, Jordan and the Palestinians. But more and more of the river the ancient Israelites crossed to enter the Holy Land is drying up - the result of climate change, growing populations and the increasing use of its water for agriculture. Swimmers participate in the annual Sea of Galilee swim, the oldest and most popular swimming event, near Tiberias, northern Israel. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) An aerial view of the abandoned Kalya water park on the Dead Sea shore. Israel is heading into its fifth consecutive year of drought, putting three celebrated biblical bodies of water at risk. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) The water basin is dotted with sacred sites for Jews, Muslims and Christians. Jesus, who was baptized in the Jordan, is said to have walked on the waters of the Sea of Galilee and multiplied loaves and fishes on its shores. The medieval Jewish scholar Moses Maimonides is buried by the lakeshore, and companions of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad are buried on the eastern banks of the Jordan. Tourists shower as they enjoy the Dead Sea near Kibbutz Kalya. Israel is heading into its fifth consecutive year of drought, putting three celebrated biblical bodies of water at risk. The Sea of Galilee, the countryA??s main water source, already stands at a century low and the mighty Jordan River, known for its prominence in the Bible, could be best described along much of its length as a creek. The Dead Sea, a marvel of the natural world, is shrinking. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Tourists shower as they enjoy the Dead Sea near Kibbutz Kalya. Israel is heading into its fifth consecutive year of drought, putting three celebrated biblical bodies of water at risk. The Sea of Galilee, the countryA??s main water source, already stands at a century low and the mighty Jordan River, known for its prominence in the Bible, could be best described along much of its length as a creek. The Dead Sea, a marvel of the natural world, is shrinking. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) An aerial view shows sinkholes in the abandoned tourist resort of Ein Gedi on the Dead Sea shore. Israel is heading into its fifth consecutive year of drought, putting three celebrated biblical bodies of water at risk. The Sea of Galilee, the countryA??s main water source, already stands at a century low and the mighty Jordan River, known for its prominence in the Bible, could be best described along much of its length as a creek. The Dead Sea, a marvel of the natural world, is shrinking. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) For visitors with high expectations for such iconic sites, the scenes can be shocking. Christian Orthodox pilgrims immerse themselves into the waters of the Jordan River during a baptism ceremony as part of the Orthodox Feast of the Epiphany at Qasr el Yahud, the spot where John the Baptist is said to have baptized Jesus, near the West Bank town of Jericho. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Christian pilgrims baptize in the Jordan River at Yardenit baptismal site in northern Israel. The Sea of Galilee, the countryA??s main water source, already stands at a century low and the mighty Jordan River, known for its prominence in the Bible, could be best described along much of its length as a creek. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) "If you blink when you cross the Allenby Bridge," which links Jordan and the West Bank, "then you'll miss seeing the Jordan River," said Gidon Bromberg, the Israeli director of EcoPeace, an organization of Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian environmentalists. A Palestinian shepherd herds his flock near the Israeli settlement of Tomer in the Jordan Valley. Israel is heading into its fifth consecutive year of drought, putting three celebrated biblical bodies of water at risk. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) A Palestinian shepherd herds his flock near the Israeli settlement of Tomer in the Jordan Valley. Israel is heading into its fifth consecutive year of drought, putting three celebrated biblical bodies of water at risk. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) People enjoy the Sea of Galilee near the northern Israeli Kibbutz of Ein Gev. Israel is heading into its fifth consecutive year of drought, putting three celebrated biblical bodies of water at risk. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) advertisement The Jordan River rises as the confluence of several tributaries at the northern end of the Great Rift, a 3,700-mile (6,000-kilometer) tear in the Earth's crust. It flows south into the Sea of Galilee, also known as Lake Kinneret, then squiggles 220 miles (360 kilometers) to the lowest place on the planet, the Dead Sea. An Israeli youth shows off the small fish he caught on the banks of the Jordan River near the northern Israeli Kibbutz of Kinneret. Israel is heading into its fifth consecutive year of drought, putting three celebrated biblical bodies of water at risk. The Sea of Galilee, the countryA??s main water source, already stands at a century low and the mighty Jordan River, known for its prominence in the Bible, could be best described along much of its length as a creek. The Dead Sea, a marvel of the natural world, is shrinking. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) An Israeli youth shows off the small fish he caught on the banks of the Jordan River near the northern Israeli Kibbutz of Kinneret. Israel is heading into its fifth consecutive year of drought, putting three celebrated biblical bodies of water at risk. The Sea of Galilee, the countryA??s main water source, already stands at a century low and the mighty Jordan River, known for its prominence in the Bible, could be best described along much of its length as a creek. The Dead Sea, a marvel of the natural world, is shrinking. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) A woman walks next to sinkholes along the Dead Sea shore near the Israeli Kibbutz of Ein Gedi. The Dead Sea, a marvel of the natural world, is shrinking. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) advertisement The Sea of Galilee, Israel's main water source, is less than 1 percent of the size of Lake Ontario, and years of drought have further lowered its surface. Israelis tour along the Jordan River near the Israeli village of Menahemia. Israel is heading into its fifth consecutive year of drought, putting three celebrated biblical bodies of water at risk. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Israeli Arabs take a picture of their baby with horses in the Sea of Galilee near the northern Israeli Kibbutz of Ein Gev. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Israeli meteorologists predicted in early December that the coming months would be drier than an average winter, prolonging an already troubling drought. As of the last reckoning, the water level in the Sea of Galilee stood at 703 feet (214 meters) below sea level, several feet (about a meter) below the point at which ecologists predict damage to the ecosystem and water quality. Israelis tour along the Jordan River near the Israeli village of Menahemia. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Israeli soldiers and tourists look as Christian Orthodox pilgrims march toward the Jordan River before a baptism ceremony as part of the Orthodox Feast of the Epiphany at Qasr el Yahud, the spot where John the Baptist is said to have baptized Jesus, near the West Bank town of Jericho.(AP Photo/Oded Balilty) advertisement "The amount of water that's flowed into the Kinneret in the past four years is the lowest ever," said Doron Markel, the Israel Water Authority's Kinneret director, attributing the drop in volume to meager rainfall during the normally rainy winter season. A Christian Orthodox pilgrim immerses herself into the waters of the Jordan River during a baptism ceremony as part of the Orthodox Feast of the Epiphany at Qasr el Yahud, the spot where John the Baptist is said to have baptized Jesus, near the West Bank town of Jericho. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Swimmers participate in the annual Sea of Galilee swim, the oldest and most popular swimming event, near Tiberias, northern Israel. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Markel was optimistic, however, that a good year of rain could replenish the lake and help reverse the damage of years of drought. "We still have time," he said. Israelis camp out on the banks of the Jordan River near the northern Israeli Kibbutz of Kinneret. Israel is heading into its fifth consecutive year of drought, putting three celebrated biblical bodies of water at risk. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) The situation in the lower Jordan River is even worse. Around 95 percent of the river's historic flow has been diverted for agriculture since the 1960s, including around 55 million cubic meters (14.5 billion gallons) per year that are given to Jordan as part of a 1994 peace treaty. Israelis fish in the Sea of Galilee during the Jewish holiday of Passover, near the northern Israeli town of Tiberias. Israel is heading into its fifth consecutive year of drought, putting three celebrated biblical bodies of water at risk. Today, the river's flow is down to just 30 million cubic meters (7.9 billion gallons) per year, less than a quarter of its historical levels. London's River Thames, in comparison, discharges about 2 billion cubic meters (530 billion gallons) annually. Bromberg says Israel, Jordan and the Palestinians are all responsible for the dire state of the river. He said instead of fresh water keeping the lower Jordan alive, it is filled with sewage and waste. "That's actually what's kept the river wet - a combination of agricultural runoff, sewage water and saline waters," he said. Israelis camp out on the banks of the Jordan River, where the Sea of Galilee flows into the river, near the northern Israeli Kibbutz of Kinneret. Israel is heading into its fifth consecutive year of drought, putting three celebrated biblical bodies of water at risk. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) The meager flow, in turn, has contributed to 60 percent of the shrinking of the Dead Sea, leaving sinkholes and abandoned beachfront resorts along its shores. Israeli and Jordanian industries extracting minerals and salts from the salty lake are responsible for the other 40 percent of losses. People enjoy a spring water pool along the Dead Sea shore near the Israeli Kibbutz of Ein Gedi. The Dead Sea, a marvel of the natural world, is shrinking. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) AP photographer Oded Balilty has traveled the length of the Jordan, from its headwaters in northern Israel down to the Dead Sea, photographing how people interact with the landscape. Israeli Druse men sit with their horses on the shores of the Sea of Galilee near the northern Israeli Kibbutz of Ein Gev. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) --- ENDS --- Jerusalem, Dec 25 (IBNS): In a major development after UN General Assembly recently rejected the US declaration recognizing Jerusalem as Israels capital, the Jewish state has decided to formally announce its exit from UNESCO. Conforming the news, Yuval Rotem, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, tweeted: "#Israel is withdrawing from #UNESCO, which sadly spends more time falsifying our collective cultural heritage than preserving it. We hope for the day when UNESCO will return to its mission and contribute to the sum of human knowledge & understanding rather than diminishing them." Meanwhile,Guatemala has shifted its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Last week, Guatemala was one of the nine nations to support America at the UN while the Jerusalem resolution was being passed. On Sunday, its President Jimmy Morales announced on Facebook that the country was moving its embassy. In a Facebook post, Morales said: "Dear people of Guatemala, today I spoke with the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. We are talking about the excellent relations that we have had as nations since Guatemala supported the creation of the state of Israel. One of the most important topics was the return of the embassy of Guatemala to Jerusalem. So I inform you that I have instructed the chancellor to initiate the respective coordination so that it may be. God bless you." The Central American nation became the second country to do so after the US. Israel has thanked the country fro moving their embassy to Jerusalem. Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon tweeted: "Thank you Guatemala for your important decision to move your Embassy to #Jerusalem! Wonderful news and true friendship!!Viva la amistad entre Guatemala y Israel . @IsraelMFA @Israel." Calling Jerusalem as the capital of his nation, Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu also had a special tweet message for people across the globe on Christmas eve when he posted: " Merry Christmas from Jerusalem, the capital of Israel!." Defying the US warning, 128 nations supported the UN resolution that declared 'America's coronation of Jerusalem as Israel's capital' null and void, on Thursday. Triggering protests in several countries, the US recently announced its decision to recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. The US decision was met with several angry reactions from the Islamic world. Countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Jordan, Turkey and Indonesia protested the move. People in these places took to the streets in large numbers to chant anti-Trump slogans. Meanwhile, out of the 193 states in the UN General Assembly, nine voted against the resolution, while 35 nations, including Canada and Mexico, did not vote. The remaining 21 countries did not turn up for the non-binding resolution. US had warned of tax cuts and before the vote began, reiterated their status once more. Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the UN said, "America will put our embassy in Jerusalem. That is what the American people want us to do and it is the right thing to do. No vote in the United Nations will make any difference on that. But this vote will make a difference on how Americans look at the UN, and on how we look at countries who disrespect us in the UN. She also put up a list on Twitter, thanking countries who didn't defy the US decision. Those who condemned Trump's decision on Jerusalem, said in a text that they expresses deep regret at recent decision made by the US. "Any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council," the text read. The result of the vote also riled Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called the UN a 'house of lies'. However, Israel has thanked Trump for his 'equivocal position in favour of Jerusalem'. In a statement, the Middle Eastern nation said, "Israel thanks President Trump for his unequivocal position in favour of Jerusalem and thanks those countries that voted alongside Israel, alongside the truth." Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu reacted to the UN General Assembly voting last week and said Jerusalem will always remain the country's capital. "Israel completely rejects this preposterous resolution. Jerusalem is our capital. Always was, always will be," he said. "But I do appreciate the fact that a growing number of countries refused to participate in this theater of the absurd. So I appreciate that, and especially I want to again express our thanks to President Trump and Ambassador Haley, for their stalwart defense of Israel and their stalwart defense of the truth," the PM said. Reacting on the development, Palestine said it was a victory for them. Trump on Wednesday had blamed several nations of taking help from US and not returning the favour when needed. The US President told reporters at the White House, "All of these nations that take our money and then they vote against us at the Security Council or they vote against us, potentially, at the Assembly, they take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars and then they vote against us." "Well, were watching those votes, he added. Let them vote against us; well save a lot. We dont care. Image: UNESCO Facebook page In order to continue enjoying our site, we ask you enter in the text you see in the image below so we can confirm your identity as a human. Thank you very much for your cooperation. By PTI: Thane, Dec 25 (PTI) Gutkha worth Rs 36.59 lakh was seized and three people were arrested by Palghar police in the early hours of Saturday. Palghar Superintendent of Police Manjunath Singe said that the gutkha was being brought from Gujarat in three vehicles which were intercepted by police at Sasoon Navghar within Waliv police station limits. He added that 92 cartons of the banned substance were recovered from the three vehicles. advertisement The police identified the three arrested as Nasrealam alias Guddu Rajiahmed Shaikh, Munna Yamuddin Khan and Sayeed Rashid Abdul. Officials said that the confiscated gutkha was handed over to the Food and Drug Adminisistration which will take measures to destroy it, said officials. PTI CORR BNM --- ENDS --- Ishamael Monwametsi leads a group of park rangers from the African nation of Botswana at a training exercise in Tanzania. The purpose of the exercise is to teach orderly, obedient behavior to the rangers and their dogs. Commander Monwametsi, a retired crime investigator, directs 15 workers from Botswanas Department of Wildlife and National Parks. The class has taken them two months to master. After they complete the training, the rangers will set up their countrys first canine force to fight the killing and trade of endangered wildlife. Botswana is home to the largest remaining population of elephants in Africa. Monwametsi says the trained dogs are the best partners in fighting illegal hunting. Dogs are effective because of their good sense of smellin terms of managing the different smells," he says. If we look at human beings, he adds, (they) can easily be bribed. You cant bribe a dog or you cant lie to a dog. Ali Dady, an immigration officer from Tanzania, says that countries ought to cooperate to stop the illegal wildlife trade. He says people should look at endangered animals as something that needs to be protected. Wildlife, as a natural resource, is a gift from God and needs to be well-managed so as to contribute to the economy, Dady says. He adds that if people keep killing the animals, it will mean a drop in the number of people visiting Botswana. It will also affect our earnings, he says. A wildlife group called the Africa Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is working with Canine Specialist Services International in the Tanzanian city of Arusha. On a recent day, Philip Muruthi, the lead scientist in species protection at AWF, was shown how the trained dogs react to wildlife contraband. He noted how carefully the animals carried out searches. He says wildlife plays an important part in the ecosystems of the environment. The ecosystem in which endangered wildlife occur provide water, clean air and these species are part of the health of that ecosystem, Muruthi says. He adds that people need the animals, and their killing must be stopped. Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Mozambique already have ranger canine units at their border crossings. They have all been trained at the center in Arusha. I'm Susan Shand. Lenny Ruvaga reported this story for VOANews.com. Susan Shand adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story contraband n. things that are brought into or out of a country illegally resource n. something that a country has and can use to increase its wealth species n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants ecosystem n. An ecosystem includes living things, such as plants and animals, and things that are not living, such as rocks, soil, sunlight, and water. contribute v. to give or provide bribe v. giving money or something else to influence the behavior of someone else master v. to become skilled at something canine adj. of or related to dogs American health officials recently approved the first gene therapy treatment for an inherited disease the type that can pass from parent to child. The treatment improves the sight of patients suffering from a genetic mutation that destroys their ability to see. It is the first gene therapy approved where a corrective gene is given directly to patients. People with the disease usually start losing their sight before they are 18. This often progresses to total blindness. The gene that causes the disease could suddenly appear when a child is born with a copy of the gene from both parents. Only a few thousand people in the U.S. are thought to have the condition. Patients receive the therapy, called Luxturna, through two injections, one for each eye. These replace the problem gene that prevents the retina, a tissue at the back of the eye, from changing light into electronic signals sent to the brain. Mistie Lovelace received one of the early treatments. She said, One of the best things Ive ever seen since surgery are the stars. I never knew that they were little dots that twinkled. Drugmaker Spark Therapeutics has not set the price for the treatment. Its own research, however, has put the value of the therapy at around $1 million. The company says the reason for the high price is due to their prediction that Luxturna will be given only once, with lasting positive effects. To date, the company has researched patients in a study for as long as four years and has not seen their vision worsen. The Food and Drug Administration has approved three gene therapies since August. The two other treatments are specially designed treatments for forms of blood cancer. New success for difficult field The approval marks an important growth for a field of study that has struggled with safety concerns. In 1999, a patient treated for a rare metabolic disorder at the University of Pennsylvania died. In another case, patients treated for an immune disorder later developed leukemia. Dr. David Valle said the excitement about the possibilities for genetic medicine create opportunities for research on individual diseases. University of Pennsylvania researcher Dr. Jean Bennett said she and her husband, Dr. Albert Maguire, first imagined using genetic medicine to treat retinal blindness in the mid-1980s. But it took many years to develop the science and technology. The first animal tests happened in 2000 and the first human tests in 2007. We didnt know what genes caused the disease, we didnt have animal models with those genes, we didnt have the ability to clone genes and deliver them to the retina so it took time to develop all that, said Bennett. Im Phil Dierking. Matthew Perrone reported this story for the Associated Press. Phil Dierking adapted this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. Would you pay $1 million dollars to be able to see again? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story clone - n. a plant or animal that is grown from one cell of its parent and that has exactly the same genes as its parent dots - n. small round marks gene therapy - n. a way of treating some disorders and diseases that usually involves replacing bad copies of genes with other genes immune - adj. not capable of being affected by a disease inherit - v. to have (a characteristic, disease, etc.) because of the genes that you get from your parents when you are born leukemia - n. a very serious disease in which the body forms too many white blood cells metabolic - adj. the chemical processes by which a plant or an animal uses food, water, etc., to grow and heal and to make energy mutation - n. a change in the genes of a plant or animal that causes physical characteristics that are different from what is normal surgery - n. medical treatment in which a doctor cuts into someone's body in order to repair or remove damaged or diseased parts twinkle - v. a quick, unsteady movement of light opportunity - n. an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done deliver - v. to take (something) to a person or place As Bob Wol lay on the dirt floor of his home in intense pain, he touched each of the gunshots on his thigh and back. The 29 year-old man from South Sudan told the Associated Press, I was trying to get food and my government tried to kill me. It has been almost 25 years since more than 1 million people came close to starvation in southern Sudan. A Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of a vulture standing near a starving little girl captured the story of the crisis for all the world to see. Today, people in the area that was known as the famine triangle say the situation has only gotten worse. Famine spreading during civil war South Sudan has been involved a civil war for 5 years now. The latest research from the countrys government and the United Nations has found that 1.25 million people are facing starvation. And the U.N. warns that if the fighting continues, famine will spread to other parts of the country by early next year. This means almost half the population of 11 million people will be severely lacking in food. Wol told the Associated Press he was desperate to feed his wife and five small children, who had not eaten in days. So he went in search of help. After six days of walking and eating fruit he picked from trees, Wol reached the government-held town of Ayod. There, he said, soldiers concerned about rebels attacked him by surprise. When I got shot I was just thinking that I didnt want to die before I got food for my family, Wol said. Were locked in here and we cant get out. Lony Toang survived an earlier famine in Ayod County. Toang said, Before, only the hunger was killing you. Now its worse because we have hunger and were killing people. Ayod is one of two counties in South Sudan currently in crisis, with 8,000 people experiencing extreme hunger. The rebels main base of operations in Ayod County is the town of Jiech. The county of almost 160,000 people in Jonglei State is hard to reach, difficult to produce food in and separated from most of the nation. The fighting has greatly harmed the area. South Sudans army rejected peoples stories of intense violence as negative propaganda from the rebels. It stated that it is not government policy to prevent citizens from reaching aid. Yet across South Sudan there are many claims of both the government and the rebels using food as a weapon of war. People are caught between opposing forces The Associated Press spoke with people in the towns of Yei and Lainya during a visit to the Equatoria area last month. They said the army believed some civilians trying to produce food in their fields were rebels. Mary Yata lives in Lainya. She said four government soldiers in September tried to steal vegetables when she was working in her fields. They said if I didnt leave now theyd kill me, she said. Days later she saw the soldiers selling her vegetables at the market. Rights groups are calling on the warring sides to stop holding South Sudans people hostage. Donatella Rovera is Amnesty Internationals senior crisis response adviser. She said, The civilians are caught in a deadly circle and theyre not being protected. The people of Ayod said they have nowhere else to go. So they will continue to depend on aid from the U.N.s World Food Program. At a food distribution last week, 11,000 hungry people arrived from the surrounding countryside. Some had walked over night to receive cooking oil and other simple food items. The World Food Program, or WFP, has increased its distributions from every 90 days to every 60 days. But aid workers on the ground say the food is enough for just one month. Ewnetu Yohannes is a team leader for Catholic Relief Services, the organization leading the distribution. Yohannes said, I saw old people collecting grains that fell on the ground If WFP wasnt here itd be a catastrophe. Elizabeth Nyakoda lives in Jiech, and she blamed the hunger on the years of fighting. The 35-year-old mother of five was unable to register in time for the aid distribution and too scared to work her fields. She placed her hand on her starving childs stomach and looked away as the baby began to cry. When the child cries from hunger, what can I do for her? she said. There are no options. Im Susan Shand. And I'm Pete Musto. Sam Mednick reported this for the Associated Press. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. What can be done to solve the conflict in South Sudan? How can the population avoid starving if the fighting continues? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story thigh n. the part of one of the long body parts that are used especially for standing, walking, and running, right above the point where two bones meet at the middle and bend vulture n. any one of several large birds that eat dead animals and have a small and featherless head famine n. a situation in which many people do not have enough food to eat civil war n. a war between groups of people in the same country desperate adj. having a strong need or desire for something or to do something county n. an area of a state or country that is larger than a city and has its own government to deal with local matters negative adj. showing or talking about the bad qualities of someone or something propaganda n. ideas or statements that are often false or exaggerated and that are spread in order to help a cause, a political leader or a government deadly adj. causing or able to cause death distribution n. the act of giving or delivering something to people catastrophe n. a terrible disaster option(s) n. the opportunity or ability to choose something or to choose between two or more things Your Ultimate Investing Toolkit Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Portfolio Monitoring Top Stock Lists Premium Reports Stock Screeners Live News Feed Premium Support Free for your first month. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was barred on Monday from running in next year's presidential election after officials ruled he was ineligible to take part due to a suspended prison sentence he says was trumped up. By Reuters: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was barred on Monday from running in next year's presidential election after officials ruled he was ineligible to take part due to a suspended prison sentence he says was trumped up. The decision by the central election commission was widely expected as election officials had repeatedly declared Navalny would be ineligible to run. advertisement Twelve members of the 13-member commission voted to bar Navalny. One member abstained, citing a possible conflict of interest. Navalny, 41, who polls show would struggle to beat incumbent Vladimir Putin in the March election, said he would appeal and called on his supporters to boycott the election and campaign against it being held. "We knew this could happen, and so we have a straight-forward, clear plan," Navalny said in a pre-recorded video released immediately after the decision. "We announce a boycott of the election. The process in which we are called to participate is not a real election. It will feature only Putin and the candidates which he has personally selected." Navalny said he would use his campaign headquarters across Russia to support the boycott and monitor turnout on voting day, March 18. Polls show Putin, 65, who has dominated Russia's political landscape for the last 17 years, is on course to be comfortably re-elected, making him eligible to serve another six years until 2024, when he turns 72. Allies laud Putin as a father-of-the-nation figure who has restored national pride and expanded Moscow's global clout with interventions in Syria and Ukraine. Navalny says Putin's support is exaggerated and artificially maintained by a biased state media and an unfair system. He says he could defeat him in a fair election, an assertion Putin's supporters have said is laughable. 'DO THE RIGHT THING' Before the commission voted, Navalny, dressed in a dark suit, had demanded he be allowed to take part in the election delivering a speech that angered election officials. In one heated exchange, he said Russian voters' faith in the system hung in the balance. "If you do not allow me to run, you are taking a decision against millions of people who are demanding that Navalny take part," he said, referring to himself in the first person. "You are not robots, you are living, breathing human beings you are an independent body ... for once in your lives, do the right thing," he said. advertisement His supporters clapped him, but officials were unmoved. Boris Ebzeev, one of the officials, said: "We're talking about the law and abiding by the law." Ebzeev said there could not be "the slightest doubt" that Navalny was ineligible to run, a reference to Russia's constitution that bars him running because of his suspended sentence relating to an embezzlement case. Navalny has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and says the case is politically motivated. There had been some speculation prior to the decision among the opposition that Navalny might be allowed to run in order to inject more interest into what looks like a predictable contest amid Kremlin fears that apathetic voters might not bother to vote. Navalny has been jailed three times this year and charged with breaking the law by repeatedly organising public meetings and rallies. --- ENDS --- RBC Bearings Incorporated manufactures and markets engineered precision bearings and components in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments, Aerospace/Defense and Industrial. The company produces plain bearings with self-lubricating or metal-to-metal designs, including rod end bearings, spherical plain bearings, and journal bearings; roller bearings, such as tapered roller bearings, needle roller bearings, and needle bearing track rollers and cam followers, which are anti-friction products that are used in industrial applications and military aircraft platforms; and ball bearings include high precision aerospace, airframe control, thin section, and industrial ball bearings that utilize high precision ball elements to reduce friction in high-speed applications. It also offers mounted bearing products include mounted ball bearings, mounted roller bearings, and mounted plain bearings; and enclosed gearing product lines, including quantis gearmotor, torque arm, tigear, magnagear & maxum, and controlled start transmission. In addition, the company produces power transmission components include mechanical drive components, couplings, and conveyor components; engineered hydraulics and valves for aircraft and submarine applications, and aerospace and defense aftermarket services; fasteners; precision mechanical components, which are used in various general industrial applications; and machine tool collets that are used for holding circulars or rod-like pieces. It serves automotive, tool holding, agricultural and semiconductor machinery, commercial and defense aerospace, ground defense, construction and mining, oil and natural resource extraction, heavy truck, marine, rail and train, packaging, food and beverage, packaging and canning, wind, and general industrial markets through its direct sales force, as well as a network of industrial and aerospace distributors. The company was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Oxford, Connecticut. Bancolombia S.A. provides banking products and services in Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. The company operates through nine segments: Banking Colombia, Banking Panama, Banking El Salvador, Banking Guatemala, Trust, Investment Banking, Brokerage, International Banking, and All Other. It offers checking and savings accounts, fixed term deposits, and investment products; trade financing, loans funded by domestic development banks, working capital loans, credit cards, personal and vehicle loans, payroll loans, and overdrafts; financial support to real estate developers and mortgages for individuals and companies; factoring; and financial and operating leasing services. The company also provides hedging instruments, including futures, forwards, options, and swaps; and brokerage, investment advisory, and private banking services, including selling and distributing equities, futures, foreign currencies, fixed income securities, mutual funds, and structured products. In addition, it offers cash management services; foreign currency transaction services; life, auto, commercial, and homeowner's insurance products; and online and computer banking services. Further, the company provides project and acquisition finance, debt and equity capital markets, principal investments, M&A, hedging strategies, restructurings, and structured financing; money market accounts, mutual and pension funds, private equity funds, payment and corporate trust, and custody; internet-based trading platform; inter-bank lending and repurchase agreements; managing escrow accounts, and investment and real estate funds; and transportation, securities brokerage, maintenance and remodeling, and outsourcing services. As of December 31, 2021, it operated 1,015 branches; 28,676 banking correspondents; 529 PAMs; 210 kiosks in El Salvador and 187 in Colombia; and 6,094 ATMs. Bancolombia S.A. was incorporated in 1945 and is headquartered in Medellin, Colombia. 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. By PTI: Hyderabad, Dec 24 (PTI) Hyderabad Police today nabbed seven people who it said were illegally routing international calls through Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP). Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Task Force) S Chaitanya Kumar said that raids were conducted at Golkonda, Moghalpura and Tolichowki areas leading to the nabbing of Syed Mohammed Ilyas Sha Buqari and six others. advertisement Explaining the modus operandi, Kumar said, "The accused are doing illegal International Call Routing. In this incoming calls are received through Internet and a VOIP gateway that converts the data into voice calls disseminates it to the the receivers." He added that in this process, since the original call details are terminated and substituted with the local IP, there was no trace of the original international number from where the call originated. He said that the act was not only causing revenue loss to the government and Department of Telcommunications, but was also creating a security threat to the nation. "It is learnt that several international calls originating from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries are being made through these illegal exchanges for cheaper call rates. Also suspected persons staying in these countries prefer to use these illegal exchanges as it does not leave any trace of the original international number from where the call originated," Kumar said. He said that the accused were sharing their call rates in international forums and groups and people staying abroad would contact them and exchange IP addresses if they agreed on the rates. Police seized Rs 4.80 lakh in cash, nine cellphones, six laptops, 16 ports, wi-fi routers and other electronic equipment from the accused. PTI VVK BNM --- ENDS --- The Williams Companies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy infrastructure company primarily in the United States. It operates through Transmission & Gulf of Mexico, Northeast G&P, West, and Gas & NGL Marketing Services segments. The Transmission & Gulf of Mexico segment comprises Transco and Northwest natural gas pipelines; and natural gas gathering and processing, and crude oil production handling and transportation assets in the Gulf Coast region, as well as various petrochemical and feedstock pipelines. The Northeast G&P segment engages in the midstream gathering, processing, and fractionation activities in the Marcellus Shale region primarily in Pennsylvania and New York, and the Utica Shale region of eastern Ohio. The West segment comprises gas gathering, processing, and treating operations in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado and Wyoming, the Barnett Shale region of north-central Texas, the Eagle Ford Shale region of South Texas, the Haynesville Shale region of northwest Louisiana, and the Mid-Continent region, which includes the Anadarko, Arkoma, and Permian basins; and operates natural gas liquid (NGL) fractionation and storage facilities in central Kansas near Conway. The Gas & NGL Marketing Services segment provides wholesale marketing, trading, storage, and transportation of natural gas for natural gas utilities, municipalities, power generators, and producers; risk and asset management; and NGL marketing services. The company owns and operates 30,000 miles of pipelines, 29 processing facilities, 7 fractionation facilities, and approximately 23 million barrels of NGL storage capacity. The Williams Companies, Inc. was founded in 1908 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 13125882 Canada Inc., 211 E. Russell Road LLC, 4458664 Canada Inc., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES ASIA PTE. LTD., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES BORROWER S.C.A., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES LLC, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES MIDDLE EAST FZE, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES SERVICES LIMITED, ASTRUM IT GmbH, Accudyne Industries Acquisition S.A r.l, Accudyne Industries Canada Inc., Accudyne Industries S.A r.l., Air Dimensions, Air Dimensions Inc., Albin Pump SAS, BOC Edwards Global Low pressure Air business, CISA S.p.A., Cameron-Centrifugal Compression, Comercial Ingersoll-Rand (Chile) Limitada, Comingersoll-Comercio E Industria De Equipamentos S.A., CompAir, CompAir (Hankook) Korea Co. Ltd., CompAir Acquisition (No. 2) Ltd., CompAir Acquisition Ltd., CompAir BroomWade Ltd., CompAir Finance Ltd., CompAir GmbH, CompAir Holdings Limited, CompAir International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CompAir Korea Ltd, CompAir South Africa (SA) (Pty) Ltd., Consolidated Distribution Holdings Ltd., DV Systems Inc., Dosatron International SAS, Emco Wheaton Gmbh, Emco Wheaton USA Inc, Enza Air Proprietary Limited, FlexEnergy Holdings LLC, Frigoblock Grosskopf Gmbh, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Investments Limited, GD First (UK) Ltd, GD German Holdings GmbH, GD German Holdings I Gmbh, GD German Holdings II GmbH, GD German Investments GmbH, GD Global Holdings II Inc., GD Global Holdings Inc., GD Global Holdings UK II Ltd., GD Global Ventures I B.V., GD Global Ventures II B.V., GD Global Ventures III B.V., GD Industrial Products Malaysia SDN. BHD., GD Investment KY, GD UK Finance Ltd., GPS Industries, Gardner Denver (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Austria GmbH, Gardner Denver Bad Neustadt Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Belgium NV, Gardner Denver Brasil Industria E Comercio de Maquinas Ltda., Gardner Denver CZ + SK sro, Gardner Denver Canada Corp (Canada), Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Limited, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Engineered Products India Private Limited, Gardner Denver FZE, Gardner Denver Finance II LLC, Gardner Denver Finance Inc & Co KG, Gardner Denver France SAS, Gardner Denver Group Svcs Ltd, Gardner Denver Holdings Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Ltd, Gardner Denver Iberica SL, Gardner Denver Inc., Gardner Denver Industries Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd., Gardner Denver International Inc., Gardner Denver International Ltd., Gardner Denver Investments Inc., Gardner Denver Italy Holdings S.r.L., Gardner Denver Japan Ltd., Gardner Denver Kirchhain Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Korea Ltd., Gardner Denver Ltd., Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Nash Brasil Industria E Comercio De Bombas Ltda, Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd., Gardner Denver Nederland BV, Gardner Denver Nederland Investments B.V., Gardner Denver Oy, Gardner Denver Polska Sp z.o.o., Gardner Denver Pte. Ltd., Gardner Denver S.r.l., Gardner Denver Schopfheim GmbH, Gardner Denver Schopfheim Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Schweiz AG, Gardner Denver Slovakia s.r.o., Gardner Denver Sweden AB, Gardner Denver Taiwan Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas GmbH (f/k/a ILMVAC GmbH), Gardner Denver Thomas Inc., Gardner Denver Thomas Pneumatic Systems (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Garo Dott. Ing. Roberto Gabbioneta S.r.l., Ghh-Rand Schraubenkompressoren Gmbh, HASKEL EUROPE LTD., HASKEL HOLDINGS UK LIMITED, HASKEL INTERNATIONAL LLC, Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom, Haskel France SAS, Haskel Sistemas de Fluidos Espana S.R.L., Hibon Inc., Highspeed Newco LLC, Hingerose Limited, ILMVAC (UK) Ltd., ILS Innovative Labor Systeme, ILS Inovative Laborsysteme GmbH, INGERSOLL RAND ITS JAPAN LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND (CHANG ZHOU) TOOLS CO. LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND (CHINA) INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING CO. LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND CHINA LLC, INGERSOLL-RAND COMERCIO E SERVICOS DE MAQUINAS E EQUIPAMENTOS INDUSTRIAIS LTDA., INGERSOLL-RAND DE PUERTO RICO INC., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL COMPANY B.V., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL SP. Z O.O., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL U.S. INC., INGERSOLL-RAND PHILIPPINES INC., INGERSOLL-RAND SPAIN S.A., INGERSOLL-RAND U.S. HOLDCO INC., IR HPS Holdco. Inc., ITO Emniyet, Ingersoll Rand Cyprus Investments Ltd., Ingersoll Rand Finance LLC, Ingersoll Rand Global Investments LLC, Ingersoll Rand Global Ventures LLC, Ingersoll Rand Hong Kong Investments Limited, Ingersoll Rand Inc., Ingersoll Rand Investments (SG) Pte. Ltd., Ingersoll Rand Investments B.V., Ingersoll Rand Schweiz Investments Gmbh, Ingersoll Rand Technology R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand (Australia) Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand (China) Investment Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (Guilin) Tools Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (Hong Kong) Holding Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (India) Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Ab, Ingersoll-Rand Air Solutions Hibon Sarl, Ingersoll-Rand Beteiligungs Und Grundstucksverwaltungs Gmbh, Ingersoll-Rand Colombia S.A.S., Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited (Uk), Ingersoll-Rand Company South Africa (Pty) Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Cz S.R.O., Ingersoll-Rand De Mexico S.A. De C.V., Ingersoll-Rand Equipements De Production S.A.S., Ingersoll-Rand Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Industrial Ireland Limited, Ingersoll-Rand International (India) Private Limited, Ingersoll-Rand International Holding Llc, Ingersoll-Rand Italia S.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Italiana Manufacturing S.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Korea Holding Llc, Ingersoll-Rand Korea Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Lux Investments II S.A R.I., Ingersoll-Rand Lux Investments S.A R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Luxembourg Industrial Company S.A R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Machinery (Shanghai) Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Malaysia Co. Sdn. Bhd., Ingersoll-Rand S.A. De C.V., Ingersoll-Rand Services And Trading Limited Liability Company, Ingersoll-Rand Services Company, Ingersoll-Rand Services Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Singapore Enterprises Pte. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand South East Asia (Pte.) Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand Superay Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Technical And Services S.A.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Technologies And Services Private Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Technology R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand Tool Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Trading Gmbh, Ingersoll-Rand Vietnam Company Limited, Instrum Rand JSC, Interflex Datensysteme, Ir Canada Holdings Ulc, Ir Canada Sales & Service Ulc, Ir France Sas, Kryptonite corp, Lawrence Factor Inc., LeROI, LeRoi International Inc, MILTON ROY (HONG KONG) LIMITED, MILTON ROY (UK) LIMITED, MILTON ROY EUROPA B.V., MILTON ROY EUROPE SAS, MILTON ROY INDUSTRIAL (SHANGHAI) CO. LTD., MILTON ROY LLC, MILTON ROY US PURCHASER INC., MP Pumps Inc., Maximum AG Technologies Inc., Maximus Solutions, Mb Air Systems Limited, Nash Elmo, Officina Meccaniche Industriali Srl, Oina VV, Oina VV Aktiebolag, Plurifilter D.O.O., Pt Ingersoll-Rand Indonesia, Robuschi, Runtech Systems, Runtech Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Runtech Systems Inc., Runtech Systems OY, SEEPEX, Seepex (M) SDN, Seepex Australia Pty Ltd, Seepex Beteiligungs-Gesellschaft mit Beschrankter Haftung, Seepex France S.a.r.l., Seepex GmbH, Seepex Inc., Seepex India Private Ltd., Seepex Italia SRL, Seepex Japan Co. Ltd., Seepex Nordic A/S, Seepex OOO, Seepex Pumps (Shanghia) Co. Ltd., Seepex UK Ltd., Shanghai CompAir Compressors Co Ltd, Shanghai Compressors & Blowers Ltd., Shanghai Ingersoll-Rand Compressor Limited, Shenzhen Bocom System Engineering Co., Superay, Syltone, TIWR Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, Tamrotor Marine Comp AS Norway, Tecno Matic Europe s.r.o., Thomas Industries Inc., Trane Technologies, Tri-Continent Scientific Inc., Vacuum and Blower Systems division, Welch Vacuum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zaxe Technologies Inc., Zeks Compressed Air Solutions Llc, Zinsser Analytic, Zinsser Analytik GmbH, Zinsser NA Inc., and crayon interface. Read More AbbVie Inc. discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells pharmaceuticals in the worldwide. The company offers HUMIRA, a therapy administered as an injection for autoimmune and intestinal Behcet's diseases; SKYRIZI to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults; RINVOQ, a JAK inhibitor for the treatment of moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis in adult patients; IMBRUVICA to treat adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), and VENCLEXTA, a BCL-2 inhibitor used to treat adults with CLL or SLL; and MAVYRET to treat patients with chronic HCV genotype 1-6 infection. It also provides CREON, a pancreatic enzyme therapy for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency; Synthroid used in the treatment of hypothyroidism; Linzess/Constella to treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation and chronic idiopathic constipation; Lupron for the palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer, endometriosis and central precocious puberty, and patients with anemia caused by uterine fibroids; and Botox therapeutic. In addition, the company offers ORILISSA, a nonpeptide small molecule gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist for women with moderate to severe endometriosis pain; Duopa and Duodopa, a levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel to treat Parkinson's disease; Lumigan/Ganfort, a bimatoprost ophthalmic solution for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open angle glaucoma (OAG) or ocular hypertension; Ubrelvy to treat migraine with or without aura in adults; Alphagan/ Combigan, an alpha-adrenergic receptor agonist for the reduction of IOP in patients with OAG; and Restasis, a calcineurin inhibitor immunosuppressant to increase tear production, as well as other eye care products. AbbVie Inc. has a research collaboration with Dragonfly Therapeutics, Inc. The company was incorporated in 2012 and is headquartered in North Chicago, Illinois. Dril-Quip, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, sells, and services engineered drilling and production equipment for use in deepwater, harsh environment, and severe service applications worldwide. The company's principal products include subsea and surface wellheads, subsea and surface production trees, mudline hanger systems, specialty connectors and associated pipes, drilling and production riser systems, liner hangers, wellhead connectors, diverters, and safety valves, as well as downhole tools. It also provides technical advisory services, and rework and reconditioning services, as well as rental and purchase of running tools for use in the installation and retrieval of its products; and downhole tools comprise of liner hangers, production packers, safety valves, and specialty downhole tools that are used to hang-off and seal casing into a previously installed casing string in the well bore. The company's products are used to explore for oil and gas from offshore drilling rigs, such as floating rigs and jack-up rigs; and for drilling and production of oil and gas wells on offshore platforms, tension leg platforms, and Spars, as well as moored vessels, such as floating production, storage, and offloading monohull moored vessels. It sells its products directly through its sales personnel, independent sales agents, and representatives to integrated, independent, and foreign national oil and gas companies, as well as drilling contractors, and engineering and construction companies. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. By PTI: By Gurdip Singh Singapore, Dec 25 (PTI) Singapores Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean will join Indias External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for a two-day ASEAN-India Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to be held here next month. Apart from Swaraj, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Assam, N Chandrababu Naidu and Sarbananda Sonowal, will also attend the function, Indian High Commissioner to Singapore Jawed Ashraf said here today. advertisement The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated every year to mark the contribution of overseas Indian community in the development of India. "External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari will attend the event on January 6, while Naidu and Sonowal, on January 7," Ashraf said. Singapores Trade and Industry Minister S Iswaran and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan will also be addressing over 2,500 delegates expected at the meeting, which is being held for the first time in Singapore. The India-Singapore/ASEAN Entrepreneurship Bridge (InSpreneur) will be also held on January 5 and 6, on the second day, co-terminus with the PBD. The event will focus on startups, fintech, cyber security, disruptive technologies in manufacturing and India Stack. In addition to panel discussions, startups will have an opportunity to pitch to investors and interact with other start-ups in curated "speed dating" sessions. The event will culminate in the launch of the India- Singapore/ASEAN start up portal. Around 600 invited delegates, including 300 curated start -ups, with around 120 from India, are to participate in the event. Over 60 investors have listed themselves for the investor pitching session and 100 start ups have signed up for speed dating sessions. In addition, 35 startups will set up booths in the Startup Exhibition from January 5 to 7. The event is supported by Singapores Ministry of Trade and Industry and Indias the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), Invest India, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM). "We have also drawn upon the excellent pool of Indian professional and institutional associations, including IIM Alumni Association, IIT Alumni Association and TiE," he said. "We expect Indian startups to tap into Singapore?s investor community, develop links with them and also expand into the ASEAN market. "Equally, the other objective is to support our efforts to promote India as a global destination for Startups and fintech companies, and attract Singapore?s excellent start up community to India," Ashraf said. advertisement The event is intended to promote Indias successful model of UID-enabled governance, public services, financial inclusion and payment systems in Southeast Asia/ASEAN region. Fintech is emerging as an exciting new area of collaboration ? both at regulatory and promotional levels. The launch of the India-Singapore startup portal, anchored in startup India, will become a channel for pursuing these objectives on a sustained basis. The PBD also commemorates 25 years of ASEAN-India Partnership, ahead of the Commemorative Summit on January 25- 26. The event is largely organised through local support, the Indian High Commissioner said. The theme of "Ancient Route, New Journey: Diaspora in the Dynamic ASEAN-India Partnership" aims to highlight the ancient human, maritime, cultural, commercial and religious links between India and Southeast Asia; and, promote greater economic, cultural and diplomatic cooperation between India and Southeast Asian nations as well as ASEAN. The event will also showcase Indian Diasporas talent and achievements and deepen their ? especially the youths - emotional and economic links with India. The Convention has evolved into one of the biggest business meets on India and ASEAN in Singapore with a full day of sessions on ASEAN-India Economic Partnership; India and ASEAN in the Digital World, Infrastructure, Financial Partnership, expanding trade and services, Make in India, legal framework of doing business in India and ASEAN, Science and Technology, and Tourism and Connectivity. advertisement Over 40 Indian business heads from CII and FICCI will join business leaders from ASEAN in the event. Many of Singapore?s leaders of the corporate sector are of Indian origin. ASEAN-India Business Council, Singapore India Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Institute of South Asian Studies, Singapore Tourism Board are among the institutional partners for the event. Other sessions at PBD will cover areas such as India- ASEAN partnership in the new world order and in the digital world, diaspora history, social impact contribution in India, culture, youth, education, and Ease of Being Overseas Indian in India and ASEAN. PTI GS SMJ --- ENDS --- 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. I visited St. Thomas in November and the island was definitely ready for cruisers. I imagine it will be in even better shape come March. (The story is a bit different for land tourists who need overnight accommodations.) I did not visit St. Maarten, but the airport is open and cruise ships are visiting, as you know. The ships would not dock and offer shore excursions if the island was not safe for visitors. I find exploring the islands easy, since, well you will eventually bump into the ocean. I have always planned my own excursions, even as a cruiser. But it all depends on your comfort level and confidence as an independent traveler. I am not sure which excursion you are considering, but you will likely pay less if you take a cab and buy the ticket yourself. However, remember that the ship does not wait for cruisers who explore on their own, so give yourself ample time to return to the ship. For info on beaches, check out the St. Maartan Nature Foundation's Facebook page. YEREVAN. In the current year, results are such that there is growth in industry, services and trade, whereas there was a drop in construction and agriculture in Armenia. National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairperson and NA Tsarukyan Faction member, economist Mikayel Melkumyan, told about the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am. He noted this reflecting on the fact that an unprecedented 7 percent economic growth was recorded in the country in the eleven months of the current year. But he stressed that no matter how much people are speaking about this economic growth, it is feeble in qualitative terms. The main objective in the country is in the matters of increasing the standard of living of people, [and] reducing unemployment, poverty, Melkumyan added. In my view, the main reason for such economic growth is last years decline base. Had there been a 2- to 3-percent growth [in 2016], there would not have been a 7-percent growth this year; it would have been worse. And when asked when the Armenian society will actually feel the positive effects of this 7 percent economic growth, Mikayel Melkumyan responded as follows, in particular: If there is [economic] growth, it needs to be correlated; it needs to have an impact on the other indicators. 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 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 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 Changes in blood begin two years before breast cancer is detected 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 Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales has informed on his Twitter account that his countrys embassy in Israel will be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, according to TASS news agency of Russia. Dear people of Guatemala, today [Sunday] I have talked with the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, wrote Morales. One of the most important topics was the return of Guatemalas embassy to Jerusalem. For this reason I am informing you that I have given instructions to the foreign ministry that it start the necessary respective coordination to make this happen. On December 6, US President Donald Trump stated that he recognizes Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel, and said the US Department of State has been ordered to start transferring the US embassy in Israel, from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. But this decision has brought about worldwide reaction. And on December 21, the UN General Assembly voted 128-9 with 35 abstentions in favor of a nonbinding resolution declaring Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital null and void. Armenia also voted for the resolution, whereas the nine countries that voted against it include Guatemala. By Utpal Kumar/Mail Today: It's a case of history repeating itself. First as a tragedy, as German political philosopher and economist Karl Heinrich Marx predicted. And then, not as a farce, but as an antithesis to the tragedy. So, when Rahul Gandhi visited the Somnath temple as a devout "janeudhari Brahmin" during the Gujarat elections, it was obvious that his great-grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru would be invoked - and not in a ceremonious manner. advertisement For, the latter had, soon after Independence, objected to any role for the state in the reconstruction of the grand Somnath temple, which if legends were to be believed was ravaged 17 times by Mahmud of Ghazni between 1000 AD and 1025 AD. Somnath marks the arrival of a reborn and reinvigorated Rahul Gandhi - at least that's what we are made to believe by his hyperactive PR machinery - who isn't shy of espousing 'soft Hindutva', otherwise a tabooed term in Congress circles. He, in fact, gave Narendra Modi and Amit Shah a run for their money on numerous temple runs. But Somnath isn't just about a party refashioning its political course. It's also a reminder of a civilisational war, howsoever hard our eminent historians may deny it. One recalls Romila Thapar's otherwise seminal book, Somnatha: The Many Voices of a History, whose entire endeavour was to prove that there was no communal angle in the destruction of the Somnath temple, although contemporary Islamic sources extolled Mahmud's achievement and referred to the many infidels he gleefully killed. Thapar even brought in the reference of an early Arabic Goddess, Manat, saying Somnath might be a bastardisation of the Arabic 'su-manat'. Manat was one of the goddesses Prophet Muhammad once said could be worshiped, but then retracted, claiming that the assertion was influenced by Satan. These lines came to be known as 'Satanic Verses', and were subsequently deleted from the Quran. The eminent historian also quotes a couple of traditions to say that the image of Manat was "secreted away to Kathiawad for safe keeping in a land where idol worship was considered normal". So, when Mahmud attacked Somnath, he wasn't desolating a Hindu temple but a place that provided sanctuary to a pre-Islamic Arabian goddess! For almost a thousand years the war has been on. When the British came, the ceasefire was enforced, with an advantage for Hindus, which further got reinforced after Independence when a grand temple was built primarily due to the efforts of Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad and KM Munshi. advertisement This year the momentum has decisively shifted in favour of Hindus, especially after Rahul Gandhi paid a visit to the Somnath temple. In the process, the newly-appointed Congress president, if this were not a momentary lapse of judgement on his part, has put a big question mark on the Nehruvian consensus on secularism within the party itself. This March, I visited Somnath. And instantly it reminded me of Mahatma Gandhi's visit to Varanasi's Kashi Vishvanath temple in 1928. The Mahatma, as he reminisced in his autobiography My Experiments with Truth, was "deeply pained" to see how the approach to one of the holiest sites in Hinduism was through a narrow and filthy lane, swarming with flies and the gutters overflowing. The city of Somnath wasn't as filthy as other north Indian temple towns. But it wasn't clean either, with roads partially broken, filth littering outside bins, and cattle doing their bits to overcrowd the already crowded streets. Some blame the so-called otherworldliness of Indians for this sorry state of affair. Maybe it's also a reminder to the gods that this world is a maya, and so they shouldn't be appalled for being worshiped in dirty places! advertisement What, however, punctures the claims of otherworldliness is the Indian obsession with personal purity. Anything outside the personal zone gets regally ignored. Triveni Sangam in Somnath, where the mythical Saraswati meets Hiran and Kapila rivers, was an apt manifestation of how wrong we have gone. The sangam today appears as a sullied water body full of plastic bottles. All wasn't awful, however. The Somnath temple, unlike other places of worship in the country, appeared clean and well-organised. The priests were gentle and helpful. And there was no semblance of chaos and mayhem. Even for prasads there were several counters, and if you wanted to do a personalised puja in the temple premises, there were separate counters for them as well. Everything was in place, Gujju-style! A thousand years ago, Somnath heralded an unprecedented tumult in the subcontinent. This year, history seems to have come a full circle for this temple town. For, it again seems to be taking a lead in rewriting India's civilisational as well as political history - this time the other way round. --- ENDS --- advertisement Moscow calls on North Korea and the United States to begin negotiations and is ready to contribute to this, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, RIA Novosti reports. Russian minister said that they urge partners to focus on solving specific problems of the Korean peninsula on the basis of negotiations. For that, according to Lavrov, it is necessary not to break contacts with Pyongyang, but, on the contrary, to develop them. Russian foreign minister said that they are firmly convinced that not only the North Korea, but also the United States, as well as their allies, must refrain from any steps that can provoke a crisis, and finally must launch a negotiation process. Lavrov added that Russia would do this in every possible way. At the same time, he noted that Russia does not share the pursuit to exert maximum pressure on Pyongyang and establish a complete blockade of the country. Lavrov explained, that they are, indeed, seriously concerned about the North Korea's desire to acquire nuclear status. They will never accept or approve of this. The steps taken by Pyongyang in this direction are fraught with undermining the global non-proliferation regime. Russian minister added that in the current tense situation on the Korean peninsula, these steps are just dangerous. Earlier, State Department spokesman Heather Nauert said that at the moment, the U.S. does not consider it possible to negotiate with North Korea. The White House said that Pyongyang should stop nuclear and missile tests in order to begin negotiations, which is in fact a prerequisite. North Korea in turn stated that it does not agree to discuss its nuclear program with the U.S., since it sees an attempt to promote a resolution on sanctions against North Korea in the UN Security Council in Washington's initiative. YEREVAN. Owing to the efforts by the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, around 25 yet-unseen photographs have been discovered depicting the evacuationaboard French warshipsof the participants in the heroic battle of Musa Dagh. Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Director Hayk Demoyan informed about the aforementioned on his Facebook page, and he called it a special discovery. These original photos were taken in September 1915 by a French Navy officer. The photographs show the moving of the peaceful Armenian population to the French warships on boats, their accommodation in the decks of these warships, and some other scenes. Demoyan stressed that these newly discovered photos will be presented to the public in April of the coming year. The heroic battle of the Armenian people of Musa Dagha mountain in todays Hatay Province of Turkeyhad taken place in 1915, when the residents of several Armenian villages around Musa Dagh had refused to obey the Ottoman Empires decision to deport them. As a result, these Armenians defended themselves against the Ottoman troops for 53 days, and without any outside help. Ultimately, however, French warships came to the rescue of the Musa Dagh Armenians, and they were taken to Egypt. Trying to intimidate the whole world, Azerbaijan contributed to the growth of the tourist flow to Artsakh, blogger Alexander Lapshin wrote on Facebook. For me, the outgoing year 2017 was not an easy one, because almost 9 months of this year were spent in an Azerbaijani prison because of a trip to Artsakh. I happened to dive into the dirty dismantling quarrels of the Azerbaijani clans, learned about the family squabbles of the Aliyevs, I even had a ride on the personal plane of the Baku sultan's wife, and I saw the bickering for power and oil money in this Muslim country, writes Lapshin. According to him, their racism and hatred is not only towards the Armenian people because of the conflict in Artsakh, but also towards any other non-Muslim nation. The calls for Jewish pogroms shouted by demonstrators outside the Baku court, where he was held, said a lot about the country, Lapshin said, adding that all the demonstrations are organized by the authorities. Trying to intimidate the whole world, dwarf Azerbaijan, on the contrary, contributed to the fact that in 2017 Artsakh was visited by almost twice as many tourists as a year earlier, wrote Lapshin. Among them were my good friends from the Baltics: Alexander Alimov and Ivar Utinas from Latvia, Slava Gorbunov from Lithuania and many others. They shot a cool film about this wonderful land, its culture, people, nature, monuments and architecture. Watch it, I'm sure you would like to visit it, too!: he wrote. The Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Judith Farnworth, has delivered a New Year message. As 2017 draws to a close, I think this is a great time to reflect on whats been a very busy and successful year in UK-Armenian relations. From my perspective weve achieved a lot in strengthening and deepening our bilateral cooperation in a range of very important areas. One of the highlights of the year has been the celebration of the 25th anniversary of UK-Armenian diplomatic relations. The British Embassy team worked closely with a range of our Armenian partners to showcase our cooperation in education, culture and business to mark this really important landmark in our relationship. There are two really important developments which underlined the UKs commitment to supporting Armenia in its efforts to consolidate itself as a resilient and prosperous democratic country. In September, Sir Alan Duncan, received a very warm welcome from a range of very high level interlocutors to have important consultation about our bilateral relationship. Sir Alan, our Minister for Europe and the Americas, took the opportunity during his visit to announce that Armenia will be included in Her Majestys Governments Good Governance Fund from 2018, which will unlock up to 4m a year over the coming years to support a range of projects in Armenia in the fields of governance and economic reform. We intend to use that money to continue our support to government, parliament and civil society in Armenia. And in September it was announced that Mark Pritchard, the member of the British Parliament, had been appointed by the Prime Minister of the UK as her Trade and Investment Envoy in Armenia. His job is to improve trade and investment relations between the UK and Armenia. Another highlight for me was the visit in June of the Salamanca Band. They played for our guests at the Queens Birthday Party and they did a fantastic concert in Freedom Square along with the Armenian Military Band. All of this alongside our regular work to promote defence engagement, human rights, education and cultural links. 2018 looks set to be even busier so we are delighted to welcome a number of new colleagues to help us with the increased workload. Together, we are looking forward to working closely with our Armenian partners to strengthen and develop our cooperation even further. But before that, Id like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Ambassador Farnworth said in her New Year message. Subsequently, she switched to Armenian and concluded her message as follows: Dear friends, May 2018 be a successful, joyful, and peaceful year for Armenia. Happy New Year and Merry Christmas! YEREVAN. Santa Claus also has dreams; he wishes that our children always be vigorous, happy, and always laugh. The President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, on Monday stated the aforementioned at the New Year and Christmas festive function for children, at the Presidents residence. About 1,000 children from Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic/NKR) will take part in these festive events, press office of the President informed Armenian News-NEWS.am. Along the lines of these functions, President Serzh Sargsyan and First Lady Rita Sargsyan first hosted children from several border communities of Armenia. The lights of the Christmas tree at the Presidential residence were lit ceremoniously in the presence of these little guests, and the festive event kicked off. On his and the First Ladys behalf, the President warmly congratulated those in attendance and all children on the New Year and Christmas holidays, and expressed good wishes to them. It is already the third day since buses and trucks with Armenian license plates also are stuck in the traffic jam due to the Upper Lars checkpointon the Georgia-Russia borderbeing closed. Press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia informed Armenian News-NEWS.am that it is not yet clear as to exactly how many vehicles from Armenia there are at the closed checkpoint, there is a queue of vehicles there, no registration has yet been conducted, and there is no clear information about the Armenian citizens at this checkpoint. According to information by the Emergency Situations Department of Georgia, the countrys Stepantsminda-Larsi Highway, which leads to the Armenian border, is closed for all vehicles. And the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations had informed that a total of 282 vehicles stand in line on the Russian side. Sensation versus sense, such is the nature of India's war with itself; even the most obtuse nationalist agrees that governance and democratic fulfilment forestalls rebellion By Sudeep Chakravarti: Sukma- In that one word lies outrage, horror, misdirection and misunderstanding. It was as if Sukma, green, deeply forested, with more than a few still pristine rivers and streams evolved in a matter of days from being a geographical indicator in the very heart of India to the epicentre of infamy. If southern Chhattisgarh signifies the heart of the Maoist rebellion, then south-eastern Sukma district, adjoining rebellion-affected districts of Odisha and Telangana, is a part of that multichambered heart. advertisement It is hardly surprising that it made news in 2017, first in March, when 12 Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed in a Maoist attack; and then more spectacularly on 24 April, when 26 CRPF personnel lost their lives. Several Maoists died too, then and later, in the brutal guerrilla war that has bedevilled India and showcased its failures as a nation these past 50 years, since left-wing extremism exploded into the Naxalbari movement in May 1967. The larger picture about the rebellion were buried in the firestorm of nationalistic outrage, led mainly by a media fed on government testosterone and plastic variations of "the sacrifices" of troopers "will not go in vain". Sensation versus sense, such is the nature of India's war with itself; even the most obtuse nationalist agrees that governance and democratic fulfilment forestalls rebellion. The Maoist rebellion and the government response to it have always been much more than Sukma, of course, but Sukma is as good as an example as any in the region Southern Chhattisgarh remains the heart of the Maoist rebellion and the working laboratory of its government of the people - it's really a government by the barrel of the gun, not unlike the system it claims to replace, but that's another story. Over the past decade Maoists have across India lost several hundred cadres and leaders to deaths, arrests, surrender and rehabilitation policies of various state governments. They have seen their operational geography shrink from nearly half the districts of India - more than 300 - in a degree from intense to mild, to effectively 60 or so across Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Telangana, Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh. Besides armed and strategic response, it has also happened on account of governance and non-violent civil society initiatives through robust democratic demand of rights and accountability. This cannot be underscored enough. Indeed, the peak of present-day rebellion which came after the merger in late 2004 of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) People's War and its allies, with the Maoist Communist Centre of India to form the present-day conglomerate of Communist Party of India (Maoist), it is now a stressed project. advertisement Even the Maoist leadership and Maoist journals freely admit to it. The question then is of defending a sanctuary. Sukma is thus far within the sanctuary. Sukma and southern Chhattisgarh is part of the densely forested, mineral-rich Dandakaranya Zone, the four-state area that includes parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Telangana and Maharashtra. When Maoists in undivided Andhra Pradesh searched for alternative sanctuaries in the late 1980s to escape police action in that state, Dandakaranya in general and southern Chhattisgarh in particular became part of their outreach, indoctrination and militarisation plans, leveraging the lack of development and exploitation of the largely tribal folks by a range of users from corrupt forest guards to forest-produce contractors. When reverses began to squeeze the Maoist project, some years ago the rebels fine-tuned their approach. From what I gathered from insiders and intelligence sources, a meeting of top Maoist leaders took place in September 2012 in a village called Usabeda in south-western Chhattisgarh (security forces knew about it but arrived there long after rebels had dispersed, so tough was the terrain). advertisement Avoiding low strength skirmishing, Maoists decided on a back-to-the-basics approach employed effectively between 2004 and 2010 - armoury raids, attacking specialised anti-Maoist forces, an ambush in 2010 that killed 76 CRPF troopers - to secure existing areas and make their depleted numbers more effective. They decided to attack in a mass of not less than hundred cadres. Operations demonstrated it within weeks in the three southern Chhattisgarh districts of Dantewada, Sukma and Bijapur. The attack in May 2013 in Sukma district which killed several senior Congress leaders including a co-founder of the state sponsored Salwa Judum vigilante project, Mahendra Karma, followed a similar template. The attacks in March and April 2017 in the district were no different. The Dandakaranya playbook also called for attacks to gather weapons and ammunition to supplement a squeezed supply line. Luring security forces into ambush with diversionary tactics-false information about movement and numbers of rebels, tracking habits of a security patrol-would continue (Security forces try to employ a similar template with varying degrees of success). A little more about Sukma being in the zone. There has for some years been talk of the Maoist leadership planning an alternative sanctuary across the border in Odisha. The area is due east of Sukma in Odisha's Malkangiri district, and extends further north, along the Chhattisgarh districts of Bastar and Kondagaon. advertisement Alongside sanctuaries in southwestern Chhattisgarh, especially the Maoist heartland of the Abujmarh area, the plan was also to strengthen a corridor along Odisha's western border with Chhattisgarh to link up with Maoists further north in Jharkhand. Besides movement of cadres for operations and escape, it would also be a pipeline for weapons and ammunition south from Jharkhand. Sukma's primacy on all counts has led the area to be absolutely stuffed with security forces. The axis south from the district headquarter town of Jagdalpur, past Sukma district headquarters and down to Telangana, and the axis west from Jagdalpur to Dantewada and further west to Bijapur district has tens of thousands of paramilitary and police. They are present for deterrence as well as interdiction. If Maoists are a prime target for them, occasionally they are prime targets for Maoists. It's the nature of this guerrilla war. It will likely get more vicious. CRPF is planning to deploy a fully tribal battalion in Chhattisgarh to counter Maoist ingress among the area's tribal folk - both a catchment for recruits as well as those both sides claim to be battling to protect and save. It seems like Salwa Judum all over again - and that was genocidal. Both sides will up the ante. And Sukma, like other areas in Dandakaranya, will be in the thick of it. --- ENDS --- YEREVAN. According to the information received from the Republic of Armenia (RA) Consulate General in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) has pitched tents and set up a field kitchen for the Armenian citizens that are stranded at the Upper Lars checkpoint, on the Georgia-Russia border. Tigran Balayan, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Armenia, told about the above-said to Armenian News-NEWS.am. A representative of the RA Consulate General in Rostov-on-Don also is at the checkpoint, he added. Snow removal activities still continue at the Kazbegi checkpoint in Georgia. According to preliminary information, there is a risk of avalanche. So, additional information will be given. According to information by the Emergency Situations Department of Georgia, the countrys Stepantsminda-Larsi Highway, which leads to the Armenian border, is now open for all vehicles except for trucks. And the Russian MES had informed that a total of 282 vehicles stand in line on the Russian side. YEREVAN.- Small and medium-sized enterprises of Armenia will be able to enter the international markets under a single brand since 2018, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Robert Makaryan told reporters on Monday. He noted that the Ministry of Agriculture announced recently about creation of a consolidating export company in the country, the goal of which is to unite Armenian processing enterprises under a single brand and produce products of unified quality and standards. Small and medium-sized enterprises do not have enough resources to conduct marketing and advertising campaigns, and therefore face serious problems in the marketing of their goods. Meanwhile, they are of social importance for regions as they solve the issue of employment, help to increase standard of living and the income of country people," Robert Makaryan noted. According to the deputy minister, a single brand and common standards of quality will allow Armenian small and medium-sized enterprises to enter foreign markets of not only EAEU, but also markets of Europe and the US. Pope Francis called for peace for Jerusalem and dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians during his traditional Christmas Day message, BBC reported. 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 co-existence of two states within mutually agreed and internationally recognised borders, said Pope Francis. Criticizing societies focused only on economic growth, Pope Francis has urged Rome and the world to see the baby Jesus in the children of the Middle East who continue to suffer because of growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. Turning to the parties to the conflict in Syria, Pope urged to respect the dignity of every Syrian and rebuild their shattered societies, regardless of ethnic and religious affiliation. Israel rejects UN General Assemblys resolution on Jerusalem status UN General Assembly adopts resolution on Jerusalem status Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited two families of Armenian martyrs of the Iran-Iraq War (1980-88) on Sunday, December 24 on the occasion of Christmas, IRNA reported. I hope the character and teachings of Jesus Christ can lead humanity to peace and peaceful coexistence," he said when visiting the family of Armenian martyr George Keshish Harutun after congratulating the family on the birthday of Jesus Christ. Also Sunday, President Rouhani visited the family of martyr Edwin Shahmiriyan and said, The Iranian nation appreciates the devotion and self-sacrifice of the martyrs and their respectful families. "These days are the days of happiness of all Iranian people and the world, especially our Armenian and Christian citizens, and I am happy that this visit is taking place in such a night," the President continued. Rouhani also responded to the martyr's mother's happiness over his visit and said: "This is our duty and the least we can do for you dear families of martyrs. You have devoted your son for defending the country and the Iranian nation and definitely have a high place beside the Almighty". "The people of Iran are always grateful to their fellow Armenian citizens and consider them trustworthy, hard-working and honest, who love their country," President Rouhani added. He also went on to say: "The people of Iran consider Prophet Jesus Christ (PBUH), Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Prophet Noah (PBUH), Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) and Prophet Moses (PBUH) as great prophets who have brought blessings and prosperity for the humankind". In this visit that Vice-President in Martyrs and Veterans Affairs Hojatoleslam Val-Moslemin Shahidi was attending, a plaque of appreciation was given to the family of the martyr. A Shiite Muslim judge abducted in eastern Saudi Arabia a year ago has been killed by his kidnappers, Reuters reported quoting the Saudi state news agency SPA. Sheikh Mohammed al-Jirani disappeared last December from outside his home in the Qatif region, which is home to about one million Shiite Muslims in the predominantly Sunni Muslim kingdom. SPA said a security officer and one of the kidnappers were killed in a clash on Dec. 19 and a second kidnapper was arrested. It also said the judges body had been found in the remote farming district of Awamiya but did not say when he had been killed. Authorities said earlier this year that three men being sought in connection with the abduction were already on a wanted list for their suspected involvement in terrorist attacks in eastern Saudi Arabia. India proposed to Pakistan to "release all prisoners who are above 70 years of age, are women, or are of unsound mind," said a source. By Geeta Mohan: Even as Kulbhushan Jadhav 's mother and wife are set to meet him in Islamabad on Monday afternoon, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met Pakistan's High Commissioner to India, Sohail Mahmood, to discuss. She also gave a proposal to decide the fate of many other prisoners on both sides of the border. India proposed to Pakistan to "release all prisoners who are above 70 years of age, are women, or are of unsound mind," said a source. advertisement Pakistan is yet to respond to the proposal made by India at a meeting that took place on the October 17. Swaraj confirmed this proposal at the third Parliamentary Consultative Committee for the Ministry of External Affairs that took place last week on December 21, where the agenda was 'Relationship with the Neighbourhood'. It was attended by Members of Parliament of various political parties. Questions on Indo-Pak relations were asked by MPs like BJP's Subramanian Swamy, CPI's D Raja, Shatrughan Sinha, BPP's Swapan Dasgupta, Congress's Anand Sharma, RJD's Misa Bharti. DP Tripathi asked about the issue of visas and the problems that exist between the two nations with a reference to Kasuri's visit to India. D Raja made a reference to Indo-Pak dialogue and how Kashmir has become a major part of discussions whenever bilateral ties are discussed. Swaraj told MPs that the proposal was made to continue with the humanitarian aspect even as India has made it very clear that there can be no forward movement on relations unless terrorism is tackled by Pakistan. A highly placed source in Pakistan also confirmed that India has put out a proposal and, "among other things, this is part of the humanitarian issues." Both sides have been focused on the release of prisoners and fishermen who stay across the maritime borders without delay. Pakistan recently announced that they will release another huge batch of about 200 fishermen on December 29 and January 4. The MPs who attended the Parliamentary consultative meeting were given background notes for each country in the neighbourhood. The paragraph on Pakistan said, "While pursuing this broad policy, government continues to address humanitarian issues related to fishermen, prisoners, inadvertent crossers and medical treatment." The broad policy that was spelt out by the minister to MPs from alliance parties and also from the opposition, was that it had been "made clear to Pakistan that terror and talks cannot go together. The onus is on them to create conducive atmosphere for a structured bilateral, comprehensive dialogue." Even as India has made a proposal to release prisoners on humanitarian grounds, when it comes to the abduction and captivity of former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, Pakistan turned a blind eye to all international norms till it got a wrap on the knuckles by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and finally allowed his family to meet him in the company of an Indian High Commission official. --- ENDS --- advertisement Though before October 1962, no Chinese had ever set foot in the area, Beijing still dreams of controlling it. Reaching the Sela Pass, between Tawang and Bomdila (West Kameng District), is like entering a different world altogether. By Claude Arpi: Located south of the McMahon Line in Arunachal Pradesh, Tawang is one of the most strategic districts in the country. Though before October 1962, no Chinese had ever set foot in the area, Beijing still dreams of controlling it. Tawang was in news in 2017, during the Dalai Lama's visit of the border town in April. The fact that the Tibetan leader had come to Arunachal Pradesh six times between 1983 and 2009, did not deter China from creating again a ruckus; Beijing complained that the Lama's religious teachings had been engineered by Delhi in an area China calls 'Southern Tibet'. advertisement Tawang is special in many ways. Buddhists believe in the concept of sacred places or peethas. During the 10th century, the great Indian yogi Tilopa said that peethas are to be found inside your own self, though "outer peethas are mentioned in the scriptures for the benefit of simple fools who wander about". Tawang is undoubtedly an 'outer peetha'. Numerous stories or legends circulate about Monyul or the 'Hidden and Blessed Land of Mon' as the region is known; the local population, Monpas are fond of these legends. Many revolve around Tsangyang Gyatso, the Sixth Dalai Lama who was born in Urgyeling, a village south of Tawang. 'Lama Geno', in Monpa language could be translated as 'the Lama knows'. It is what Tsangyang wrote with his finger on a stone near Urgyeling in 1688. A high delegation had just arrived from Lhasa looking for the reincarnation of the Fifth Dalai Lama; the boy 'knew' that the Lamas had come to 'take him back' to Tibet. THE SIMLA CONVENTION History caught up with Tawang in 1913 when two intrepid British 'explorers', Captains Bailey and Morshead scouted the Tibetan side of the 'snow line' in search of a northern border for India. Their experience and notes were invaluable during the Simla Conference in 1914. In March, Henry McMahon, India's Foreign Secretary sat with Lonchen Shatra, the Tibetan Prime Minister and managed to fix the Indo-Tibet border in the form of a thick red line on a double-page map, that was the McMahon Line. Thereafter, India had a formal legitimate border in the North-East. TIBET IS INVADED Without warning, in October 1950, Communist China invaded Tibet. Two months later, a dying Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel got the ball rolling to protect India's borders. With Sir Girija Shankar Bajpai, the MEA's secretary general, he took the initiative to set up a North and North-East Border Defence Committee under major general Himatsinghji, the then deputy defence minister. The Committee's first decision was to take over the administration of all Indian territories south of the McMahon Line. The experience of Kashmir, where India reacted too late, was not to be repeated. advertisement Assam Governor Jairamdas Daulatram (NEFA was then part of Assam) ordered a young but highly decorated Naga officer, Maj Bob Khathing, to march to Tawang. On January 17, 1951, Bob, accompanied by 200 troops of Assam Rifles and 600 porters, left the foothills for the historic mission. During the following weeks, the young officer showed his toughness, but also diplomatic skills to pacify the Monpas who were in fact delighted to get, for the first time, a proper administration. Eight years later, Tawang made the news again when a fleeing Dalai Lama crossed the border at Khenzimane, north of Tawang to take refuge in India. THE LAND OF MON Reaching the Sela Pass, at 13,700 ft above sea level between Tawang and Bomdila (West Kameng District), one feels as if entering another world. But one is reminded that the area was the theatre of the 1962 Sino-Indian conflict. A small mandir is dedicated to the memory of Jaswant Singh, the heroic rifleman who defended the pass and earned a Maha Vir Chakra in November 1962. Looking at the old bunkers, one can vividly imagine the incredible sufferings and bravery of the jawans and officers of the Indian Army, abandoned by an irresponsible leadership (a visit to the 1962 War Memorial in Tawang is also a must). advertisement Two hours later, the first glimpses of the Tawang Gompa ('monastery') perched on one of the highest hills overlooking the Tawang Chu Valley ('chu' is 'river' in Monpa) are breathtaking. Tour operators will of course also take you visit to Sangestar Tso, also known as 'Madhuri' Lake. After Rakesh Roshan shot Koyla (starring Madhuri and Shah Rukh Khan), jawans posted in the area began calling it 'Madhuri'; it used to be a grazing pasture before becoming a lake after the dreadful earthquake of August 1950. Locals say there are as many as 108 lakes in the area, many of them larger and more stunning, many having been blessed by great tantric masters and yogis. A few kilometres away is the Tagtsang Gompa (the 'Tiger Lair' monastery), perched at 13,500 ft. It is one of the several pithas that Guru Padmasambhava, the great Indian tantric master who helped establishing Buddhism in Tibet, Bhutan and the Himalayan belt, visited. Seeing these exquisite places, one understands why China covets it, but it will never be part of the Middle Kingdom; the Monpas are one of the most patriotic tribes of the country. Further, driving to Tawang, one passes enough Army camps to realise that the Land of Mon is well-guarded. --- ENDS --- advertisement Navalny, the most formidable foe President Vladimir Putin has faced during 18 years in power, is prohibited from seeking political office because of a criminal conviction that is largely viewed as retribution. By AP: Hundreds of supporters of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny nominated him for president Sunday, allowing Navalny to file the endorsement papers required for his candidacy and putting pressure on the Kremlin to allow him to run. Navalny, the most formidable foe President Vladimir Putin has faced during 18 years in power, is prohibited from seeking political office because of a criminal conviction that is largely viewed as retribution. However, he could enter the race, if he gets special dispensation or the conviction is thrown out. advertisement About 800 Navalny supporters assembled in a giant tent for the formal endorsement meeting held in Moscow's snow-covered Silver Forest. His allies said multiple meeting venues refused to host the gathering. Ivan Zhdanov, who chaired the meeting, joked that the riverside event ended up being convened at a place where the address is "Silver Forest, Beach Number 3." "Has everyone got their swimming trunks?" Zhdanov asked the participants. Election authorities observed the endorsement process. Navalny and his legal advisers submitted the nomination papers with the Russian Election Commission on Sunday evening. Outdoor endorsement gatherings also took place in 19 other cities, from Vladivostok to St. Petersburg. In Moscow, the process was delayed because the printer being used to generate the paperwork stopped working in the cold woods. While Navalny's staff tried to fix the machine, several hundred people gathered on a central Moscow square to demonstrate support for his nomination. Biologist Svetlana Sorokina, 41, said it was important to show the Kremlin "there are many people like us." Nearby, police officers warned the crowd through loudspeakers they were breaking the law and threatened to disperse the rally. Sorokina said she was "a little bit scared." "I understand the danger. But I got prepared. I told my parents," she said. "They expect me to call and say everything is OK." For Tatyana Komendant, 65, whether Navalny would make a good president or not was secondary. What mattered was getting the Kremlin to allow an open race in which anyone interested who met the eligibility requirements would be allowed to run, she said. "Any alternative is good. It would be better if Putin was to be replaced by anyone," Komendant said. Russian law requires candidates to submit endorsements from just 500 people before they may start collecting the 1 million signatures needed to appear on the ballot. Putin's representatives are expected to file his nomination papers on Tuesday. Election officials were expected to accept Navalny's paperwork, but it's highly unlikely they will allow him to proceed to the signature-gathering stage. Polling agencies show Putin all but certain to win the March election. Polls show him with an 80 percent approval rating among Russian citizens. But Navalny has managed to galvanize some of the vast country's sleepiest regions with a yearlong grass-roots campaign. advertisement "We have seen for ourselves this year that overwhelming support for authorities simply isn't there," Navalny said during an American-style campaign speech at the nomination meeting, where he was flanked by his wife and children. He reiterated he was confident he would win the presidential election if he were allowed to run. He called on his supporters to boycott the vote, if election authorities refuse to register him. A lawyer by training, Navalny came to public prominence in 2009, when he began publishing investigations of corruption at Russia's biggest state-controlled companies. He spearheaded massive anti-government protests in 2011-2012 in reaction to wide-spread fraud during the parliamentary election. Navalny came under pressure from authorities as he gained popularity. He faced countless detentions and jailings for staging protests and spent months under house arrest while being investigated for fraud. He was convicted on two sets of unrelated fraud charges. His brother was sent to prison in what was seen as political revenge. He ran in Moscow's 2013 mayoral election and received nearly 30 percent of the vote. --- ENDS --- advertisement Arriving at the Pakistan Foreign Office for the meeting with her son, Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother was seen greeting media cameras with a namaste. By India Today Web Desk: It was the end of a long 22-month wait for Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother and wife, who arrived in Pakistan today to meet the incarcerated former Indian Navy officer. The two were seen meeting with Jadhav behind a glass barricade prohiting any sort of a physical contact. Pakistan's move to place Jadhav behind a glass barricade could potentially raise questions over the kind of 'access' Islamabad provided in what was Jadhav's first meeting with an Indian in nearly two years. Wife & mother of #KulbhushanJadhav meet him at Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad: Pakistan media pic.twitter.com/A8y0whwpAF- ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 advertisement A speaker telephone, present on both sides of the glass barricade, seemed to be the medium through which Jadhav spoke to his mother and wife. Images tweeted out by news agency ANI clearly showed Jadhav conversing with his relatives. Two other officials - presumably one Indian and the other Pakistani - are also seen standing around the meeting spot. One of them seemed to be JP Singh, India's Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan JP Singh. Kulbhushan Jadhav meeting with mother and wife with, presumbly, Indian diplomat JP Singh standing in the background Jadhav has been languishing in a Pakistani jail ever since his arrest last year over allegations that he is a spy for the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India's premier external intelligence agency. On April 10 this year, a military court in Pakistan convicted him of espionage charges and sentenced him to death. That sentence in May this year after New Delhi took Islamabad to the International Court of Justice alleging Pakistan had violated the Vienna Convention on Consular Access by refusing India consular access to Jadhav. Today, Pakistan, on "humanitarians grounds", allowed Jadhav to meet with his mother and wife, who flew to the country on a special day-long trip. The mother-daughter duo were accompanied by India's Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan JP Singh. Wife & mother of #KulbhushanJadhav meet him at Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Islamabad: Pak media pic.twitter.com/QqPyiSIK2O- ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 At the time of last updating this report, it wasn't known if Singh was allowed to converse with Jadhav or not. The meeting itself took place at the Pakistan Foreign Office in Islamabad, where Jadhav's emotional mother and wife were seen getting out of a car after arriving at the meet location from the Indian embassy. Jadhav's mother greeted the horde of media cameras at the Pakistan Foreign Office before she and her daughter-in-law were quickly shepherded inside for the meeting (follow live updates). Watch the visuals from just before the Jadhav-mother-wife meeting here: --- ENDS --- welcome <3 Reply Parent Thread Link my gay ass is alone on christmas too. maybe we should get our asses together in the gayest way possible Reply Parent Thread Link Come over bb were making breakfast Reply Parent Thread Link merry xmas LANREK!!! Reply Parent Thread Link I finally listened to all of sufjan Xmas albums and wow. That's a lot of Christmas. Reply Thread Link Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in Hello! Your entry got to top-25 of the most popular entries in LiveJournal!Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ Reply Thread Link THERE ARE THREE COMMENTS OMG Reply Parent Thread Link ah, love listening to Judy sing that song. Got a bluebird tattoo just because of that song Reply Thread Link I'm a straight 37 female, and I have a Judy portrait on my ribs. Judy is just perfect no matter who you are. My portrait is from Lily Mars. Reply Parent Thread Link judy was a goddess Reply Parent Thread Link i wanna get a bluebird tattoo too lmao i love her sfm Reply Parent Thread Expand Link OP, I don't think pee wee should have a B99 gif? Merry holidays! Reply Thread Link thanks for letting me know, not sure how that reverted lol. happy holidays! Reply Parent Thread Link some christmas albums i had in mind (in no particular order): 1) A Very Big Freedia Christmazz Big Freedia 2) everyday is christmas sia 3) elton john's christmas party 4) christmas in blue sam sparro not an album, but i love tracy chapman's cover of o holy night. this, sam sparro's christmas in your heart, and last christmas with george michael is what i've been listening to most these last several days. if i remember any more i'll post them later. Reply Thread Link and ofc, sufjan's songs for christmas and silver and gold collections, but that's a given. Edited at 2017-12-25 04:06 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link i was surprised since i've never heard of it, even on ontd, and with kathy griffin and vanessa williams? like. Reply Parent Thread Link I wanted to suggest Pride...but I wasn't sure if it fit the categories Reply Thread Link Awesome post OP!!! thank you!! merry christmas <3 Reply Thread Link Just dance has a version of make it jingle Also beautiful formatting Edited at 2017-12-25 04:51 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link i love this. Reply Parent Thread Link Someone on Facebook was trying to shame me for saying Celine's O Holy Night is better than Mariah's. He was trying to disprove it with "technical" details (they sounded completely unrehearsed but I'm not a singer so I have no idea what he was talking about) and did everything he could but end it was "sweaty :)" but just listening to the two I have no idea how anyone can't find more beauty behind Celine's. Mariah's sounds way too pop. Celine's is classic and stunning. He's also a huge Mariah fan so that seems a bit unfair. Reply Thread Link just listened to compare and ia, celine's version is better. mariah's is good but too upbeat for me. Reply Parent Thread Link I really like Sam Sparro's Christmas album -- I love his voice so it was a nice surprise this year! That Red Velvet video made me sad :( Reply Thread Link yeah that was a great album. it was sad. :( i've def been in that position though and you have to face the truth and move on somehow. Reply Parent Thread Link Probably because the movie it's from, "Toys", is awful and bombed, this song and the generally amazing soundtrack from the movie never got much of a chance to make a mark on popular culture. But this is one of my fave songs, "Closing of the Year", written by Hans Zimmer and Trevor Horn, performed by Wendy & Lisa (they're lesbians!) feat. Seal: Reply Thread Link ahhh i really like this. it's really pretty, so cheerful yet calming. Reply Parent Thread Link I've managed to get through the entire Christmas season without once hearing Wham!'s horrible "Last Christmas" (I did, unfortunately, hear a cover version), and for that, I am grateful. It's my most loathed "Christmas" song save only for "The 12 Days of Christmas" for its sheer insipidity. The melody is uninspired, the lyrics are insipid, and it overall has the reek of a song that was too stupid to make it onto a regular album, so they gave it a Christmas makeover and inflicted it upon the world. Reply Thread Link This gif is my entire Christmas season. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I was flipping around yesterday and saw Judy in Meet me in St Louis on TCM and at the same time, in The Wizard of Oz on another channel, so it was a very Judy Christmas eve. I'm friends with the film critic, Shelia Benson, who's mother wrote Meet Me in St. Louis, about her family. I asked her once what it was like to have Judy Garland playing a relative of hers and she said it was surreal (as I'm sure it would be for most people). Reply Thread Link i saw meet me in st louis somewhere on my tv guide too. i never heard of it until the SATC movie where carrie was super bored with it on NYE shud i give it a try? carrie is problematic af. Reply Parent Thread Link It's super old fashioned. It's set in 1903 and the highlights are the musical numbers. It is interesting in a way to see how different it was for women back then, just being accessories for men, basically. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link oh wow, that's really interesting. can't imagine how cool yet weird that would be. Reply Parent Thread Link A Maine robotics company is one of four companies competing to build the Army's next generation of battlefield support vehicles. The Army wants unmanned vehicles to reduce the burden on soldiers by carrying heavy ammunition and supplies into combat. The Portland Press Herald reports that the Army is expected to order thousands of the units by 2020. Waterboro-based Howe and Howe Technologies said its unmanned, tracked vehicle completed a 60-mile field test in 29 hours in September and October. That's less than half the allotted time. Howe and Howe passed the trials, beating major defense companies like Lockheed Martin and AM General, which builds the Humvee, and moving onto the next phase of product development. 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. GEICO Offers Last Minute Tips to Protect Your Identity During Holiday Shopping WASHINGTON(BUSINESS WIRE)Millions of shoppers will flock to the stores looking for last minute gifts, but before you pull out your credit cards, GEICO offers these last minute reminders to safeguard your personal information over the holidays and into 2018. Beware of data security incident Every time you use your credit or debit card with retailers, you leave behind a trail of valuable information that is susceptible to a data security incident. Protect your identity by using alternative forms of payment (cash, travelers checks, prepaid cards) that arent connected to your personal information. Prepaid is the way A prepaid Visa credit card acts just like a credit or debit card and also goes a long way to protect your personal information from thieves and data incidents. And just like a credit or debit card, if your prepaid card is ever lost or stolen, you can recover your money. Be careful what you sign up for Steer clear of in-store and online promotions that promise you a discount on your purchased items if you fork over personal information. Most retailers sell your information to the highest bidder (marketing companies) who then create a profile about your buying habits and solicit you with things they think you might want to purchase. Free Wi-Fi comes with a price Believe it or not, free public Wi-Fi comes with a very big security risk. Never connect to your bank, credit card or other sensitive accounts over public Wi-Fi. The open nature of public Wi-Fi allows hackers a direct line into any unsecured personal information that may be stored on your laptop or mobile device. Disabling the Wi-Fi function will prevent it from connecting to a public Wi-Fi signal automatically. Close your banking and credit card apps If someone hacks into your laptop or mobile device while your apps are open, they may be able to gain access to any open information. Make sure to close all of your banking and financial apps after each use. Keep in mind that some apps will automatically log you off, but only after a certain period of inactivity. Other Point of Sale News: NewMarket Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the petroleum additives business. The company offers lubricant additives for use in various vehicle and industrial applications, including engine oils, transmission fluids, off-road powertrain and hydraulic systems, gear oils, hydraulic oils, turbine oils, and other applications where metal-to-metal moving parts are utilized; engine oil additives designed for passenger cars, motorcycles, on and off-road heavy duty commercial equipment, locomotives, and engines in ocean-going vessels; driveline additives designed for products, such as transmission fluids, axle fluids, and off-road powertrain fluids; and industrial additives designed for products for industrial applications consisting of hydraulic fluids, grease, industrial gear fluids, and industrial specialty applications, such as turbine oils. It also provides fuel additives that are used to enhance the oil refining process and the performance of gasoline, diesel, biofuels, and other fuels to industry, government, original equipment manufacturers, and individual customers. In addition, the company engages in the antiknock compounds business, as well as contracted manufacturing and services activities; and owns and manages a real property in Virginia. It operates in North America, Latin America, the Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India. NewMarket Corporation was founded in 1887 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. Our portfolio of high quality UK commercial property is focused on London Offices and Retail around the UK. We own or manage a portfolio valued at 13.7bn (British Land share: 10.3bn) as at 30 September 2020 making us one of Europe's largest listed real estate investment companies. Our strategy is to provide places which meet the needs of our customers and respond to changing lifestyles - Places People Prefer. We do this by creating great environments both inside and outside our buildings and use our scale and placemaking skills to enhance and enliven them. This expands their appeal to a broader range of occupiers, creating enduring demand and driving sustainable, long term performance. Our Offices portfolio comprises three office-led campuses in central London as well as high quality standalone buildings and accounts for 65% of our portfolio. Our Retail portfolio is focused on retail parks and shopping centres, and accounts for 31% of our portfolio. Increasingly our focus is on providing a mix of uses and this is most evident at Canada Water, our 53 acre redevelopment opportunity where we have plans to create a new neighbourhood for London. Sustainability is embedded throughout our business. Our places, which are designed to meet high sustainability standards, become part of local communities, provide opportunities for skills development and employment and promote wellbeing. In April 2016 British Land received the Queen's Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development, the UK's highest accolade for business success for economic, social and environmental achievements over a period of five years. As a foodie and a nomad on a budget, Im always on the lookout for quality local food at the right price wherever I go in Vietnam. Its easy to find good food in fancy settings if youre willing to pay Western prices, but the challenge is to dig out that little hole-in-the-wall place that serves up the best local food at decent prices. Here well focus on that lower end but Ive included a few nicer restaurants specializing in foreign food just to give you a few more options. Da Nang is an interesting food destination because thanks to its central location, it features many local dishes as well as both northern and southern specialties. The city boasts a beach setting at My Khe which is geared to the more affluent tourist while the city center, Hai Chau District, caters to locals and seasoned foreign travelers. Well cover the area between the Han River and Dragon Bridges from Bach Dang along the riverside to Phan Chau Trinh Street, which is about five blocks west of the river. Of course thats just a small sampling from such a large city, but if youre in the center, especially on foot, you can walk to all these delightful eating places. Tran Phu Street, parallel to and one block west of the riverside promenade Bach Dang, has food options to fit all budgets. Generally this street is higher-priced but there are a few gems. 1. Star Beef, at 64 Tran Phu near Le Duan Street and the Han River Bridge, has a little bit of everything starting with com bo luc lac (diced beef in a magnificent sauce pictured below) served with baguette or delicious baked rice and all the fixings priced at VND50-60k. Full-sized Australian steaks range from VND180k to VND250k. You cant go wrong with Star Beef, and its air-conditioned for those hot summer days. 2. Around the corner at 14 Phan Dinh Phung there is an excellent com ga (chicken rice) restaurant called Babi, which serves homemade barbecued chicken together with orange fried rice. Prices range from VND30k to VND50k. 3. That same shop doubles as a soup kitchen from the early morning until 8:30 am or 9:00 am, serving traditional pho (beef noodle soup), bun bo Hue (pork and beef noodle soup), and mi Quang (the local specialty turmeric noodles with pork, chicken, quail eggs). They serve a beautiful fish version mi Quang ca loc also. Every fortnight when locals commemorate the passing of loved ones by eating vegetarian, they serve mi Quang chay the vegetarian version pictured below. Out of this world! All go for VND20k. Mi Quang chay 4. Just across Phan Dinh Phung Street youll find Pho Xua, which looks more like a Buddhist temple than a restaurant, an up-market choice with pho going for VND60k. Dinner options include grilled squid, pork ribs, and special hot/sour fish soup, all over 100k per serving. 5. At number 11 Phan Dinh Phung youll find an excellent rice shop called Ao Ba Ba featuring beautiful lunch goodies at the steam table. Get there early as its overwhelmed by office workers around 11:30 to 12:30 each weekday. 6. Further up Phan Dinh Phung at number 26 is the local champion of Vietnamese steak and eggs, absolutely not to be missed. Quoc Minh Bo Ne (bo ne means steak and egg skillet) is a great experience but be ready for crowds if you go on the weekends. They serve until late in the morning or noon each day. Bo ne and Marinated meatballs 7. Back onto Tran Phu heading north youll come across Bun Xuong at number 89, which specializes in several types of beef and pork soup priced between VND30k and 40k. They have a dynamite rice lunch table from VND25-40k depending on what you choose. But go early, theyre usually sold out before 1:00 pm because of early-dining office workers. Marinated meatballs 8. At the Han Market intersection on Huong Vuong Street heading toward Bach Dang and the river is a Korean favorite banh mi shop called Banh Mi AA. The banh mi prices are way on the high side at VND40-50k but the shop is air-conditioned, so perfect for hot days. 9. Right next door is Retro Kitchen featuring foreign food at foreign prices. They do serve pasta options at VND100-120k but most of the entrees are well over VND200k. 10. Following along Tran Phu Street south beyond the Han Market on the other side is Al Frescos at number 178, an Italian-run pizza joint. Pizzas are about VND240k, a tad sweet to cater to local tastes, but its a pleasant and professional experience with good service and food. 11. Just a couple of doors down at 182 Tran Phu is Kim Dy, a tiny little cafe with only six tables, but they serve interesting soups and dishes with a Chinese flair such as wonton and duck soups in the VND50-70k range. 12. Across the street and left of Kim Dy at 191 Tran Phu is a quirky little hole in the wall called Bun Thit Nuong Nga. They serve magnificent bun thit nuong (barbecued pork and chicken served with vermicelli noodles, a mountain of fresh greens, sprinkled with peanuts and a peanut sauce for only VND20k), with the tables and stools very low to the ground for an intimate Vietnamese dining experience. Parents in Ho Chi Minh City have had to return to take their children home shortly after dropping them off at school on Monday morning, as the metropolis and other localities in southern Vietnam brace for powerful typhoon Tembin. The municipal authorities had initially ordered that educational institutions in the city, from kindergartens to universities, ask their students to stay home from Monday noon through Tuesday, but the stormy weather forced some schools to close much earlier. I was on my way to work after dropping my son off at his school when he phoned me and asked me to come back to take him home, Nguyen Thanh Hien, a District 1 resident, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. I heard on the radio this morning that a storm was coming but never had I imagined the situation would be so urgent. Some schools have sent teachers to wait for parents at the school gates and told them to take their children back, while others decided to take the students in but carefully informed their parents of picking them up by Monday noon. As Ho Chi Minh City is rarely influenced by typhoons, many parents were surprised to learn that students are allowed to skip classes due to a storm. Rains were in fact recorded across Ho Chi Minh City early on Monday, as Tembin continues approaching southern Vietnam. The typhoon, the 16th to hit Vietnam this year, is forecast to make landfall later on Monday, prompting several provinces to put evacuation plans in place. In Ho Chi Minh City, authorities had evacuated more than 5,000 residents in coastal and storm-prone areas by the end of Sunday. As of 4:00 am on Monday, storm Tembin was located 410 kilometers east of Con Dao Islands off Ba Ria-Vung Tau, producing winds at 100 to 135km per hour and squalls at the maximum of 166km an hour. Upon entering the mailand, it will hit the mainland from the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau to Ca Mau Province in the Mekong Delta, according to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting. A guard informs parents of the new pick-up time at Tam Vu Elementary School in Ho Chi Minh City on December 25, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre Students wait for their parents in front of a school in Ho Chi Minh City on December 25, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre A mother takes her daughter home in the rain in Ho Chi Minh City on December 25, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre A man walks his son to school in the rain in Ho Chi Minh City on December 25, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre A father takes his daughter home in the rain in Ho Chi Minh City on December 25, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre Students leave Vo Truong Toan Middle School in Ho Chi Minh City on December 25, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre A student dressed in warm clothes is seen in Ho Chi Minh City on December 25, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre Parents read a class cancelation announcement in front of Tam Vu Elementary School in Ho Chi Minh City on December 25, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre Students are seen at Vo Truong Toan Middle School in Ho Chi Minh City on December 25, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre A sixth-grader calls his parents to pick him up early in Ho Chi Minh City on December 25, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre Students walk home after learning of the class cancelation in Ho Chi Minh City on December 25, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre A mother takes her daughter home in the rain in Ho Chi Minh City on December 25, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre A mother takes her daughter home in the rain in Ho Chi Minh City on December 25, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Nearly 80 solar panels installed on Truong Sas islands including Tien Nu, Truong Sa Dong, Truong Sa, Phan Vinh, Thuyen Chai, Da Tay, Da Lat and An Bang have been blown away by strong winds brought by the fierce storm. An Bang is the hardest-hit area among the islands in Truong Sa, with 90 percent of its trees uprooted, crops planted by soldiers destroyed and water tanks and lighting systems severely damaged. Several pig farms on An Bang were unroofed, whereas public notice boards were taken down by lashing winds. Islanders and soldiers are actively speeding up their rebuilding efforts after storm Tembin left the areas, heading for the mainland of southern Vietnam. An area on An Bang island is seen in the aftermath of storm Tembin. Photo: Tuoi Tre A lighting pole destroyed by the storm on an island in Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago. Photo: Tuoi Tre A solar panel destroyed by the storm on an island in Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago. Photo: Tuoi Tre A vegetable crop destroyed by the storm on an island in Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago. Photo: Tuoi Tre Marine platforms shaken by historic waves As Typhoon Tembin swept through Truong Sa, several marine platforms, where Vietnamese Navy soldiers are stationed, were shaken and had many of their facilities, such as oil tanks and staircases, destroyed. The storm has triggered the highest waves in the history of maritime platform DK1/15, Colonel Nguyen The Dinh, from the command of the platforms, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper via a text message at 4:00 am on Monday. The old structure located next to the DK1/15 was overwhelmed by high waves, Dinh said, adding that the good news is all soldiers [there] are safe. Rough seas are seen underneath a maritime platform in Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago. Photo: Tuoi Tre The wind was so strong that it blew away an oil tank, weighing more than ten metric tons once filled, that had been welded on to the DK1/15 platforms floor. A telecom station, the staircase and a pig farm of the platform were also destroyed by the storm. As of 8:00 am on Monday morning, the wind lost its strength as the storm left Truong Sa, but the platforms were still shaken and overwhelmed by high waves. The maritime platforms, belonging to the larger group called DK1, are stations set up for economic, scientific and technological services in Truong Sa. The rigs are complex structures of large steel pipes, and above the steel pipes is the living space for Vietnamese soldiers. Vegetables grown by soldiers stationed on a maritime platform in Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago in the aftermath of storm Tembin. Photo: Tuoi Tre A maritime platform in Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago is seen in the aftermath of storm Tembin. Photo: Tuoi Tre Rough seas are seen beneath a maritime platform in Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago in the aftermath of storm Tembin. Photo: Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Tableau Software, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides business analytics software products. It offers Tableau Desktop, a self-service, powerful analytics product with data; Tableau Server, a business intelligence platform for organizations; Tableau Online, a hosted software-as-a-service version of Tableau Server; Tableau Prep, a data preparation product for combining, shaping, and cleaning data; and Tableau Public, a cloud-based platform for analyzing and sharing public data. In addition, it offers Visual Query Language (VizQL) for databases, which is a computer language for describing pictures of data, including graphs, charts, maps, time series, and tables of visualizations; Live Query Engine that interprets abstract queries generated by VizQL into syntax understandable by database systems; and Hyper, an in-memory data engine technology that helps customers to analyze a range of data sets by evaluating analytical queries directly in the transactional database. 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K. Dixon Company, RRXH Limited, RRXIL Limited, RRXO Limited, RSA Medical, Rabbit Copiers Inc., Reflex Digital Solutions (UK) Limited, Reprographics Egypt Limited, Saxon Business Systems Inc., Smart Data Consulting, SoCal Office Technologies Inc., Stem Networks Limited, Stewart Business Systems LLC, Stewart of Alabama Inc., StrataCare, Talegen Holdings Inc., Tektronix - color printing, Text Comm Limited (in receivership), The Xerox (UK) Trust, The Xerox Foundation, Time Business Systems Limited, Triton Business Finance Limited, Una-Stem Limited, Veenman B.V., Veenman Financial Services B.V., WDS, WaterWare Internet Services, XC Asia LLC, XC Global Trading B.V., XC Trading Hong Kong Limited, XC Trading Japan G.K., XC Trading Korea YH, XC Trading Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., XC Trading Shenzhen Co. Ltd., XC Trading Singapore Pte Ltd., XEROX CZECH REPUBLIC s r.o., XESystems Foreign Sales Corporation, XFS Secured Borrowing 2020-1 LLC, XHC Acquisition Corp., XMPie, XMPie Inc., XMPie Ltd., XRI Limited, XRO Limited, Xerox (Europe) Limited, Xerox (Ireland) Limited, Xerox (Nederland) BV, Xerox (Romania) Echipmante Si Servici S.A., Xerox (UK) Limited, Xerox (Ukraine) Ltd LLC, Xerox A/S, Xerox AG, Xerox AS, Xerox Argentina Industrial y Comercial S.A., Xerox Austria GmbH, Xerox Bulgaria EOOD, Xerox Business Equipment Limited, Xerox Business Services Bulgaria EOOD, Xerox Business Solutions Inc., Xerox Business Solutions Southeast LLC, Xerox Buro Araclari Servis ve Ticaret Ltd. Sti, Xerox Canada Inc., Xerox Canada Ltd., Xerox Canada N.S. ULC, Xerox Capital (Europe) Limited, Xerox Capital LLC, Xerox Computer Services Limited, Xerox Comercio e Industria Ltda, Xerox Corporation, Xerox DNHC LLC, Xerox Dienstleistungsgesellschaft GmbH, Xerox Distributor Operations Limited, Xerox Egypt S.A.E., Xerox Equipment Limited, Xerox Equipment UK Limited, Xerox Espana S.A.U., Xerox Exports Limited, Xerox Finance AG, Xerox Finance Leasing S.A.E., Xerox Finance Limited, Xerox Financial Services B.V., Xerox Financial Services Belux NV, Xerox Financial Services Canada Ltd., Xerox Financial Services Danmark A/S, Xerox Financial Services Finland Oy, Xerox Financial Services LLC, Xerox Financial Services Norway AS, Xerox Financial Services SAS, Xerox Financial Services Sverige AB, Xerox Foreign Holdings LLC, Xerox Foreign Sales Corporation, Xerox GmbH, Xerox Health Care LLC, Xerox Hellas AEE, Xerox Holding Deutschland GmbH, Xerox Holdings (Ireland) Limited, Xerox Holdings Inc., Xerox Hungary Trading Limited, Xerox IBS Limited, Xerox IBS NI Limited, Xerox India Limited, Xerox International Joint Marketing Inc., Xerox Investments Europe B.V., Xerox Israel Ltd., Xerox Italia Rental Services Srl, Xerox Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Xerox Latinamerican Holdings Inc., Xerox Leasing Deutschland GmbH, Xerox Leasing GmbH, Xerox Limited, Xerox Luxembourg SA, Xerox Mailing Systems Limited, Xerox Manufacturing (Nederland) B.V., Xerox Maroc S.A., Xerox Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Xerox Middle East Investments (Bermuda) Limited, Xerox N.V., Xerox Overseas Holdings Limited, Xerox Overseas Inc., Xerox Oy, Xerox Pensions Limited, Xerox Polska Sp. z o. o, Xerox Portugal Equipamentos de Escritorio Limitada, Xerox Products Limited, Xerox Products UK Limited, Xerox Professional Services Limited, Xerox Realty Corporation, Xerox Renting S.A.U., Xerox Reprographische Services GmbH, Xerox S.A.S., Xerox S.p.A., Xerox Secured Borrowing 2020-1 LLC, Xerox Servicios Compartidos Guatemala y Compani Limitada, Xerox Servicos e Participacoes Ltda, Xerox Shared Services Romania SRL, Xerox Sverige AB, Xerox Technology Services India LLP, Xerox Technology Services SAS, Xerox Telebusiness GmbH, Xerox Trading Enterprises Limited, Xerox Trinidad Limited, Xerox UK Holdings Limited, Xerox XHB Limited, Xerox XIB Limited, Xerox Xf Holdings (Ireland) DAC, Xerox de Chile S.A., Xerox del Ecuador S.A., Xerox del Peru S.A., Zeno Office Solutions, Zeno Office Solutions Inc., Zoom Imaging Solutions Inc., and inVentiv Patient Access Solutions. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Marsh & McLennan Companies: 8WORKS INC., 8WORKS LTD, A. Constantinidi & CIA. S.C., A.C.N. 000 951 146 Pty Limited, A.C.N. 001 572 961 Pty Limited, A.C.N. 076 935 683 Pty Limited, A.C.N. 102 322 574 Pty Limited, ACE Insurance Agents Limited, ACE Insurance Consultants Limited, ACE Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Limited, AD Corretora de Seguros, AFCO Premium Acceptance Inc., AFCO Premium Credit LLC, Access Equity Enhanced Fund GP LLC, Admiral Holdings Limited, Agnew Higgins Pickering & Co. (Bermuda) Ltd, Aldgate Investments Limited, Aldgate Trustees Ltd, Alexander Forbes Group Holdings Limited, Alpha Consultants Limited, Alta SA, Altius Real Assets (GP) LLC, Amal Insurance Brokers Limited (in liquidation), Anda Insurance Agencies Pte Ltd, AssetVal Pty Ltd, Assur Conseils Marsh S.A., Assurance Capital Corporation, Assurance Services Corporation, Australian Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd, Australian World Underwriters Pty Ltd., BBPS Limited, Barney & Barney Orange County LLC, Beaumonts (Leeds) Limited (in liquidation), Beaumonts Insurance Brokers Limited (in liquidation), Beaumonts Insurance Services Limited, Beneficios Integrales Oportunos SA, Benefitfocus Inc., Blue Marble Micro Limited, Blue Marble Microinsurance Inc., Bluefin, Bluefin Insurance Group Limited, Bluefin Insurance Services Limited, Boulder Claims LLC, Bowring (Bermuda) Investments Ltd., Bowring Marine Limited, Bowring Marsh (Bermuda) Ltd., Bowring Marsh (Hong Kong) Limited, Bowring Marsh Asia Pte. Ltd., Bowring Marsh Corretora de Resseguros Ltda., Bowring Marsh Limited, Broderick Piller Pty Ltd, Broker 2 Broker Limited, BuildPay LLC, Burke Ford Trustees (Leicester) Limited, C.T. Bowring Limited, CMC-Belgibo NV, CPRM Limited, CPSG Partners LLC, Carpenter Marsh Fac Chile Corredores de Reaseguros Limitada, Carpenter Marsh Fac Colombia Corredores de Reaseguros S.A., Carpenter Marsh Fac Peru Corredores de Reaseguros S.A.C., Carpenter Marsh Fac Re LLC, Carpenter Turner Cyprus Ltd, Carpenter Turner S.A., Cascade International Holdings C.V., Cascade Regional Holdings Limited, Central Insurance Services Limited, Charter Risk Management Services LLC, Chartwell Healthcare Limited, Chronos Insurance Brokers Pty Limited, Claims and Recovery Management (Australia) Pty Limited, Clark Thomson Insurance Brokers Limited, Client Provide Limited, Colombian Insurance Broking Wholesale Limited, Consultores 2020 C.A., Cronin & Co Insurance Services Limited, DVA - Deutsche Verkehrs-Assekuranz-Vermittlungs GmbH, Dawson Insurance, DeLima Marsh S.A. - Los Corredores de Seguros S.A., Dovetail Insurance Corp., Dovetail Insurance Corp., Dovetail Managing General Agency Corporation, Dovetail Technology Service India Private Limited, Draw Connect Limited, Draw Create Limited, Draw Group London Limited, Eagle & Crown Limited, Echelon Australia Pty Limited, Echelon Claims Consultants Sdn Bhd, Echelon New Zealand Limited, EnBW Versicherungs Vermittlung GmbH, Encompass Insurance Agency Pty Ltd., English Pension Trustees Limited, Epsilon (US) Insurance Company, Epsilon Insurance Company Ltd., Eustis Insurance & Benefits, Evolution Management Ltd, Exchange Insurance Services Limited (in liquidation), Exmoor Management Company Limited, Faulkner & Flynn LLC, Freedom Trust Services Limited, GC Genesis LLC, GCube Insurance Services Inc, GCube Underwriting Limited, Gama Consultores Associados Ltda., Gem Insurance Company Limited, Global Premium Finance Company, GrECo International Holding AG, Gracechurch Trustees Limited, Gresham Pension Trustees Limited, Group Promoters Pty Limited, Guy Carpenter & Cia (Mexico) S.A. de C.V., Guy Carpenter & Cia. S.A., Guy Carpenter & Co. Labuan Ltd., Guy Carpenter & Company AB, Guy Carpenter & Company Corredores de Reaseguros Limitada, Guy Carpenter & Company Corretora de Resseguros Ltda., Guy Carpenter & Company GmbH, Guy Carpenter & Company LLC, Guy Carpenter & Company Limited, Guy Carpenter & Company Limited, Guy Carpenter & Company Ltd./Guy Carpenter & Compagnie Ltee, Guy Carpenter & Company Participacoes Ltda., Guy Carpenter & Company Peru Corredores de Reaseguros S.A., Guy Carpenter & Company Private Limited, Guy Carpenter & Company Proprietary Limited, Guy Carpenter & Company Pty. Ltd., Guy Carpenter & Company S.A., Guy Carpenter & Company S.A. (Uruguay), Guy Carpenter & Company S.A.S., Guy Carpenter & Company S.r.l., Guy Carpenter (Middle East) Limited, Guy Carpenter Bermuda Ltd., Guy Carpenter Broking Inc., Guy Carpenter Colombia Corredores de Reaseguros Ltda., Guy Carpenter Insurance Brokers (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Guy Carpenter Japan Inc., Guy Carpenter Mexico Intermediario de Reaseguro S.A. de C.V., Guy Carpenter Reasurans Brokerligi Anonim Sirketi, HAPIP GP 2009 LLC, HAPIP GP LLC, HSBC Insurance Brokers International (Abu Dhabi) LLC (in liquidation), Hamilton Bond Limited, Hansen International Limited, Hayward Aviation Limited, INSIA Europe SE, INSIA SK s.r.o., INSIA a.s., INSURANCE BROKERS OF NIGERIA LIMITED, IRC Asia Insurance Brokers Limited, InSolutions Limited, Industrial Risks Protection Consultants, Ingeseg S. A., Ingeseg S.A., Insbrokers Ltda., InsurTech Alliance LLC, Insure Direct (Brokers) LLC, Insure Direct (Brokers) LLC [BAHRAIN BRANCH], Insure Direct - Jardine Lloyd Thompson Limited, International Catastrophe Insurance Managers LLC, International Loss Control Services Limited, International Risk Consultants (Asia) Limited, Invercol Limited, Irish Pensions Trust Limited, Isosceles Insurance (Barbados) Limited, Isosceles Insurance Company Limited, Isosceles Insurance Ltd, Isosceles PCC Limited, J&H Marsh & McLennan Limited, J.W. Terrill Benefit Administrators Inc., JI Holdings Limited, JIB Group Holdings Limited, JIB Group Limited, JIB Holdings (Pacific) Limited, JIB Overseas Holdings Limited, JIB UK Holdings Limited, JL Marine Insurance-Brokers GmbH & Co. KG, JLM Verwaltungs GmbH, JLT (Insurance Brokers) Limited, JLT Actuaries and Consultants Limited, JLT Advisory Limited, JLT Affinity Colombia Solutions SAS, JLT Agencies Limited, JLT Asesorias Ltda, JLT Asia Holdings BV, JLT Asia Shared Services Sdn Bhd, JLT Belgibo, JLT Benefit Consultants Limited, JLT Benefit Solutions Limited, JLT Benefit Solutions SA (Pty) Ltd, JLT Bermuda Ltd, JLT Brasil Holdings Participacoes Ltd, JLT Chile Holdings SpA, JLT Colombia Retail Limited, JLT Colombia Wholesale Limited, JLT Consultants & Actuaries Limited, JLT EB Holdings Limited, JLT EB Services Limited, JLT Employee Benefits Holding Company (PTY) LTD, JLT Employee Benefits SA (Pty) Ltd, JLT Financial Planning Limited, JLT France Holdings, JLT Group Services Pty Limited, JLT Holdings (Barbados) Ltd, JLT Holdings (NZ) Limited, JLT Independent Insurance Brokers Private Limited, JLT Insurance Agencies Limited, JLT Insurance Brokers Co. Limited, JLT Insurance Brokers Co. Limited ( Shanghai Branch), JLT Insurance Brokers Co. Limited (Beijing Branch), JLT Insurance Brokers Co. Limited (Guangzhou Branch), JLT Insurance Brokers Ireland Limited, JLT Insurance Brokers SA, JLT Insurance Group Holdings Ltd, JLT Insurance Management Malta Limited, JLT Intellectual Property Limited, JLT Intellectual Property [UK Branch], JLT Interactive Pte. Ltd., JLT Investment Management Limited, JLT LATAM (Southern Cone) Wholesale Limited, JLT Latin American Holdings Limited, JLT Life Assurance Brokers Limited, JLT Management Services Limited, JLT Marine (Pty) Ltd, JLT Mexico Holdings Limited, JLT Mexico Intermediario de Reaseguro S.A. de C.V., JLT Netherlands BV, JLT Norway AS, JLT PLA, JLT Pension Trustees Limited, JLT Pensions Administration Holdings Limited, JLT Pensions Administration Limited, JLT Peru Reinsurance Solutions Limited, JLT Peru Retail Limited, JLT Peru Wholesale Limited, JLT QFM Services Limited, JLT RE Brasil Administracao e Corretagem de Resseguros Ltda, JLT Re (French Branch), JLT Re (Northern Europe) AB, JLT Re Argentina Corredores de Reaseguros S.A.U., JLT Re Labuan Limited, JLT Re Limited, JLT Re Pty Ltd, JLT Reinsurance Brokers GmbH, JLT Reinsurance Brokers Limited, JLT Reinsurance Brokers Limited [French Branch], JLT Risk Management Limited, JLT Risk Solutions AB, JLT Risk Solutions AB Branch - Germany, JLT SA IB Holdings Company (Pty) Limited, JLT SCK Affinity Administracao e Corretora de Seguros Ltda., JLT SCK Corretora e Administradora de Seguros, JLT Secretaries Limited, JLT Sigorta ve Reasurans Brokerlii A.., JLT Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., JLT Specialty France, JLT Specialty Insurance Broker A/S, JLT Specialty Limited, JLT Specialty Limited [DUBAI BRANCH], JLT Specialty Pte. Ltd., JLT Towner Insurance Management (Anguilla) Limited, JLT Trust Services (Barbados) Ltd, JLT Trustees (Southern) Limited, JLT Trustees Limited, JLT UK Investment Holdings Limited, JLT Vantage Risk and Benefit Consulting Private Limited, JLT Wealth Management Limited, JLT do Brasil Corretagem de Seguros Ltda, JLTPCS Holdings Pte. Ltd., JMIB Holdings BV, JSL Securities Inc., Japan Affinity Marketing Inc., Jardine IBR Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson (Proprietary) Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Asia Pte Ltd, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Australia Pty Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Canada Inc, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group Ltd, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc, Jardine Lloyd Thompson India Private Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson India Private Limited (UK Branch Office), Jardine Lloyd Thompson Insurance Consultants Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Inc., Jardine Lloyd Thompson Ireland Holdings Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Ireland Unlimited Company, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Korea Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Limited [Macao Branch], Jardine Lloyd Thompson PCS (Dubai) Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson PCS Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson PCS Pte Ltd, Jardine Lloyd Thompson PCS SA, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Private Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Pty Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Sdn Bhd, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Valencia y Iragorri Corredores de Seguros SA, Jardine Pension Trustees Ireland Limited, Jardine Risk Consulting Co. Limited, Jardine ShunTak Insurance Brokers Limited, Jardine ShunTak Insurance Brokers Limited [Macao Branch], Jardines PF- Consultoria Em Gestao De Risco Limitada, Jelf, Jelf Commercial Finance Limited, Jelf Financial Planning Limited, Jelf Insurance Brokers Limited, Jelf Limited, Jelf Risk Management Limited, Jelf Wellbeing Limited, John Lampier & Son Ltd, Johnson & Higgins (Bermuda) Limited, Johnson & Higgins Limited, KESSLER & CO AG, Kepler Associates Limited, Kessler & Co Inc., Kessler Consulting Inc., Kessler Prevoyance Inc., Key Underwriting Pty Limited, Kroll, Lambert Brothers Holdings Limited, Lambert Brothers Insurance Brokers (Employee Benefits) Limited, Lambert Brothers Insurance Brokers (Hong Kong) Ltd, Laterlife.com Limited (in liquidation), Lavaretus Underwriting AB, Lavaretus Underwriting AB (BRANCH - Denmark), Libra Insurance Services Limited (in liquidation), Lloyd & Partners Limited, Local Government Insurance Brokers Pty Limited, Lomond Macdonald Limited, Lynch Insurance Brokers Limited, M&M Vehicle L.P., M.P. Bolshaw and Company Limited, MAG JLT SpA, MERCER ALTERNATIVES LIMITED, MM Risk Services Pty Ltd (for dissolution), MMA Mid-Atlantic Employee LLC, MMA Securities LLC, MMB Consultores S.A., MMC (Singapore) Holdings Pte. Ltd., MMC 28 State Street Holdings Inc., MMC Borrower LLC, MMC Brazilian Holdings B.V., MMC Capital Inc., MMC Cascade Regional Holdings LLC, MMC FINANCE (EUROPE) LIMITED, MMC FINANCE HOLDINGS LTD, MMC Finance (Australia) Limited, MMC Finance (Singapore) Limited, MMC France Holdings (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., MMC GP III Inc., MMC Group Services sp. z o.o., MMC Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd, MMC Holdings (New Zealand) ULC, MMC Holdings (UK) Limited, MMC International Finance (Barbados) SRL, MMC International Holdings LLC, MMC International Limited, MMC International Treasury Centre Limited, MMC Middle East Holdings Limited, MMC Poland Holdings B.V., MMC Realty Inc., MMC Regional Asia Holdings B.V., MMC Regional Caribbean Holdings Ltd., MMC Regional Europe Holdings B.V., MMC Regional LATAM Holdings B.V., MMC Securities (Europe) Limited, MMC Securities LLC, MMC Treasury Holdings (UK) Limited, MMC UK Group Limited, MMC UK Pension Fund Trustee Limited, MMOW Limited, MMRC LLC, MOW Holding LLC, MPIP III GP LLC, MPIP IV GP LLC, MPIP V GP LLC, MPIP VI GP LLC, Mangrove Insurance Europe PCC Limited, Mangrove Insurance Solutions PCC, Mangrove Insurance Solutions PCC Limited, Manoel Management Services Ltd, Marchant McKechnie Insurance Brokers Limited, Marine Aviation & General (London) Limited, Marsh & McLennan (PNG) Limited, Marsh & McLennan Agencies AS, Marsh & McLennan Agencies Limited, Marsh & McLennan Agency A/S, Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC, Marsh & McLennan Agency Limited, Marsh & McLennan Agency Pty Ltd., Marsh & McLennan Argentina SA Corredores de Reaseguros, Marsh & McLennan Colombia S.A., Marsh & McLennan Companies Acquisition Funding Limited, Marsh & McLennan Companies Acquisition Limited, Marsh & McLennan Companies Asia Pacific Treasury Center Limited, Marsh & McLennan Companies BVBA/SPRL, Marsh & McLennan Companies Finance Center (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Marsh & McLennan Companies France S.A.S., Marsh & McLennan Companies Holdings (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc., Marsh & McLennan Companies Regional Holdings S.a.r.l., Marsh & McLennan Companies Services B.V., Marsh & McLennan Companies UK Limited, Marsh & McLennan Europe S.a.r.l., Marsh & McLennan GP I Inc., Marsh & McLennan Global Broking (Bermuda) Ltd., Marsh & McLennan Holding GmbH, Marsh & McLennan Holdings (Canada) ULC, Marsh & McLennan Holdings Inc., Marsh & McLennan Incorporated (for dissolution), Marsh & McLennan Innovation Centre Holdings II, Marsh & McLennan Innovation Centre Holdings S.a.r.l., Marsh & McLennan Innovation Centre Limited, Marsh & McLennan Insurance Services Limited, Marsh & McLennan Ireland Limited, Marsh & McLennan Management Services (Bermuda) Limited, Marsh & McLennan Risk Capital Holdings Ltd., Marsh & McLennan Servicios S.A. De C.V., Marsh & McLennan Shared Services Canada Limited, Marsh & McLennan Shared Services Corporation, Marsh (Bahrain) Company SPC, Marsh (Beijing) Risk Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Marsh (China) Insurance Brokers Co. Ltd., Marsh (Hong Kong) Limited, Marsh (Insurance Brokers) LLP, Marsh (Insurance Services) Limited, Marsh (Malawi) Limited, Marsh (Middle East) Limited, Marsh (Namibia) (Proprietary) Limited, Marsh (Pty) Ltd, Marsh (Risk Consulting) LLP, Marsh (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Marsh A/S, Marsh AB, Marsh AG, Marsh AS, Marsh Advantage Insurance Holdings Pty Ltd, Marsh Advantage Insurance Pty Ltd., Marsh Africa (Pty) Ltd, Marsh Argentina S.R.L., Marsh Associates (Pty) Ltd, Marsh Austria G.m.b.H., Marsh Aviation Insurance Broking Pty Ltd (for dissolution), Marsh B.V., Marsh Botswana (Proprietary) Limited, Marsh Brockman y Schuh Agente de Seguros y de Fianzas S.A. de C.V., Marsh Broker Japan Inc., Marsh Broker de Asigurare-Reasigurare S.R.L., Marsh Brokers (Hong Kong) Limited, Marsh Brokers Limited, Marsh Canada Limited/Marsh Canada Limitee, Marsh Company Management Services Cayman Ltd., Marsh Compensation Technologies Administration (Pty) Ltd, Marsh Corporate Services (Barbados) Limited, Marsh Corporate Services Isle of Man Ltd, Marsh Corporate Services Limited, Marsh Corporate Services Malta Limited, Marsh Corretora de Seguros Ltda., Marsh EOOD, Marsh Egypt LLC, Marsh Emirates Consultancy LLC, Marsh Emirates Insurance Brokerage LLC, Marsh Employee Benefits Limited, Marsh Employee Benefits Zimbabwe (Private) Ltd, Marsh Eurofinance B.V., Marsh Europe S.A., Marsh FJC International Insurance Brokers Limited, Marsh For Insurance Services S.A.E., Marsh Franco Acra S.A., Marsh GSC Servicos e Administracao de Seguros Ltda., Marsh GmbH, Marsh Holding AB, Marsh Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Marsh India Insurance Brokers Private Limited, Marsh Insurance & Investments LLC, Marsh Insurance Brokers, Marsh Insurance Brokers (Macao) Limited, Marsh Insurance Brokers (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Marsh Insurance Brokers (Private) Limited, Marsh Insurance Brokers AO, Marsh Insurance Brokers Limited, Marsh Insurance Consulting Saudi Arabia (in liquidation), Marsh Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers LLC, Marsh Intermediaries Inc., Marsh International Broking Holdings Limited, Marsh International Holdings II Inc., Marsh International Holdings Inc., Marsh Investment B.V., Marsh Ireland Brokers Limited, Marsh Ireland Brokers Limited (UK Branch), Marsh Ireland Holdings Limited, Marsh Israel (1999) Ltd., Marsh Israel (Holdings) Ltd., Marsh Israel Consultants Ltd., Marsh Israel Insurance Agency Ltd., Marsh Israel International Brokers Ltd. (in liquidation), Marsh JCS Inc., Marsh Japan Inc., Marsh Kft., Marsh Kindlustusmaakler AS, Marsh Korea Inc., Marsh LLC, Marsh LLC Insurance Brokers, Marsh LLC [Ukraine], Marsh Lda., Marsh Limited, Marsh Limited [Fiji], Marsh Limited [New Zealand], Marsh Limited [PNG], Marsh Ltd. [Wisconsin], Marsh Management Services (Bahamas) Ltd., Marsh Management Services (Barbados) Limited, Marsh Management Services (Bermuda) Ltd., Marsh Management Services (Dublin) Limited, Marsh Management Services (Labuan) Limited, Marsh Management Services (MENA) Limited, Marsh Management Services (USVI) Ltd., Marsh Management Services Cayman Ltd., Marsh Management Services Guernsey Limited, Marsh Management Services Inc., Marsh Management Services Isle of Man Limited, Marsh Management Services Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Marsh Management Services Malta Limited, Marsh Management Services Singapore Pte. Ltd., Marsh Management Services Sweden AB, Marsh Marine & Energy AB, Marsh Marine Nederland B.V., Marsh Medical Consulting GmbH, Marsh Mercer Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd, Marsh Nest Inc., Marsh Oman LLC, Marsh Oy, Marsh PB Co. Ltd., Marsh Philippines Inc., Marsh Privat A.I.E., Marsh Private Client Life Insurance Services, Marsh Pty. Ltd., Marsh Qatar LLC, Marsh RE S.A.C. Corredores de Reaseguros, Marsh Rehder Consultoria S.A. (MRC), Marsh Rehder S.A. Corredores de Seguros, Marsh Resolutions Pty Limited, Marsh Risk Consulting B.V., Marsh Risk Consulting Limitada, Marsh Risk Consulting Ltda., Marsh Risk Consulting S.L., Marsh Risk Consulting Services S.r.L., Marsh Risk and Consulting Services (Pty) Ltd, Marsh S.A. Corredores De Seguros, Marsh S.A. Mediadores de Seguros, Marsh S.A.S., Marsh S.p.A., Marsh SA [Argentina], Marsh SA [Belgium], Marsh SA [Luxembourg], Marsh SA [Uruguay], Marsh SIA, Marsh Saldana Inc., Marsh Saudi Arabia Insurance & Reinsurance Brokers, Marsh Secretarial Services Limited, Marsh Semusa S.A., Marsh Services Limited, Marsh Services Spolka z.o.o., Marsh Sigorta ve Reasurans Brokerligi Anonim Sirketi, Marsh Spolka z.o.o., Marsh Szolgaltato Kft., Marsh Takaful Brokers (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Marsh Treasury Services (Dublin) Limited (in liquidation), Marsh Treasury Services Limited, Marsh Tunisia S.a.r.l., Marsh UK Limited, Marsh USA (India) Inc., Marsh USA Borrower LLC, Marsh USA Inc., Marsh Uganda Limited, Marsh Venezuela C.A. Sociedad de Corretaje de Seguros, Marsh Vietnam Insurance Broking Company Ltd, Marsh Zambia Limited, Marsh Zimbabwe Holdings (Private) Limited, Marsh d.o.o. Beograd, Marsh d.o.o. za posredovanje u osiguranju, Marsh for Insurance Services - Jordan, Marsh i-Connect (Pty) Ltd, Marsh s.r.o., Matthiessen Assurans AB, Mercer (Argentina) S.A., Mercer (Australia) Pty Ltd, Mercer (Austria) GmbH, Mercer (Belgium) SA-NV, Mercer (Canada) Limited/Mercer (Canada) Limitee, Mercer (China) Limited, Mercer (Colombia) Ltda., Mercer (Danmark) A/S, Mercer (Finland) OY, Mercer (France) SAS, Mercer (Hong Kong) Limited, Mercer (Ireland) Limited, Mercer (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Mercer (N.Z.) Limited, Mercer (Nederland) B.V., Mercer (Norge) AS, Mercer (Polska) Sp.z o.o., Mercer (Portugal) Lda, Mercer (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Mercer (Sweden) AB, Mercer (Taiwan) Ltd., Mercer (Thailand) Ltd., Mercer (US) Inc., Mercer Administration Services (Australia) Pty Limited, Mercer Africa Limited, Mercer Agente de Seguros S.A. de C.V., Mercer Asesores de Seguros S.A., Mercer Asesores es Inversion Independientes S.A. de C.V., Mercer Broking Ltd., Mercer Career Unipessoal Lda, Mercer Consultation (Quebec) Ltee., Mercer Consulting (Australia) Pty Ltd, Mercer Consulting (Chile) Limitada, Mercer Consulting (France) SAS, Mercer Consulting (India) Private Limited, Mercer Consulting B.V., Mercer Consulting Group Inc., Mercer Consulting Holdings Sdn. Bhd., Mercer Consulting Limited, Mercer Consulting Middle East Limited, Mercer Consulting S.L.U., Mercer Consulting Venezuela C.A., Mercer Corredores de Seguros Limitada, Mercer Corretora de Seguros Ltda, Mercer Danismanlik Anonim Sirketi, Mercer Deutschland GmbH, Mercer Employee Benefits - Medicacao de Seguros Unipessoal Lda., Mercer Employee Benefits Limited, Mercer Financial Advice (Australia) Pty Ltd, Mercer Financial Services Limited, Mercer Financial Services Limited liability company, Mercer Financial Services Middle East Limited, Mercer Global Investments Europe Limited, Mercer Global Investments Management Limited, Mercer HR Consulting Borrower LLC, Mercer HR Services LLC, Mercer Health & Benefits (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Mercer Health & Benefits Administration LLC, Mercer Health & Benefits LLC, Mercer Holdings Inc., Mercer Holdings Inc. [Philippines], Mercer Human Resource Consulting Ltda, Mercer Human Resource Consulting S.A. de C.V., Mercer ICC Limited, Mercer Investment Consulting Limited, Mercer Investment Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Mercer Investment Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Mercer Investments (Australia) Limited, Mercer Investments (Hong Kong) Limited, Mercer Investments (Japan) Ltd, Mercer Investments (New Zealand) Limited, Mercer Investments LLC, Mercer Ireland Holdings Limited, Mercer Italia Srl Socio Unico, Mercer Japan Ltd., Mercer Korea Co. Ltd., Mercer LLC, Mercer Limited, Mercer MC Consulting Borrower LLC, Mercer Master Trustees Limited, Mercer Mauritius Ltd., Mercer Oliver Wyman Holding B.V., Mercer Outsourcing (Australia) Pty Ltd, Mercer Outsourcing S.L.U., Mercer Pensionsfonds AG, Mercer Pensionsraadgivning A/S, Mercer Philippines Inc., Mercer Private Investment Partners IV General Partner S.a.r.l., Mercer Private Markets AG, Mercer Private Markets Advisers (US) AG, Mercer Services Poland Sp. z.o.o., Mercer Sigorta Brokerligi Anonim Sirketi, Mercer South Africa (Pty) Limited, Mercer Superannuation (Australia) Limited, Mercer Switzerland Inc., Mercer System Services LLC, Mercer Technology Acquisitions Limited, Mercer Treuhand GmbH, Mercer Trust Company LLC, Mercer Trustees Limited, Mercer WorkforcePro LLC, Mercury Insurance Services Pty Ltd, Moola Systems Limited, Mountlodge Limited, Muir Beddal (Zimbabwe) Limited, NERA Australia Pty. Ltd., NERA Economic Consulting GmbH, NERA Economic Consulting Limited, NERA S.R.L., NERA SAS, NERA UK Limited, NERA do Brasil Ltda. (for dissolution), National Economic Research Associates Inc., NetComp Insurance Corp., Neuburger Noble Lowndes GmbH, Normandy Reinsurance Company Limited, Northern Alliance Brokers Limited (in liquidation), OWL Marine Insurance-Brokers GmbH & Co.KG, OWL Marine Verwaltungs GmbH, Oliver Wyman (Bermuda) Limited, Oliver Wyman (Hong Kong) Limited, Oliver Wyman AB, Oliver Wyman AG, Oliver Wyman Actuarial Consulting Inc., Oliver Wyman B.V., Oliver Wyman Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd, Oliver Wyman Consultoria em Estrategia de Negocios Ltda., Oliver Wyman Energy Consulting Limited, Oliver Wyman FZ-LLC, Oliver Wyman Group KK, Oliver Wyman Inc., Oliver Wyman LLC, Oliver Wyman Limited, Oliver Wyman Limited Liability Company, Oliver Wyman Limited/Oliver Wyman limitee, Oliver Wyman Ltd., Oliver Wyman Pte. Ltd., Oliver Wyman Pty. Ltd., Oliver Wyman S. de R.L. de C.V., Oliver Wyman S.A.S., Oliver Wyman S.L., Oliver Wyman S.r.l., Oliver Wyman SNC, Oliver Wyman SPRL/BVBA, Oliver Wyman Sdn. Bhd., Oliver Wyman Services Limited, Oliver Wyman Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Oliver Wyman sp. z o.o., Omega Indemnity (Bermuda) Limited, Organizacion Brockman y Schuh S.A. de C.V., Osbornes Insurances Oxford Limited (in liquidation), PFT Limited, PI Indemnity Company Designated Activity Company, PT JLT Reinsurance Brokers, PT Jardine Lloyd Thompson, PT Marsh Indonesia, PT Marsh Reinsurance Brokers Indonesia, PT Mercer Indonesia, PT Nexus Asia Pacific, PT Oliver Wyman Indonesia, PT Quantum Computing Services, PT Quantum Investments, PT Quantum Support Services, Pallas Marsh Servicos Ltda., Pavilion Alternatives Group (Singapore) PTE. Ltd, Pavilion Financial Corporation Holdings UK Limited, Pavilion U.S. Investments Holdco LLC, Pension Trustees Limited, Pensionsservice Benefit Network Sverige AB, Perils AG, Personal Pension Trustees Limited, Pet Animal Welfare Scheme Limited, Portsoken Trustees (No. 2) Limited, Portsoken Trustees Limited, Potomac Insurance Managers Inc., Premier Pension Trustees Limited, Premium Services Australia Pty Limited, Professional Claims Handling Limited (in liquidation), Profund Solutions Limited, Promerit AG, Promerit Hungary Kft, Promerit Schweiz AG, Pymetrics Inc., R G Ford Brokers Limited, R R B Beratungsgesellschaft fuer Altersversorgung mbh, R. Mees & Zoonen Holdings B.V., Renewable Energy Loss Adjusters LLC, Renewable Energy Loss Adjusters Limited, Resource Benefit Associates, Rightpath Reinsurance SPC Ltd., Risk Management Australia Pty Limited, Rivers Group Limited, Rockefeller Risk Advisors Inc., Rutherfoord International Inc., SAFCAR-Marsh, SBJ Holdings Limited, SCIB (Bermuda) Limited, SCM Global Real Estate Select GP LLC, SCM Infrastructure General Partner S.a r.l., SCM International Private Equity Select III GP LLC, SCM LT General Partner S.a.r.l., SCM PE General Partner S.a.r.l., SCM PE II GP Ltd., SCM PE II Scotland GP Ltd, SCM Strategic Capital Management (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., SICAR Marsh S.a.r.l., SME Insurance Services Limited, Sail Insurance Company Limited, Scalene Re Ltd, Seabury & Smith Borrower LLC, Seabury & Smith LLC, Secure Limited, Sedgwick (Holdings) Pty. Limited, Sedgwick Consulting Group Limited, Sedgwick Dineen Group Limited, Sedgwick Financial Services Limited, Sedgwick Forbes Middle East Limited, Sedgwick Group, Sedgwick Group (Australia) Pty. Limited, Sedgwick Group (Bermuda) Limited, Sedgwick Group (Zimbabwe) Limited, Sedgwick Group Limited, Sedgwick Internationaal B.V., Sedgwick Limited, Sedgwick Management Services (Barbados) Limited, Sedgwick Management Services (Singapore) Pte Limited, Sedgwick Noble Lowndes (UK) Limited, Sedgwick Noble Lowndes Group Limited, Sedgwick Noble Lowndes Limited, Sedgwick Overseas Investments Limited, Sedgwick Private Limited, Sedgwick Re Asia Pacific (Consultants) Pte Ltd (for dissolution), Sedgwick Trustees Limited, Sedgwick UK Risk Services Limited, Sedgwick Ulster Pension Trustees Limited, Settlement Trustees Limited, Shanghai Mercer Insurance Brokers Company Ltd., Shorewest Insurance Associates LLC, Sirota Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Sirota Consulting UK Limited, Smith Long Term Disability Management Group Inc., Societe d'Assurances et de Participation Guian SA, Software Underwriting Systems Limited (in liquidation), Southern Marine & Aviation Inc., Southern Marine & Aviation Underwriters Inc., Sudzucker Versicherungs-Vermittlungs GmbH, Sumitomo Life Insurance Agency America Inc., Sylvite Financial Services, TBX Solutions Limited, Talent Tech Labs LLC, The Benefit Express Holdings Limited, The Benefit Express Limited, The Carpenter Management Corporation, The Insurance Partnership Holdings Limited, The Insurance Partnership Services Limited, The Positive Ageing Company Limited, The Purple Partnership Limited, The Recovre Group Pty Ltd, Thomsons Online Benefits (HK) Ltd., Thomsons Online Benefits Inc., Thomsons Online Benefits Limited, Thomsons Online Benefits Pte Ltd., Thomsons Online Benefits S.R.L, Torrent Government Contracting Services LLC, Torrent Insurance Services LLC, Torrent Technologies, Torrent Technologies Inc., Tower Hill Limited, Tower Place Developments (West) Limited, Tower Place Developments Limited, U.T.E. AMG, U.T.E. Marsh - Caja Castilla La Mancha Junta de Comunidades, U.T.E. Marsh - Salvado Reus (in liquidation), U.T.E. Marsh - Salvado Reus 2012, U.T.E. Marsh - Salvado Vila-Seca 2010, UAD BB Marsh Lietuva, Vezina & Associes Inc., Vezina Assurances Inc., Victor Insurance Europe B.V., Victor Insurance Holdings Inc., Victor Insurance Italia S.r.l., Victor Insurance Managers Inc., Victor Insurance Managers Inc./Gestionnaires d'assurance Victor inc., Victor O. Schinnerer & Co. (Bermuda) Ltd., Victor O. Schinnerer & Company Limited, Victoria Hall Company Limited, Wellnz Limited, William M. Mercer (Canada) Limited/William M. Mercer (Canada) Limitee, William M. Mercer AB, William M. Mercer Comercio Consultoria e Servicos Ltda., Wortham Insurance & Risk Management, everBe SAS, and realright GmbH. Read More 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 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. Read More Three charged in connection to missing Aberdeen man As the Aberdeen Police Department continues to investigate the disappearance of Simon Deng in Aberdeen, three people now face charges. Here are some notable suggestions for holiday book giving. The list could go on and on, but I promise, it wont. Stubby Pringles Christmas by Jack Schaefer, illustrated by Lorence Bjorklund. This stand-alone short story is a holiday treat. Its about 20-year-old Stubby Pringle, a simple cowhand on the Triple X. Hes on his flop-eared ewe-necked cat-hipped strawberry roan through mountains of snow and ice headed to the Christmas dance in the valley, a box of chocolates in his saddlebag. But Stubby encounters the unexpected. A woman is chopping wood. Her husband is bedridden. It looks like their two kids wont have a tree or presents for Christmas, until Stubby steps up. Theres more to tell about this warm yarn, but well let it be a surprise. Originally released in 1963, it is republished by UNM Press. Schaefer is the award-winning author of the much-praised Western novel Monte Walsh, as well as The Kean Land and Other Stories, Mavericks and Company of Cowards. These four titles UNM Press also republished this fall. Schaefer died in 1991 in Santa Fe. Night Visions: Magical Photographs of Life After Dark edited by Susan Tyler Hitchcock. There are a multitude of diverse and shimmering photographs in this large-format book. Actually, the adjective in the subtitle says it all magical. The images span the globe. Examples: Many colors brighten the front of the Museum of Fine Arts during the Festival of Lights in Lyon, FranceTourists watch sparks in white, yellow and gold fly up as lava erupts from a volcano in Iceland. The prow of a ship of Team Alvimedica is seen against the setting sun off the coast of Cape Verde in the Atlantic. Buddhist monks in Chiang Mai, Thailand, release a lantern joining other lanterns in the sky during a festival. The Pyramids of Giza, Egypt, are in wordless shadow; in the background are the lights of Cairo. And a sky watcher in Albuquerque, yes, Albuquerque, who is in silhouette observing a solar eclipse in the shape of a ring. Remarkable Books: The Worlds Most Beautiful and Historic Works Book lovers and collectors will gasp OMG! when they page through this large-format volume. So will ordinary folks. What makes this volume so beautiful are the vibrant reprints of illustrations. What makes the book historic is that it reaches back thousands of years ago when early books were scrolls inscribed with ink or slabs of bamboo engraved with a script, according to the preface. This volume presents the Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead, the I Ching, the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Celtic Book of Kells, among others. Come forward in time to find pioneering scientific, literary, scholarly, artistic and religious books, such as The Gutenberg Bible and its illuminated pages, printed in 1455. Here, too, are pages from what is called the first modern novel Miguel de Cervantes Saavedras Don Quixote. Published in two parts, in 1605 and in 1615, the novel preceded Shakespeares First Folio (1623). There are many more recent and equally famous titles. Journey An Illustrated History of Travel. Michael Collins is the lead contributor. This coffee table-size book takes viewers on an exploration of explorations, so to speak. In other words, as stated in the preface, an illustrated account of human movement, travel, exploration and scientific discovery. Included are entries on ancient Minoan seafarers, Phoenician traders, Marco Polo, Columbus, Cortes and other discoverers on land, sea and air. There are also chapters on piracy, immigration and slavery. But not the infamous empire builder Genghis Khan. MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) A New York Fire Department employee is being held on $1 million bail after police say he ran over a college honors student on Long Island after a minor accident. The bail was ordered Sunday when Daniel Coppolo pleaded not guilty in the Nov. 9 accident. Authorities say he sped away, running over 18-year-old Taranjit Parmar as she held his door, asking him to stay after the Levittown accident. Defense attorney Lawrence Carra says he hasn't seen credible evidence his client, a fire department dispatcher, was the driver. Renjit Parmar, father of the Adelphi University honors student, told a Mineola news conference the public provided leads resulting in Coppolo's arrest. The 31-year-old man was charged with manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident, tampering with physical evidence and reckless endangerment. 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Copyright 2017 Albuquerque Journal CIUDAD JUAREZ Christmas at some orphanages in northern Mexico is a little merrier, thanks to a group of visitors from Albuquerque who also received by giving. You just come back and your heart is filled with joy, said Darla Scarborough, who led a mission trip from Albuquerque on Dec. 11 to a Rescue Ministries of Mexico orphanage in Ciudad Juarez. She said the children beamed with happiness after opening gifts delivered by the group. Scarborough said she was first inspired to help about 10 years ago when she learned about the work of Rescue Ministries of Mexico, a faith-based, nonprofit organization operated by the Paez family of El Paso. She had visited the organizations orphanage in Madera, a tiny town nestled in the mountains of Chihuahua. I just couldnt get it off my mind, off my heart, and I wanted to do something for Christmas, she said during a telephone interview. So a decade after her first visit, she is still gathering donations year-round in Albuquerque for children in the town more than 300 miles south of the border as well as in Ciudad Juarez. Darla is wonderful. Shes gone beyond what we could have expected. Shes very special to us, said Sara Paez, director of Rescue Ministries of Mexico. Paez lives in El Paso but grew up in Juarez and runs the charity started 50 years ago by her mother, Guadalupe Paez. Now 80 years old, Lupita, as shes known, still helps out. Rescue Ministries of Mexico has five shelters, including the orphanage for children and a home for elderly people in Madera. The organization also operates a food and clothing bank and has a new shelter for teenage boys. Rescue Ministries of Mexico helps the most vulnerable in one of the countrys most dangerous regions, an area where rival cartels wage a bloody fight for territory and control of drug distribution routes from the Sierra Madre mountains of Chihuahua to the U.S. border. Sara Paez recently drove a van loaded with food, toys and clothes, including winter jackets, to Madera. The area is now experiencing a cold snap as well as a spike in drug violence. God gives us a lot of peace in what we are doing. He guides us, she said. But Paez knows a lot of people are afraid to travel to the area. The roads were empty, she said. Safety concerns forced Scarborough to skip the trip to Madera this year. Instead, she traveled with the group from Albuquerque to the Rescue Ministries of Mexicos orphanage in Juarez in mid-December. The crew that we just took, 12 of them out of 14 had never been on a mission trip, she said. They enjoyed a Christmas party and were there when children opened gifts delivered by the group. It really touches their hearts, she said of the visitors. Scarborough also helps out in her hometown. Her group, Friends Feeding Friends NM, offers meals to homeless people in Albuquerque once a month. Scarborough said she started helping children in Mexico to set the example for her own kids when they were growing up. And though she could not visit the orphanage in Madera this holiday season, she used a list from Paez to make sure the donated Christmas gifts were personalized for each child. She also sent a message for the kids: There are people all the way here in Albuquerque who love them and think about them and want to help them. NOGALES, Ariz. Sheriff Tony Estrada is a different kind of Arizona lawman. Born in Nogales, Mexico, Marco Antonio Estrada was raised just north of the U.S. border, giving him a unique perspective on issues related to it and strong opinions about treatment of immigrants. Pointedly, the white-haired, 74-year-old Spanish-speaker has said hes not a fan of President Donald Trump, his proposed border wall or his hardline immigration policies. Estrada has become an even harsher critic during the presidents first months in office as detentions of migrants away from the border have soared. Arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, whose officers pick up people for deportation, surged 40 percent from the same period a year earlier. As a lawman, Estrada said he opposes illegal immigration and has long ensured his deputies turn over to federal authorities those people they find to be in the country illegally. At the Santa Cruz County Jail he runs, immigrants who have been charged with or convicted of crimes are regularly held overnight or over the weekend for federal agencies. But Estrada said the Obama administration treated immigrants more humanely than the current one by largely ignoring people whose violations were limited to illegal entry or re-entry into the United States, and focusing on deporting people who committed serious crimes. There are ways to enforce the law with more compassion, he insisted. And they really need to focus on the truly bad guys, more on illegal drugs. First elected in 1992, Estrada is in his seventh term and says he probably wont run again. He marks 50 years in law enforcement on New Years Eve half of that time with the Nogales, Arizona, Police Department, the other half as county sheriff. Estrada was a toddler in 1944 when his mother brought him and three brothers across the border to Arizona to join their father, who had received approval to bring them into America. In subsequent decades, he said, he witnessed many other families torn apart by U.S. immigration policies. The cruelest thing a government can do is separate families children from parents, wives from husbands, Estrada said. He said it makes more sense to monitor immigrants who are living productive lives in the U.S., rather than deport them and split up relatives. Estrada is unapologetically liberal in a state where lawmen are often known for being politically conservative, a Democrat who proudly displays in his office a photograph of presidential candidate Bernie Sanders March 2016 border visit. Metro Phoenix Sheriff Paul Penzone, who defeated longtime incumbent Joe Arpaio in 2016, is a Democrat, but most of Arizonas other sheriffs are Republicans. Fellow Arizona border Sheriff Leon N. Wilmot of Yuma County said Estrada is simply responding to his constituency, which in Santa Cruz County is more than 80 percent Hispanic. Every sheriff has to tailor their enforcement and policies to their community, said Wilmot, who described Estrada as gracious and professional. Hes an iconic border sheriff and will leave a big legacy. Arpaio gained national attention with his anti-immigrant policies before he lost his re-election bid in Maricopa County. As sheriffs, we got along, even though I disagreed a lot with his policies, Estrada said of Arpaio. Arpaio, who became sheriff the same year Estrada did, said that despite their differences, he always respected his Santa Cruz County colleague as a real gentleman. He has a right to his opinion, and he really does know the border, the 85-year-old Arpaio said. Still, as a law enforcement guy, he should be thanking the president. Since Trump took office, there are a lot fewer people crossing over. Estrada acknowledged his views are unpopular among some, but I only answer to my voters. At the international line one recent morning, Estrada greeted a Border Patrol agent then peered through the metal bars at his hometown in Mexico, noting he hadnt traveled there in years. He criticized Trumps border wall idea as a waste of money, calling it impossible to build an effective structure with complicated geography that includes canyons and other hard-to-get-to places, and insisting desperate people will still find a way to get across. There are pockets of poverty in our own nation, and were thinking about building a big, beautiful wall,' Estrada said, shaking his head. Our priorities are all screwed up. 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. 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. For most of the year, Mount Calvary Cemetery is a place of quiet, reverence and solitude. But each Christmas Eve, the memorial park bustles with laughter and prayer, quiet tears and the occasional jingle of bells. Hours before sunset, hundreds of people set to work decorating the graves of lost loved ones with luminarias and other holiday decor. By nightfall, the lawn blooms with potted and plastic poinsettias, and flickering luminarias coat much of the sprawling landscape on Edith and Indian School. For Cecilia Pacheco, a visit to Mount Calvary has been a Christmas Eve tradition since 1970. On Sunday, she and her family outlined the graves of four generations with luminarias. Its a way to celebrate and remember siblings and parents, to share stories and memories. We feel closer to them, she said. Theyre with us all the time. The group said the Lords Prayer around a grave in which Pachecos sister and two nephews are buried. The dozen or so family members did a final check to make sure each luminaria candle was lit, and then headed off to a New Mexico Christmas Eve dinner at Pachecos home. Across the cemetery, Barbara Evans and her husband Ray stopped to place candles and decoration on the headstones of friends and family. It was their fifth cemetery visit of the day and they planned to return after dark to light candles. Although the Evans are native Texans, Barbara said she fell in love with the New Mexican tradition and adopted it as part of her holiday schedule when her dad died in 1987. There was just something special about it, she said. Evans and her mother used to spend Christmas Eve at Mount Calvary together visiting her fathers plot. Now, she also decorates her mothers grave, and she hopes her son will carry on the tradition when shes gone. Its the honor of being remembered, she said. Thats all. Copyright 2017 Albuquerque Journal Sculptor Duke Sundt is a self-described patriot, and he has created several detailed bronzes in the images of soldiers in both World Wars and the Korean and Vietnam wars that are on display around the country. So when the Albuquerque Chapter of American Gold Star Mothers approached the Las Vegas, N.M.-based sculptor about creating a piece honoring the sacrifices of veterans and their families, he jumped at the chance. Gold Star mothers are those whose children were killed while serving in the military. Its a challenge, Sundt said. As an artist, I seldom do anything sad, because sad doesnt sell. After months and months of work planning, designing and, finally, creating a life-size clay version of the sculpture to be used to create a mold, Sundts work suffered a big setback on Sunday when a foundry fire destroyed the piece. Its just a puddle now on a charred palette, Sundt said. This was four months work, and Im out about $7,000. Lee Wilson, owner of Leyl Studio in Santa Fe County, said two other original pieces were also lost in the fire, but that no one was hurt. Were devastated, said Jo Ann Zembiec, a Gold Star Mother whose son, Marine Maj. Douglas Zembiec, was killed in Iraq in 2007. Weve worked so hard. After the initial shock of the news subsided, though, Sundt said hes ready to get started on a second model, which he hopes wont take as long and will be even better than the first. Sundts piece, titled The Hands That Held The Child, depicts a seated woman holding a folded flag tightly to her chest. Gold Star Mother Becky Christmas of Wagon Mound said they wanted the piece to be simple but powerful. She is holding the flag just as if she were holding her baby, Christmas said, audibly choking up. Thats like the last touch that we have with our child. Christmas son, Army Capt. Todd Christmas, was killed in a helicopter crash in 2004. The finished piece will eventually be displayed at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial in Albuquerque. Albuquerques Gold Star Mothers have raised around $35,000 for the project and need $15,000 more, Christmas said. They hope the sculpture will be complete by 2019, when Albuquerque will host the American Gold Star Mothers national convention. This is the most important piece Ive ever done, Sundt said. When a viewer looks at this piece, I want them to realize what some people have sacrificed. On this Christmas Day, which was preceded by a particularly tumultuous year on nearly all fronts, it seems fitting to remind Santa of some people who definitely need to be on his nice list in view of their recent actions. Just over two weeks ago, the unthinkable occurred at Aztec High School. A disgruntled 21-year-old man who felt he fit in nowhere took a gun to the school, murdered two random students and then fatally shot himself in a hallway. Our collective hearts go out to the parents, families and friends of Francisco Paco Fernandez, 18, and 17-year-old Casey Jordan, on what is presumably the most difficult Christmas they will ever face. Despite the horror of that awful day, we were introduced to two amazing people. After encountering the shooter, custodian Thomas Hill ran though the school yelling warnings to teachers and students about an active shooter a selfless act that no doubt saved lives. Then there was 73-year-old substitute teacher Kathleen Katie Potter who reacted quickly to Hills warning, corralling her 17 students into a small office next to their computer lab, pushed a sofa against the door as a barricade, and directed her students to get down on the floor. The shooter entered the computer lab and began firing into the walls but, thanks to Potters taking the schools active-shooter drills to heart, no one was hit. Potter and her students stayed put until the sheriff came in and told them they could leave. Both say theyre not heroes, but we have to respectfully disagree. Closer to home, we remember the selflessness of Albuquerque police officer Ryan Holets and his wife, Rebecca, who are adopting a baby girl named Hope. The cop found the babys mother shooting up heroin behind a convenience store when she was eight months pregnant. Knowing there was no way she could deal with her addiction and a baby at the same time, the mother eventually agreed to allow the couple, who have four other children, to adopt Hope, giving her a far better life than she might have faced. The Holetses agreed to pay for counseling for Hopes mother and the babys father, who also is an addict. We hope the couple uses the opportunity to also move their lives in a better direction. People like the Holetses, Katie Potter and Thomas Hill have given each of us an unexpected gift on this special day, for which we are truly thankful. To them, and to all of you, we wish you a wonderful, uplifting Christmas. 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. VATICAN CITY Lamenting the winds of war blowing around the world, Pope Francis in his traditional Christmas message on Monday called for a two-state solution to find peace in the Middle East and prayed that confrontation can be overcome on the Korean Peninsula. The pope took particular aim at areas of global tension where President Donald Trump is playing a critical role. Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital has ignited new violence in the Middle East, while confrontation with North Korea over its nuclear tests has escalated tensions in Asia. The winds of war are blowing in our world and an outdated model of development continues to produce human, societal and environmental decline, the pope said in his traditional Urbi et Orbi (to the city and to the world) Christmas message and blessing from the central balcony overlooking St. Peters Square. About 50,000 faithful packed the square. As Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, the pope depicted suffering reflected in the faces of little children, citing war and other tensions in the Middle East and Africa. He asked for peace for Jerusalem and the Holy Land, and prayed 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 recognized borders. Francis also prayed for an end to confrontation on the Korean Peninsula and that mutual trust may increase. The Christmas message has become an occasion for popes to survey suffering in the world and press for solutions. Francis urged that our hearts not be closed as the inns of Bethlehem were to Mary and Joseph before Jesus birth. The pontiff lamented that Syria remains marked by war, that Iraq has been wounded and torn by fighting over the last 15 years and that ongoing conflict in Yemen has been largely forgotten. Recalling his recent trip to Bangladesh and Myanmar, the pope urged the international community to work to ensure that the dignity of the minority groups present in the region is adequately protected. The pontiff also recalled children who risk their lives at the hands of human traffickers to migrate to safer lands, who suffer because their parents dont have work or who are forced into labor themselves or to fight as child soldiers. Email Newsletters Get the best of The Aspen Daily News in your inbox. Our newsletters are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. China flew the worlds largest amphibious flying boat Sunday in a move that might intensify tensions in the disputed South China Sea. The AG600 Kunlong is roughly the same size as a Boeing 737 and is powered by four big turboprops in the normal high-wing configuration of an amphib. It used its landing gear for the first flight, taking off from Zhuhai Airport in Guangdong and returning about an hour later. The aircraft has been in development for more than 10 years and while it has a variety of applications, from firefighting to search and rescue, its the military applications that have attracted the most interest. With a loiter endurance of 12 hours and its ability to operate from moderate seas on the open ocean, its believed to have applications in the contested areas of the shipping lanes in the South China Sea. Five people died in the crash of a Cessna 340 at Bartow Airport in Florida after the aircraft took off in dense fog early Sunday. A prominent Lakeland lawyer, his two daughters and two others were killed in the crash, which occurred near the end of the runway. The lawyer, aged 70, and his passengers, in their 20s and 30s, died in the impact and post-crash fire. They took off about 7:15 a.m. for Key West and the ASOS was reporting zero visibility at the time. Local officials said first responders were dispatched to the scene within minutes but had to move slowly because of the dense fog. They didnt get to the crash scene until 13 minutes later and it took another 12 minutes to knock down the intense fire. Heard at ILG (Wilmington, DE) on a Sunday. ILG is a training site for ATC, and also has very, very patient controllers. Tower: Cherokee XYZ, let me explain how we do things. When I give you a clearance, you need to read it back so I know you understood. Cherokee XYZ: OK, I understand. Tower: OK, but you havent read back the clearance. Cherokee XYZ: Oh, Im sorry. Tower: No need to apologize, but I need you to read back Cherokee XYZ cleared touch and go, Runway niner. Cherokee XYZ: Oh, I understand. Im cleared. Tower: I dont think youre understanding. When I clear you, I need you to read this back: Cherokee XYZ is clearedtouch and go, Runway niner. Cherokee XYZ: OK, got it. Tower: You havent read it back, though!! Please read back. Cherokee XYZ: Cherokee XYZ cleared to land, Runway niner. Tower: If you want to do a full stop, I can clear that instead of a touch and go. Cherokee XYZ: Id prefer to do a touch and go, though. Tower: OK, then you need to read back clearance for a touch and go. Lets try this one more time: Cherokee XYZ cleared touch and go, Runway niner. Cherokee XYZ: Cherokee XYZ, Cleared touch and go, Runway niner. Tower: Excellent! That was perfect. I had to stop laughing before reporting in. Joshua Zide Edward Snowden, the NSA whistleblower, announced a new app he helped create, called Haven, that will let users essentially spy on spies, per AP. Haven "aims to protect laptops from physical tampering" and 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," AP reports. Shanghai (Gasgoo)-According to data released by the China Passenger Car Association, the Lavida was the best-selling model among all models from German brands in November with sales of 47,554 units, increasing 11.33% year on year. Compared to the sales of 21,377 units in October, its November sales soared 122.45% month on month. The second best-seller was the Jetta. It sold 31,850 units with a year-on-year increase of 4.57%, while a month-on-month sales decrease of 16.53%. Though the Sagitar took the third place among German models in November with sales of 29,137 units, it saw a year-on-year sales drop of 8.08% and a month-on-month sales decrease of 9.21%. The New Santana ranked fourth with sales of 26,966 units, up 11.16% year on year and down 26.78% month on month. Following the New Santana, the Bora delivered 21,351 units, dropping 21.69% year on year and 23.78% month on month. Among the rest top 10 models, the New Polo and the Lamando both suffered year-on-year and month-on-month sales drops in November. What's worth mentioning, the Passat suffered largest year-on-year sales drop of 39.45% among the top 10 models to 13,600 units, while saw monthly sales increase of 21.16% compared to October. By Paul Koberstein on 22 Devember 2017 for Earth Island Journal - Image above: Illusration of mosquito and genexrive. From ( http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/eij/article/editing_evolution/ ). By reducing the population of the malaria mosquito, (a very specific beast called Anopheles), they are able to combat transmission of the disease. Their strategy relies on reducing the number of female malaria mosquitoes. . SOURCE: Jerry DiPietro ( ofstone@aol.com SUBHEAD: Letting genedrives loose outside labs is too risky, says scientist who promoted idea.A large cache of emails released this month show that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is stepping up its efforts to promote the deployment of a controversial new genetic engineering tool known as gene drive to help eradicate malaria in Africa.Malaria killed an estimated 438,000 worldwide in 2015. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to carry a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden.However, some of the scientists who had initially proposed using the technology for public health and conservation purposes are having serious second thoughts about deploying it outside of labs.In a effort to combat the disease, researchers funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are planning a field trial of gene drive equipped Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes the main malaria vector in Africa in Burkina Faso.Gene drives can help circumvent traditional rules of genetic inheritance and force a desired, specifically selected, genetic trait through a population.Given the almost magical possibilities it offers to enhance beneficial traits or remove undesired characteristics in living things think eradicating pests without using toxins, or saving an endangered species by making them immune to certain diseases the technology has captured the imagination of many in the fields of conservation and public health.The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which considers gene drives necessary to end malaria, has invested some $70 million on Target Malaria , a research organization based at Imperial College in London that is working on preventing deaths from malaria, which numbered 438,000 worldwide in 2015.Target Malaria is planning to release genetically modified Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes the main malaria vector in Africa in Burkina Faso.These modified mosquitoes would be equipped with gene drives that would disrupt the reproductive systems of successive generations and eventually cause them to go extinct. The project would be the first field trial of gene drive technology.The release of 1,200 emails by the Genetic Biocontrol of Invasive Rodents (GBiRD) program at North Carolina State University, provide fresh insights into the work of groups like the Gates Foundation and GBiRD that are promoting the use of gene drive biotechnology.(GBiRD is a partnership of seven university, government and non-government organizations advancing gene drive research.)The emails which were released in response to freedom of information requests submitted by Edward Hammond, a biosafety activist from Austin, Texas also show that the environmental advocacy group Island Conservation is developing plans to use gene drives as a mechanism for exterminating invasive species on the islands of Hawaii, New Zealand, and Australia.Hammond made the emails public just two weeks after one of the key proponents of the gene drive technology, Kevin Esvelt, published a report saying the technology was too risky to be used in field trials to control invasive species.Esvelt, a professor at MIT who first identified the potential for gene drives to alter wild populations of organisms in 2013, is now warning, once unleashed, gene drives will prove difficult if not impossible to control.Esvelt said that projects that are planning to conduct gene drive experiments to control invasive species in the wild should first invent safer forms of the technology.In theory, the release of these genetically altered mosquitoes or invasive pests like rats, would cause all the members of a targeted population of mosquitoes or rats to go sterile, eventually exterminating that and only that population.But new research by Esvelt and his colleagues at MIT and Harvard University suggests that gene drive deployments are more than likely to go haywire, with potentially disastrous consequences for non-targeted animal populations and ecosystems. (*Check update/clarification on this below.)In a paper published in the non-peer reviewed scientific journal BioRxiv, Esvelt and his colleagues wrote that, once unleashed, gene drives will prove difficult if not impossible to control.The paper, Current CRISPR gene drive systems are likely to be highly invasive in wild populations , is currently in pre-publication review. CRISPR refers to Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, a new technology that allows scientists to alter genes by editing strands of DNA.CRISPRs invention in 2012 by scientists at the University of California-Berkeley and MIT led to the development of gene drives two years later in Esvelts research laboratory.In the BioRxiv paper, the scientists said that mathematical models based on existing empirical data show that in their current form, gene drives cannot be deployed without harmful side effects. Their modeling showed that gene drives can be very aggressive and even a handful of gene drive modified organisms could carry the new gene, not only through much of the targeted population of a certain species, but also on to non-intended populations.For example, under their models, a gene drive released in Hawaii to kill a specific kind of mosquito on the island of Kauai would eventually start targeting a different kind of mosquito on the island.Releasing a small number of organisms often causes invasion of the local population, followed by invasion of additional populations connected by very low gene flow rates, they wrote. Highly effective drive systems are predicted to be even more invasive.On the same day his BioRxiv paper was released, Esvelt expressed regret for ever proposing gene drives be used in real word experiments.In an interview with the New York Times, Esvelt called his championing the notion an embarrassing mistake given the predicted invasiveness of current CRISPER-based drive systems.But he and his colleagues still thinks researchers should continue exploring ways in which gene drives could help save species that are in peril.The new report confirms concerns that many within the scientific and environmental community have had about the unknown ecological and public health risks posed by a technology whose basic purpose is to spread genetic mutations.Nevertheless, the GBiRD emails show that that the Gates Foundation is ploughing ahead with its research on gene drives as a mechanism for eradicating the mosquito that causes malaria (which, it should be noted again, is not an effort to control an invasive species, but rather an effort to eradicate a disease-carrying insect).In 2016, it made a $1.6 million payment to Emerging Ag, a PR firm it retained for the purpose of influencing a United Nations expert group that has been addressing gene drive issues. The group, the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Synthetic Biology (AHTEG), was convened by the UNs Convention on Biological Diversity.Hammond, who posted the emails to his website, is a former member of AHTEG.In one of the emails, the Gates Foundation said it hired EmergingAg to increase awareness, understanding, and acceptance of possible gene drive applications for public good purposes.One of EmergingAgs initiatives has been to recruit scientists who will advocate for gene drives. For example, in an Aug. 1, 2017 email thread, Isabelle Coche, a vice president of EmergingAg, is trying to recruit Fred Gould, codirector of the Genetic Engineering and Society Center at North Carolina State, for advocacy work.The email asks Gould to "support advocacy and engagement activities on gene drive. Gould, however, demurs, saying, it would be problematic for me to be involved, adding that such advocacy would compromise his role on a gene drive ethics committee.Coches role at EmergingAg, according to another email, is to fight back against gene drive moratorium proponents before the next CBD meeting in 2018.This was in reference to calls from several anti-gene drive groups for an international moratorium on gene drive research in petitions last year before the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The CBD rejected those petitions, which are likely to be repeated at next years CBD meeting.On its website , Emerging Ag calls itself a boutique international consulting firm providing communications and public affairs services.Its president and founder is Robynne Anderson, a former international communications director of CropLife, the global lobby group for the biotechnology, seed, and pesticide industries based in Brussels, Belgium.On her personal website , Anderson praises gene drives without actually mentioning the biotechnology by name.The Target Malaria team is researching approaches that can reduce the numbers of mosquitoes that spread malaria, she writes.She said this approach is expected to be complementary to other mosquito control methods, easy and inexpensive to implement, because the mosquitoes themselves do the work of stopping malaria. The control method would be a long-term, sustainable, and cost-effective solution to prevent malaria.Austin Burt, professor of evolutionary genetics at Imperial College London and principle investigator for the Target Malaria consortium, said in an email that a blanket assertion that gene drive field trials pose unacceptable risks for ecosystems is not consistent with how I understand [Esvelts] position risks must always be assessed on a case-by-case basis, as they will depend on the exact features of the construct and the species / population into which it is to be released.Rather, I believe he is calling for inclusive, informed discussion of the risks, which I certainly agree with.Burt said Esvelts paper just shows that a particular type of gene drive construct may be expected to spread from one population to another when there is naturally-occurring gene flow, which indeed is correct.As for the Target Malaria initiative, he said that although we are one of the leading groups working on developing this sort of technology, we are still many years (>5) from having something that we might propose to release in the field, and indeed we are still working on the path to get to that point. Safety, he said, is paramount, for humans and the environment.Malaria imposes an appalling burden across too much of sub-Saharan Africa, and we want to be in a position to offer something that people and governments will want to use to help reduce this burden.He emphasized that when Target Malaria develops a gene drive it will go through extensive safety testing before we would consider releases.Island Conservation, meanwhile, sees gene drives as a tool that can rid islands of invasive pests without the use of chemical pesticides.The group says that 180,000 islands around the world are infested with alien rodents, but only 400 rodent eradication programs to date have been successful, and each relied on rodenticides to remove the non-native populations.Heath Packard, a spokesman for the group, told Earth Island Journal that the group is investigating the feasibility and suitability of a potential gene drive mouse construct that could safely and effectively remove invasive species from islands. The question is not only could we, but should we and under what conditions.Local communities and their governments will need to decide on a case by case basis.But he said that Island Conservation would never contemplate even asking a community to consider a highly-contained field trial unless work in the genetic laboratories demonstrated that the mouse construct could not, itself pose unmitigated harm to well-established parts of our ecosystem.This work must be done, cautiously, thoroughly, and stepwise, he said. Thats exactly what our partnership is doing. MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle went after Congressman Chris Collins (R-NY) Wednesday, one of the 227 Republicans who voted "yes" on the tax bill, for struggling to answer why the GOP hasn't closed the carried interest loophole. The big question: Ruhle pointed to this morning's Axios event, where Gary Cohn told Mike Allen that the White House tried 25 times to get rid of the loophole, but the Hill fought to keep it. "Who supports it?" Ruhle asked. Pope Francis called for a peaceful two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Monday in the face of heightened tensions, according to a Reuters report. "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 recognized borders." Why it matters: The UN Security Council voted to force President Trump to rescind his declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, but the U.S. vetoed the resolution. Francis, in his "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) address, encouraged people to "recognize [Jesus] in the faces of little children" in the middle of the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called for the U.S. and North Korea to start talks over the North Korean nuclear weapons program and said Russia was prepared to facilitate the negotiations, according to a Reuters report. Why it matters: Russian President Vladimir Putin has voiced similar sentiments. When he and President Trump spoke by phone earlier this month, Putin said they should be cooperating when working on the issues posed by North Korea, per the Independent. The UN applied additional sanctions to North Korea this week, which the regime labeled an "act of war." It's true: Merry Christmas" is the preferred greeting of a strong majority of Americans. An Axios/SurveyMonkey poll finds that 65% want to be greeted with Merry Christmas," while 28% prefer Happy Holidays." Not surprisingly, it's a big winner with supporters of President Trump who promised to end what conservatives call the war on Christmas" but even Trump haters prefer it by a narrower margin. A newly declassified cable from the British Ambassador to China at the time, Sir Alan Donald, describes the civilian deaths at the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre as at a "minimum estimate" of 10,000, The Independent reports. The document was reportedly written on June 5, just about 24 hours after the massacre. Why it matters: That's much higher than previous estimates and disclosures; the Chinese government claims between 200 and 300 were killed and the Chinese Red Cross claims about 2,700 were killed. The document also provides more gruesome details than previously disclosed. In 2014, NTDTV reported that a Chinese informer reported 10,454 fatalities. The Chinese government has said the response to the protests at Tiananmen Square was a legitimate defense against a riot or rebellion. The details described in the secret document: Wounded female students were bayoneted while begging for their lives. Students were "mown down" at "65kph," about 40 mph, run over "time and time again to make, quote 'pie' unquote, and remains collected by bulldozer." "Remains incinerated and then hosed down drains," the cable reads. "27 Army ordered to spare no one." The cable indicates the massacre didn't end after the first wave of killings. Sir Alan Donald's source: A "good friend" in China's State Council, who had "previously proved reliable and was careful to separate fact from speculation and rumour." The enthusiastic turnout among African-American voters in Alabama's Senate election is prompting a new look at the impact of voter ID laws, per the New York Times. Opponents say the laws disenfranchise minority voters, but after Doug Jones' victory, researchers are trying to figure out whether the impact is overstated or whether African-American voters in Alabama were so motivated that the laws didn't matter. The bottom line: The Alabama outcome isn't going to end the debate over voter ID laws, but it may help put the laws in perspective. "There are real, live instances where positions are taken to keep eligible people from showing up at the polls or to make it needlessly harder to vote," Justin Levitt, a former voting rights official in the Obama administration Justice Department, told the Times. "But it's not nationwide, and it's not all the time." 25 December 2017 09:59 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 156 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on December 25. 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 25 December 2017 15:23 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov The drama around the confrontation between Yerevan traders and the country authorities is still ongoing. In November, large-scale student protests were held in the capital of Armenia against the amendments to the law on conscription, which was discussed in the parliament. Under the new law, a male student desiring to continue his education and delay serving in the army, must sign a contract with the Defense Ministry in order to get a draft deferment. In this case, the person will have to serve three instead of usual two years in the military after completing his studies at the location chosen by the ministry. Moreover, during his study period the student will have to undergo military training. The Armenian authorities imitated attention to the demands of youth and by deception forced the students to stop their protests. But after the adoption of the new law, the students realized that they were deceived and again went to a hunger strike. Last week, member of the For Science Development initiative David Petrosyan, recorded a video message speaking about a number of problems in the Armenian army which must be eliminated. We must speak loud about these problems if we want to bring the army to the level of Israels army, Petrosyan said. Mainly, the first sentiment of the recruit is that he arrived in an environment where he must fight for existence for two years. There should be a statutory relationship, but this does not mean that the officer can talk with the soldier as he pleases, Petrosyan says. The protester also spoke about 3,400 drams ($7) that the Defense Ministry gives Armenian soldiers. This is not enough for personal needs, so we have the institute of sending parcels. Parents send their children in army more than 10,000 drams ($21) a month, but under current social conditions not all families are able to help their children, Petrosyan says. As a result, many soldiers remain hungry. The student also touched upon the visits of Armenian officials to the border zone and their behavior there, noting that this is a way of hype. They go to the military posts and take photos with soldiers. At best, they give chocolate to show that they allegedly think about the army, Petrosyan says. The protester is sure that these actions come from the officials personal ambitions: Raising their own rating at the expense of soldiers and the army is unacceptable. Petrosyan stopped the hunger strike after five days, on December 23, but stated that the students struggle continues: We decided to take a short pause. After the holidays, we will speak not only about the academic postponement, but also about other issues related to the sphere of education. It is hard to say whether these students will succeed in their goals, but one thing is certain these protests and disclosure of facts about what is happening in the Armenian army will put the countrys population wise about the endless problems the army is mired in. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 25 December 2017 17:39 (UTC+04:00) By Trend A backup television tower has been commissioned in Baku, a source involved in the project told Trend on December 25. The tower will ensure uninterrupted broadcast of state-owned TV channels in case of possible problems. Additional TV transmitters have been installed there for this purpose. FM-radio transmitters will be installed until the end of the week. The backup tower will be used in case of necessity, for example during maintenance work. According to the source, initially all TV channels included in the social package as well as Public Radio will be broadcast via the backup television tower. "The number of radio channels can increase in the future as far as the radio companies show interest in that," the source said. The backup television tower is based in Bakus Narimanov District and will be connected with the Baku television tower. The height of the backup television tower is 140 meters. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 25 December 2017 14:27 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov It is time to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict this problem must be solved, and justice for Azerbaijan must be restored, Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Erkan Ozoral said on December 23. He made the remarks at the international symposium The future of the region: Geopolitical challenges and perspectives in Baku, APA reports. Ozoral noted that Azerbaijan has been suffering a great injustice for a long time: Armenia occupied Azerbaijani lands, and as a result more than 1 million people became refugees and internally displaced people. The envoy added that Turkey has always supported and will support the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Armenia broke out a lengthy war against Azerbaijan laying territorial claims on its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts. Turkey has always been contributing to efforts aimed at the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within Azerbaijans territorial integrity and sovereignty through peaceful means. Ankara has repeatedly stated that the OSCE Minsk Group needs to intensify the search for solutions to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and offered its assistance in this matter. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 25 December 2017 10:00 (UTC+04:00) By Trend President of Russia Vladimir Putin made a phone call to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on December 24. Vladimir Putin congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on his birthday, wished him success in his presidential activity and good health. President Ilham Aliyev expressed gratitude for the attention and congratulations. The heads of state expressed their confidence in the further successful development of strategic partnership relations between the countries in all fields. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 25 December 2017 10:09 (UTC+04:00) Indian ambassador in Baku Sanjay Rana has said his country shares a lot of common values with Azerbaijan. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and India. The relations between the Indian and Azerbaijani peoples have a very ancient history. We share a lot of values, especially in the field of culture, he told AZERTAC. Ambassador Rana emphasized that India is one of the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan's independence. He hailed Azerbaijan`s achievements over the past 25 years. Azerbaijan's economy is rapidly developing and it gives us opportunities to expand cooperation. In recent years, Azerbaijan has made great strides in agriculture. India has great experience in agriculture, especially in cotton and tobacco production, and we can share this experience. The ambassador commended Azerbaijan for attaching importance to the development of information technology and education. Ambassador Rana also pointed to opportunities for cooperation in the fields of renewable energy, space industry, and culture. He also said India and Azerbaijan enjoy excellent relations within international organizations, including the UN. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 25 December 2017 12:12 (UTC+04:00) By Sara Israfilbayova The self-employment program will cover about 35,000 people in 2018. Minister of Labor and Social Protection Salim Muslimov wrote in his article published in Azerbaijan newspaper that the self-employment program is implemented upon President Ilham Aliyevs decree On additional measures of ensuring self-employment of the population dated April 7, 2016. As part of these measures, the Ministry provides low-income families with various assets (goods, materials, livestock) to launch small business. The minister added that 1,232 families have become the beneficiaries of the program this year. There will be a new source of funding for the self-employment program in 2018 due to the law On unemployment insurance. As a result, the program coverage will be expanded. President Aliyev signed a decree on application of the law On unemployment insurance, on August 7. The insurance premiums on the part of the insured make up 0.5 percent of the salary, insurance premiums on the part of the insurer will be 0.5 percent of the calculated wage fund, in accordance with the law. Calculation of the monthly insurance payment is made as follows: 50 percent of the lost monthly salary with labor experience of 3 to 5 years; 55 percent of the lost monthly salary - with labor experience of 5 to 10 years; 60 percent of the lost monthly salary with labor experience of over 10 years. Under the law, those whose labor contracts were terminated because of the liquidation of the employer (legal entity) or because of mass reduction will be entitled to receive unemployment insurance. The minister added that the creation of a new financial source will make it possible to increase expenses for financing the employment sphere by 3.2 times. Thus, 37.6 percent or 33.5 million manats ($19.70 million) out of 89 million manats ($52.35 million), which is planned to be collected next year in the unemployment insurance fund, will be directed to unemployment insurance payments, 40.2 percent or 35.8 million manats ($21.06 million) - to expand the self-employment program, that is, in addition, almost 7,000 families will be covered by this program, he said. If we take into account that families participating in the program consist of 4-5 people, we can assume that the living conditions of 5,000-6,000 people have improved this year, the minister said. This figure will reach 30,000-35,000 people in 2018. Encouraging self-employment has been determined as a perspective business task in Azerbaijan and the government does its best to create conditions and opportunities to supports entrepreneurship in the country. Thus, in September 2016, Simplified support to family business (ABAD) under the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations operating under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ASAN) was created in order to support the active participation of citizens in the social and economic development of Azerbaijan, the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), increase of employment of the population. Unemployment rate in Azerbaijan is 5 percent, while the poverty level equals to 5.3 percent. Moreover, the minister in his article stressed that from January 1, 2006 to October 1, 2017, the average monthly amount of labor pensions had increased 6.8-fold and reached 204 manats, the average monthly amount of labor pensions by age increased 7.7 times to 228 manats ($134). Further, Muslimov noted that for 11 months of 2017, the nominal income of the population increased by 8.2 percent and reached 43.4 billion manats ($25.53 billion). The per capita income increased by 7.2 percent and amounted to 4,459 manats ($2,622). --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 25 December 2017 14:04 (UTC+04:00) By Trend The Azerbaijani citizens placed in hospitals in Turkeys Sarikamis and Kars following a passenger bus accident in Kars are in fair condition, the Sarikamis State Hospital told Trend on December 25. Twenty-eight Azerbaijanis received minor injuries (cuts from glass shards). 13:26 (GMT+4) A passenger bus with Azerbaijani citizens inside overturned in Turkey's Kars Province as the driver lost control of the vehicle, Kars State Hospital told Trend Dec. 25. Thirty people, who are mainly from Azerbaijans Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, were injured in the accident. They have been placed in hospitals of Sarikamis and Kars. Four citizens of Azerbaijan were released from hospitals after outpatient treatment. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 25 December 2017 16:43 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Azerbaijan, by joining the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, has undertaken commitments in connection with the implementation of this project and is taking serious steps to fulfill these commitments, Azerbaijans Deputy Prime Minister Ali Ahmadov said on December 25. He made the remarks at a conference held at the Azerbaijani Parliament on the role of Parliament in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Ahmadov noted that Azerbaijan has established a special national Council for the implementation of these goals, and high-ranking state officials are involved in the Councils work. The Azerbaijani government attaches great importance to the implementation of this project, noted the deputy prime minister. Ahmadov further said that the voluntary national report on the implementation of these Goals by Azerbaijan was submitted to the UN on July 19, and added that this report was welcomed with special attention. Azerbaijan is seriously working to adapt the National Development Strategy to global projects, he added. The official noted that the Parliament plays a special role in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Sustainable Development Goals are a collection of 17 global goals set by the UN. The Goals cover a broad range of social and economic development issues, such as poverty, hunger, health, education, climate change, gender equality, water, sanitation, energy, environment and social justice. Visiting Azerbaijan in June 2017, a team of United Nations experts said that the country has made good initial progress in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. They noted in particular that progress was made in reducing poverty and expanding public and social services. The team also called attention to the need to reach out to particularly vulnerable population groups, as well as step up investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. During his speech in Parliament, Ahmadov also said that the newly created Food Safety Agency of Azerbaijan will start operating from January 1, 2018. Activities of several organizations in this direction will be concentrated in one center, he noted, adding that the agency has great importance in terms of protection of health of the population. First Deputy Chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliament Ziyafat Asgarov also addressed the conference. He said if states do not comply with their statements, it will become impossible to implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The official said that there is a serious famine problem today in the world, especially in African countries. Although African states gained independence in the previous century, all of their wealth was plundered, he noted. Asgarov added that the flow of migrants today from Africa to Europe is also related to these problems. He noted that these problems can be solved today if the actions and statements of states coincide. Every state should contribute to the implementation of these Goals. Azerbaijan seriously considers this project. The Azerbaijani Parliament also contributes to the implementation of these Goals, he noted. Chairman of the Labor and Social Policy Committee of the Azerbaijani Parliament Hadi Rajabli, in turn, spoke about the social protection system, noting that its improvement has always been a priority in Azerbaijan. The official said that the issuance of unemployment benefits has increased by three times in Azerbaijan. Rajabli added that the Azerbaijani parliament is preparing a draft law on the protection of social rights of disabled people. The adoption of the law will further improve the social protection of the disabled people, he noted. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 25 December 2017 18:03 (UTC+04:00) By Sara Israfilbayova World prices for black gold of reference marks rose following the results of electronic trading on the London and New York stock exchanges. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $58.47 a barrel, up 0.19 percent, while Brent crude futures, the international benchmark for oil prices, were at $65.25 a barrel, up 0.54 percent, Rosbalt reported. The experts believe that oil exporting countries will continue to maintain market stability in the coming year by limiting production, despite the desire of some participants to quickly get it over with. Experts expect that oil price in 2018 will remain above $60 per barrel, and in periods of volatility can reach up to $70. The head of the Ministry of Finance of Russia Anton Siluanov said that the department expects that oil prices in 2018 will be at current levels. Meanwhile, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said that the department expects that oil prices in 2018 will be at current levels. Baker Hughes reported that the number of operating oil drilling rigs in the U.S. over the past week has not changed and stood at the level of 747 units. This week, data on oil and petroleum products in the U.S. will come late for one day - on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. Last week, the official view of the U.S. Energy Department confirmed the decline in black gold reserves by 6.5 million barrels, while gasoline and distillate stocks increased at the same time. There is a possibility that fresh statistics will be more encouraging, a decrease in oil reserves will slow down and will be at the level of 1-2 million barrels. In December 2016, OPEC and non-OPEC producers reached their first deal since 2001 to curtail oil output jointly and ease a global glut after more than two years of low prices. OPEC agreed to slash the output by 1.2 million barrels per day from January 1. Non-OPEC oil producers such as Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Sudan, and South Sudan agreed to reduce oil output by 558,000 barrels per day, including Russia by 300,000 barrels per day, starting from January 1, 2017 for six months, extendable for another six months. OPEC and its allies reached an agreement on prolongation of the deal until the end of 2018 on November 30 in Vienna. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 25 December 2017 10:55 (UTC+04:00) By Trend The housing sector is suffering greatly from a decline of the governments developmental projects, according to a businessman in the field. "The government has drastically diminished its developmental projects. As you know, the government is one of the biggest consumers of housing material. As a result, the housing industries are suffering," Bijan Atarod, head of the Mechanical Housing Installations Association told Trend December 18. In its recently proposed budget bill for the next fiscal year (to start March 21), the administration diminished the developmental budget by over 10 percent. Iran's enduring housing, and as a result construction, recession has cost many Iranians their dream of homeownership while depleting their purchasing power due to higher rent. The housing sector is unlikely to return anytime soon to the days when it was Iran's best investment option. The recession has been lingering for over five years now. In a recent sign of hope, on December 16, the inauguration of Nasim Tower marked the first housing project in Iran to be financed by a real estate investment trust (REIT). The project, which has been three years in the making, marks the first housing initiative to tap the capital market as its main source of funding and sparks new hope for the key sector's redemption in the face of a long-running slump. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 25 December 2017 10:41 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Egypt stands for the normalization of relations with Turkey, as the peoples of the two states have much in common, said Egyptian media quoted the countrys Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry as saying on December 25. Shoukry noted that Egypt is ready to resume relations with Turkey. He said that currently, there is no special tension in the Turkey-Egypt relations. Periodically, Turkish officials make statements, showing desire to normalize relations with Egypt, added the foreign minister. After the ouster of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi from power in 2013, relations between Turkey and Egypt deteriorated severely. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly stated the violation of the principles of democracy by the new Egyptian authorities. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 25 December 2017 11:20 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva The lower house of the Tajik parliament ratified the financing agreement under the project Nurek HPP Rehabilitation, Phase 1 on December 24. The agreement was signed between the Republic of Tajikistan and the International Development Association (IDA) in June 2017. IDA will allocate $225 million for the implementation of this project, of which $57 million as a grant, and the rest - as a soft loan, the Minister of Energy and Water Resources Usmonali Usmonzoda said at a regular session of the parliament. Earlier, the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development (EFSR) allocated $40 million in the form of a loan for the implementation of the above-mentioned project. Another loan in the amount of $60 million will be provided by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Thus, to date, all the funds have been collected for the implementation of the first phase of rehabilitation of the Nurek hydropower plant which will be implemented within five years. The Nurek HPP rehabilitation project, divided into two phases, involves the replacement of all nine generating units, key infrastructural components of the plant and replacement of six auto-transformers, enhancement of dam safety and provision of technical assistance. The projected cost of the second phase is about $350 million. Usmonzoda noted that after the complete rehabilitation of the Nurek HPP, the generation of electricity at the facility will reach 3,300 MW. The Nurek HPP is the country and Central Asias largest hydropower facility providing over 70 percent of the total generation in Tajikistan. It is part of the Vakhsh cascade of hydropower plants. The plants installed capacity is 3,000 MW (eight 335 MW units and one 320 MW unit). It was commissioned in 1972; the latest unit was commissioned in 1979. At present, the plant is operating at 77 percent of its design capacity because of obsolete equipment and lack of maintenance. Therefore, the maximum capacity of the Nurek HPP in recent years has not exceeded 2,220 MW. The storage volume of the reservoir is 10.5 cu km (the effective storage is 4.5 cu km); its surface area is 98 sq km and length about 70 km. The dam has 300 m in height (the worlds highest dam of this type until 2013). The average output exceeded 10,223 million kWh a year between 2014 and 2016. Mountainous Tajikistan experiences frequent power blackouts. Previously, Central Asia had a unified energy system. It included 83 power plants with total capacity of 25,000 megawatts in the territory of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and southern Kazakhstan. In winter, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan accumulated water in reservoirs and received electricity and energy resources (coal and natural gas) from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In summer, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan sent water to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan for irrigation farming. As much as 50 percent of the power generating capacity in the united power grid of Central Asia and Southern Kazakhstan was concentrated in Uzbekistan. However, after Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan left the unified energy system of Central Asia in 2003 and 2009, respectively, the system ceased to function. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 25 December 2017 13:42 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva The European Union (EU) intends to consider the issue of simplifying the visa regime with Kazakhstan in the near future. This was announced by the Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov following the government hour in the Majilis, Kazinform reported. Good news was received from the European Union. The EU will soon start considering the issue of easing the visa regime for the citizens of Kazakhstan, he said. In addition, Kazakhstan is currently negotiating the abolition of the visa regime with such countries as Thailand and Macau, according to the minister. Earlier, Abdrakhmanov said that it is possible that in the first quarter of 2018 Kazakh citizens will be able to freely visit the United Arab Emirates. All Emirates must conduct their internal procedures (upon ratification of the agreement on visa-free regime). Following the completion of this work, they will give an official response. I think that from the first quarter of next year our citizens will be free to visit the United Arab Emirates. This applies to not only diplomatic, but all kinds of passports, he added. Previously, Kazakh foreign ministry announced that starting January 1, 2017, citizens of EU and OECD countries, as well as Malaysia, Monaco, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore, could travel to Kazakhstan for up to 30 days without a visa. The initiative was meant to promote an even more favourable investment climate and develop the country's tourism potential. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 25 December 2017 16:00 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov spoke on the phone with Governor of Russias Astrakhan region Alexander Zhilkin, the Altyn Asyr TV channel reported on December 25. During the conversation it was noted that both sides have common goals in expanding the commodity nomenclature in mutual trade turnover, development of coastal and maritime tourism between the two countries in the Caspian Sea, including attraction of the Avaza national tourist zone in Turkmenistan, for example, through organizing cruise voyages. Earlier it was reported that the sides were considering possibilities of cooperation in the trade-economic and transport-communication spheres. Prospective projects being implemented by Turkmenistan to create transnational transport and transit corridors in the direction of Iran, Afghanistan and India were discussed. The parties expressed interest in opening a wholesale and logistics center in Astrakhan region for promotion of Turkmen goods to the Russian market. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 25 December 2017 16:42 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva Uzbekistans Ipoteka Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) signed an agreement to open a $25 million credit line and launch a trade finance program for $5 million. The agreement on small business projects will finance entrepreneurial ideas throughout the country. Moreover, the development of this credit line will take place in a ratio of 70/30. That is, 70 percent of the proceeds from this loan will be received by borrowers in the regions of Uzbekistan, and only 30 percent in the city of Tashkent. The maximum amount of funding for small business projects is $1.5 million per borrower. The program on trade finance will be aimed at developing relations between domestic and foreign enterprises, which will facilitate regional integration and strengthening of correspondent banking services. It should be noted that the partnership relations between Ipoteka Bank and the EBRD started to form back in 2004, when Ipoteka Bank received the first credit line for financing small business entities. The EBRD is the largest institutional investor in Central Asia, with close to 11.6 billion euros ($12.3 billion) committed to projects in a variety of sectors, from infrastructure to agriculture, with a focus on private sector development. It has successful experience of bringing innovation to Uzbekistans pharmaceutical sector through direct and indirect lending and a number of consultancy projects, which helped companies improve operational and financial management and obtain ISO 9001 and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certificates. The Bank has to date invested 894 million euros in Uzbekistan. Its current portfolio in the country is 8 million euros. Currently, the Bank together with the involved ministries and departments of Uzbekistan is in the process of development a draft of the EBRD country program for Uzbekistan, which will further expand the Bank's interaction with the Central Asian nation. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) plans to approve a new country program for Uzbekistan next summer. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 25 December 2017 18:20 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva Tashkent hosted an Uzbek-Turkish business forum with the participation of Uzbek and Turkish companies on December 25. The forum was held within the framework of the visit of a delegation of the Turkish business community led by the head of the Union of Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges The purpose of the event was to facilitate the establishment of trade relations between Uzbek and Turkish companies, study the issues of creating new joint ventures and implement new investment projects. During the talks, issues of trade and economic cooperation were discussed in detail. The economic and investment potential of the two states was demonstrated and directions for cooperation at a new stage were outlined. The parties discussed the construction of complexes for the cultivation and deep processing of agricultural products, the storage, packaging and export of food products, the creation of modern joint ventures in the textile and leather processing industries, in particular, the promotion of ready-made branded products to foreign markets through joint deep processing of cotton fiber and leather raw materials, development and implementation of new projects in the field of pharmaceuticals. Turkey is one of the most important trade partners of Uzbekistan. In 2016, the mutual trade turnover between the countries reached $1.2 billion. In February 2017, Turkey and Uzbekistan signed cooperation agreement to boost economic relations. For the nine months of the current year, the indicators of mutual trade increased by 29 percent. There are currently 700 companies in Uzbekistan with Turkish capital, 100 of which are representation offices. They carry out activities in the sectors of textile, commitment, food, hotel management, building materials, plastic, medication, and service. There are 114 companies in Turkey with Uzbek capital. Only this year more than 20 enterprises with the participation of Turkey's investments are organized and 53 companies are accredited in Uzbekistan. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Becker's Hospital Review reported the following hospital and health system CEO moves in the last week. 1. Athens, Ga.-based St. Mary's Health Care System selected Montez Carter to serve as its permanent president and CEO, effective immediately. 2. Clarinda (Iowa) Regional Health Center's CEO Christopher Stipe will not be employed by the organization, effective Dec. 31. 3. Peoria, Ill.-based OSF HealthCare named Michael Cruz, MD, permanent CEO for the central region. 4. University of Miami Health System permanently appointed Edward Abraham, MD, executive vice president for health affairs and CEO. 5. Nashville, Tenn.-based Saint Thomas Health President and CEO Karen Springer will leave her roles for a new position within parent organization St. Louis-based Ascension. 6. Johnson City, Tenn.-based Mountain States Health Alliance appointed Trish Baise, DNP, RN, CEO of Franklin Woods Community Hospital and Woodridge Hospital, both based in Johnson City. 7. Crossroads Community Hospital in Mt. Vernon, Ill., selected Amanda Basso, MSN, RN, to serve as CEO. 8. John Porter, president and CEO of Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Avera Health, is retiring, ending a 44-year career with the organization. 9. Kenmore (N.Y.) Mercy Hospital appointed Walter Ludwig president and CEO, effective at the beginning of 2018. 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." The PSNI are appealing for witnesses after an assault in a Northern Ireland nightclub left a man with a broken nose. It happened on Friday December 22 in TIME nightclub in Cookstown. Officers said: "We are appealing for information or witnesses to a serious assault in which a male's lip was busted, eyebrow split open, and he has a broken nose and swollen head. This happened just after midnight by a few males approximately 24/25 yrs old. Enquiries are continuing. "Please contact police on 101, quoting police reference number cc299 23/12/17 with any help." Mornington housing development in Lisburn - scene of a police investigation following the death of a woman Mornington housing development in Lisburn - scene of a police investigation following the death of a woman Forensic officers at the scene in the Mornington Lane housing development in Lisburn following the death of a woman Mornington housing development in Lisburn - scene of a police investigation following the death of a woman A brave Lisburn mum is understood to have died saving the life of her daughter in a horrific early-morning stabbing incident on Christmas Day. 21-year-old Charlotte Reat said that her courageous mother, Jayne Toal Reat, had died in her arms after saving her from being stabbed to death at a house in the towns Mornington Lane. Read More At 6am on Christmas morning, four ambulance crews were dispatched to the scene. When they arrived, police officers were already attempting emergency resuscitation on one of the injured people. Three people were rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust confirmed that two people had since been discharged. Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell from PSNI Serious Crime Branch said that detectives had launched a murder investigation following the incident. A 19-year-old man was arrested on Monday, Christmas Day. In a heartbreaking message posted online on the day of the atrocity, Charlotte, who said she was also stabbed several times during the attack, told how Jayne had been murdered in front of my eyes and then later died in my arms. Comber resident Charlotte wrote: I just want to thank everyone for all the kind messages and posts. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Councillor Amanda Grehan Lagan Valley MLA Pat Catney Stephen Hamilton/ / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Councillor Amanda Grehan Im not in the frame of mind to reply to anyone nor am I fit to be writing this status. Today will be a day I will never forget as my mum was murdered in front of my eyes and then later died in my arms. I can still feel her in my arms and hear her screams of pain and see the panic on her face. My mum died saving me, I was stabbed twice in the head once in my face and once to the back of my neck. SDLP Lagan Valley MLA Pat Catney said: "People across Lisburn are in shock this morning. "This should be a day families spend together, happy and grateful to have each other. "Instead, a family is waking up on Christmas morning to news of the death of a loved one. "I can't begin to imagine the pain they're feeling today. "My thoughts and prayers are with the woman's family and friends at this extremely difficult time. "I understand police have launched a murder investigation. "I would urge anyone with information, however small, about what happened here to bring it forward as soon as possible," the SDLP representative said. A local resident told the BBC: "I saw the flashing lights, the ambulances, police cars and the crime scene investigators arrive. I'm completely in shock. "It makes you feel lucky for what you have... it's really bad." Alliance councillor Amanda Grehan, who represents the area said her thoughts were with the victim's loved ones. "This is a relatively new development, made up of people from all walks of life, and is usually very quiet. "There is a shock among residents in the wider Mornington area, as they have never had to deal with anything like this here before. "My thoughts are with the loved ones of the victim. Christmas Day is one most people spend with their families and is full of joyous moments. "However, now we have one family plunged into grief and despair. "I would urge anyone with information on this terrible incident to take it to police immediately." Leo Varadkar has defended a government politician for hosting a delegation from the controversial Church of Scientology in Leinster House. The Taoiseach said he had "no difficulty" with Fine Gael TD Colm Brophy's invite in September to meet a group from the church, which many view as a cult. The Fine Gael leader said he does not know "exactly" what the visit was about, but insisted he did not have a difficulty with it "in principle". Mr Varadkar said: "I think it made sense. "Even if you're going to oppose somebody or oppose their plans or stand up to them, I think it always makes sense to engage them first and I think it is reasonable for a TD to actually engage with a group who are establishing a premises in their constituency." The church, which ranks Hollywood A-lister Tom Cruise among its members, opened a massive new Scientology centre in Dublin in October. At the time, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin described Scientology as a cult and said cults can be "very damaging to people, particularly to young people". Mr Varadkar admitted there is a "genuine concern about the fact or the possibility that it could be a cult". He warned however that to balance freedom of religion or freedom of association on the one hand with protecting people from being exploited is always a challenge. "I don't know enough about the Church of Scientology to know whether or to what extent the allegations made against them would require government intervention of some sort. "I would be loath to go down that route of starting to interfere with religious groups or restrict people's freedom of association in any way," the Taoiseach said. Scientology was founded in 1953 by American science-fiction writer L Ron Hubbard. The US and Spain are among the countries that recognise it as a religion, while other governments have declared it a cult. Scientology has been under increasing scrutiny in the US. Defections from high-ranking members, and books and documentaries alleging brainwashing and emotional and physical abuse, are drawing unwelcome attention to the organisation. The Archbishop of Canterbury has used his Christmas Day sermon to reflect on the terrorist atrocities and deceitfulness of populist leaders witnessed in 2017. The Most Rev Justin Welby told worshippers at Canterbury Cathedral that much could be learnt from the Nativity story, where Jesus is power seen in humility. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Preaching at the Sung Eucharist service, he made what will be interpreted by some as a jibe at US President Donald Trump by contrasting the son of God with populist leaders that deceive their people. And in an echo of Pope Franciss address at Christmas Eve Mass in the Vatican, the Archbishop drew a parallel between the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and the refugee crisis. He told the congregation: The nature of those who have power is to seek to hold on to it. Expand Close (Gareth Fuller/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (Gareth Fuller/PA) In 2017 we have seen around the world tyrannical leaders that enslave their peoples, populist leaders that deceive them, corrupt leaders that rob them, even simply democratic, well-intentioned leaders of many parties and countries who are normal, fallible human beings. We have experienced across our country terrorism that kills the innocent, claiming that it is the path to freedom in God. The nature of God who has all power, and from whom all power comes, is to lay it aside for loves sake and thus without fear, force or manipulation to offer true freedom for every human being. The Archbishop this year publicly spoke out against Mr Trump when he shared videos from far-right group Britain First via Twitter. He said at the time: It is deeply disturbing that the president of the United States has chosen to amplify the voice of far-right extremists. Earlier on Monday morning the Church of Englands most senior cleric gave his Christmas message a modern twist by publishing extracts in a Twitter thread, complete with a hashtag. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Across the globe, the Pope put the migrant crisis at the heart of his festive reflections, saying that the story of the holy birth had particular relevance as millions of people were driven from their land. The Archbishop struck a similar note during his sermon, saying: We are drawn to stories of freedom and purpose. In Star Wars an abandoned orphan on a desert planet turns into a knight leading the struggle for freedom. Platform nine and three quarters takes Harry Potter into a world of magic and purpose. Expand Close (Gareth Fuller/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (Gareth Fuller/PA) Not so in the gospel stories, even those of Christmas. Yes, the shepherds see angels. Yes, Mary and Joseph have dreams and are chosen as special people. Yet after the moments of miracles life goes on almost as before the shepherds return to their sheep, Joseph settles back as a carpenter, Mary raises children. They flee as refugees, like over 60 million people today. Yet their story is the beginning of ours, it is an invitation to lives of freedom, found through Gods freely offered love. Guatemala will move its embassy after its president spoke to Benjamin Netanyahu (Amir Cohen/Pool Photo via AP) The president of Guatemala says the Central American country will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Guatemala was one of nine nations that voted earlier this week with the United States when the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a non-binding resolution denouncing president Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. President Jimmy Morales said on his official Facebook account that after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he decided to instruct his foreign ministry to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The resolution passed at the UN declared the US action on Jerusalem "null and void". The 128-9 vote was a victory for Palestinians, but fell short of the total they had predicted. Thirty-five nations abstained and 21 stayed away from the vote. No other country has their embassy for Israel in Jerusalem, though the Czech Republic has said it is considering such a move. Mr Trump upended decades of US policy with his announcement on December 6 that he was recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Though Mr Trump said he was merely recognising reality and not prejudging negotiations on the future borders of the city, Palestinians saw the move as siding with Israel on the most sensitive issue in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians claim the city's eastern sector, which was captured by Israel in 1967 and is home to sensitive religious sites. Many governments have long said that the fate of Jerusalem must be resolved through negotiations. Mr Trump's announcement has set off weeks of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces that have left 12 Palestinians dead. Mr Netanyahu has predicted others would follow the lead of the United States, and has made great efforts to reach out to Latin America in recent years as part of a campaign to counter longstanding support for the Palestinians at the United Nations. AP Hundreds of supporters of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny have nominated him for president. Mr Navalny, the most formidable foe President Vladimir Putin has faced during 18 years in power, is prohibited from seeking political office because of a criminal conviction that is largely viewed as retribution. However, he could enter the race, if he gets special dispensation or the conviction is thrown out. About 800 Navalny supporters assembled in a giant tent for the formal endorsement meeting held in Moscow's snow-covered Silver Forest. His allies said multiple meeting venues refused to host the gathering. Ivan Zhdanov, who chaired the meeting, joked that the riverside event ended up being convened at a place where the address is "Silver Forest, Beach Number 3". "Has everyone got their swimming trunks?" Mr Zhdanov asked the participants. Election authorities observed the endorsement process. Mr Navalny and his legal advisers submitted the nomination papers with the Russian Election Commission on Sunday evening. Outdoor endorsement gatherings also took place in 19 other cities, from Vladivostok to St Petersburg. In Moscow, the process was delayed because the printer being used to generate the paperwork stopped working in the cold woods. While Mr Navalny's staff tried to fix the machine, several hundred people gathered on a central Moscow square to demonstrate support for his nomination. Biologist Svetlana Sorokina, 41, said it was important to show the Kremlin "there are many people like us". Nearby, police officers warned the crowd through loudspeakers they were breaking the law and threatened to disperse the rally. Ms Sorokina said she was "a little bit scared". "I understand the danger. But I got prepared. I told my parents," she said. "They expect me to call and say everything is OK." For Tatyana Komendant, 65, whether Mr Navalny would make a good president or not was secondary. What mattered was getting the Kremlin to allow an open race in which anyone interested who met the eligibility requirements would be allowed to run, she said. "Any alternative is good. It would be better if Putin was to be replaced by anyone," she said. Russian law requires candidates to submit endorsements from just 500 people before they may start collecting the 1 million signatures needed to appear on the ballot. Mr Putin's representatives are expected to file his nomination papers on Tuesday. Election officials were expected to accept Mr Navalny's paperwork, but it is highly unlikely they will allow him to proceed to the signature-gathering stage. Polling agencies show Mr Putin all but certain to win the March election. Polls show him with an 80% approval rating among Russian citizens. But Mr Navalny has managed to galvanise some of the vast country's sleepiest regions with a yearlong grass-roots campaign. "We have seen for ourselves this year that overwhelming support for authorities simply isn't there," Mr Navalny said during an American-style campaign speech at the nomination meeting, where he was flanked by his wife and children. He reiterated he was confident he would win the presidential election if he were allowed to run. He called on his supporters to boycott the vote, if election authorities refuse to register him. A lawyer by training, Mr Navalny came to public prominence in 2009, when he began publishing investigations of corruption at Russia's biggest state-controlled companies. He spearheaded massive anti-government protests in 2011-2012 in reaction to wide-spread fraud during the parliamentary election. Mr Navalny came under pressure from authorities as he gained popularity. He faced countless detentions for staging protests and spent months under house arrest while being investigated for fraud. He was convicted on two sets of unrelated fraud charges. His brother was sent to prison in what was seen as political revenge. He ran in Moscow's 2013 mayoral election and received nearly 30% of the vote. AP Russian election officials have formally barred opposition leader Alexei Navalny from running for president, prompting calls from him for a boycott of next year's vote. The Central Election Commission decided unanimously that the anti-corruption crusader is not eligible to run. Mr Navalny is implicitly barred from running for office because of a conviction in a fraud case which has been viewed as political retribution. He could have run if he was given a special dispensation or if his conviction was cancelled. Incumbent Vladimir Putin is set to easily win a fourth term in office in the March 18 election, with his approval ratings topping 80%. Over the past year, Mr Navalny has mounted a grassroots campaign which reached out to the most remote corners of Mr Putin's heartland. Mr Navalny, 41 is the most serious challenger that Mr Putin has faced in all his years in power, and the court cases against him have been widely seen as a tool to keep him from running for office. In a pre-recorded video message that was released minutes after the Election Commission handed down the decision, Mr Navalny called on his supporters to boycott the vote. "The procedure that we're invited to take part is not an election," he said. "Only Putin and the candidates he has hand-picked are taking part in it. "Going to the polls right now is to vote for lies and corruption." Central Election Commission chief Ella Pamfilova told Mr Navalny ahead of its vote to bar him that "maybe we would be interested if you were running," but said the conviction does not allow the commission to put him on the ballot. Speaking before the vote, Mr Navalny told the commission that their decision to bar him would be a vote "not against me, but against 16,000 people who have nominated me, against 200,000 volunteers who have been canvassing for me". While Mr Putin is all but certain to win an easy victory, the Kremlin wants his performance to be as strong as possible and has been concerned by growing voter apathy. Mr Navalny's call for a boycott could hurt the Kremlin's hopes for boosting turnout. The involvement of Ksenia Sobchak, a 36-year-old star TV host, could raise public interest in the race. While Ms Sobchak has denied colluding with the Kremlin, she could attract some of Mr Navalny's supporters and help boost attendance. Ms Sobchak criticised Mr Navalny's call for boycotting the vote, saying on Monday that the "election is the only way to change something, and boycotting them is inefficient and harmful". She proposed that Mr Navalny join her campaign if she is registered for the race. Other veterans of past elections - liberal Grigory Yavlinsky and ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky - are also running. Communists have nominated a new face, Pavel Grudinin, director of a big strawberry farm just outside Moscow. AP Is Jesus God? Is Jesus God? If you answered with a quick, firm "yes," read on. Recent polls show a whopping 96% of Americans believe in "God." Obviously, considering the state of American Christianity, something doesn't quite add up. Dare we assume that 96% of Americans believe in the Christian God? Do we all have the same "god" in mind when we confess faith? Now think about the center of Christian apologetics: that Jesus Christ is God. Please don't excommunicate me just yet, but if you were to ask me, "Is Jesus God?" I would respond with another question. "Which 'god' are we talking about?" Most evangelical Christians, when sharing the Gospel, assume that Jesus' identity is in question, while God's isn't. In other words, we think everyone basically agrees with us about who God is, and so all we must do is simply proclaim Jesus' divine link to Him. God's Identity Declaring the divinity of Jesus by stating matter-of-factly that He is God does not really resolve anything until we have painted the biblical picture of the true God. Yet in the past 200 years, fundamentalists and evangelicals have defended Christ's divinity without stopping to consider how God's identity is also under attack. Why? Liberal theologians have taught that Jesus was not divine and should not be worshipped as God in the flesh. Conservative Christians have rightly recoiled from such heresy, but while simply affirming Jesus' deity might stifle the theologians, it provokes a "so what?" from the person on the street. "Jesus is God" can't be true until we get past all the other "gods" masquerading under the Christian "God" label. Muslims worship an impersonal, distant "god" (Allah, in Arabic), but is the Muslim-god the same as ours? Most Americans will line up to sing "God bless America." Yet considering the Deist beliefs of several of our forefathers (and a growing segment of the population today), this Clockmaker-god does nothing more than put the clock together, wind it up, put it up on a shelf, and go about His business or back to His rocking chair. If the god that is in mind is one of these, saying "Jesus is God" is incorrect. Jesus definitely is not that god. What Does the Bible Say about 'Is Jesus God'? A Christian who knows his Bible and has a clear picture of God can be telling the truth when he says, "Jesus is God", and at the same time, the person listening (perhaps with a Deist concept of god) may be hearing an outright lie. Jesus' divinity is not the only issue at stake here; God's very identity is under attack too. Some readers might affirm that "Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" in order to eliminate many pluralistic gods. But where does that leave our Jewish friends, since they would easily affirm the same statement? You might say, "Jews and Christians share the same God! It's just about Jesus that we don't see eye to eye." By saying this, Christians make a glaring misrepresentation of Yahweh - the Great I Am. God is not God apart from Jesus. It is pointless to try to define the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob apart from Jesus Christ. That is the pluralistic problem plaguing so many Christian factions today. Since you can't explain the Bible's God without involving the Trinity, you can never fully explain how "Jesus is God" makes any sense at all. Let's take a look at some Bible verses that talk about this. John 1:14: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." The Word, the logos, the all-sustaining principle, dwelt among us. This verse captures the idea of the Incarnation. That Jesus came down to earth to live with us. John 10:30: "I and the Father are one. Jesus makes it clear. In fact, on multiple occasions, he faces near-death because of it. People attempt to stone him when he makes a deity claim. In fact, it's the very reason why he dies on a cross. Because the Israelites and religious leaders knew exactly what he was claiming. And they didn't like it. Isaiah 9:6: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Can you hear the Messiah lyrics going through your head? Isaiah prophecies about the coming Christ. Jesus fulfills this prophecy when he is born in Bethlehem. Jesus fulfills more than 300 Old Testament prophecies when he comes to earth. And only one being can deserve the title Mighty God and Everlasting Father. Isaiah makes it clear, and people in Jesus' time would've known this passage. Christ is God. 1 Corinthians 8:6: "Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist." The Bible doesn't beat around the bush. Jesus isn't supposed to be a mere moral teacher. He claimed deity multiple times. As C.S. Lewis famously put it, this would either make him out to be a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. Because Jesus fulfilled what he promised to do (resurrect from the dead and offer salvation) we know that he is then Lord. Is Jesus God - The Triune God Since Christians believe in a triune God - Yahweh in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we actually undermine the divinity of Christ by claiming that our God is the same as that of our Jewish friends. As Christians, we believe Jesus is so important that you can't define God's identity apart from Him. So what's the answer? What can help us get through some of the theological red tape and bring us to the point where we can once again make a firm statement for the Gospel? Here's the statement that I recommend you chew on a little bit: GOD IS JESUS. When you see Jesus, you are seeing God, not just because Jesus is God, but also because God is Jesus. Jesus is the One who shows us who God is and what God is like. Of course, "God is Jesus" is a statement that has its own interesting theological snags. We can start heading backward by asking, "Which Jesus is God?" since people don't agree on Jesus' identity either! Still, I believe we can more easily define Jesus' identity and how it relates to God's Person than we can try to go the other way around. So, looking ahead for the 21st century, how can we move forward in our Gospel proclamation? Let's teach people who Jesus is; show them how Scripture describes Him; tell about His atoning sacrifice on the cross; proclaim Him as Lord. Then, utilizing the biblical portrait of Jesus, tell people, "That's who God is. That's what God is like! That's God in human flesh." Do you want to know God's identity? Meet Jesus. God is Jesus. Further Reading: How Can You Be Certain That Jesus Is God? Written by Trevin Wax. Kingdom People Blog. Used by permission. All rights reserved. TOWN OF BURLINGTON Deputies from the Racine County Sheriffs Office located an autistic man on Christmas Eve night after he walked away from his mothers car wearing a light jacket and no hat or gloves. The 58-year-old mother and her 29-year-old son, who are from Illinois, were on their way back home from visiting family in the Burlington area when they got into an argument. Shortly before 10 p.m., the mother pulled her car over on Bushnell Road near the Burlington bypass. It was then that her son walked away from the car and into a field, according to a press release from the Sheriffs Office. After the Town of Burlington received a call for citizen assistance, the Sheriffs Office sent nine squads and a K-9 deputy to search for the man as he wasnt dressed for the severe weather conditions that night. It was around 20 degrees with a wind chill of 6. Deputies tracked the man for around three miles by using his footprints in the snow, following him into the field and back to Bushnell Road. They found the man at 10:43 p.m. on Bushell Road near Womack Lane. Burlington Rescue crews determined that the son was not injured and he was released back to his mother. RACINE No one was injured in two Christmas Eve fires in Racine. Firefighters responded to the first call shortly after 9 p.m. when a homeowner in the 3400 block of Wright Avenue reported smoke coming from her attic. Fire crews saw smoke emanating from the eaves and found the fire in the knee wall on the second floor, according to a press release from the City of Racine Fire Department. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze that was caused by chimney failure, according to the release. The fire caused an estimated $30,000 in damage to the home, and although no one was injured in the fire, one person was transported to Ascension All Saints hospital for medical reasons. The Red Cross is providing shelter assistance to three residents of the home. Racine firefighters responded to the second incident at 11:40 p.m. when the homeowner in the 1700 block of Lathrop Avenue called to report a kitchen fire. The homeowner and her pet dog safely evacuated, and firefighters quickly put out the fire. The cause of the fire, which caused around $27,000 in damage, is under investigation. The homeowner made arrangements to stay with family, according to a release from the City of Racine Fire Department. Also responding to both fires were the Racine Police and WE Energies. SOMERS Theres sometimes a stigma attached to college students when it comes to voting and civic participation: that theyre ill-informed, lazy or just not into it. But at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, conversation about politics and community engagement is nurtured. In the 2016 presidential election, UW-Parkside participated in the All In Challenge run by the Campus Democracy Challenge. The organization encourages college students to vote, and UW-Parkside was recognized for having 56.7 percent voter participation. The university received a bronze seal from the Campus Democracy Challenge for its efforts. Parkside scored the highest of all the UW System schools, even outperforming UW-Madison. And it was in the top 20 percent of participating schools nationwide. The results may be a surprise to some, but not to Peggy James, dean of Parksides College of Social Sciences and Professional Studies. To tell you the truth, I was thinking it might be even higher than that, James said. Our students come from a background where theyre working, theyre middle class, they are community people, and a lot of them are local. Theyre involved and interested in whats going on. James said for the past two election cycles, the university has offered students a class titled The Election Experience. During this particular election (period), we had over 40 different election-related events that semester, James said. We also involved people, not only from political science, but from philosophy, communication, history and sociology; they had all sorts of different events. We really believe we get our students to be interested not only in the act of voting, but interested in following the election. Visit from vice president During the 2012 election, Vice President Joe Biden made a stop at UW-Parkside which, James said, energized students. That wasnt something that we planned, she said. It really brought the national election here, and so people were excited just to see him, whether they supported him or not. As part of The Election Experience, one event is watching a debate on campus. James said the university sets up its own online chatroom for students to give their opinions in real time during the debate. People can comment, and other people can see those comments without constantly interrupting the flow of the debate, James said. Its worked out beautifully because we can still hear the debate, and people can have their background discussions. James said the chatroom is monitored by professors, and occasionally a professor will upload a chart or other information to the chatroom as part of the discussion. Our students here are involved, and it may be because theyre so committed to their community, James said. Here were engaged, not just every four years for the elections, but were also engaged year in and year out. One student involved in The Election Experience was Zach Smith, student president of the College Republicans at Parkside. I liked that there was a lot of different opinions from different students, he said. Smith said that other than a few bad apples, discussions were civil and students were engaged. I think Parkside students are really mature and aware of whats happening around the state and around the country even locally, Smith said. He said he was surprised the participation rate was so high, and it made him proud of UW-Parkside. It shows that everyone really cares about the country, Smith said. For the 2020 election, James said she hopes to get more than 60 percent student voter participation. I think were in very good company with the rest of the schools, James said of the All In Challenge. We have less resources than many of (the schools), so I think its really a comment on how dedicated and engaged our students are. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/12/2017 (1792 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. My mom named me Gustavo Adolfo. I was born in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, next to the sea, but my home was in Cedral, a small town of Montes de Oro (Miramar). There, I grew up surrounded by mountains and coffee plantations. Later in life, Cartago was my destination for university and work that is, until a masters program opportunity in Canada presented itself while I was searching for websites related to plant diseases, my area of expertise. And thus, my first adventure outside of Costa Rica began. Brandon, Manitoba, Canada: a.k.a., the Wheat City. Thats my home now. Ive been in Brandon for almost a year and a half, and the first thing that comes to mind when someone asks me about this place is how flat the landscape is. The first time I travelled to Brandon from Winnipeg, I was overwhelmed by the large fields and absence of mountains. My mind couldnt process the flatness of this place, because I had just left the diverse topography of Tiquicia. I cant explain this. Its something that you have to experience. Its just flat, nothing but flat. Courtesy of Gustavo Diaz Cruz After a snowstorm in front of Gustavo's house in Brandon. Later, as part of my thesis research, I had the opportunity to travel across the province, only to confirm that the area is covered with wheat, soybean, canola and other crops, while anything resembling a forest is rare. This feature makes summer sunsets a particular show its as if our beloved star hides behind the horizon against its will, and fights back to stay over the Prairies as long as possible. Once I got used to the landscape, the multiculturalism of Canada knocked at my door. I got my first glimpse of it at the customs queue in Torontos airport, but even a small city like Brandon has a lot to show. There I was in the middle of Canada, talking to and meeting people from Russia, Germany, India, Nigeria, Japan, France, South Korea, the United States, Australia, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Central America, and the list goes on. Different accents. Oh, the accents! Thats when your English skills are really challenged. I had many conversations without understanding a word of what they were saying. True story. But that experience is something we all should have. Learning from people from so many different backgrounds, from their knowledge and ignorance, is more valuable than any degree; it opens your mind to a different world. And I did my part and added something to the exchange, of course. Phrases like No, we are not Puerto Rico and No, we dont have Armed Forces became regular for a while. Then, things like our approximately 12-hour days all year long, and how easy it is to go from a beach to a mountain or volcano in just a few hours, became part of the common dialogue. Some of them now want to visit Costa Rica. Others told me about their amazing vacation in Tortuguero, Guanacaste and Monteverde. There was, I must say, a warmer interest in my country than I expected. Talking so much about Costa Rica brings homesickness to the surface. When that happens, I focus on the positive things. I havent experienced a traffic jam here; I love that I can pay for the bus rides with my student ID card and that I can find products like plantains and chayote due to the Central American immigration to this city; and I really like the self-checkout in the supermarkets. On the other hand, I prepare myself gallo pinto every morning, with a bottle of that Salsa that cost me four times more than in Costa Rica. Theres no Feria del Agricultor on Saturday morning where I can get fresh things like manzanas de agua, my all-time favourite fruit. No tamales during the past Christmas. No fireworks to celebrate the new year. Speaking of Christmas and winter, the coldest temperature Ive experienced in Costa Rica: 0 C at the top of Chirripo, and nothing lower than 16 C under normal conditions. Brandonites laughed at me when I told them that. Ive had to seriously adapt to the cold. I wear three layers to go outside because the temperature is between -15 and -30 C, and if you add the wind on top of that, it can feel like -40 C. Seriously, the air hurts your face. Snow boots, gloves, scarf, are all labelled to keep you warm up to -60 C, because thats a thing. Not using them means frostbite. But dont be confused. The first snowfall I saw was one of the best experiences of my life. I was in awe. I even enjoyed walking to the university with snow up to my knees due to a blizzard. I dont know if subsequent winters will keep me as entertained as the first one, but I know now I can deal with it. But no snowfall compares to the amazing Aurora borealis, a.k.a. Northern Lights that beautiful dance of solar particles entering the atmosphere that dresses the dark night sky with green and purple tones. That was a bonus. I never thought Id see them until I arrived here and someone told me about it. Now Ive been lucky enough to watch them a few times, even from my backyard. Funny thing kindness and politeness are best represented in Canada by the simple act of holding a door open. Any door. Anywhere. I dont want to reinforce any stereotype, but that is indeed one of the most important things I have noticed. Not holding the door for someone else is rude, and may lead to some rude comments in return. Another funny thing: dont use outdoor shoes inside any house, especially if you are visiting. It took me one embarrassing moment to learn that. If youre in Canada, check the integrity of your socks on a regular basis; trust me, its very important. Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun Gustavo Adolfo at Brandon University on Monday. Luckily for me, a few Ticos live close, so I can go and talk to them, release all the maes and pura vidas in me, and have some fun. I admire them so much, because they have been here longer, facing more difficulties than I have, and planning a longer stay. Their support and advice have been very important for me. I am thousands of kilometers away from home, and I miss it. But I am happy with my time here, because Ive met wonderful people and Ive been able to see more of this wonderful world we have. A word of advice: Dont take Costa Rica for granted. Be curious, open your mind to appreciate the many things our country has to offer. But if you have the opportunity to travel to other countries, do it! Youll be pleasantly surprised by the richness of different cultures, languages and places. @02 End of Story Credit: This article was originally published in The Tico Times. Over a hundred students are gearing up for their second night on the streets of Dublin to create awareness about homelessness. The pupils from Belvedere College are collecting money for three charities and are hoping to raise over 225,000. One of the charities is Focus Ireland which revealed today that it has seen a 7% increase in people looking to avail of its services. They have helped over 14,500 people in 2017 as the homeless crisis deepens. Sr. Stan, the founder of Focus Ireland, has thanked everyone in her Christmas message for their help over the last 12 months. Homelessness is at crisis point with over 8,800 people without a home. This year 3,194 children will be homeless this Christmas. Let's raise awareness and funds for those who really need it! Follow us on Instagram @sleepoutdublin! And Facebook https://t.co/pk8xJtA7l6 Donate @ https://t.co/IKmKZjk1yE #SleepOut17 pic.twitter.com/UCNqYguQCG Belvedere SleepOut 2021 (@belvosleepout) December 11, 2017 Student Cathal McGuinness explains the idea behind the sleepout. He said: "Were not trying to replicate homelessness, were not trying to act homeless, all were trying to do is raise awareness for homelessness and raise money for the three homeless charities - Peter McVerry, Home Again and Focus Ireland. "If people see us, wed love donations; they can donate online at www.sleepoutdublin.ie. "What were trying to do is spread the message of homelessness; its an epidemic, its a crisis, and its something we should act on." At least 87 per cent of Indigenous students in year 9 in NSW will need to resit a reading, writing or numeracy test to be eligible for their HSC, compared with 59 per cent of non-Indigenous students, prompting concerns that the government's new minimum literacy and numeracy standards will further widen the year 12 completion gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. Year 9 students who fail to get a band 8 or above in the reading, writing and numeracy NAPLAN tests are now required to resit online tests over the next eight years in order to be eligible for the HSC, under a controversial new policy that came into affect this year. Indigenous year 9 students in NSW had lower rates of participation in NAPLAN TESTING THIS YEAR than non-Indigenous students. Credit:Jason South Only 12.7 per cent of Aboriginal year 9 students got a band 8 or above in this year's NAPLAN writing test, compared with 40.6 per cent of non-Indigenous students, according to the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority's full results report, released on Wednesday. About 21.1 per cent of Aboriginal students reached the band 8 benchmark in the numeracy test, compared with 59.1 per cent of non-Indigenous students, and 21.8 per cent of Aboriginal students got a band 8 or above in reading, compared with 56 per cent of non-Indigenous students. Canberra's first 2017 Christmas baby was in no hurry to come into the world, but her parents are glad she waited. She was more than a week overdue when she was born just after 5am Christmas morning at Canberra Hospital. Rita Regmi and Deepak Wagle of Harrison welcomed their second daughter, as yet un-named, into the world on Christmas Day. Credit:Karleen Minney Parents Rita Regmi and Deepak Wagle, of Harrison, arrived in Australia from Nepal four years ago. As Hindus, Christmas has never been a traditional celebration for them, but the day now has new meaning. Early on, he was unsure of his skills and was unused to being left alone on tasks. The Punthamara man, who grew up in Canberra, left his old job deciding he needed steadier work to support his family. A switch to the public service brought on moments of self-doubt when former labourer Patrick Booth started working at its largest agency. "Coming into the public service, I was very nervous and agitated to get here," he said. Mr Booth joined the Department of Human Services in October last year on its Indigenous apprenticeship program, one of hundreds of young Aboriginal people to have recently joined the government's ranks of public servants. The program helped the 33,500-strong Human Services department meet its goal as its Indigenous workforce reached 5 per cent of the agency total in November. More than 1,720 of DHS employees now identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and 148 new Indigenous apprentices joined the department that month. The agency was among many trying to grow their ranks of Aboriginal public servants as the government tried to reach 3 per cent Indigenous employment across its departments by 2018. In June, it had reached 3.2 per cent as nearly 5,000 people working in the public service identified themselves as Indigenous. Police are looking to speak with 39-year-old Ashley Dodd in relation to the serious assault of a police officer Police are looking for a man who punched a police officer on the Sunshine Coast before fleeing in a stolen car. About 4.45pm Sunday, police stopped a Toyota Camry on Johnston Road, Glass House Mountains as it did not have a registration plate. Police searched the cars male passenger and found drugs which prompted him to try and flee. The man punched the officer, causing him to fall to the ground, and then continued to punch him. The See Ya Suckers Citation: NICK XENOPHON In a year that saw MPs leave Parliament in droves for all kinds of nefarious reasons, the independent kingmaker Xenophon left on his own terms: (theoretically) off to bigger and better things in SA state politics. The Neil Armstrong Award for Giant Leaping: BRIDGET MCKENZIE The Victorian backbencher has has hit the big time, jumping from the backbench, straight into cabinet. This comes off the back of her recent elevation to Nationals deputy leader. McKenzie saw off some tough competition to get the deputy's gig, too, from Barnaby Joyce's preferred candidate, Matt Canavan. LOSERS The Scribbly Gum Award for Bark Work: GEORGE CHRISTENSEN Christensen talked a big game in terms of quitting the LNP and pressuring the Prime Minister to resign. Turns out, the outspoken Queensland Nat, is all bark, zero on the bite. He also admitted he lied to journalists over reports he was the unnamed MP threatening to sit as an independent if Turnbull was still PM by Christmas. The If You Can't Say Anything Nice Certificate: TONY ABBOTT It's a good thing the former prime minister promised not the snipe, because his lack of sniping hasn't got him very far. Despite his many and varied contributions to public debate (including that amazing goat sacrifice speech about climate change), Abbott ends the year with same-sex marriage legal, the Coalition in cheerful agreement on energy policy and no promotion whatsoever back to the frontbench. The Floury Apple Prize for Bad Taste: PAULINE HANSON The One Nation leader was responsible for some highly questionable things in 2017, from calling for kids with autism to be removed from mainstream classrooms to criticism of the national vaccination program. But even among these, wearing a burqa to question time was a stand out low point. The Fred Astaire Award for Tap Awareness: SAM DASTYARI The Coles Cup for Fly Buys: SUSSAN LEY It was a year that began with a tortured phone call - its transcript famously leaked months later - between Australia's Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and the newly inaugurated President of the US, Donald Trump. Trump, furious at being asked to honour a deal brokered with the Obama administration for the US to take around 1250 refugees from Manus Island and Nauru, complained that "this shows me to be a dope". Whether it did or not, Trump spent the year revealing the most grotesque behaviour, spouting tweets and public statements that promised everything from "fire and fury" on North Korea to the declaration that there were some "very good people" among American neo-Nazis and white supremacists. Back in Australia, Turnbull - who had replaced Tony Abbott on the basis that Abbott had suffered 30 negative polls in a row - finished his own rough year with 25 successive Newspolls showing his Coalition in a losing position to Bill Shorten's Labor. Simmering tensions after a hamfisted end-of-year reshuffle should remind Malcolm Turnbull that while he can be increasingly confident of leading into the next election, it could all end rather quickly in 2018 if he pulls the wrong rein. Due to some applied barnacle removal - and some luck - Turnbull's political hull has been streamlined for the coming year. There will be no mid-term challenge, barring a sharp deterioration in the polls. In Turnbull's hierarchy of needs, ensuring party room support has always been his first priority with external benchmarks like governing imaginatively, and restoring his administration's popular appeal, coming after that. 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 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. Last week, the United Nations General Assembly voted 128-9 to condemn the United States for recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. (Australia, like Canada, abstained.) Donald Trump made the controversial decision about Jerusalem earlier this month, reversing four decades of US policy and bucking the UN's own determination that control of Jerusalem must be decided as part of an agreement between the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority. In some ways, the vote was unremarkable. American presidents regularly clash with the UN, and condemnations of controversial US policies toward Israel and other countries are a standing feature of the General Assembly. But unlike, say, the annual condemnation of the US embargo of Cuba, the condemnation of Trump's Jerusalem decision calls attention both to the President's habit of hasty decision-making and his grander strategy of choosing easy wins over hard work. Washington: Steve Bannon has launched a twin attack on Donald Trump's family, dubbing his daughter Ivanka the "queen of leaks" and calling her husband, Jared Kushner, "immature". Bannon, the former Trump campaign chief and White House aide, said Ivanka Trump was a "fount of bad advice" during the election and once called him a "f------ liar". He also claimed Kushner "doesn't know anything" about Trump's supporters and blamed the President's son-in-law for meetings that left the campaign open to a charge of cosying up to the Russians. According to the article, Bannon reportedly told advisers that President Trump has 'lost a step'. Credit:Bloomberg The President himself is not beyond Bannon's ire, according to a 7000-word profile in Vanity Fair magazine of the man credited with helping win him office. Bannon reportedly thinks Trump has just a 30 per cent chance of making it to 2020 - the end of his presidential term - given the chance of impeachment or being removed by his cabinet under the 25th amendment. Folli Follie's plan to expand in China comes as more Chinese customers are buying entry-level luxury goods at home rather than abroad. Above, a Folli Follie fashion boutique is seen in Yichang, Hubei province, in August 2015. Photo: IC Greek jewelry- and timepiece-maker Folli Follie plans to open 50 new stores in China next year, showing a renewed faith in a market in which its presence has shrunk in recent years. Twenty of the locations will be directly operated by the company, five to seven of which will become its flagship stores in major Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, Folli Follie China Director Connie Law told Caixin. The other 30 shops will run on a franchise model, Law said. The brand recently launched a necklace that includes depictions of dogs ahead of the Chinese year of the dog, the first time the company has launched such a design and a clear attempt to appeal to Chinese consumers. Folli Follie became well-known to Chinese fashionistas in 2011 when domestic conglomerate Fosun Group became its second-largest shareholder. The brand had 220 stores in China in 2014, according to a Fosun financial report. This figure has since declined to only 150, Law said. An industry insider said that the decline was in part caused by some Folli Follie franchisees switching to rivals such as Austrias Swarovski. Law told Caixin that Chinese consumers are buying entry-level luxury goods at home rather than abroad as the price gap between China and other countries has narrowed. As e-commerce continues to rapidly expand in China online sales grew 32% in the first 11 months of 2017, compared to a 10% increase in total retail spending Folli Follie has also established stores on online marketplaces, including Alibabas Tmall and JD.com. But 75% of the companys spending in China goes to its offline stores, Law said, adding that the company will never abandon its brick-and-mortar business. Contact reporter Coco Feng (renkefeng@caixin.com) Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. Volkswagens joint venture with Anhui Jianghuai Automobile will have to market electric vehicles under new, wholly owned marques, rather than any of the German carmakers existing brands. Photo: Visual China Seat SA, the Spanish subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, will sell its China-made electric cars (EVs) under a different brand name in the country, sources familiar with the matter told Caixin. The official establishment of Volkswagens third joint venture in China announced on Friday came more than a year after the German carmaker and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile (JAC) signed a memorandum of understanding in September 2016. The Anhui province-based venture, with registered capital of 2 billion yuan ($304 million), will engage in auto production, sales and exports, as well as offer used-car trading and other transportation services, JAC said in a statement. China in 2015 started issuing permits that allow companies to enter the auto market, as long as they exclusively produce EVs. According to the rules regarding these permits, the Volkswagen-JAC joint venture which obtained a permit in May will have to market vehicles under new, wholly owned marques, rather than any of the German carmakers existing brands. However, without this brand recognition, Volkswagen will enter Chinas highly EV sector with no apparent advantage, competing against many domestic startups that have flooded into the industry to cash in on government subsidies. The joint ventures first EV will be an electric version of an existing JAC model, but its second and third EVs will be rebranded versions of vehicles made by Seat, a source close to JAC told Caixin. An S-shaped logo was seen hanging inside the joint ventures Hefei factor in November. The logo resembled the Seat logo, implying that the company aims to indirectly sell Seat vehicles to Chinese consumers. Seat abandoned the Chinese market in 2014 due to sluggish sales. Contact reporter Mo Yelin (yelinmo@caixin.com) A merry (Calvinist) Christmas to one and all If you are reading this on Christmas Day, Happy Christmas. Now get off your computer or phone and go and do something less boring instead, like eating turkey, watching the Queens speech or washing those dishes. Christmas is not universally celebrated. If you are a Jehovah's Witness then today is just a normal Monday. If you are in a Christian school in India you were warned last week by extremist Hindu nationalists that you celebrate Christmas at your peril. And there are a small number of Christians who will not be celebrating today as a matter of principle. Why? Because they don't believe it is a Christian festival and they celebrate their freedom not to celebrate something that God does not require them to. There was a time when Christmas was either banned or hardly celebrated in Scotland. It was the Scottish Reformers who banned it as a Popish festival in 1560. Although the ban was lifted it was not until 1958 that it actually became a public holiday. But it wasn't just the Scots. In 1644 Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans banned it in England as well, ordering that its 'carnal and sensual delights' (I think they meant Brussels sprouts) be stopped. This ban, by the way, led to the development of a character now considered essential to the days celebrations. A satirical pamphlet was published in 1652 which showed Christmas as an old man with a long beard. In 1658 another satirical pamphlet gave the old man a name Father Christmas! Of course it is easy to mock from a safe distance. The situation is not quite as black and white as we like to assume. The late Christopher Hitchens argued that the Scots banned Christmas because Scots Presbyterians were so against partying and drinking. He clearly had never been here on Hogmanay! I remember as a child thinking that New Year was far more important and exciting. The paradox is that we did celebrate Christmas, but more as a secular holiday than a Christian one. Christmas is primarily seen as a time of being with family, giving gifts and feasting, and there's nothing wrong with that. Sometimes when I see the exploitativeness and farce of much of today's Christmas celebrations I am tempted to think that our forefathers had a point. To have the birth of Christ associated with such excess, greed and materialism does border on the blasphemous. To leave Christ out of such a Christmas is not a bad idea but perhaps we need to change Christmas by bringing Christ forward as the central focus of the festive season. It's only in the past few years that my church has had a Christmas Day service and it's very much considered an optional extra. In more recent years, though, I have come to appreciate not just the evangelistic opportunities Christmas provides, but also the refocus in my own heart on the sheer wonder of the Incarnation. I believe that our forefathers got it wrong and that Christmas is a wonderful time of year to remember the birth of Christ and to consider the light that has come into the darkness. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity, Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel. So I feel doubly blessed. I get the best of both worlds. I can still look forward to Hogmanay and New Year but now I'm off to enjoy my Calvinist Christmas to celebrate the God who gives us all things richly that we may enjoy them, and above all to marvel at the One who is. The Greatest Gift. Go and do likewise! David Robertson is Associate Director of Solas CPC in Dundee and minister at St Peter's Free Church. Follow him on Twitter @TheWeeFlea. Apple AirPods news, update: Upgraded version of wireless earpiece to be released in second half of 2018 Apple's introduction of AirPods has set a new standard for wireless earphones, and according to the latest reports, the public will see an upgraded version of the accessory by the second half of 2018. While users have been mostly satisfied with the AirPods, the update will bring necessary changes to the earpiece's design and boost in sound quality. The well-known Apple tech tipster and KGI Securities analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, predicts that the Cupertino-based firm will unveil a new version of the AirPods next year. Based on his recent notes obtained by MacRumors, Kuo believes that the upgraded AirPods will arrive in mid or late 2018. The reason behind this prediction is the dwindling demand for the wireless earphones in the market this year. With this, Apple is expected to launch a new batch of AirPods next year, including the updated variant. "Media reports over the past few days on brisk AirPods demand and Apple struggling to keep up with holiday season demand align with our findings and positive predictions on AirPods in several previous reports," Kuo stated in his notes. According to Trusted Reviews, the timeframe for the new Apple AirPods launch falling on the latter half of 2018 is possible, given that the company usually holds its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) during summer. The WWDC is where Apple showcases its latest hardware for the year, and it is likely that the new AirPods will be announced during this event. Although, Apple may opt to launch the upgraded earpiece in September, alongside the 2018 iPhone flagship device. Kuo predicts that the next-generation Apple AirPods will feature a smaller portion of the earphones made of quartz. Aside from the material, the analyst did not say any drastic changes in design and audio features expected from the new AirPods. However, if Apple would like to top its present creation, the company needs to introduce vital improvements in the accessory. Meanwhile, the 2018 AirPods upgrade is said to come with a new inductive AirPods charging case, allowing the wireless earphones to be recharged with the new AirPower charging mat. The upcoming AirPods will still be developed by the Taiwanese manufacturer Inventec. 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle' news: Reboot film receives positive and negative comments from fans, critics The action comedy film "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" received mixed reviews from movie goers and movie experts. The star-studded movie was applauded for its comedy content and cast chemistry. The reboot movie by Columbia Pictures was praised for the humorous content it brought to the big screen and for the surprisingly good chemistry it showed among the four major characters. "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" is made up of big names including Kevin Hard, Dwayne Johnson, and Jack Black. The comedians are also joined by talented Scottish actress, Karen Gillan. The cast ensemble was praised by both critics and the viewers. According to Common Sense Media, the movie effectively utilized its comedic arsenal to bring a whole new world of "Jumanji" to audiences. Screen Rant pointed out that the 2017 movie's target audience consist mainly of the young ones and not "nostalgic adults" who loved the 1995 film "Jumanji." The movie also received a few negative feedbacks from critics. A few publications said that the movie lacked adventure given that it prioritized comedy above all other movie elements. The movie got a 77% score rating from Rotten Tomatoes, 7.1 out of 10 score from IMDb, and 4 out of 5 star from Den of Geek. The plot of the movie is different from that of the original film back in 1995. The storyline of the 2017 iteration centers on four teenagers who got sucked into a Jumanji video game cartridge and had to find their way out. During an interview with Jimmy Fallon, Hart revealed that "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" is the biggest project of his career as an actor. "It's the biggest movie I've done. It's honestly from start to finish the best project I've ever done," he said. The comedic rockstar also revealed that the movie aimed to honor the late Robin Williams who starred in the 1995 original film. "We also wanted to make sure that we pay homage to the late great Robin Williams," Hart stated. "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" is not the first time Hart and Johnson worked together. The pair first got together in 2016 to bring the comedy film "Central Intelligence." Samsung Galaxy S9, S9+ release date, specs rumors: Case render leaks reveal next flagship's new design The rumors are rife that Samsung's next flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S9, will have an advanced launching next year. With this, it can be expected that several specs leaks would surface as early as now. For one, the most recent leak reveals the casing of the Galaxy S8 successor. While the South Korean tech giant has yet to confirm the development of the Galaxy S9 and S9+, renders of the upcoming handsets have already been posted online. In fact, the alleged case renders of Samsung Galaxy S9 have circulated the web since last week. The said image leaks are said to come from Ghostek, one of Samsung's accessories manufacturing partner. It is reported that the company has started to take orders as the unveiling of the Galaxy S9 inches closer. Based on the case images, the Samsung Galaxy S9 will keep the Infinity display feature of its predecessor. The all-screen display of the 2018 flagship is estimated to have 18:5:9 aspect ratio, according to GSMArena. It also appears that the bezels on the top and the bottom portion of the screen have become slimmer, offering a more immersive viewing experience than the Galaxy S8. The case render shows the Bixby button positioned on the left side with the volume switch, while the power button remains on the ride side. There is also a bit of good news from the Samsung Galaxy S9 case leaks as the fingerprint scanner is shown to have a more convenient location right below the camera lens. To note, this new location of the biometric reader is the same as that in the upcoming Galaxy A8 (2018) mid-range handset. However, some users may still not be convinced with the fingerprint sensor placed at the rear, as there is a demand to put it back to the front panel via in-display scanner technology. Another good news is that the Samsung Galaxy S9 case renders still shows the 3.5mm headphone jack, positioned near the USB-C port and the speaker. Ghostek did not provide the case images for the Galaxy S9+ model, although it is speculated that the larger variant will sport a vertical dual camera module. The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ are expected to be showcased at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 on February 27th. Sony news: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 confirmed for new flagship phone Sony's new flagship smartphone Android phone has finally been confirmed to have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, this was after benchmarks for the said central processing unit (CPU) of the phone have been detected. This was one of the few confirmed features of the upcoming Sony H8266. Previous information regarding the specifications of the smartphone have been scarce, and so far, only the name of the new device has been confirmed. Now though, a benchmark for the smartphone has been spotted on the website Geekbench, and it has revealed that the chipset used by the H8266 is the Snapdragon 845. This gave it a benchmark score of 2393, which puts the Sony flagship phone on a par with Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S9+ since both utilize the same chipset. The similarities between the two seem to end there, however, as other confirmed specs set the Sony phone apart from its competition. This will disappoint some expectant future users though, as the H8266 has been confirmed to only have 4 gigabytes (GB) of random access memory (RAM), while the Galaxy 9+ will be utilizing 6GB. This could mean that the Galaxy s9+ might be a better device when it comes to multitasking, but that does not mean that the H8266 is expected to be incompetent with its multitasking. Sony H8266 will also be shipping out of the box with the latest Android 8.0 Oreo version, which seems to be the standard now for phones having a 2018 release date. Other than those confirmed specifications, there are also rumors that the new flagship from Sony will be utilizing a dual camera setup, which will be made of two 12-megapixel (MP) cameras, as well as a 3,130 mAh battery. These rumors are best taken with a grain of salt, however, as things might still change during mass production. Meanwhile, Sony also plans to unveil three other smartphones alongside the H8266 next year, and their codenames are the H8216, H8276, and H8296. So far, there has been no confirmed release date yet for the new flagship phone or its smaller and weaker variants, so potential buyers may have to wait indefinitely for official announcements from Sony. 'Venom' cast rumors: Riz Ahmed may not be playing Carnage Riz Ahmed's mystery character in the upcoming "Venom" may have just been revealed and it is not what everyone has been expecting. The "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" actor has been widely speculated to portray Carnage. The character is the symbiote persona bonded to the notorious serial killer Cletus Kasady in the comics. However, Atlanta filming claims Ahmed may actually have a different role. Posting a photo of the actor from the set of "Venom" on its Twitter account, the outlet posited that he is playing Dr. Carlton Drake. Check out the post below: This is what happens when they walk out of the wrong door... side and behind view. Dr. Drake from #Venom, in costume. pic.twitter.com/e5wNiOqUKL Atlanta Filming (@AtlantaFilming) December 22, 2017 ' As previously reported, the "Spider-Man" spinoff will be based on the "Lethal Protector" comic book series and Dr. Carlton Drake plays a big part in that storyline. According to Movie Web, Drake is the leader of Life Foundation that hunts down Venom after Eddie Brock, who will be played by Tom Hardy, moves to San Francisco. Interested to use the symbiote for their own purposes, the organization later creates five of their own horrific spawns named Scream, Phage, Riot, Lasher, and Agony. Whether Carnage appears in the movie or not is unclear, but it seems as though the film is setting Drake up to be the evil mastermind behind Eddie Brock's obstacles. "Venom" is in production right now. Apart from Ahmed and Hardy, the spinoff also stars Michelle Williams as Anne Weying. The character is Eddie Brock's ex-wife who, in the comics, plays a crucial role in forcing him to give up his villainous ways but later ends up becoming She-Venom. Other cast members include Woody Harrelson, Jenny Slate, Reid Scott and Scott Haze, although their roles are still under wraps. "Venom" is scheduled to open in cinemas on Oct. 5, 2018. "Zombieland" director Ruben Fleischer is helming the spin-off while "Fifty Shades of Grey" scriptwriter Kelly Marcel, Scott Rosenberg ("Jumanji") and Jeff Pinkner are all signed up for writing duties. Why do Matthew and Luke have different Nativity stories? We all know the Christmas story as told in the Gospels. Mary and Joseph travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem where they find shelter in a stable because there's no room at the inn. There Jesus is born and the shepherds, angels and wise men visit before Mary and Joseph have to escape Herod and flee to Egypt. Except it's not as simple as that. Firstly, two of the four Gospels don't feature the story of Jesus' birth at all. Mark and John jump straight into his baptism and ministry without reference to how or where he was born. The remaining two Matthew and Luke have very different accounts. Matthew begins with a genealogy to show Jesus' heritage and then tells of his miraculous conception and birth without any reference to a journey to Bethlehem. Matthew also makes no reference to a stable, manger, shepherds or donkeys. He simply says the Magi came to 'the house' after their fateful visit to Herod in Jerusalem. Luke on the other hand has no genealogy and instead focuses heavily on John the Baptist as a foil to Jesus. The author goes to considerable length to explain the background and circumstances around John's birth before coming to Jesus. Mary is much more central to the story than in Matthew with her visit to Elizabeth and her Magnificat in 1:46-55. There is a heavy focus on the naming of John before we're told of Jesus' birth. In Luke, Mary and Joseph start in Nazareth and have to travel to Bethlehem where Jesus is born and placed in a 'manger'. Here there is no mention of Magi but instead Luke has nearby shepherds coming to visit the young family. There is also no mention of having to flee Herod's regime in Jerusalem. In fact, Luke says Mary and Joseph actually went to Jerusalem to have an eight-day-old Christ circumcised. Here they met Simeon who blessed them after saying the famous line: 'Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation.' So far from the Christmas story being straightforward and well-known, the two accounts are strikingly different. The classic nativity story is actually a slightly deceptive amalgamation of two separate versions. We tend to merge the Christmas stories to make them fit together. This is not a new or particularly revelatory point but it is worth remembering. Not necessarily because either account disproves the other, but rather because by merging the two we miss some of what the original authors were trying to get at. Matthew's emphasis on Jesus' ancestry reflects his desire to show Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel's story. He highlights Jesus as the new David with his birthplace in Bethlehem and his links as a direct descendent. Joseph hears from angels through Old Testament prophecies that are shown to be fulfilled in Jesus. Indeed the whole account is littered with references to the Old Testament, again highlighting Jesus' Jewish roots. Finally, the Magi's role shows the importance of Jesus and his prominence as 'King of the Jews'. By contrast Luke's main focus is on showing how Jesus is different from John the Baptist. The author goes to great pains to explain John's identity as one 'to make ready a people prepared for the Lord' and a 'prophet of the Most High'. This is pointedly contrasted to Jesus who 'will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High'. The shepherds are told a 'Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord'. If readers are still in any doubt of Jesus' identity, Luke finishes his nativity account with the visit to Simeon who described Jesus as God's 'salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations'. By blurring these two accounts we miss what the authors wanted to highlight originally. We are blinded to the subtleties and focuses of their particular stories. The effort to make sense of the two separate accounts has led to their difference being diluted. We would do better to be comfortable with the contrasts, even if they are difficult to reconcile with each other. 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." Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, Khalid Al-Falih pictured at a joint press conference during the 173rd Ordinary Meeting of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Vienna, Austria on November 30, 2017. There's little reason to expect oil prices to extend gains through the first quarter of 2018, energy strategists have told CNBC. The prospect of rising U.S. shale production, subdued price movements and intensifying geopolitical risks is likely to offset a rally in prices at the start of next year, the analysts said. Harry Colvin, director and senior economist at Longview Economics, told CNBC in a phone interview that he was "pretty bearish" over the price of oil over the next three months. "While we could easily see an escalation of tensions in the Middle East, in the absence of that, optimism is probably misplaced for up to six months Everybody seems to be facing the same way over oil at the minute and it's when this happens that you need to be especially careful," he said. Oil prices have recovered well over a third of their value since hitting 2017 lows in June. The gains are largely due to the global supply cuts implemented by and non-OPEC producers at the start of the year. What will happen with US shale? Goldman Sachs said a stronger-than-anticipated OPEC-led commitment to extend production cuts through 2018. The U.S. bank lifted its Brent price forecast for next year to $62 a barrel and its West Texas Intermediate (WTI) projection to $57.50 a barrel. The revisions were up from $58 a barrel and $55 a barrel respectively. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) have both indicated strong global demand growth in 2018 at 1.3 percent or above. "A really key nub of the debate with oil is what will happen with the U.S. shale?" Colvin said. Pump jacks and wells on the Monterey Shale formation in California David McNew / Stringer | Getty Images News In recent months, U.S. shale producers have surprised market participants with how quickly they have ramped up production in the wake of rising prices. Almost all increases in American oil production over the last few years have stemmed from shale, which in total accounts for nearly two-thirds of the country's existing output. The U.S. is not part of a global effort to withhold oil production levels. Colvin said it would be "easy" for oil to go to $50 a barrel by the end of the first quarter, before adding he would "not be surprised" to see levels as low as $45 a barrel. OPEC, Russia and nine other producers to keep 1.8 million barrels a day off the market through the end of 2018. Having extended the deal once already, the producers again reached an agreement at the end of November to try to drain a global crude glut. OPEC's latest deal was most likely a "volatility killer," Chris Main, energy strategist at Citi, told CNBC in a phone interview. Despite expecting fundamentals to continue to support the market, Main said he forecast oil prices to fall back to around $57 a barrel by the end of the first quarter. "That price weakness could end up being supportive to the OPEC commitment next year It would certainly reinforce the will of the Saudis," he said. OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia is head of the cartel's compliance monitoring committee and is reportedly expected to try to ensure all other member countries stick to agreed production levels over the next 12 months. 'Bullish catalysts in short supply' "The major price driver in the first quarter of 2018 will be geopolitical developments," Stephen Brennock, oil analyst at PVM Oil Associates, said in an email to CNBC. While Brennock cited Iran's relationship with the U.S. and Saudi Arabia as geopolitical risks worthy of keeping an eye on, he argued it was likely to be only a "matter of time" before Venezuela's worsening debt crisis started to significantly hamper the OPEC members' oil production. An attendant sits at a closed Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) gas station in Caracas, Venezuela, on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017. Wil Riera | Bloomberg | Getty Images His unpredictability "may well be an effective tool in dealing with certain types of characters, like the gentleman in North Korea," Studzinski added. With the U.S. president being unpredictable and by keeping his cards close to his chest he's put certain leaders "very much on their toes," Studzinski said, mentioning North Korea specifically. "President Trump has a style that on a good day you'd say is nimble. On a bad day you'd say is unpredictable," Studzinski said in a TV interview ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos in January. The incalculable nature of President Donald Trump 's foreign policy may be causing angst across the Western world, but it's also an effective tool against the threat from North Korea, John Studzinski, vice chairman of Blackstone, told CNBC. Trump's mandate has so far been marked by several changes in approach compared to his predecessors, mainly regarding foreign policy. Recently, , defying the position of the vast majority of global leaders on the matter. British Prime Minister Theresa May said Trump's decision would not help to put an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. France and Germany also condemned the decision. "There's one thing that world leaders don't like, particularly in the world we have right now with a lot of strong dictators around the world. They do not like the unpredictability of Washington," Studzinski noted. Studzinski said domestically Trump has performed much better in his first year in the White House. "The stock market has continued to be robust, his laissez-faire attitude with respect to regulation has been seen as a very positive indicator and the markets have responded well to that," he said. "On the other hand, he inherited something that really began with the (Barack) Obama presidencies, which is a really global shift in the hegemony of America as the sort of center of the world order," he added. A key moment in this shift was the opening speech at Davos in 2017 by the Chinese President Xi Jinping, where he introduced China as a global superpower at the same time that the U.S. was taking a more inward-looking approach. "Domestically I think he (Trump) does much better on his report card. In terms of foreign policy I think the jury is still out because he has inherited a much more complicated deck of cards," Studzinski concluded. 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. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- As automobile electronic technologies develop fast, the widespread application of automobile intelligent technologies is becoming a trend in future. Chinese self-owned brands are committed to redefining upper medium sedans by developing advanced intelligent technologies. Raeton CC, the Changan's first sedan designed by the idea of vitality motion", launched 3 versions with 6-speed manual transmission and 4 versions with 6-speed automatic transmission. The group intended to redefine upper medium sedans by their elegant designs, intelligent technologies, extraordinary driving experience and all-around security. Experts states that current global automobile industry is in a crucial phase of industry restructuring and scale expansion with multiple challenges and chances brought by many new technologies, such as new energies, internet of vehicles and intelligent driving. In this situation, Chinese self-owned automobile brands also devote plentiful time and energy to research and innovation. It is obvious that a significant traffic revolution is happening in China. This introduction of the above mentioned new sedans attempts to open a new chapter in China's upper medium sedan market from different angles. Especially, in intelligent technology applications, it uses fly-screen interaction technology to improve the security. According to the industry's insiders, intelligent technologies will lead automobile development in future. Under such circumstance, Chinese self-owned automobile enterprises are heading for cutting-edge technologies and trying to rival foreign countries' advanced achievements. Since coming to power in June of last year, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has become one of Asia's most controversial leaders for his strongman politics and inflammatory statements. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Erik De Castro | Reuters From admitting to killing people to joking about rape, the 72 year-old's explosive comments have made headlines around the world and earned him comparisons to President Donald Trump. In response, his administration insists that the leader's statements should be taken with a pinch of salt, with the president himself even admitting that "only two out of my five statements are true." Still, critics frequently attack Duterte for what they deem unpresidential behavior. The majority of his comments are made in Tagalog, but they are often translated into English by Philippine media. Here are a few of his most incendiary comments and claims from 2017. He said he stabbed someone to death "At the age of 16, I already killed someone. A real person, a rumble, a stabbing. I was just 16 years old. It was just over a look. How much more now that I am president?" Duterte said on Nov. 9 in Vietnam, Agence France-Presse reported. It's not the first time the leader has admitted to killing. In April last year, Duterte told Esquire magazine that he "maybe" stabbed someone to death when he was 17 years old possibly the same incident the president was referring to in Vietnam. In the Esquire interview, he added that he has never killed an innocent person. In December last year, he declared that he had personally shot dead criminal suspects during his time as Davao City mayor. He threatened to hang EU officials In response to human rights concerns expressed by The European Union over Manila's anti-drug campaign, Duterte threatened to hang officials opposed to his policies. watch now In remarks directed to EU authorities, the president said: "I will just be happy to hang you. If I have the preference, I'll hang all of you ... You are putting us down. You are exerting pressure in every country with the death penalty." He wants to 'eat' terrorists Following a foiled attack in the tourist region of Bohol by local terror network Abu Sayyaf, the president had a cannibalistic response to the militants, saying that he would eat a terrorist if one were captured alive. "Give me salt and vinegar. I will eat his liver," Duterte said on April 24 according to multiple reports. His administration has been increasingly cracking down on Abu Sayyaf in recent months. He jokes about rape During a May speech to troops in Mindanao a region placed under martial law amid militant activities Duterte said he would take full responsibility for potential crimes committed by soldiers during the period of military rule, including rape. "For this martial law and the consequences of martial law and the ramifications of martial law, I and I alone would be responsible. Just do your work. I will handle the rest," he said on May 27. "I will be imprisoned for you. If you rape three [women], I will say that I did it." watch now The president later said he had been joking. During a presidential debate on April 2016, Duterte joked about Australian missionary Jacqueline Hamill, who was raped and killed in 1989 while working in a prison in the city of Davao, where Duterte was previously mayor. "Why did I get angry because she was raped? Yes, that's part of the reason, but also because she was so beautiful and the mayor should have been first," Duterte said, according to the Associated Press. He the Catholic Church is 'full of s___' In January, the outspoken president lashed out at Philippine leaders of the Catholic Church in response to their concerns of alleged extrajudicial killings in Manila's drug war. In a speech on Jan. 21, Durterte said church leaders were "full of s___" and that they "all smell bad, corruption and all," accusing priests of homosexuality and abusing children. His criticism came shortly after Pope Francis offered a blessing to Durterte. He wants to wage war against communists 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. SOUTH STORMONT, Ontario Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry (SD&G) Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers are currently at the scene of a fatal Motorized Snow Vehicle (MSV) collision on the Long Sault Parkway, Ingleside, South Stormont Township. On December 24, 2017 at approximately 5:05pm, officers of the SDG OPP responded to a fatal Motorized Snow Vehicle (MSV) collision involving one occupant. The male driver stuck an object and lost control of the snowmobile. The adult male driver was pronounced deceased at the scene of the collision. The identity of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin. ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION ON THE ABOVE OR ANY CRIME IS ASKED TO CALL SD&G OPP AT 1-888-310-1122 OR CRIME STOPPERS AT 1-800-222-8477. 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 Koninklijke Philips N.V. operates as a health technology company in North America and internationally. It operates through Diagnosis & Treatment Businesses, Connected Care Businesses, and Personal Health Businesses segments. The company provides diagnostic imaging solutions, includes magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography (CT) systems, X-ray systems, and detector-based spectral CT solutions, as well as molecular and hybrid imaging solutions for nuclear medicine; integrated interventional systems; echography solutions focused on diagnosis, treatment planning and guidance for cardiology, general imaging, obstetrics/gynecology, and point-of-care applications; proprietary software to enable diagnostics and intervention; and enterprise diagnostic informatics products and services. It also offers acute patient management solutions; emergency care solutions; sleep and respiratory care solutions; and electronic medical record and care management solutions. In addition, the company provides power toothbrushes, brush heads, and interdental cleaning and teeth whitening products; infant feeding and digital parental solutions; and male grooming and beauty products and solutions. It has a strategic collaboration with Ibex Medical Analytics Ltd. to jointly promote the digital pathology and AI solutions to hospitals, health networks, and pathology laboratories worldwide, as well as a strategic partnership agreement with NICO.LAB. The company was formerly known as Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. and changed its name to Koninklijke Philips N.V. in May 2013. Koninklijke Philips N.V. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. RELX PLC provides information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers in North America, Europe, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Risk; Scientific, Technical & Medical; Legal; and Exhibitions. The Risk segment offers information-based analytics and decision tools that combine public and industry specific content with technology and algorithms to assist clients in evaluating and predicting risk. The Scientific, Technical & Medical segment provides information and analytics that help institutions and professionals to progress in science and advance healthcare. The Legal segment provides legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics that help customers in decision-making, as well as increases the productivity. The Exhibitions segment is involved in the events business that combines face-to-face with data and digital tools to help customers learn about markets, source products, and complete transactions. The company was formerly known as Reed Elsevier PLC and changed its name to RELX PLC in July 2015. The company was incorporated in 1903 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (NYSE: RHP) is a leading lodging and hospitality real estate investment trust that specializes in upscale convention center resorts and country music entertainment experiences. The Company's core holdings* include a network of five of the top 10 largest non-gaming convention center hotels in the United States based on total indoor meeting space. These convention center resorts operate under the Gaylord Hotels brand and are managed by Marriott International. The Company also owns two adjacent ancillary hotels and a small number of attractions managed by Marriott International for a combined total of 10,110 rooms and more than 2.7 million square feet of total indoor and outdoor meeting space in top convention and leisure destinations across the country. The Company's Entertainment segment includes a growing collection of iconic and emerging country music brands, including the Grand Ole Opry; Ryman Auditorium, WSM 650 AM; Ole Red and Circle, a country lifestyle media network the Company owns in a joint-venture with Gray Television. The Company operates its Entertainment segment as part of a taxable REIT subsidiary. * The Company is the sole owner of Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center; Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center; Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center; and Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. It is the majority owner and managing member of the joint venture that owns the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center. Domtar Corporation designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes communication papers, specialty and packaging papers, and absorbent hygiene products in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Pulp and Paper, and Personal Care. The company provides business papers, including copy and electronic imaging papers used in inkjet and laser printers, photocopiers, and plain-paper fax machines, as well as computer papers, preprinted forms, and digital papers for office and home use. It also offers commercial printing and publishing papers, such as offset papers and opaques used in sheet and roll fed offset presses; publishing papers, which include tradebook and lightweight uncoated papers for publishing textbooks, dictionaries, catalogs, magazines, hard cover novels, and financial documents; and converting papers for envelopes, tablets, business forms, and data processing/computer forms. In addition, the company provides papers for thermal printing, flexible packaging, food packaging, medical packaging, medical gowns and drapes, sandpaper backing, carbonless printing, labels and other coating, and laminating applications; and papers for industrial and specialty applications, such as carrier papers, treated papers, security papers, and specialized printing and converting applications. Further, it offers absorbent hygiene products, including absorbent briefs, protective underwear, underpads, pads, washcloths, and body patches under the Attends, Indasec, IndasSlip, and Reassure brands; and baby diapers, training and youth pants, and bed mats under the Comfees, Chelino, Nene, and Bambino brand names. The company serves merchants, retail outlets, stationers, printers, publishers, converters, and end-users. Domtar Corporation was founded in 1848 and is based in Fort Mill, South Carolina. As of November 30, 2021, Domtar Corporation operates as a subsidiary of Karta Halten B.V. The following companies are subsidiares of HEICO: 1260041 B.C. LTD., 16-1741 Property Inc., 26 Ward Hill Property LLC, 3 McCrea Property Company LLC, 3D Acquisition Corp., 3D Plus SAS, 3D Plus U.S.A. Inc., 60 Sequin LLC, A2C Air Cost Control SAS, AD HEICO Acquisition Corp., ATK Acquisition Corp., Action Research Corporation, AeroAntenna Technology, AeroAntenna Technology Inc., AeroDesign Inc., AeroELT LLC, Aerospace & Commercial Technologies LLC, Aeroworks (Asia) Ltd., Aeroworks (Lao) Co. Ltd., Aeroworks Composites (Asia) Ltd., Aeroworks Composites B.V., Aeroworks Europe B.V., Aeroworks Inc., Aeroworks International Holding B.V., Aeroworks Lao II Co. Ltd., Aeroworks Manufacturing Services (Asia) Ltd., Aeroworks Special Products B.V., Air Cost Control Germany GmbH, Air Cost Control PTE Ltd., Air Cost Control US LLC, Aircraft Technology Inc., Analog Modules Inc., Apex Holding Corp., Apex Microtechnology Inc., Associated Composite Inc., Astro Property LLC, Astroseal Products Mfg. Corporation, Aviation Engineered Services Corp., Aviation Facilities Inc., Avisource Limited, Battery Shop L.L.C., Bay Equipment Corp., Bernier Connect SAS, Blue Aerospace LLC, Breidon LLC, CSI Aerospace Inc., Camtronics LLC, Carbon by Design, Carbon by Design Corporation, Carbon by Design LLC, Connect Tech Inc., Connect Tech Real Estate Holdings Inc., Connectronics Corp., Conxall Corporation, DEC Technologies Inc., DIRI Co. Ltd., De-Icing Investment Holdings Corp., Decavo LLC, Dielectric Sciences Inc., Dukane Seacom Inc., Dynatech Acquisition Corp., EMD Acquisition Corp., EMD Technologies Incorporated, Engineering Design Team Inc., Engineering Design Team Inc., Essex X-Ray & Medical Equipment LTD, FerriShield Inc., Freebird Semiconductor Corporation, Future Aviation Inc., HB Fuel Systems LLC, HEICO Aerospace Corporation, HEICO Aerospace Holdings Corp., HEICO Aerospace Parts Corp., HEICO East Corporation, HEICO Electronic Technologies Corp., HEICO Flight Support Corp., HEICO International Holdings B.V., HEICO Parts Group Inc., HEICO Repair Group Aerostructures LLC, HEICO Repair LLC, HETC I LLC, HETC II Corp., HETC III LLC, HETC IV LLC, HETC V LLC, HFSC III Corp., HFSC IV Corp., HFSC V LLC, HFSC VI LLC, HFSC VII LLC, HFSC VIII LLC, HNW Building Corp., HNW2 Building Corp., HVT Group Inc., Harter Aerospace LLC, Harter Aerospace LLC, High Voltage Technology Limited, IRCameras LLC, Inertial Airline Services Inc., Intelligent Devices LLC, Interface Displays & Controls Inc., JA Engineering I Corp., JA Engineering II Corp., Jet Avion Corporation, Jetavi Engineering Private Limited, Jetseal Inc., LLP Enterprises LLC, LPI Industries Corporation, Leader Tech Inc., Lucix Corporation, Lumina Power Inc., McClain International Inc., McClain Property Corp., Meridian Industrial Inc., Midwest Microwave Solutions Inc., Midwest Microwave Solutions Inc., Moulages Plastiques Industriels de L'essonne SARL, Niacc-Avitech Technologies Inc., Northwings Accessories Corp., Optical Display Engineering Inc., Optical Display Engineering LLC, Paciwave Inc., Parts Advantage LLC, Prime Air Europe Limited, Prime Air LLC, Pyramid Semiconductor Corp., Quell Corporation, R.H. Laboratories Inc., Radiant Power Corp., Radiant Power IDC LLC, Ramona Research Inc., Reinhold Holdings Inc., Reinhold Industries Inc., Research Electronics International, Research Electronics International L.L.C., Ridge Engineering LLC, Ridge HoldCo LLC, Robertson Fuel Systems, Robertson Fuel Systems L.L.C., Rocky Mountain Hydrostatics, Rocky Mountain Hydrostatics LLC, Rogers-Dierks Inc., SBIR, SI-REL Inc., SST Components Inc., Santa Barbara Infrared Inc., Seal Dynamics LLC, Seal Dynamics LLC (Singapore Branch), Seal Dynamics Limited, Seal Q Corp., Sensor Technology Engineering LLC, Sierra Microwave Technology LLC, Solid Sealing Technology Inc., Specialty Silicone Products Inc., Spectralux Avionics, Sunshine Avionics LLC, Switchcraft Far East Company Ltd., Switchcraft Holdco Inc., Switchcraft Inc., Switchcraft Inc., TSID Holdings LLC, TTT-Cubed Inc., The Bechdon Company LLC, Thermal Energy Products Inc., Thermal Structures Inc., Transformational Security LLC, Turbine Kinetics Inc., VPT GaN LLC, VPT Inc., and dB Control Corp.. Read More Alteryx, Inc. operates in analytic process automation business in the Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and internationally. The company's analytics platform enables organizations to enhance business outcomes and the productivity of their business analysts, data scientists, citizen data scientists, and data engineers. Its analytics platform comprises Alteryx Designer, a data profiling, preparation, blending, analytics, data science, and process automation product; Alteryx Server, a server-based product to manage, automate, and govern processes and applications in a web-based environment; Alteryx Intelligence Suite, an augmented machine learning, auto-modeling, and text mining product; Alteryx Connect, a collaborative data exploration platform; and Alteryx Promote, an analytics model management product for data scientists and analytics teams to build, manage, monitor, and deploy predictive models into real-time production applications. The company's platform also offers cloud-native products comprising Alteryx Designer Cloud, a browser-based version of Alteryx Designer product; Alteryx Machine Learning, an automated machine learning product to build, validate, iterate, and explore machine learning models; Alteryx Auto Insights, an analytics solution that automates insights for business users; and Alteryx Trifacta, an open and interactive cloud platform for data engineers and analysts to collaboratively profile, prepare, and pipeline data for analytics and machine learning. In addition, it provides technical support, instruction, and customer services. It serves retail, food services, consumer products, telecom and cable, media and entertainment, professional services, financial services, energy and utilities, public sector, manufacturing, travel and hospitality, healthcare and insurance, and technology industries. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Irvine, California. Apex court clears way for Ncell profit repatriation The Supreme Court on Sunday cleared the way for telecom company Ncell to repatriate its dividend from Nepal. Citigroup Inc. is one of the worlds largest financial institutions. It is the 13th largest bank globally by assets and 8th by market cap with operations in consumer and institutional banking. In the US, Citigroup is the 3rd largest bank by assets and one of the Big Four deemed systemically important and too big to fail. Citigroup Inc. was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York. The bank was run by Samuel Osgood who led the company with success for many years, even throughout the War of 1812. The bank was later renamed the National City Bank of New York in 1865 and by 1895 is the largest bank in the US. In 1913 it was the first contributor to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and a few years later it began to expand into overseas territories. The bank became the First National City Bank of New York after another merger in 1955 and then later, the New York part was dropped off as part of the 150th-anniversary celebration. By 1974 the company is known as Citicorp which is still the operational branch of the business and a global banking powerhouse. A merger with Travelers insurance group in 1998 resulted in the name Citigroup but the joint venture did not last. By 2002 Travelers was publicly traded once again but Citigroup retained the new name. Today, the company is headquartered in New York, New York but boasts more than 200 million customer accounts in 160 countries worldwide. As of mid-2022, it operated 2,649 branches in the United States, Mexico, and Asia. The company reports nearly 725 branches in the US and 1499 in Mexico with the rest scattered throughout its territory. Total annual revenue topped $75 billion in 2022. Citigroup is a diversified financial services holding company that owns Citicorp among other assets. The companys mission is to serve as a trusted partner providing responsible financial solutions to its clients. Citigroup provides financial products and services to consumers, corporations, governments, and institutions. The company operates in two segments, Global Consumer Banking (GCB) and Institutional Clients Group (ICG). The GCB segment offers traditional banking services including deposit and saving accounts, credit cards, personal loans, home loans, and investment services. This segment operates through local branches and digital means. The ICG segment offers wholesale banking products and services to corporate, institutional, public sector, and high-net-worth clients. The following companies are subsidiares of Sherwin-Williams: Acquire Sourcing LLC, CTS National Corporation, Comex North America Inc., Compania Sherwin-Williams S.A. de C.V., Contract Transportation Systems Co., Dongguan Lilly Paint Industries Ltd, Duron, EPS B.V., EPS Shanghai Trading Co. Ltd., Geocel Holdings, Guangdong Valspar Paints Manufacturing Co Ltd., Inver East Med S.A., Inver France SAS, Inver GmbH, Inver Industrial Coating SRL, Inver Polska Spoka Z O.O, Inver Spa, Invercolor Bologna Srl, Invercolor Ltd, Invercolor Roma Srl, Invercolor Torino Srl, Invercolor Toscana Srl, Isocoat Tintas e Vernizes Ltda, Isva Vernici Srl, Leighs Paints, M.A. Bruder & Sons, Omega Specialty Products & Services LLC, Oy Sherwin-Williams Finland Ab, PT Sherwin-Williams Indonesia, PT Valspar Indonesia, Paint Sundry Brands, Pinturas Condor S.A., Pinturas Industriales S.A., Piton Paints Limited, Plasti-Kote Co. Inc., Plasti-kote Limited, Productos Quimicos y Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Quest Automotive Products UK Limited, Quetzal Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Ronseal Ireland Limited, SWIMC LLC, SWIPCO Sherwin Williams do Brasil Propriedade Intelectual Ltda, Sherwin Williams Colombia S.A.S., Sherwin-Williams Argentina I.y C.S.A., Sherwin-Williams Aruba VBA, Sherwin-Williams Australia Pty. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams Balkan S.R.L., Sherwin-Williams Bel Unitary Enterprise, Sherwin-Williams Belize Limited, Sherwin-Williams Benelux NV, Sherwin-Williams Canada Inc., Sherwin-Williams Caribbean N.V., Sherwin-Williams Cayman Islands Limited, Sherwin-Williams Chile S.A., Sherwin-Williams Coatings India Private Limited, Sherwin-Williams Coatings S.a r.l., Sherwin-Williams Czech Republic spol. s r.o, Sherwin-Williams Denmark A/S, Sherwin-Williams Deutschland GmbH, Sherwin-Williams France Finishes SAS, Sherwin-Williams Ireland Limited, Sherwin-Williams Italy S.r.l., Sherwin-Williams Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Sherwin-Williams Nantong Coatings Technology Co. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams Nantong Company Limited, Sherwin-Williams Norway AS, Sherwin-Williams Paints Limited Liability Company, Sherwin-Williams Peru S.R.L., Sherwin-Williams Pinturas de Venezuela S.A., Sherwin-Williams Poland Sp. z o.o, Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings, Sherwin-Williams Realty Holdings Inc., Sherwin-Williams Services Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Sherwin-Williams Shanghai Limited, Sherwin-Williams Spain Coatings S.L., Sherwin-Williams Sweden AB, Sherwin-Williams Thailand Co. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams UK Coatings Limited, Sherwin-Williams UK Limited, Sherwin-Williams Vietnam Limited, Sherwin-Williams West Indies Limited, Sherwin-Williams do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., Southland Paint Company, Spanyc Paints Joint Stock Company, Specialty Polymers Inc., Syntema I Vaggeryd AB, Taiwan Valspar Co. Ltd., The Sherwin-Williams Acceptance Corporation, The Sherwin-Williams Headquarters Company, The Sherwin-Williams Manufacturing Company, The Sherwin-Williams US Licensing Company, The Valspar Asia Corporation Limited, The Valspar Australia Corporation Pty. Ltd., The Valspar Corporation, The Valspar Corporation Limitada, The Valspar Finland Corporation Oy, The Valspar France Corporation S.A.S., The Valspar France Research Corporation SAS, The Valspar Malaysia Corporation Sdn Bhd, The Valspar Nantes Corporation S.A.S., The Valspar Singapore Corporation Pte. Ltd, The Valspar South Africa Corporation Pty Ltd, The Valspar Switzerland Corporation AG, The Valspar Thailand Corporation Ltd., The Valspar UK Corporation Limited, The Valspar Vietnam Corporation Ltd., UAB Sherwin-Williams Baltic, Valspar Aries Coatings S. de R.L. de C.V., Valspar Automotive Australia Pty Limited, Valspar Automotive UK Corporation Limited, Valspar B.V., Valspar Coatings Guangdong Co. Ltd., Valspar Coatings Shanghai Co. Ltd., Valspar Coatings Tianjin Co. Ltd, Valspar D.o.o Beograd, Valspar India Coatings Corporation Private Limited, Valspar Industries GmbH, Valspar Industries Ireland Ltd., Valspar Industries Italy S.r.l., Valspar LLC, Valspar Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Valspar Powder Coatings Limited, Valspar Rock Company Limited Japan, Valspar Shanghai Management Co. Ltd., Valspar Specialty Paints LLC, Valspar Uruguay Corporation S.A., Valspar WPC Pty Ltd, and ZAO Sherwin-Williams. Read More Banke: Procurement delay causes chronic shortage of medicines All the public health institutions in Banke district are reeling under shortage of essential medicines because of the delay in the tender process by the locals units. Versum Materials, Inc. develops, manufactures, transports, and handles specialty materials for the semiconductor and display industries in the United States, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Europe, and rest of Asia. The company operates through two segments, Materials, and Delivery Systems and Services (DS&S). The Materials segment provides specialty chemicals and materials used in semiconductors, as well as specialty gases used in the semiconductor manufacturing process, including high purity process materials for deposition, metallization, chamber cleaning, and etching; chemicals mechanical planarization slurries; organosilanes; organometallics and liquid dopants for thin film deposition; and formulated chemical products for post-etch cleaning primarily for the manufacture of silicon and compound semiconductors, and thin film transistor liquid crystal displays. The DS&S segment develops, designs, manufactures, and sells bulk gas, specialty gas, and specialty chemical cabinets and systems, which are used to manage the delivery of key materials into the semiconductor manufacturing process; and flow and temperature control systems and analytical systems to capture data. It is also involved in the project management for installation and startup of the gas and chemical delivery systems, and inventory management; and provision of spare parts, equipment upgrades, equipment maintenance, and training services. In addition, this segment offers on-site services to assist customers in managing the inventory of gases and chemicals comprising ordering, product changes and monitoring, quality assurance, operation of delivery systems, and managing the bulk gas and specialty gas operations. Versum Materials, Inc. was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. CJ Parajuli urges govt to strengthen judiciary Chief Justice Gopal Prasad Parajuli has expressed confidence that the upcoming government would pay attention to making the judiciary stronger. CNX Resources Corporation, an independent natural gas and midstream company, acquires, explores for, develops, and produces natural gas properties in the Appalachian Basin. The company operates in two segments, Shale and Coalbed Methane. It produces and sells pipeline quality natural gas primarily for gas wholesalers. The company owns rights to extract natural gas in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio from approximately 526,000 net Marcellus Shale acres; and approximately 610,000 net acres of Utica Shale, as well as rights to extract natural gas from other shale and shallow oil and gas positions from approximately 1,006,000 net acres in Illinois, Indiana, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. It also owns rights to extract coalbed methane (CBM) in Virginia from approximately 282,000 net CBM acres in Central Appalachia, as well as 1,733,000 net CBM acres in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and New Mexico. In addition, the company designs, builds, and operates natural gas gathering systems to move gas from the wellhead to interstate pipelines or other local sales points; owns and operates approximately 2,600 miles of natural gas gathering pipelines, as well as various natural gas processing facilities. It also offers turn-key solutions for water sourcing, delivery, and disposal for its natural gas operations and for third parties. The company was formerly known as CONSOL Energy Inc. and changed its name to CNX Resources Corporation in November 2017. CNX Resources Corporation was founded in 1860 and is headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. Nucor Corporation manufactures and sells steel and steel products. The company's Steel Mills segment produces hot-rolled, cold-rolled, and galvanized sheet steel products; plate steel products; wide-flange beams, beam blanks, and H-piling and sheet piling products; and bar steel products, such as blooms, billets, concrete reinforcing and merchant bars, and special bar quality products. It also engages in the steel trading and rebar distribution businesses. This segment sells its products to steel service centers, fabricators, and manufacturers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Its Steel Products segment offers hollow structural section steel tubing products, electrical conduits, steel racking, steel joists and joist girders, steel decks, fabricated concrete reinforcing steel products, cold finished steel products, steel fasteners, metal building systems, insulated metal panels, steel grating and expanded metal products, and wire and wire mesh products primarily for use in nonresidential construction applications. This segment also engages in the piling distribution business. The company's Raw Materials segment produces direct reduced iron (DRI); brokers ferrous and nonferrous metals, pig iron, hot briquetted iron, and DRI; supplies ferro-alloys; and processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal, as well as engages in the natural gas drilling operations. This segment sells its ferrous scrap to electric arc furnace steel mills and foundries for manufacturing process; and nonferrous scrap metal to aluminum can producers, secondary aluminum smelters, steel mills and other processors, and consumers of various nonferrous metals. It serves agriculture, automotive, construction, energy and transmission, oil and gas, heavy equipment, infrastructure, and transportation industries through its in-house sales force; and internal distribution and trading companies. Nucor Corporation was incorporated in 1958 and is based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Oshkosh Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets specialty vehicles and vehicle bodies worldwide. The company's Access Equipment segment provides aerial work platforms and telehandlers for use in various construction, industrial, institutional, and general maintenance applications. This segment also offers rental fleet loans and leases, and floor plan and retail financing through third-party funding arrangements; towing and recovery equipment; carriers and wreckers; equipment installation services; and chassis and service parts sales. Its Defense segment provides heavy, medium, and light tactical wheeled vehicles and related services for the department of defense. The company's Fire & Emergency segment offers custom and commercial firefighting vehicles and equipment; and commercial fire apparatus and emergency vehicles, such as pumpers, aerial platform, ladder and tiller trucks, tankers, rescue vehicles, wild land rough terrain response vehicles, mobile command and control centers, bomb squad vehicles, hazardous materials control vehicles, and other emergency response vehicles. This segment also provides aircraft rescue and firefighting, snow removal, and broadcast vehicles, as well as command trucks, and military simulator shelters and trailers. Its Commercial segment offers front-and rear-discharge concrete mixers for the concrete ready-mix industry; refuse collection vehicles and related components to commercial and municipal waste haulers; and field service vehicles and truck-mounted cranes for the construction, equipment dealer, building supply, utility, tire service, railroad, and mining industries. Oshkosh Corporation provides its products through direct sales representatives, dealers, and distributors. The company was formerly known as Oshkosh Truck Corporation and changed its name to Oshkosh Corporation in February 2008. Oshkosh Corporation was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. PVH Corp. operates as an apparel company worldwide. The company operates through six segments: Tommy Hilfiger North America, Tommy Hilfiger International, Calvin Klein North America, Calvin Klein International, Heritage Brands Wholesale, and Heritage Brands Retail. It designs, markets, and retails men's, women's, and children's apparel and accessories, including branded dress shirts, neckwear, sportswear, jeans wear, performance apparel, intimate apparel, underwear, swimwear, swim-related products, handbags, accessories, footwear, outerwear, home furnishings, luggage products, sleepwear, loungewear, hats, scarves, gloves, socks, watches and jewelry, eyeglasses and non-ophthalmic sunglasses, fragrance, home bed and bath furnishings, small leather goods, and other products. The company offers its products under its own brands, such as Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Van Heusen, IZOD, ARROW, Warner's, Olga, Geoffrey Beene, and True&Co., as well as various other owned, licensed, and private label brands. It also licenses its own brands over various products. The company distributes its products at wholesale in department, chain, and specialty stores, as well as through warehouse clubs, mass market, and off-price and independent retailers; and through company-operated full-price, outlet stores, and concession locations, as well as through digital commerce sites. It markets its products to approximately 40 countries. PVH Corp. was founded in 1881 and is based in New York, New York. CNP releases male ghariyal into Rapti The Chitwan National Park has finally released a male gharial into the Khoriya of Rapti Dovan area, after bringing it from Babai River in Bardiya. 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. Bhd., Abbott Laboratories (Mozambique) Limitada, Abbott Laboratories (Pakistan) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Philippines), Abbott Laboratories (Puerto Rico) Incorporated, Abbott Laboratories (Singapore) Private Limited, Abbott Laboratories A/S, Abbott Laboratories Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Abbott Laboratories B.V., Abbott Laboratories C.A., Abbott Laboratories Finance B.V., Abbott Laboratories GmbH, Abbott Laboratories Inc., Abbott Laboratories International LLC, Abbott Laboratories Ireland Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited - Laboratoires Abbott Limitee, Abbott Laboratories NZ Limited, Abbott Laboratories Pacific Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Laboratories Products B.V., Abbott Laboratories Residential Development Fund Inc., Abbott Laboratories S.A., Abbott Laboratories SA, Abbott Laboratories Services Corp., Abbott Laboratories Slovakia s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trading (Shanghai) Co. 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. Bhd., Abbott Medical (Portugal) Distribuicao de Produtos Medicos Lda, Abbott Medical (Schweiz) AG, Abbott Medical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Australia Pty. Ltd., Abbott Medical Austria Ges.m.b.H., Abbott Medical Balkan d.o.o. Beograd (Novi Beograd), Abbott Medical Belgium, Abbott Medical Canada Inc./ Medicale Abbott Canada Inc., Abbott Medical Danmark A/S, Abbott Medical Devices Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Espana S.A., Abbott Medical Estonia OU, Abbott Medical Finland Oy, Abbott Medical France SAS, Abbott Medical GmbH, Abbott Medical Hellas Limited Liability Trading Company, Abbott Medical Ireland Limited, Abbott Medical Italia S.p.A., Abbott Medical Japan Co. 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. Read More Williams-Sonoma, Inc. operates as an omni-channel specialty retailer of various products for home. It offers cooking, dining, and entertaining products, such as cookware, tools, electrics, cutlery, tabletop and bar, outdoor, furniture, and a library of cookbooks under the Williams Sonoma Home brand, as well as home furnishings and decorative accessories under the Williams Sonoma lifestyle brand; and furniture, bedding, lighting, rugs, table essentials, and decorative accessories under the Pottery Barn brand. The company also provides home decor products under the West Elm brand; kids accessories under the Pottery Barn Kids brand; and an organic bedding to multi-purpose furniture under the Pottery Barn Teen brand. In addition, it offers made-to-order lighting, hardware, furniture, and home decors inspired by history under the Rejuvenation brand; and women's and men's accessories, travel, entertaining and bar, home decor, and seasonal items under the Mark and Graham brand, as well as operates a 3-D imaging and augmented reality platform for the home furnishings and decor industry. The company markets its products through e-commerce websites, direct-mail catalogs, and retail stores. It operates 544 stores comprising 502 stores in 41states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico; 20 stores in Canada; 19 stores in Australia; 3 stores in the United Kingdom; and 139 franchised stores, as well as e-commerce websites in various countries in the Middle East, the Philippines, Mexico, South Korea, and India. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. SemGroup Corporation provides gathering, transportation, storage, distribution, marketing, and other midstream services for producers, refiners of petroleum products, and other market participants. The company operates in three segments: U.S. Liquids, U.S. Gas, and Canada. The U.S. Liquids segment operates crude oil pipelines, truck transportation, storage, terminals, and marketing businesses; stores, blends, and transports refinery products and refinery feedstock through pipeline, barge, rail, truck, and ship; and operates a residual fuel oil storage terminal in the U.S. Gulf Coast. This segment has 18.2 million barrels of storage capacity on the Houston Ship Channel; and 7.6 million barrels of storage capacity at the Cushing Interchange. It also operates a 460-mile crude oil gathering and transportation pipeline system in Kansas and northern Oklahoma; 75-mile crude oil gathering pipeline system that transports crude oil from production facilities in the DJ Basin to the pipeline owned by White Cliffs Pipeline, L.L.C.; 2 parallel 527-mile pipelines that transports crude oil from Platteville, Colorado to Cushing, Oklahoma; 3 pipelines with an aggregate of 106 miles of pipe; 30-lane crude oil truck unloading facility in Platteville, Colorado; and crude oil trucking fleet of approximately 245 transport trucks and 235 trailers. The U.S. Gas segment provides natural gas gathering, processing, and marketing services. It operates 842 miles of gathering lines in Oklahoma; and a 53-mile high pressure gathering pipeline located in the STACK play. The Canada segment owns and operates natural gas processing and gathering facilities with approximately 530 miles of natural gas gathering and transportation pipelines in Alberta, Canada. SemGroup Corporation was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Teradyne, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, sells, and supports automatic test equipment worldwide. The company operates through Semiconductor Test, System Test, Industrial Automation, and Wireless Test segments. The Semiconductor Test segment offers products and services for wafer level and device package testing in automotive, industrial, communications, consumer, smartphones, cloud computer and electronic game, and other applications. This segment also provides FLEX test platform systems; J750 test system to address the volume semiconductor devices; Magnum platform that tests memory devices, such as flash memory and DRAM; and ETS platform for semiconductor manufacturers, and assembly and test subcontractors in the analog/mixed signal markets. It serves integrated device manufacturers that integrate the fabrication of silicon wafers into their business; fabless companies that outsource the manufacturing of silicon wafers; foundries; and semiconductor assembly and test providers. The System Test segment offers defense/aerospace test instrumentation and systems; storage test systems; and circuit-board test and inspection systems. The Industrial Automation segment provides collaborative robotic arms, autonomous mobile robots, and advanced robotic control software for manufacturing, logistics, and light industrial customers. The Wireless Test segment provides test solutions for use in the development and manufacture of wireless devices and modules, smartphones, tablets, notebooks, laptops, peripherals, and Internet-of-Things devices under the LitePoint brand name. This segment also offers IQxel products for Wi-Fi and other standards; IQxstream solution for testing GSM, EDGE, CDMA2000, TD-SCDMA, WCDMA, HSPA+, LTE, and 5G technologies; IQcell, a multi-device cellular signaling test solution; IQgig test solution; and turnkey test software for wireless chipsets. Teradyne, Inc. was incorporated in 1960 and is headquartered in North Reading, Massachusetts. Weatherford International plc, an oilfield service company, provides equipment and services for the drilling, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention of oil and natural gas wells worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere. It offers artificial lift systems, including reciprocating rod, progressing cavity pumping, gas, hydraulic, plunger, and hybrid lift systems, as well as related automation and control systems; pressure pumping and reservoir stimulation services, such as acidizing, fracturing and fluid systems, cementing, and coiled-tubing intervention; and drill stem test tools, and surface well testing and multiphase flow measurement services. The company also provides safety, downhole reservoir monitoring, flow control, and multistage fracturing systems, as well as sand-control technologies, and production and isolation packers; liner hangers to suspend a casing string in high-temperature and high-pressure wells; cementing products, including plugs, float and stage equipment, and torque-and-drag reduction technology for zonal isolation; and pre-job planning and installation services. In addition, it offers directional drilling services, and logging and measurement services while drilling; services related to rotary-steerable systems, high-temperature and high-pressure sensors, drilling reamers, and circulation subs; managed pressure drilling, conventional mud-logging, drilling instrumentation, gas analysis, wellsite consultancy, and open hole and cased-hole logging services; reservoir solutions and software products; and intervention and remediation services. Further, the company provides equipment and drilling tools; tubular handling, management, and connection services; equipment rental services; and onshore contract drilling and related services through a fleet of land drilling and workover rigs. Weatherford International plc was incorporated in 1972 and is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland. Former ward chair murdered Former ward chairperson of then Daduwa Village Development Committee-2 in Ramechhap district, Baburam Tamang, was murdered in cold blood last night. Tamang was elected as ward chairman from CPN-UML in the election held in 2054 BS. In the transition phase, the party would be led by a joint leadership The completion of the provincial and parliamentary elections has resulted in an overwhelming victory for the left alliance. Kalikot under curfew again after 2-hr respite The local administration continued curfew order in Manma, the district headquarters of Kalikot, on Sunday after lifting it for two hours in the evening. This association requires further study to determine causality and to possibly identify an at-risk population. (Photo: Pixabay) Washington DC: 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. Scientists used 'sentiment analysis' to evaluate word choices in public Twitter posts. They found that people en masse appeared to feel happier, safer and calmer during the holiday season. (Photo: Pixabay) A new study now suggests people are most interested in having sex around the Christmas holidays. While scientists have always maintained that the post-holiday baby boom which leads to annual birth rate spikes in September due to seasonal changes than have an impact on human biology. However, according to a report published in Phys.org, scientists at Indiana University and Portugal's Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia now say that evidence suggests the September baby trend is actually society's fault, not nature's. The study which appeared in the December 21 issue of Scientific Reports, the scientists mined web searches and Twitter posts to discover the 'collective unconscious' pointing towards humanity's hidden desires and motivations. They based their findings on data taken from almost 130 countries, including sex-related Google search terms used between 2004 to 2014 and 10 per cent of Twitter posts from late 2010 to 2014. The analysis showed that there was a significantly greater frequency of the word 'sex' or other sexual terms appearing in web searches during major cultural or religious celebrations, as opposed to other times of the year, indicating that people were more interested in the act at those times. They also used 'sentiment analysis' to evaluate word choices in public Twitter posts. They found that people en masse appeared to feel happier, safer and calmer during the holiday season. Scientists found that the holiday peaks in sex-based web searches and content-feeling tweets tended to correspond with an increase in births that occurred nine months later. The relationship between the two was particularly notable during both Christmas in Christian-majority countries and the end of Ramadan's Eid-al-Fitr celebrations in Muslim-majority countries. Sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran on Monday rejected the K Palanisamy-led ruling camp's charge of a 'tacit understanding' between him and DMK in the RK Nagar byelection. (Photo: PTI/File) Chennai: Sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran on Monday rejected the K Palanisamy-led ruling camp's charge of a 'tacit understanding' between him and DMK in the RK Nagar byelection, which he won. Dhinakaran, who on Sunday won the December 21 bypoll trouncing nearest AIADMK rival by a margin of over 40,000 votes, said DMK appeared to have made "an arithmetic" mistake" and was 'overconfident'. He was responding to questions from reporters in Chennai on AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam and co-coordinator K Palanisamy's charge that his victory was due to a 'tacit understanding' between him and DMK. They have claimed that the win was achieved by a "conspiracy" of Stalin and Dhinakaran and it would not affect the AIADMK. In a related development, expelled AIADMK Rajya Sabha member Sasikala Pushpa called on Dhinkaran and congratulated him on Monday. Puspha, who was sacked by the then Chief Minister and party supremo J Jayalalithaa last year for alleged anti-party activities, met Dhinakaran at his residence here. Dhinakaran took a swipe at DMK, saying the opposition party was "overconfident" following its performance in the assembly polls last year when it secured over 55,000 votes in the constituency, then won by late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa. "DMK was overconfident that it had allies, and 55,000 votes (polled in the 2016 Assembly polls). But situation will change in every election," he said. On the AIADMK's allegation that DMK diverted its votes to Dhinakaran as part of their 'tacit understanding,' he wondered how that was possible. "A party (DMK) that is in existence for 70 years, aided by the support of allies, seems to have just made an arithmetic mistake," he said. He might have received DMK votes as those voters may have also preferred him, "but a DMK worker will not vote for someone else even if their party leader asks them to do so," Dhinakaran said. He added that he and the people of RK Nagar had a common thread that it was 'Amma's constituency,' referring Jayalalithaa having represented the city segment till her death in December last year. To a question on the charge of money distribution made against him by leaders of the ruling AIADMK, the newly elected legislator made counter allegations, saying it was they who gave cash to the voters. He wanted the Election Commission to probe both complaints. Emerging from her meeting with Dhinakaran, Pushpa said he had won overcoming many difficulties and challenges. "He has secured a historic, Himalayan victory," she told reporters separately. The MP, who created a furore when she claimed in the Rajya Sabha last year that she was "slapped by a leader," said she came to congratulate Dhinakaran. Although Pushpa was expelled from AIADMK last year, she continues to be recognised as a party MP in Rajya Sabha. Bengaluru: Its been a week and there is still no trace of the 29-year-old software engineer from Patna who had gone missing from the Whitefield Area in Bengaluru under mysterious circumstances on December 18. Ajitabh Kumar, who worked at British Telecom, left home around 6:30 pm last Monday. Friends of Ajitabh suspect that he might have got a call from a prospective buyer for his car that he had put up on sale on the online marketplace OLX. There is no trace of Ajitabhs vehicle and his phone is also switched off. The police are analysing CCTV footage from the area and nearby toll plazas as well. Friends of Ajitabh say he was last active on WhatsApp around 7:10 pm on the same day, but soon his number got switched off with the last location of the mobile phone being Gunjur near Whitefield. "We are investigating all angles. We have sought data from the online classified portal as well. We have obtained his call record details as well," NDTV quoted a police officer who is the part of the investigation. The police said the investigation so far has not suggested anything out of the ordinary in Ajitabh's personal and professional life. Ajitabh moved to Bengaluru in 2010 and since then he has been staying with his childhood friend Ravi in Whitefield. Ajitabh wanted to sell his car to join Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in 2018 as he had passed the interview. "He had got through for an executive MBA program at IIM (Indian Institute of Management), Kolkata. He had to pay around Rs 5 lakh by the 20th and we guess that's why he had put up his car for sale to fund his fee. When he left home, he was in casual wear and didn't tell anyone where he was going," Ravi said. Ajitabh had bought a Maruti Ciaz car by paying Rs 12 lakh and he had quoted Rs 11.8 lakh on OLX a couple of weeks ago. He had also applied for a loan with a private bank to join IIM, The New Indian Express reported Ajitabhs brother Arnabh as saying. We suspect that he might have been kidnapped by some unknown people on the pretext of buying the car. There is no reason why he should disappear like this. He had no issues with family or friends, Arnabh said. Ajitabh's friends and relatives have launched an online campaign to find him. Rajbhar has also embarrassed his own party when in September this year, he openly announced a rally against BJP, claiming they have not been able to control the corruption in the country. (Photo: ANI) Balrampur (Uttar Pradesh): Uttar Pradesh Minister of Backward Class Welfare and Disabled People Development, Om Prakash Rajbhar, has accused the poor of being 'alcoholics' who would vote for anyone offering them chicken and alcohol. Rajbhar is also the president of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj party, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally in the UP government. "Baati-chokha kaccha vote, daaru murga pakka vote. Saare garib daaru peete ho, murga khaake vote dete ho aur ye Delhi, Lucknow jaane waale neta 5 saal tujhe murga banake ghumate hain (Baati-chokha are unsure votes, alcohol and chicken are assured votes. Political leaders take advantage of the poor's weakness for alcohol and chicken and once they become powerful ministers in Lucknow or Delhi, they make chickens of the same voters.)," the minister said. This is not the first time Rajbhar has lashed out at the economically-backward classes. Three months ago, he slammed members of his own Rajbhar community saying in a day, they consume alcohol worth what the Bharatiya Janata Party spends in a month. Rajbhar has also embarrassed his own party when in September this year, he openly announced a rally against BJP, claiming they have not been able to control the corruption in the country. 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. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- People familiar with the matter told the Securities Daily, a Chinese local media, that Gao Jingshen, COO of LeSee China, confirmed at an internal meeting that Faraday Future (FF) has got new investment successfully. According to Gao, FF would adopt a strategy of double main markets (China and USA) and workers of LeSee are expected to be workers of FF soon. However, the executive didnt give much information about the investors and the specific amount of the money. After the meeting, the workers in LeSee received their bonus of 2016. A LeSee employee posted a Wechat Moments, a platform to share information with Wechat friends, saying that Even though it is later for a year, but it came. Love LeSee so much. A LeSee staff revealed that in the near future, the HR department is expected to carry out the companys promise of increasing core staffs wage and also to implement the shareholding encouragement program. Up to now, FF China office declines to comment the report. A source close to FF disclosed that Even though FF and LeSee are both invested by Jia Yueting, they have no direct relationship in capital. But after LeSee joining FF, two companies will be integrated in capital and structure. In the future, FF will produce models under both brands, FF91 (FF brand) and LeSee. The first FF91 vehicles will be sold in China as well as in the USA. Afterwards the company will produce FF91 in China. LeSee vehicles will also be produced in China and sold in both markets. " NC mounts pressure on Prez More than a dozen female Central Working Committee members of the Nepali Congress have urged President Bidya Devi Bhandari to endorse the ordinance related to National Assembly election without further delay. An earthmover demolishes slums in East Marredpally. The slumdwellers have given up the land to be redeveloped with 2BHK houses. (Photo: DC) Hyderabad: The 2BHK housing project for the urban poor made little progress this year. Despite promising to complete the construction of about 50,000 houses, the GHMC managed to build just 176 in the whole year. A total of 1 lakh houses are proposed to be built in the city. The civic body has acquired 650 acres of land Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Medchal and Sangareddy districts and has to invite tenders to construct the houses. Each 560 sq.ft unit with two bedrooms, two toilets, kitchen and hall will be handed over free of cost. The corporation will construct 90,000 2BHK houses at 69 locations where vacant land is available. Another 10,000 units will be constructed by redeveloping 40 slums. In August, the GHMC finalised tenders for 59,520 units at 88 locations and started work on 27,734 of them at 40 places. The corporation assured that it would complete and hand over about 600 2BHK units by Diwali at Mansoorabad, Arukala Nancharamma basti and Lambadi thanda at Nacharam. Till date, it has managed to complete only 176 units at Lambadi thanda. This is only the second location where the project is complete, after 396 houses were constructed at IDH Colony in New Bhoiguda in 2015. A GHMC official said that the project was being delayed by court cases and fund crunch. The corporation has a tough job ahead in 2018 as it has not only to complete construction of all the houses but also hand over the units to beneficiaries prior to the general elections. A GHMC official said the project would be completed in time if the government released funds on schedule. If there is no money, work would be stalled. Basavaraj Horatti, JD(S) floor leader in the Legislative Council, who has been spearheading the campaign for separate religion status for Lingayats, is known for his straight talk. In a no-holds-bar interview with DC, the veteran leader said the majority of Lingayat leaders in the BJP, including the partys state president B.S. Yeddyurappa, were in favour of minority status for Lingayats but were afraid of coming out in the open fearing the wrath of RSS leaders. Here are excerpts from the interview. Your demand for separate religion status for Lingayats has reached a crucial stage with the CM constituting an expert panel to come up with a recommendation. What will be the next course of action? We certainly welcome his move to refer all five memorandums submitted to him by separate groups among Lingayats and Veerashaivas to the Karnataka Minority Commission, and the formation of the expert committee to study these five memorandums. At the moment we feel we have won the first stage. We will wait till the recommendations of this panel come out and the state government sends it for consideration of the union government. Our second stage of the battle will commence if the union government rejects it. We will approach the Supreme Court, which will be the third stage. But don't you think, CM Siddaramaiah is playing politics with Lingayat community by announcing formation of an expert panel. He used to stress on unanimity among the stakeholders seeking on separate religious status. No. I don't see any politics in his decision. What he has done is refer all five memorandums submitted by various stakeholders of our community to the commission. Had he picked one memorandum, then one could have termed it political. Despite your claims that all five stakeholders have the same demand, the Veerashaiva Mahasabha has gone on record opposing your claim. We requested Mahasabha to join us. However, Mahasabha has been adamant on its stand that it wants Veerashaivas to be included in our memorandum, which we did not allow. The problem in taking Veerashaivas along is that their demand will not stand scrutiny in a court of law. Earlier on two occasions, both the Union government and Supreme Court had rejected the Mahasabha's application for including Veerashaivas as a minority. Why are Panchapeeta Swamijis opposing your demand tooth and nail? The Panchapeeta Swamijis submitted a memorandum seeking Beda Jangama status for the community to then PM A.B. Vajpayee, but it was rejected by then Home Minister L.K. Advani. We never opposed their demand, but they are opposing our cause now. All I can say is that these Swamijis and Mahasabha president, Shamanur Shivashankarappa fear that they might eventually lose their identity and support which is why they are opposing minority status. How will you convince Siddaganga seer since he has opposed separate religion status? We are open to discussing this with him. Since we have given a representation to the government, it is inappropriate to discuss the issue with him at this juncture. You often blame RSS leaders for derailing your demand for religion status for Lingayats, how true are your allegations? RSS leader Su. Ramanna had openly opposed our cause and later he apologised for it. Udupi Pejavar Math Swamiji has opposed our demand too. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has instructed the RSS cadre not to support separate religion status for Lingayats. Lingayat leaders in the BJP are not supporting your agitation, so how can you claim that 80 per cent of the community stands by you? The RSS has restricted them from backing us. In fact many BJP legislators are supporting our cause and giving logistical support to our agitation. BJP leaders including B.S. Yeddyurappa expressed their inability to pledge open support to the cause, but Yeddyurappa has told us that his hands are tied, so he cannot come out openly in support of the demand. The Lingayat agitation is now being compared to the Patidar agitation in Gujarat where BJP faced the wrath of the majority Patel community. Will it be the same here too? In Gujarat, the Congress supported Hardik Patel, but here, the Congress has not supported our cause. The participation of some ministers in our agitation is in their personal capacity. The Congress has not assured us minority status while the BJP is opposing it openly. Do you think the BJPs refusal to support the demand for separate religion status will adversely affect them in the elections? It might, people are already angry with the BJP for not supporting the Lingayat cause. Will the RSS allow the BJP government at the Centre to accord minority status to Lingayats? At the most, the Centre can reject the application. But once the agitation turns into a peoples movement, no one can stop it. If the Centre rejects the demand, they will definitely invite the wrath of the community. Do you have plans to create a separate forum of the Lingayat Mahasabha to counter the Veerashaiva Mahasabha? Yes, we have decided to create a Lingayat Mahasabha. It is necessary because of the adamant stand of the Veerashaiva Mahasabha. Lets talk about JD(S) now. Your leader H.D. Kumaraswamy some time ago took rented accommodation in Hubballi claiming he will tour N-K and revive the party. But nothing happened, why? He had plans but nothing could be executed properly due to his recurring health problems. How many seats will you win in Mumbai and Hyderabad-Karnataka regions? Out of 96 seats in both regions, if we put in our best efforts, we will win about 30. Already we have identified 30 candidates like Shashibushan Hegde from Sirsi. A few leaders of BJP who were neglected by the party are ready to join JDS, is it true? We have given deadline of December 31 to these leaders to join as it will help us identify candidates. There are rumours about BJP leaders Umesh Katti and Balachandra Jarkiholi joining the party, I am not sure if they have approached H.D. Deve Gowda or Kumaraswamy. It looks like that Congress is comfortably placed as there are no corruption charges against the CM? That is not correct. People are fed up with the Congress government. It is true there are no corruption charges against the CM but what has he done to the state in the last five years? His pro-people policies are not new, even during Ramakrishna Hegdes period, there were pro-people policies. He will also have to face anti-incumbency. 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 `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. US President Donald Trump had threatened saying that funding to those countries that take our money and then vote against us, will be cut. (Photo: File) Guatemala City: Guatemala is to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, President Jimmy Morales said on Sunday, following US President Donald Trump's controversial lead on the holy city. After speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Morales wrote to Guatemalans on his Facebook page that "one of the most important topics was the return of Guatemala's embassy to Jerusalem," from Tel Aviv where it is currently located. "For this reason I am informing you that I have given instructions to the foreign ministry that it start the necessary respective coordination to make this happen," Morales wrote. Guatemala's leader made the announcement on the Christmas Eve, three days after two-thirds of the UN member states rejected Trump's decision to have the United States recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. In all, 128 nations voted to maintain the international consensus that Jerusalem's status can only be decided through peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Only eight countries stood with the United States in voting no to the resolution held in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), among them were Guatemala and fellow Central American country Honduras. Guatemala and Honduras are both reliant on US funding to improve security in their gang-ridden territories. The two nations are, along with El Salvador, in what is known as the Northern Triangle of Central America. Violence, corruption and poverty have made them the main source of illegal migration to the United States, which is giving them USD 750 million to provide better conditions at home. Morales, like Trump, was a television entertainer with no real political experience before becoming president of Guatemala in 2016. On Friday, Morales foreshadowed the decision he was to make regarding Jerusalem, as he defended his government's vote at the UN backing the United States. "Guatemala is historically pro-Israeli. In 70 years of relations, Israel has been our ally," he told a news conference in Guatemala City. "We have a Christian way of thinking that, as well as the politics of it, has us believing that Israel is our ally and we must support it. Despite us only being nine in the world (in the UN vote), we have the total certainty and conviction that this is the right path," he added. Morales's position has become fragile in recent months because of allegations of corruption against him being investigated by a special UN-backed body working with Guatemalan prosecutors. The United States ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, had said her country would "take names" of the states opposing its position, and Trump threatened to cut funding to countries "that take our money and then vote against us." Several significant US allies abstained from the UN vote; among them were Australia, Canada, Mexico and Poland. Others, such as Britain, France, Germany and South Korea were in the majority of 128 nations denouncing any unilateral decision to view Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The eight countries on the US side of the vote were: Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Togo. Following the US decision on Jerusalem, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said he would "no longer accept" any peace plan proposed by the US, dealing a pre-emptive blow to a new initiative expected by Washington in 2018. Trump has tasked his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who had no prior experience in government, with spearheading the complicated peace plan efforts. A small bus taking an extended family to a dawn church service crashed into a larger bus in the town of Agoo. (Representational image) Manila: Twenty pilgrims were killed on Monday in a head-on bus collision while travelling to Christmas Day mass in the northern Philippines, police said. A small bus taking an extended family to a dawn church service crashed into a larger bus in the town of Agoo, 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of Manila, killing 20 on board, Agoo police said. The nine other occupants of the small bus were injured, as were 15 travelling on the bigger bus, police said. "They were trying to catch a mass in Manaoag," police officer Vanessa Abubo said, referring to a nearby town with a famous Catholic church. The centuries-old Our Lady of Manaoag church is a popular pilgrimage site in the mainly Catholic nation, featuring an icon of the Virgin Mary which the faithful say performs miracles. Agoo police chief Roy Villanueva told Manila radio station DZMM by telephone that the smaller vehicle had left its lane to overtake a third vehicle. Authorities are investigating whether the driver, who Abubo said was among those killed, had fallen asleep or was under the influence, Villanueva added. 10 Times Bollywood Fooled Us By Showing Fake Locations In These Popular Films NC needs immediate reforms, says Singh Nepali Congress (NC) leader Prakash Man Singh has said that the party is in need of urgent reforms. Nepali, Indian officials meet to discuss stalled clinker shipments Nepali and Indian authorities will be meeting in Birgunj on Tuesday to find a temporary alternative to the transportation of clinker and fly ash to Nepal through the Raxaul border point after locals blocked shipments complaining about health hazards due to the bulk and dust. Newly elected reps struggle to make good on their promise Having won the elections to the federal parliament and provincial assemblies on the agendamaking their districts capital of Province 1, the newly-elected members of Parliament and state legislatures are facing difficulties to fulfil their promise. News portals asked to reveal news sources in Silwal case Police have asked three online news portals to present sources of news regarding the performance evaluation report of former Deputy Inspector General Nawaraj Silwal. Silwal was elected to the House of Representatives from Lalitpur-1 in the recently held elections. Gadkari said that the electric vehicle industry could show its true colours if it maintains the high quality and invests in research and development of new technology which can propel India to become the world's largest electric vehicle exporter. Recommended Video Maruti Suzuki Electric Car India Launch Details - DriveSpark Speaking at the inauguration of the 5th EV Auto Expo 2017, Gadkari said, "In near future India is going to become the world's number one exporter of electric vehicles. Your vehicles will soon be seen in countries like Nepal and Bangladesh." Gadkari also urged the electric vehicle manufacturers to maintain standards and quality for a better future of electric mobility. The Minister also shared his plans of an electric highway between Delhi and Mumbai with electric cables running along the side of the road to charge EVs. He also said that in the near future, several innovative products such as electric cycles are expected to enter the market. Previously, SIAM had proposed a roadmap for EVs in India and stated that by 2047 all vehicles sold in the country would be electric. Currently, Mahindra & Mahindra retail electric cars in the Indian market. Apart from that Tata Motors has already commenced the production of Tigor EV and the first batch of cars has been delivered to the government. The automaker is also expected to introduce the Nano EV in the market. DriveSpark Thinks! India is emerging as one of the biggest markets for electric vehicles with its vision of shifting to all-electric vehicles by 2030. Several major automakers in the country are developing electric vehicles which could also be exported to various foreign markets. So in that way, Nitin Gadkari could be right, and India could be the largest exporter of EVs in the world. Wineries in Texas are worried that federal approval of two highly volatile and drift-prone herbicides used on neighboring genetically modified (GMO) cotton fields will cause widespread damage to their vineyards, The Texas Tribune details. Dicamba damage on a grape leaves. Uky.edu The herbicides in question are Monsantos dicamba-based XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology, which was approved in November by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Dow AgroSciences 2,4-D-based Enlist Duo, which the EPA also proposed to register for use on GMO cotton seeds. Enlist Duo is already used on GMO corn and soybean crops in 15 states. The approval of these formulations will wind up affecting every vineyard up there, explained Paul Bonarrigo, a Hale County vintner who believes that his withering grapevines have been damaged by the illegal spraying of dicamba and 2,4-D on nearby cotton farms. Bonarrigo believes that the states $2 billion wine industry is in jeopardy. The debacle is yet another chapter in the expanding issue of herbicide-resistant weeds, or superweeds, that have evolved to resist the herbicide glyphosate, or Roundup. In response to weeds such as pigweed that have infested farms across the U.S., agribusinesses such as Monsanto and Dow have developed ever stronger weedkillers to help farmers. https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/status/797213616638402560 As noble as that might sound, Monsanto was especially criticized when it decided to sell its dicamba- and glyphosate-resistant soybean and cotton seeds to farmers before securing EPA approval for the herbicide designed to go along with it. Bollgard II XtendFlex cotton was introduced in 2015 and Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans was introduced earlier this year. Without having the proper herbicide, cotton and soy farmers resorted to spraying older versions of dicamba on their crops. But dicamba, as well as the herbicide 2,4-D, are extremely prone to drift, meaning the chemicals can be picked up by the wind and land on neighboring fields that cannot withstand the chemical damage. When exposed to the herbicide, leaves on non-target plants are often left cupped and distorted. Researchers from Ohio State University published a study in September showing that herbicide spray drift from the 2,4-D and dicamba can severely damage wine grape plants near agronomic crops. Common leaf injury symptoms observed in vines 42 d after being treated with (a) glyphosate, (b) 2,4-D, (c) dicamba, and (d) nontreated control Ohio State University Although Monsanto said it warned farmers against illegal dicamba spraying, this past summer, dicamba drift caused 10 states to report widespread damage on thousands of acres of non-target crops such as peaches, tomatoes, cantaloupes, watermelons, rice, cotton, peas, peanuts, alfalfa and soybeans. Last month, Missouris largest peach grower filed a lawsuit against Monsanto over claims that dicamba drift damaged more than 7,000 peach trees on the farm, amounting to $1.5 million in losses. This year, the farm said it lost more than 30,000 trees, with financial losses estimated in the millions. https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/status/806879129450741760 Regulators assured to The Texas Tribune that the new pesticides are less likely to vaporize and drift, and the risk of damage will lessen if farmers follow safety precautions. I dont see this as being any more of an issue than what we have today, Steve Verett, executive vice president of the Plains Cotton Growers, told the publication. I understand there are other sensitive crops as well. No matter what the product is or the farmer thats spraying, they need to make sure that the product theyre spraying stays on their farm. Kyel Richard, a spokesman for Monsanto, added that the company has conducted training exercises and education efforts to minimize the opportunity for movement off- site and ensuring those herbicides are staying on target and controlling those weeds on the field that theyre intended for. State wineries, however, are worried that with the EPAs approval, use of dicamba and 2,4-D will expand to include 3.7 million acres of cotton fields. I could see it basically killing the [wine] industry, honestly, Garrett Irwin, owner of Cerro Santo vineyard in Lubbock County, countered. If we get the levels of damage that Im afraid well get, vineyards will not be able to recover or produce grapes at any sustainable level, and were just going to have to go away. https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/status/714246945745797120 Irwin also commented that cotton and soy farmers are likely to stick with old dicamba and 2,4-D herbicides because the new formulations are more expensive. Additionally, farmers have to upgrade their equipment with anti-drift nozzles to use the new products. I honestly dont think farmers will buy the new formulations when older labels that cost less are available and just as effective as the new labels, he said. In short, I think farmers will buy generic chemicals without the additives to save money because the cotton wont know the difference. And if they do buy the new herbicides, there will still be some farmers who will do nothing to correct for negligence in spraying, Irwin said. Pheasant Ridge Valley winery owner Bobby Cox told The Texas Tribune that he is worried that cotton farmers will have no choice but to switch to the new seeds system. Cox said that 2,4-D drift in 2015 caused the amount of sugar in his grapes to be about 5 percent less than ideal. It will be catastrophic not only to vineyards but to oak trees, to pecan orchards, to shrubs, Cox said. If they apply the amount of 2,4-D that they did Roundup and are equally irresponsible with that, it will kill everything green up here. I wish people would understand how important wine growing is for this area, how wonderful of a crop it is on the High Plains. It would be a shame to lose it when were starting to get recognized. https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/status/771889227957145600 Not only that, environmental experts worry about dicambas threat on biodiversity and wonder if pesticide-makers are just creating another cycle of herbicide resistance. Once again the EPA is allowing for staggering increases in pesticide use that will undoubtedly harm our nations most imperiled plants and animals, said Nathan Donley, a scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity, after the EPA approved the Xtend weedkiller. Iconic species like endangered whooping cranes are known to visit soybean fields, and now theyd be exposed to this toxic herbicide at levels theyve never seen before. We cant spray our way out of this problem. We need to get off the pesticide treadmill, he continued. Pesticide resistant superweeds are a serious threat to our farmers, and piling on more pesticides will just result in superweeds resistant to more pesticides. We cant fight evolutionits a losing strategy. By Stuart Butler Christmas is just around the corner and with it flying reindeer and over-sized turkeys, carol singing and tinsel covered trees. The holiday season also means wine-drinking (and the younger and more excited your children, the more bottles of wine youll likely require). For those of us who imbibe, its almost impossible to imagine a Christmas without wine. It would be like a Christmas without a fat man in a red suit trying to squeeze down the chimney. Speaking of opening bottles of wine, Id suggest you go and pour yourself a nice big glass and then sit down becauseand Im sorry about thisIm about to spoil the Christmas spirit by getting all environmental and serious with you. While wine-drinking is an ancient form of merry-making, the way we cap our bottles of wine is changing. And that could spell bad news for the plants and animals of the western Mediterranean. That bottle of wine I just asked you to open: What was the stopper made of? Was it a traditional cork stopper? A metal cap like a bottle top? Or an easy-to-open screw cap? Not so long ago, it almost certainly would have been a cork stopper. But today thats not necessarily the case, and the ever-increasing use of synthetic wine stoppers is threatening the cork-oak forests of the western Mediterranean. Most of the cork we use as wine bottle stoppers comes from cork-oak forests, but those forests are starting to disappear. There are a number of reasons why. Climate change, increasing forest fires and overgrazing all play a significant part in overall forest loss. But another reason for cork-oak forest decline is that synthetic wine bottle stoppers are replacing traditional corkwhich has been used as a wine bottle stopper since the time of the classical Greeks. As this happens, the need for farmers to maintain cork forests decreases, and what was once biologically diverse woodland gets converted to other uses such as mono-crop farming. This might not sound like anything to get too heated up about, but take a deep sip from that glass of wine as I explain why this is alarming. Today, the Mediterranean cork-oak forests cover some 6.6 million acres of Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and North Africa. Even though the majority of these forests are privately owned and managed, in general they arent sole-species forests like, say, a timber farm. Instead, they are very bio-diverse. Intermingled among the cork-oak (Quercus suber) are other kinds of oaks, as well as pines and sometimes even wild olive trees. More than 130 different plant species can be found within less than one square mile of a healthy cork-oak forest. But its not just the trees and flowers that love a good cork-oak forest. Wildlife is often abundant; cork-oak forests are a critical habitat for such endangered species including the Iberian lynx, Iberian imperial eagle and Barbary apes and deer. Scientists consider Mediterranean cork-oak forests among the most bio-diverse forests in the world. The United Nations has classified them as one of the planets 25 Biodiversity Hot Spots. But its not just plants and animals that benefit from cork-oak forestspeople do, too. Cork-oak forests do a sterling job of absorbing all that nasty carbon dioxide we keep insisting on pumping into the atmosphere. In Portugal alone (which is the country with the largest share of cork-oak forest), some ten million tons of CO2 are absorbed by cork oak trees annually. And harvesting cork is totally sustainable. The cork is merely the spongy bark of the tree, and when harvested the tree isnt felled or killed. Instead, the cork is carefully pried off the tree in huge sheets. A new layer of cork then slowly regrows around the tree until, about nine years later, the cork can be harvested again. With cork-oak trees living on average for 200 years, a single tree can be harvested up to 16 times. Each time the cork re-grows, it absorbs an additional 10 tons of CO2. Unfortunately, in this age it seems a tree has to do more than just help keep human civilization alive and well in order to justify its existence. It also has to generate money. Cork oaks do that as well. The European cork industry generates around 1.5 billion annually and directly employs an estimated 30,000 people (as well as many thousands more indirectly in industries like nurseries, transportation and research). Given these various benefits, why are cork stoppers vanishing from our wine bottles and being replaced with synthetic versions? There are a couple of reasons. One is cost. Its simply cheaper to close a bottle with a screw cap or metal stopper. The bigger reason, however, is some winemakers concern about cork taint in wine. Cork taint occurs when a natural compound called Trichloroanisole (or TCA) is created inside the bottle, giving wine a certain musty smell an flavor. For many winters, wine sellers and drinkers, these two reasons have been enough to encourage a mass conversion from traditional cork to synthetic stoppers. Though the transition began some 15 years ago, few wine drinkers appear to have given the issue much thought. They should. Because it turns out though that, along with potential deforestation, there are other significant environmental problems associated with the use of synthetic wine stoppers. According to the Cork Forest Conservation Alliance, producing one screw cap wine stopper creates 24 times more CO2 than producing one cork stopper. And while screw caps or synthetic corks require more energy to produce, a natural cork can also claim some carbon offset benefits, since the parent tree stays alive. Also, unlike natural corks, many synthetic wine stoppers are made from materials that are not biodegradable and are not sustainably sourced. As you pour yourself that second glass of wine, maybe youre thinking, Well okay so its environmentally better to use natural cork stoppers, but what about the wine taint issue? Well, heres some good news. Over the past decade the cork industry has spent significant resources improving the cork closure manufacturing process. Today wine taint from bottles closed with natural cork is down to just 1 percent. And thats something worth drinking to. Theres an old expression in Portugal that goes, Whoever cares for their grandchildren plants a cork-oak tree. Maybe us wine drinkers in other countries should adopt and change the expression to make it our own, Whoever cares for their grandchildren should drink winewith a cork stopper. Reposted with permission from our media associate SIERRA Magazine. Remittance inflow drops The inflow of remittance dropped by 1.4 percent in the first four months of the current fiscal year, raising fears of the country facing shortage of foreign currencies in the coming days to finance imports. A team of U of T Scarborough researchers have described the first known hybrid bird species to be found in the Amazon rainforest. Through a series of genetic and other tests the team have revealed that the golden-crowned manakin - first discovered in Brazil in 1957 but not seen again until 2002 - is in fact a hybrid species. "While hybrid plant species are very common, hybrid species among vertebrates are exceedingly rare," says Associate Professor Jason Weir, senior author of the research. A hybrid species forms when two parental species mate to produce a hybrid population, which then stops being able to freely interbreed with the parental species. In this case the two parents are the snow-capped manakin, named for its bright snowy-white crown feathers, and the opal-crowned manakin, named for its brilliant iridescent crown feathers. Weir and his team, which included lead author and former graduate student Alfredo Barrera-Guzman, gathered genetic and feather samples over two separate field trips to Brazil. They were then able to sequence a large portion of the golden-crowned manakin's genome including 16,000 different genetic markers, finding that about 20 per cent of its genome came from the snowy-crowned, and about 80 per cent came from the opal-crowned. The researchers also used something called coalescent modelling to figure out at what point the golden-crowned split off from its parental species. They determined it was around 180,000 years ago when the two parental species originally mated, and that both parental species diverged from a common ancestor about 300,000 years ago, making all three very recent birds by Amazon rainforest standards. "Most Amazon bird species diverged from their most recent relative around 1.5 to 4 million years ago, so these are all young birds by comparison" says Weir, an expert on the biodiversity of New World birds. The male golden-crowned has unique yellow crown feathers that are much duller than its parental species. To learn more about this unusual characteristic, the researchers took a closer look at the keratin structure of the crown feathers of all three bird species using an electron microscope. The two parent species each have very different structural arrangements of the keratin, which is responsible for creating the highly reflective colours that help males show-off to females in the dark rainforest interior. In the case of the golden-crowned, they discovered it had a mix of keratin structures from both parental species. "The golden-crowned manakin ended up with an intermediate keratin structure that does a poor job of making either the brilliant white or the reflective iridescence of the parental species," says Weir. The golden-crowned manakin likely had duller white or grey feathers early on in its existence as a result of its keratin structure, but eventually evolved yellow feathers as an alternative way to attract females. The end result is a uniquely coloured species. The golden-crowned manakin lives in an area of the south-central Amazon Rainforest that is approximately 200 sq. km and is largely separated from areas where snow-capped and opal-crowned live by wide rivers that the birds are reluctant to cross. As Weir points out, it likely owes its survival as a species on being geographically isolated from its parental species at some point during a past ice age when rainforest coverage contracted, and wide rivers formed natural barriers. "Without geographic isolation, it's very likely this would never have happened because you don't see the hybrids evolving as separate species in other areas where both parental species meet." There are some potential candidates of hybrid species in nature, like the red wolf of eastern North America, possibly a hybrid between the coyote and grey wolf. And while hybrids of two species do occur in nature, as Weir notes in most cases they won't develop unique characteristics to become its own separate species. "This is what makes the golden-crowned manakin such a novel animal," he says. ### The research, which will be published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). UK food and drink exports are surging, according to the latest figures released by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF). Exports were up by nearly 15 per cent year-on-year in the third quarter of 2017, and export growth was particularly strong to countries outside the European Union - providing some encouragement for those who are concerned about the country's prospects post-Brexit. Exports to non-EU countries were up by more than 18 per cent in the three months between July and September. The figures were released as the UK Government prepared to embark on negotiations to set out the UK's future relationship with the remaining members of the EU. European Union negotiators finally agreed to move onto trade negotiations following agreement on the first stage of the Brexit negotiations - on the divorce bill the UK will pay, on the future rights of EU citizens and on the Irish border. The UK says it wants to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, although the Government has continued to insist that the UK will leave both the customs union and the single market when it withdraws from the European Union in 2019. Important market Farmers' leaders have been warning that the European Union is the UK's most important market for the UK food sector. However, the FDF figures show that, although the EU still accounts for the biggest share of food and drink exports, the share taken by non-EU markets is increasing. Non-EU markets now take 41.2 per cent of exports, although supporters of the single market will point to the fact that the EU still takes 58.8 per cent of the UK's food and drink exports. Non-EU countries are amongst the fastest growing markets for food and drink. The Philippines, Iceland and South Korea were the fastest growing markets in the third quarter, according to the figures. An increase of 289 per cent in exports to the Phillipines was led by higher demand for UK animal feed, pork, whisky, cheese and salmon. Exports to Latvia were up 116 per cent, boosted by sales of whisky, wine, gin and fish fillets. Higher demand for breakfast cereals, soft drinks, chocolate and fruit contributed to the overall increase in food and drink exports to Iceland. Butter and spreads were amongst the beneficiaries of an increase in exports to South Korea following a free trade deal with the EU. The top exports to Romania were whisky, chicken and cheese. The fastest growing export products overall in the first three quarters of 2017 were liquid milk and cream - up more than 73 per cent on the previous year - butter and spreads - up 58 per cent - and vegetable oil - up 46.5 per cent. Chinese target market China was identified as one of the top three target markets for food and drink companies, according to a survey carried out by Grant Thornton on behalf of the FDF. The latest figures show that China was one of the higher growth markets from January to September 2017. Export growth to China was up by 38 per cent in the first three quarters of 2017 - rising to 420 million from 305 million during the same period last year. The importance of food and drink exports was recognised recently when Greg Clark, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, included the sector in the Government's new industrial strategy. A new food and drink sector council will be created as part of the strategy. This move was welcomed recently by Defra Secretary Michael Gove when he spoke at the CLA rural business conference. "Our exports now surpass 20 billion for the first time, up by nearly 10 per cent on the last year," he said. "That growth has been built on the reputation for quality built by people in this room. "The food chain brings 110 billion to the UK economy," he said. "Food and drink is our biggest manufacturing sector. "That is why I am so delighted that in the industrial strategy published by my colleague Greg Clark recognised the vital importance of food and drink, with a new food and drink sector council. "This council will help pair the way for a for a food and drink sector deal in order to ensure that responsibility for effectively marketing and supporting primary producers and others is at the heart of the governments industrial strategy. Lower quality Concerns have been raised by farmers' leaders that the UK could be opened up to imports of lower quality, lower welfare food in any free trade agreements struck with non-EU countries. US president Donald Trump's commerce secretary Wilbur Ross told business leaders at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference in London that any post-Brexit deal with Washington would hinge on the UK scrapping rules set by Brussels, including regulations governing imports of chlorinated chicken. Chlorine-washed chicken is currently banned by the EU. But Michael Gove told those attending the CLA conference: "When we talk about the industrial strategy it is important to recognise that we are not just world leaders in the way in which food and drink has grown as an export in the course of the last couple of years. We are world leaders in terms of quality. "We have the worlds highest animal welfare standards, we are moving towards having the worlds most ambitious environmental goals and also embedding the most rigorous approach towards sustainability. "All these are good in themselves but it is also the case that they can provide us with an advantage in the market place for food and drink. Increasingly consumers - not just in this country but across the world - are demanding higher quality food." The food we buy Mr Gove added that consumers want to know more about the meat they buy, the milk they drink, the provenance of their vegetables, the carbon cost of production, the weight of the footprint left on the planet by particular farming methods and the circumstances under which animals were reared during their lives. "Not to mention the way in which their lives end," he said. "The more specific the story we can tell about the care invested in the food we produce the more we actually reinforce our competitive edge Because if we make quality our hallmark we can secure farmings future. "So when it comes to finding an edge in an ever more competitive world of food and drink, we need to recognise its in goods recognised for their exceptional quality and special distinctive provenance that will become market leaders." The FDF says it is currently developing proposals as part of the Government's industrial strategy to boost specialist export support with an aim of delivering ambitious long-term export targets. I miss my babies!!!! #roohiandyash A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) on Jul 17, 2017 at 9:58pm PDT Great partnership....Greater Friendship...@iamsrk A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) on Oct 31, 2017 at 10:52pm PDT Next Story : Alia Bhatts Mohey Campaign Is Inspiring Modern Brides To Dress Like Her On Christmas Eve, Karan Johar is expected to read out for people across the country a very special message for his twins, Yash and Roohi. He has reportedly penned a soul-stirring letter addressed to his children and he will be reading it on the forthcoming episode of TED Talks India: Nayi Soch. The latter is a television show, hosted by Shah Rukh Khan, which invites personalities from various fields to share inspiring stories.The episode featuring the 45-year-old highly successful Bollywood filmmaker and producer, expected to be telecast on 24 December, will apparently revolve around the topic of changing relationships in today's world. Karan will speak about being a single parent to Yash and Roohi, among other things. Roohi and Yash were born through surrogacy in February this year.A part of the heartfelt letter that is being extensively reported in the media reads, "As you grow up, people will try to label you according to colour, looks, religion, popularity, and money. People will gossip about you, but know that no one can label you. Just because you are different, it doesn't make you wrong. You may be treated differently in school; mothers of your classmates will come to drop them, but you will have your father to take care of that. While most of your classmates' mothers will make a WhatsApp group to discuss your homework, I will be the only father in it."Karan of course leads by example. He has carved a niche for himself in the industry and has never cared two hoots what others thought or said about his personal life. He has maintained that his recently released biography, 'An Unsuitable Boy', has been his final answer to the world and he will not get into any further details.During all his recent interviews, Karan has always been candid about the brand new chapter in his life - parenthood. During a Filmfare chat show, Karan opened up about why he chose parenthood. He said, "A day after my 40th birthday, I just felt I needed to be a father. I knew I needed to be emotionally ready. So I went into therapy sessions and psychology discussions about what it is to be a father, what it is to raise a child without a mother and also at a certain age in your life. I was asked if the children are my backup plan for not having a love relationship in your life. I really had to go into my internal self to ask if that's true and the answer was no."He added, "When I held them for the first time, I don't think I can describe the feeling. I cannot explain what I felt. I just sat in the chair and held my daughter first, as she is a little more vulnerable medically. I didn't even realise there were tears rolling down my face. That feeling cannot be replaced by any other emotion."His social media pages show that he's a very hands-on parent. The actor and director even set up a creche at his office for his twins so that he spends more and more time with them.We'll certainly be all ears for his precious advice.Photo: Yogen Shah Salary transferred to Myadis bank accounts: Police HQs The Nepal Police Headquarters has launched an internal investigation into the police firing in which a Myadi was shot dead on Friday. Micromax Bolt Q3001 with 4GB RAM spotted on official website News oi -Abhinaya Prabhu It looks like the homegrown manufacturer Micromax is all set to launch a new smartphone under the entry-level Bolt series. Well, a new smartphone called Micromax Bolt Q3001 has been spotted on Micromax Bangladesh official website. But there is no information regarding the pricing and availability details of the device for now. It looks like the major highlight of the Micromax Bolt Q3001 is the presence of 4GB RAM. The smartphones those have been launched under the Bolt lineup have entry-level specifications and this makes us believe that the Bolt Q3001 is one such device with a larger chunk of RAM under its hood for a clutter-free performance. From the listing on the official Micromax website, it looks like the Bolt Q3001 will adorn a 4-inch TFT display and make use of a 1.2GHz quad-core processor teamed up with 4GB RAM. The default storage capacity is 32GB and it looks like there is provision to expand the same further. The imaging department appears to comprise of a 5MP primary camera at the rear and a 2MP front-facing selfie camera as well. The Micromax Bolt Q3001 is listed to be bundled with connectivity features such as 4G VoLTE, GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and dual SIM functionality. The smartphone appears to get the power from a meager 1400mAh battery that is touted to provide up to 6 hours of talk time and up to 200 hours of standby time. On the software side, it is listed to run the dated Android Marshmallow OS that sounds pretty much disappointing. The listing on the official Micromax website does not end with these. It also reveals that the Bolt Q3001 is preinstalled with applications such as Paytm, News Hunt, Quickr, Snapdeal, Dr. Safety, Hotstar, Housing, Clean Master, Chaatz, Askme and a few more trending ones. Though the website shows all the details of the Micromax Bolt Q3001, we need to wait for an official confirmation from the company regarding the launch of the smartphone and its pricing details. Given that the smartphone was spotted on the Bangladesh website, we can expect it to be launched in the country initially. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Saving the tree BP planted The elections are over. The communist alliance decimated the Nepali Congress (NC) led by Sher Bahadur Deuba. The NC suffered its worst electoral defeat ever. These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. Last week, HMD Global announced the Nokia 6 has entered Beta Labs, meaning users who sign up for the program will be able to test Oreo on their units before the final roll out. However, it has now come light that Nokia 6 users in some key markets won't be able to participate in the program. According to a post on the company's support forum, the list of such regions include the US, China and Taiwan. Here's the complete statement: We also regret to inform you that this service is not available for Nokia 6 in US, China and Taiwan due to some additional requirements for technical adaptations. Nokia 6 in US; China and Taiwan will upgrade directly to Android Oreo when ready. This restriction applies to users in US (all TA's), China (TA-1000) and Taiwan (TA-1003). The post also revealed that users in some regions (like Myanmar) and on some specific carriers (like Vodafone Australia) will not be able to sign up for the Beta Labs program. And finally, for Nokia 6 users in India who are facing issues participating in beta labs, the company said they've identified the issue, and working on fixing it. Source | Via Published on 2017/12/24 Korea Expose lists their top must-eats in South Korea, My Korean Kitchen has eleven delicious suggestions for celebrating New Year in K-style, Channel News Asia explores the local delights of the three host cities ahead of the Winter Games, and get a glimpse of the largest Starbucks branch the Land of the Morning Calm has ever seen. Advertisement "Food Porn Alert: Must Eats in South Korea" Do you have plans to visit the Land of the Morning Calm but are not sure what delectables to look out for? South Korea's cuisine is one of the top reasons tourists enjoy visiting the country, but there's so much to enjoy that it may at times seem a little overwhelming. If you're looking forward to exploring Korea but you are unsure of what foods to try, Korea Expose is here to assist. From Korean BBQ to K-style chicken and beer, there's plenty of new delights and familiar favourites to please all sorts of foodies. If you have any suggestions for first time travels to Korea, be sure to leave a comment below... ...READ ON KOREA EXPOSE "11 KOREAN NEW YEAR FOOD YOU SHOULD TRY" Celebrate your New Year in K-style with these fabulous food suggestions. In this post on My Korean Kitchen, author/cook/photographer Sue has curated a delightful list of no less than eleven recipes you can make and enjoy in the comfort of your own home. Before diving into presenting all her recipes, Sue shares some cultural context (and links) about New Years in Korea so you can get a sense of how it's celebrated. "I hope you enjoy my recipes and have a happy and prosperous new year!" ...READ ON MY KOREAN KITCHEN "Breaking away from bibimbap to enjoy the best of Korean food" Thousands of travellers will be visiting the Gangwon province early next year as the Winter Games gets underway. But in addition to all the sporting excellence that will be on display, the province's own cuisine will no doubt be firmly in the spotlight throughout the event. In this post on Channel News Asia, writer Melissa Zhu looks at the culinary delights from the three host cities (Pyeongchang, Gangneung and Jeongseon). Dried pollock, for example, is one of the most famous dishes in Pyeongchang, and the regions tofu-making tradition goes back hundreds of years. ...READ ON CHANNEL NEWS ASIA "A look inside largest Starbucks store in Korea" The American coffee chain Starbucks has been operating in South Korea since 1999, and they have expanded rapidly ever since. Now, eighteen years since its landing, the biggest Starbucks store opens in downtown Seoul. The new 1,097 square meter compound in Jongno, one of the oldest Seoul districts, is four times the size of the average Starbucks store in Korea. When asked about the store's interior design, managing director Kim Hee-kyung said, "The store's interior design takes on the concept of a balance between the global Starbucks brand and the tradition of Korea, in reflection to its whereabouts". ...READ ON THE KOREA HERALD Published on 2017/12/24 The Haslla Art World Museum Hotel is the perfect stay for vacationing art lovers, Roy Cruz captures the beautiful Naejang Mountain during autumn, a new book details the artistic adventures of Kim Miru, and see why one Spanish illustrator's K-inspired works are striking a chord with locals. Advertisement "This Aesthetically Pleasing Hotel In Korea Is An Art Museum Haslla Art World" Are you planning on visiting Korea and exploring its fascinating art scene? If so, why not combine these two pleasures and consider staying at the Haslla Art World Museum Hotel. This "jaw-dropping" hotel is "designed to provide spaces where art and human can be united into one, expanding beyond the arts' limit by experiencing, touching, watching, hearing and smelling out the arts". If you're coming to South Korea to enjoy its art, this is a great place to start... ...READ ON HELLO KPOP "AN AUTUMN ROAD TRIP TRAVEL AND LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY IN NAEJANGSAN AND DAMYANG, SOUTH KOREA" Although South Korea boasts four distinct seasons, autumn is arguably the most beautiful time of year in the Land of the Morning Calm. In this post, blogger and photographer Roy Cruz shares a number of stunning images he took during a trip to Naejang Mountain in the southwestern province of Jeollanamdo. "Autumn colors are much bolder and more fiery in the mountain areas", writes Riy, "And in Naejangsan National Park, the roads, paths, and architecture blend with the trees in the most picturesque manner". ...READ ON ROY CRUZ "'Miru's Adventure' book reveals Korean artist's desert life" Kim Miru is an artist with an adventurer's spirit. Kim first captured the international art world's eye back in 2007 with her "Naked City Spleen" series, which featured nine photographs of herself. She has also visited Paris's catacombs, pig factory farms, and even the mighty Amazon River is not beyond her scope. "I may seem crazy in doing dangerous things, but I am actually very rational in calculating the risks", said Kim. Click on through to The Korea Times to read more about this incredibly bold and adventurous artist and the new book that documents her creative wonders. ...READ ON THE KOREA TIMES "[Interview] Spanish artist's illustrations of Korean life prove immensely popular" Daniel Cornejo is a Spanish illustrator with a keen eye on Korean culture and modern life. As an outsider within, Daniels pictures "pose blunt questions about issues that we Koreans all know about but are reluctant to examine". Recently, Daniel was interviewed by Hankyorek about "Lightning: The World Seen through Sharp and Sparkling Stories", a published collection of his works. Daniel's creations comment on many contemporary social issues like feminism, inequality, politics and work-life balance. ...READ ON THE HANKYOREH BUSINESS BRIEFS: Penny certified, nurses honored Debbie Austin poses with coworkers at Pardee Hospital. Related Stories Will Penny certified through Wharton School Will Penny, president of Penny Insurance Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina, has been awarded the Certified Advisor of Personal Insurance designation from the Aresty Institute of Executive Education at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and Chubb Insurance. Will PennyPenny is among a group of only 38 agents this year to receive the certification after completing a one-year intensive educational program on understanding the lifestyle and risk management and insurance needs of successful individuals and families. Created by Wharton and Chubb in 2014, the CAPI program is the first of its kind to focus on a specific client segment in the personal insurance marketplace. A Henderson County native, Penny is the third generation president of Penny Insurance Agency. He is a graduate of Wofford College, and has been with Penny Insurance since 1994. Courses are taught by Wharton faculty, Chubb subject matter experts and other professionals. Agents received instruction on the Wharton campus at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and through virtual classes, webcasts, reading assignments and other online activities throughout 2017. Founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is recognized globally for intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every major discipline of business education. Chubb is the worlds largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company, and the largest commercial insurer in the United States. Austin named PeriAnesthesia Nurse of the Year Pardee UNC Health Care nurse Debbie Austin has been named PeriAnesthesia Nurse of the Year by the North Carolina Association of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. The award recognizes a nurse who demonstrates excellence in the practice, management and teaching of PeriAnesthesia nursing, and promotes high standards in the profession. Austin, an RN, is a charge nurse in the hospitals post-anesthesia care unit, where she treats patients recovering from anesthesia. She also serves as a faculty instructor for advanced cardiovascular life support, pediatric advanced life support and basic cardiac life support certification training. For more than a year, Austin has spearheaded a pilot program for the safe disposal of narcotic medications given to patients for post-operative pain. The program uses education regarding safe storage and disposal, as well as Deterra bags, which allow patients to safely dispose of unused narcotics at home after a surgical procedure. Not only did Austin obtain funding from the Pardee Hospital Foundation for the first 200 packs of Deterra, she also educated the Day Surgery nursing staff on the need for these bags and worked closely with Pardee administration, Hope Rx and the Henderson County Sheriffs Office to make the pilot program successful. Debbie has always had a heart for serving others and our community, whether she is feeding and clothing the homeless, sponsoring a food drive, or volunteering at church, said nurse Jennifer White a colleague of Austins who nominated her for the award. By confronting the drug epidemic head on and gaining hospital support, Debbie is making a lasting impact on the prescription narcotics problem in our community. She is most deserving of this award. Darlyne Jarrett honored as DAISY award winner Darlyne Jarrett has received the DAISY Award at Park Ridge Health. A part of the Home Health team, Jarrett, 82, was recognized for her outstanding character and work ethic. Darlyne JarrettShe is always willing and works every day that we have visits for her to do. She will go to any area, and is always smiling and cheerful, a nominating letter said. Patients ask for her specifically. She consistently goes above and beyond for her patients and for her team. She takes call even though she is not obligated to do so as a PRN nurse, and is often helping others by switching out call so they can be with family or meet other personal obligations. Jarrett also serves as a Spiritual Ambassador for the department, and is currently going to a particular patients home on Sunday afternoons for Bible study because the patient said she wished someone would talk with her about the Bible. She takes meals to patients in need and provides them with community resources on her own time. The DAISY Award was created by the family of J. Patrick Barnes to thank the nurses who cared for Patrick and for them as he battled an autoimmune disease. Patrick lost his battle, but his family realized the impact his nurses had on the final days of his life and wanted to create a lasting opportunity for all families who experience the benefits of the extraordinary care of nurses to show their appreciation. Park Ridge Imaging Center is accredited Park Ridge Healths Diagnostic Imaging Center, located at the main campus, has earned the American College of Radiology Accreditation for a new 128-slice CT Scanner, the hospital announced. Park Ridge Health installed the GE 128-slice imager earlier this year. At that point, Wendy Miller, one of Park Ridge Healths Diagnostic Imaging Radiology Technologists, took the lead to begin the process of attaining the ACR accreditation. Wendy ensures patient safety and clinical quality are top priorities in our Computerized Tomography (CT) Suite, said Todd Guffey, Park Ridge Health Director of Diagnostic Imaging. Wendy not only made sure the Diagnostic Imaging team met all the ACR requirements, but she did so without interrupting the exceptional care each of our CT patients received. Achieving this accreditation shows this teams passion for exceeding the expectations of providing high-quality care to our patients. To learn more about the Park Ridge Health Imaging Center or to make an appointment, call 855.PRH.LIFE (855.774.5433) to speak with a member of the Park Ridge Health Patient Resource Team. How good are these two guys, Penn State fans? It may surprise you ... SC rejects Chaudharys plea to get MP certificate via power of attorney The Supreme Court has rejected the request of MP-elect Resham Chaudhary, who has been at large following charges of his involvement in the August 2015 Tikapur carnage, for receiving the certificate of his election as a member of parliament through the power of attorney. An unfortunate news to report on this Christmas, and even more unfortunate circumstance for the family the oldest daughter of Eric Garner, Erica Garner, reportedly suffered a heart attack on Saturday night leaving her hospitalized on Sunday, Christmas Eve. The news has apparently been confirmed by family members to the NY Daily News. Erica Garner had become an advocate against police brutality in the wake of fathers death; Garner was killed at the hands of the police after being choked out for an extended period of time while arresting him. Erica Garner is reportedly on life support in the ICU following the heart attack and cannot breath on her own shes only 27-years old. Garners mother told the NY Daily News that despite her critical condition, they havent given up hope. (She) is still with us. Shes fighting, her mother said. Ericas heart attack was reportedly brought on from an asthma attack. However she does have some previous medical issues with her heart following the birth of her son in August, whom she named Eric after her dad, she had her first heart attack. The doctors discovered that her heart was enlarged previously an unknown to the family and that the pregnancy had put a strain on her heart. Were sending our well wishes and prayers to the Garner family at this difficult time. Well update you on her condition should news surface. Erica Garner Its been a minute since we last heard from Lloyd Banks. In fact, the last time the G-Unit rapper impacted our site was back in July when he released the song Overload, but thankfully that drought ends here today. After teasing us a couple days ago that he had new music on the way, Banks decides to stay true to his word and return to the scene by sharing the first of many new freestyles called End Of An Era. From what we can tell by the artwork, End Of an Era looks to be the first of a 10-song roll out strategy called At Your Request, which hes been asking fans on Twitter what songs he should jump on. If I had to guess, Banks might be rolling out a new track every week (or quite often) leading up to the release of his Cold Corner 3 mixtape, but well have to wait and see. For now, enjoy the dope new bars from Banks and let us know what you think! Quotable Lyrics: Ringing on your line like whats your favorite scary movie Terrorizing here to Sydney tap your kidney with the toolie Ima need my fuckin money like sours told by Mookie Had you jumping out the windows hopping fences likes the stookies Yung Berg, who you may now know as Hitmaka, has had his fair share of run-ins with the law over the past couple years, and it appears he managed to keep his latest under wraps until now. According to TMZ, Berg was in Miami for the BET Awards in October when cops were called to the hotel where he was staying at after a woman claimed the producer wrapped his arms around her. Apparently, there was some sort of altercation in the hallway where one of Bergs friends allegedly put hands on the female, which resulted in the cops being called. When cops arrived to Bergs hotel room, they found two blunts on him which probably would not have been a big deal. But heres the kicker, when the cops ran his history record they found Berg had blown off a court date for another weed bust nearly 9 years ago, so they reportedly arrested him on the spot and took him to jail. Berg was shortly released thereafter, and managed to keep the situation out of the media until now. This news surfaces just a week or two after Berg Hitmaka made headlines for previewing new music off Ty Dolla Sign & Jeremihs joint project MihTy, which hes involved in. In fact, Berg said their collab effort is done being recorded and will come with 21 songs. MihTy@Jeremih @tydollasign ALBUM IS DONE!!!!!!!!! 21 Songs of Greatnesss!!!!!! he tweeted out last week. Check that out right here. Well keep you posted if any further information on Bergs latest arrest surfaces. [Via] Yung Berg Sgt. Luis Menendez is more than familiar with the damage hurricanes could cause. The Houston police officer was a child in north central Puerto Rico when Hurricane Hugo wreaked havoc on his community. After Hurricane Harvey dumped 51 inches of rain on Houston, he could barely catch his breath before two other hurricanes pummeled Puerto Rico, where most of his family still lives. "I tell people that I wasn't really concentrating at work because I was so worried (about) them down there," said Menendez, a commander for the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in the Special Victims Division. Menendez, who grew up in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, volunteered quickly to be one of the Houston officers to assist on the island after Hurricane Maria caused power outages and a national disaster to be declared in late September. The city's police department has now sent three groups of 25 officers each over to the island, with the last one returning Dec. 15. 'Time for us to support' Rafael Pantoja, 44, a senior police officer who works in public affairs, also felt compelled to give back after Hurricane Harvey. "I'm not Puerto Rican. I don't have family there," Pantoja said. "But I'm very appreciative of the fact that there were multiple law enforcement agencies that assisted us during Harvey, and I thought it was time for us to support another community in the same way." When the two officers arrived in Puerto Rico, they could immediately see the devastation to the island that more than 3 million people call home. Police officers were wearing T-shirts, jeans and hats because they didn't have electricity to wash their uniforms. Traffic lights were out across the city, causing residents to start directing cars and people across the streets. The officers saw concrete light poles cut in half. Boosting 'moral support' Pantoja and Menendez noticed how exhausted the Puerto Rico police officers were after working 12-hour shifts since the hurricane hit. Many of the officers had also lost everything in the storm. "Just having someone there with you helps you out immensely," Menendez said about riding patrol with officers while in Puerto Rico. "Even a conversation with somebody new, learning about Houston and us talking to them about Puerto Rico, it just helps as moral support." The men said their radio calls were frequently filled with medical emergency calls instead of the typical crime ones they are used to hearing in Houston. They also spent a lot of their time helping direct traffic. A moment that sticks with Menendez was a man driving up to him and another Puerto Rico police officer and said he was having a heart attack. Menendez and the officer had originally driven up to a mountainous area of Puerto Rico so the officer could show him damage in the area. Instead, the two men ended up taking the man to a hospital. 'We felt like a family' Menendez spent much of his childhood either in Puerto Rico or living in New York with his family. His mother moved the family to New York after Hurricane Hugo. He remembers the island being without power for three months. He eventually joined the Houston Police Department after a stint in the military. The officers chosen to travel to Puerto Rico were required to be in good physical shape and also have the ability to speak Spanish Since all the Houston officers had a Spanish-speaking ability, the men said it made them stand out among other police departments on scene. "We covered each other's backs over there. We felt like a family, of course. People are the same everywhere," said Pantoja. "The same ridiculous calls that you get sometimes here, you get over there as well. That's something that we share in common, just police work in general. " We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Recently, Byton firstly revealed news that its headquarter located in North America would be put into use. As a new global auto manufacturer brand located in domestic market with two German senior managers and most funds from Chinese market, Byton has always attracted great attention from the industry. Recent news come out that Byton would release its first model during American CES in January, 2018. More details are revealed from communication with Dr. Daniel Kirchert, founder and President of Byton. The model levels with luxury brand models including Audi Q5, BMW X3, Benz GLC and others with relatively lower entry price of about RMB 300,000. The companys first model, with Benoit Jacob as chief designer, who was once chief designer of BMW i3 and i8, mainly targets at youngsters born after 1990 with great interests in high-tech products. Currently, the designing team has completed the design for first model and design for second model is on process. Byton has prepared to launch three models including luxury SUV, car and 7-seat MPV products on the same platform, which would control unit cost with part sharing rate exceeding 60%. Its expected that Byton first model will be launched in 2019. Byton emphasizes greatly on high quality, beautiful design and unique intelligent system with friendly user interface. Therefore, the new model adopts a 50-inch Internet screen, which is 125cm long and 25cm high. The horizontal screen composes of three parts, with the one on the left showing regular driving information and middle one displaying navigation system. The model provides two versions with driving ranges of 500KM and 350KM respectively, as well as the accelerating time for first 100KM reaching 5 to 6 seconds. Byton also considers launching L3 automatic driving model in 2019 and L4 level in 2020. Currently, interior decoration and detailed design have not been revealed yet. Supply Policy to reflect federal setup The Supplies Ministry has started work to amend the Supply Policy to ensure effective supply management with the country adopting a federal system of government. Thori will be connected to Kerung soon: Dahal CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has remarked that Thori, a remote village in Parsa district, could be developed into a major trading route to connect Nepal, India and China. It's chalky. It's crumbly. It's a pale yellow in colour. And it's delicious - a connoisseur's delight. Tom Burgess shaves some of his prize-winning cheese off a great big block he hauls from the fridge to allow his visitor a taste of this wonderful local delicacy. The Coolattin Cheddar and Mount Leinster brands which he promotes are not to be found on the shelves of the large supermarket chains. Instead, restaurateurs, speciality shops and stalls at farmer's markets take as much of this glorious stuff as Tom can make, the Wicklow People reports. The 56-year-old has been producing top class milk here at Knockeen in west Wicklow for two decades. The cheese is his way of extracting some extra value from the high quality liquid flowing into the tanks of the milking parlour. Originally from down the road in nearby Tullow, Tom took up the holding with its 150-year-old stone farmhouse around 30 years ago. He resides here on the Wicklow side of the Carlow border with his wife Fiona and it is here that they brought up their now-adult children. He came from a dairying background, grew up farming and took a degree in agricultural science at UCD to add some academic clout to his CV. When it came to establishing his own business, he populated his fields with Holstein/Friesian cows, the black-and-white breed responsible for most Irish milk. However, Brussels put the brakes on the Burgess family enterprise, the EU setting restrictive quota limits on what milk they could bring to market. With some show of reluctance, Tom diversified into tillage farming and into sheep. The lambs looked cute but their owner discovered found making mutton very time consuming, for limited financial reward. Rather than continue chasing ewes, he came up with the cheese wheeze around the turn of millennium. The way he tells it, opting to make cheddar was the obvious thing to do for someone who believed his milk was top notch. Yet the reality is that very few Irish dairy farmers have proven prepared to follow the same logic. 'I was toying with the idea of making something with the milk,' he recalls, looking back at his thought processes back in the year 2000. 'Feeding cows on grass really does produce the best milk.' Tom admits to being obsessed with grass, to the extent that he measures how much grass he has in each field and how quickly it is growing. He keeps his stock out on the land as much as possible, with rigorous management of the grazing paddocks, and he only feeds them silage during the calving confinement. It rankled with him that what he saw as a premium product was not attracting a premium price. Instead, it was merely being drawn in tankers into the vast milk lake operated by the likes of Glanbia. Thrashing around for an alternative, he rejected the possibility of making yoghurt or ice-cream, and settled instead on cheese. First, he believed that he could create something genuinely distinctive. Second, he reasoned cheese would be much easier to handle and distribute as it is much less perishable than ice-cream. While others - notably the much-admired Hempenstalls near Arklow - made their reputation with soft cheese, Tom went down the hard route. Wishing to provide his customers with unbroken supplies, he was aware that his style of herd management involves a winter break of at least two months in the flow of milk. Expand Close Say Cheese! Tom Burgess, winner of the Supreme Champion Award for his Coolattin Cheddar Mount Leinster Clothbound is presented with his award by Tara McCarthy of Bord Bia at the C!is Irish Cheese Awards 2017 at the Ballymaloe Grainstore. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Say Cheese! Tom Burgess, winner of the Supreme Champion Award for his Coolattin Cheddar Mount Leinster Clothbound is presented with his award by Tara McCarthy of Bord Bia at the C!is Irish Cheese Awards 2017 at the Ballymaloe Grainstore. The time out is taken annually to allow the cows to calve. This is a problem for soft cheese makers whose products have a shorter shelf life. Cheddar, on the other hand, requires extended maturing, often for years, which allows the manufacturer the flexibility to release supplies as and when they are required. It was helped that he had old farm buildings at his disposal which could be adopted for making and storing his new product. However, the first few experimental prototypes were concocted in the high-ceilinged kitchen of Knockeen House. Milk had to be mixed with the cheddar bacteria and curdled with rennet, with tricks of temperature control and use of moulds to be acquired. The maturing of these first samples took place a few steps away from the Aga stove of the kitchen in the relative cool of a side passage. Trips to Cork and to Britain were undertaken in the interest of research, enrolling on courses at UCC and Nantwich in Cheshire (the original Cheese-shire). When advice was needed, Eddie O'Neill at the Teagasc centre in Fermoy was always available to take calls. 'We made every mistake you could make,' says Tom with a laugh as he looked back on the early days. 'Some of the cheese was not up to the quality mark.' Nevertheless, much of the output was very good indeed and it became clear that it improved with ageing. Tom found an ally in Elizabeth Bradley from Fenagh in Carlow, who was also on a similar point on the learning curve. She introduced him to the farmer's market in Carlow where he found himself not only selling his wares on Saturdays but also talking to customers who were keen to taste and eager to discuss food. This was an experience that many farmers never have the privilege of enjoying as they do their business at a far remove from the consumers who buy their produce. Tom settled on the name 'Coolattin Cheddar' with a distinctive red wax rind. Coolattin may be the far side of Shillelagh but Knockeen House where he resides was originally part of the vast old Coolattin estate run by the Fitzwilliam nobility. More recently, the name 'Mount Leinster' has been used as the brand name for cloth wrapped cheese made by the same process. Whichever name, demand for the cheese has grown steadily over the past 17 years and the business appears set for further expansion. Fiona, who works as a teacher, takes a lively interest, while offspring Charles, Alice and Lucy all have first-hand experience of making or selling cheese. The market in Carlow continues to be an outlet though Tom confesses that he no longer mans the stall there in person, while shoppers at markets in Naas and Farmleigh also snap up supplies. The Burgesses feed into the high prestige Avoca Handweavers chain, where Alice and Lucy sometimes conduct tasting sessions. Tom is happy that his cheddar is on the menu at some of the country's best restaurants and that the Harrods department store in London places regular orders. He lets slip that it is not unknown for the Irish embassy in London to request a ration of his finest. The reputation of the cheese has been more publicly acknowledged through a series of awards which began with a breakthrough in Cardiff six years ago. At a black tie event in the Welsh capital, the West Wicklow contestants were called up to receive gold at the British Cheese Awards ceremony. At Ballymaloe in Cork recently, adjudicators from America, the UK and Germany pronounced Mount Leinster supreme champion at the bi-annual Irish Cheese Awards - regaining the title claimed in 2015. Tom was too busy to attend a world cheese event at San Sebastian in the heart of Spain's gourmet Basque country earlier this year when his entry struck bronze. Each day, from May to September, the converted stone-walled cow house at the farm yard in Knockeen takes in 2,000 litres of grass-fed milk, enough to yield 200 kilos of solid matter. With the shackles of the European quota system removed, and with demand for both Coolattin Cheddar and Mount Leinster growing, the Burgess herd has been expanding. Where there used to be 60 cows, now there are 140, with a strong jersey strain mixed in with the black-and-whites. Their raw morning milk is pumped into the former cow barn, which is a model of hygiene in its new incarnation, flowing into a gleaming stainless steel bath. The starter pack of dried cheddar is a tiny but vital part of the mix stirred into the bath, along with the rennet which causes the liquid whey to separate out. The remaining solids are repeatedly cut into smaller and smaller pieces while a close control is maintained on temperature and bacterial activity is checked by the addition of salt. By the end of the working day, the immature cheese has been pressed into moulds, soon to be transferred to the wooden shelves of the maturing room where the air is a constant 12 degrees. Some cheeses are released after nine months but some rings, each one a foot in diameter, may be kept for as long as two years. 'It is hard physical work,' says Tom of cheese making and the results each time are subtly different - a fine antidote to a world where so much food we eat each day is mass-produced with little or no craftsmanship. 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 Expand Close Vodafone Smart V8 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Vodafone Smart V8 (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 Expand Close Sky Soundbox / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sky Soundbox (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 Expand Close Microsoft Surface laptop / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Microsoft Surface laptop (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 Expand Close Kobo Aura One eReader / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kobo Aura One eReader (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 Expand Close Sony MDR1000X noise-cancelling headphones / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sony MDR1000X noise-cancelling headphones (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 Expand Close Apple iPad Pro 10.5 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Apple iPad Pro 10.5 (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 Expand Close Belkin Wemo Insight plug / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Belkin Wemo Insight plug (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) Expand Close Fuji Instax mini 9 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fuji Instax mini 9 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 Expand Close Apple TV 4K / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Apple TV 4K (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 Expand Close Roberts Stream 93i / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Roberts Stream 93i (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 Expand Close Panasonic Lumix GX800 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Panasonic Lumix GX800 (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 Expand Close Panasonic Lumix GX800 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Panasonic Lumix GX800 (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 pontiff is scheduled to come to Ireland in August 2018 The Government intends to do all it can to assist next year's visit from Pope Francis, the Taoiseach has said. The pontiff is scheduled to come to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families in August 2018 and it will be the first visit from a pope since John Paul II drew one million people to Phoenix Park in 1979. Recently, the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said that the visit will cost around 20m. Leo Varadkar said that the Government is due to meet with the Catholic Church in the new year to discuss the visit. "They asked that we have someone here in the department as a contact point to assist them in the co-ordination and we made that available to them. "We just don't know yet if it will be a very short visit just for the Meeting of World Families or whether it will be an extended visit involving other things such as Northern Ireland," Mr Varadkar said. Expand Close Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Photo: PA He said that the Government is "very much at (the) disposal" of the Catholic Church. "The Government will assist in any way to facilitate Pope Francis's visit," he added. The pope's advancing age - he is now 81 - would mean his itinerary will not be as packed as John Paul II's was in 1979. While it may be possible for the pope to go outside Dublin, he would mainly be here for the World Meeting of Families, Archbishop Martin said recently. The archbishop also said that church collections would bring in around five million euro for the visit, with the remaining costs to be recouped through donations. Meanwhile, Pope Francis 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". 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". 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. Scene of attack in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin this afternoon (Photo: Mark Condren) A young man has been arrested by gardai investigating a serious assault on a young woman in Dun Laoghaire. A woman, who is 25-years-old and of Irish-Malaysian descent, was left in a "serious but stable condition" following a suspected bottle attack in the town on Saturday. The victim was found near the baths at Queens Road at around 3.30pm and received extensive wounds to her neck and arm. She remains in hospital in serious condition. She underwent emergency surgery in St Vincent's Hospital following the attack. Gardai have confirmed that a juvenile male was arrested at an address in the seaside down on Christmas morning. He is currently being detained at Dun Laoghaire garda station under section four. Ministers are receiving social media training from Facebook to boost their profiles among constituents and get an analysis of how well they interact with voters, according to emails seen by the Sunday Independent. Officials in the Taoiseach's Department were invited to Facebook's headquarters this year so they could be offered advice on running a junior minister's online profile. The correspondence and emails show how closely the social media giants are affiliated with government ministers and their advisers. The emails and documents also show the company previously brought ministers to their Dublin offices for tips and training on using the website. Facebook also contacted the Taoiseach's Department to complain that new European Commission proposals aimed at strengthening online privacy rules would "diminish" the money which tech companies make from online advertising. The company claimed the laws would impede innovation and "degrade the online experience of European users". Facebook also warned the Government that new German laws aimed at reducing harmful content online contradict EU regulations. The laws, passed in June, force social networks with more than two million users to remove illegal content within 24 hours of it being notified of its existence or face a maximum fine of 50m. During a meeting with former EU Affairs and Data Protection Minister Dara Murphy last April, Facebook warned him the German laws conflict with an EU eCommerce directive that removes obstacles enabling the use of online services across international borders. Expand Close ADVICE: Data Protection Minister Dara Murphy / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp ADVICE: Data Protection Minister Dara Murphy Any move to adopt similar laws in Ireland would be of huge concern to the social media networks based here. At a meeting with officials from the Taoiseach's Department in the US last year, Facebook said it sees the Irish Data Protection Commissioner as its main EU regulator. It currently employs more than 2,000 people in Dublin. The complaints were part of a sustained lobbying campaign by high-ranking staff at the American company in which it discussed the implementation of regulations across member states. Documents released to the Sunday Independent under the Freedom of Information Act show Facebook Ireland's head of public policy Niamh Sweeney told advisers working for former EU Affairs and Data Protection Minister Dara Murphy that experts could go through his Facebook page and offer tips to enhance his profile. "We've done it with some of his ministerial colleagues," she wrote during an exchange with Conor Gouldsbury, who was then Mr Murphy's special adviser. Mr Gouldsbury and Ms Sweeney were discussing an event the minister was to attend in May. Mr Gouldsbury told her a workshop Facebook organised before the last election was great but "my main struggle is getting our constituency office to upload local content of interest to (the) Min's [sic] local followers - a work in progress." Read More Ms Sweeney replied: "We should set something up to look at the minister's page with you. We can run an analysis of the best/worst performing posts etc and offer some guidance." This guidance helps the owners of a Facebook page understand how people are engaging with it. These insights include demographic data about audience interaction and how people are discovering and responding to posts by politicians and their advisers. The Sunday Independent asked the Government Press Office last week for a list of ministers, former ministers and advisers who have received tips and training from Facebook. It said it does not retain such records centrally. Each government department denied that ministers had received training but little clarity was offered in relation to former ministers and advisers. Sources with knowledge of Facebook's training programmes said ministers, TDs, councillors and unelected candidates across the political spectrum have received support from the company. Facebook declined to give the names or the number of officials who received the training but Ms Sweeney told the Sunday Independent that such work is also carried out with officials in other countries. It has dedicated politics and government teams who assist parties or groups during campaigns. "Facebook works with candidates and elected officials in Ireland and around the world who use Facebook as a way to communicate directly with their constituents, interact with voters, and hear about the issues that matter to their communities," said Ms Sweeney. Further documents and emails show a sustained campaign of lobbying by Facebook and consistent contacts with government staff. Ms Sweeney expanded on her previous discussions with officials in the Taoiseach's Department to express concern at the effect new European Commission regulations will have on Facebook. The Commission said its new ePrivacy proposals aim to update current rules and reinforce trust and security in the EU's Digital Single Market. The rules, proposed earlier this year, would be enforced by Data Protection Commissioners in member states. Under the legislation, businesses would need consent from users to access information on a device and users would also need to agree to websites using cookies - files that enable computers to remember the websites it has visited. They store personal user information that advertisers use to send targeted advertisements. Read More Facebook criticised the rules in a briefing document sent to the Departments of the Taoiseach and Communications in May. "This will further harm content providers' ability to monetise their websites," it says. "These restrictions will, in turn, significantly erode the revenues of large portions of Europe's online content providers, which will be unable to earn money from ads and have no viable alternative business model. "While Facebook agrees that people should have choices about the use of their devices' storage capabilities, we believe that the Commission's prescriptive approach inappropriately pushes people to opt out of third party cookies and similar technologies that are essential to the provision of the services they are trying to consume." Pensioners are resorting to a range of anxiety medications and sleeping tablets because of fears of aggravated attacks in the run-up to Christmas. It has also emerged that some older people are staying up all night, and instead are sleeping during the day, following a spate of burglaries in recent weeks. Many also feel under round-the-clock threat and are buying high-spec CCTV systems for protection. Others have alarms that can be triggered by infra-red motion sensors. The killing of Limerick woman Rosie Hanrahan, who was found murdered in her terraced home last week, has renewed focus on the vulnerability of older people. Separately, last Monday, Joseph Waters, a bachelor, was sitting at his kitchen table in his rural bungalow in the Kildangan area of Durrow, Co Offaly, when three masked men broke in to steal his life savings. The retired farmer was pinned to the floor, beaten with sticks and threatened with a knife. Mrs Hanrahan (78), a widow, was physically frail, while Mr Waters (77) is visually impaired. Offaly County Councillor John Leahy says many people living in isolated rural areas are now using medication to help them sleep at night. "The gangs are carrying out scoping exercises on potential victims before they attack. "When a dog barks in a farmer's yard in an isolated area at night, elderly folk fear the worst. That's the reality. "People are putting in extra security measures such as bolts and locks on their bedroom door. "They are also resorting to specially installed lighting." Mr Leahy, leader of Renua Ireland, says tougher penalties are now needed for repeat offenders, as well as the establishment of a "dedicated" Garda division to tackle the gangs "at source". "People with elderly parents are also hugely concerned, and they want to know what's going to be done to stop these attacks." Meanwhile, Diarmuid Cronin, community alert development officer for Cork, Kerry and Limerick, said the introduction of "severe sentences" for certain offenders is badly needed. "Some older people are now changing their living patterns. Individuals are staying up all night. They don't want to go to sleep out of fear," he said. "It just shows the level of unease out there - that people feel it is safer to stay awake all night and snatch some sleep during the day. "There are also people keeping a shotgun in the room with them at night. "We are talking about a generation who have grown up with a shotgun to hand at all times during the day and night. "A lot of people are talking about getting CCTV and smaller, more discreet, cameras for their home. "Many of the perpetrators are out on bail when they carry out these raids. Electronic tagging needs to be used." In November, bachelor farmer Richie McKelvey (54), who lived alone in the family home with his dog as his only companion in an isolated area near Birr, was brutally attacked. In the early hours of the morning, a four-member gang smashed their way into the house and stormed into his bedroom. He was pulled from his bed and attacked. They also grabbed the dog and, according to locals, gave it an "unmerciful beating". While senior Garda sources say the recent spate of attacks do not constitute a crime epidemic, there is a growing sense of fear among the elderly and frail, particularly in isolated areas. They fear the possibility of assault by suspected gangs who specialise in targeting vulnerable victims in rural Ireland. And there is at least one gang at large in the Midlands who have no compunction about using extreme violence on their victims. Members of the Gardai and order of Malta recover a body after an suv entered the a river in the Carrowniskey area of Louisburgh, Co. Mayo. Photo: Damien Eagers RESCUE workers have recovered a second body in the search for two men who went missing after a vehicle entered a river in the early hours of Christmas morning An Irish Coast Guard helicopter had earlier recovered the as-of-yet unidentified remains of a man shortly before 4pm in the Carrowniskey area of Louisburgh, Mayo. Expand Close Gardai and member of the Order of Malta near the Carrowniskey area of Louisburgh, Co. Mayo where two bodys were recovered from the sea after an SUV entered the water. Photo: Damien Eagers / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gardai and member of the Order of Malta near the Carrowniskey area of Louisburgh, Co. Mayo where two bodys were recovered from the sea after an SUV entered the water. Photo: Damien Eagers The second body was recovered a short time later. Three men were travelling in an SUV when it entered a river in Louisburgh, near Westport at approximately 230am this morning. It is understood that the men were trying to cross the Carrowniskey River when their vehicle became submerged in the water. The vehicle was swept down the river. One of the men - a 19-year-old - managed to the escape from the vehicle and raised the alarm at approximately 3am. Expand Close The Irish Coast Guard helicopter and a member of the Order of malta near the Carrowniskey area of Louisburgh, Co. Mayo where two bodys were recovered from the sea after an SUV entered the water. Photo: Damien Eagers / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Irish Coast Guard helicopter and a member of the Order of malta near the Carrowniskey area of Louisburgh, Co. Mayo where two bodys were recovered from the sea after an SUV entered the water. Photo: Damien Eagers The other two men are aged 26 and 27. All three are understood to be from the area. The bodies have been taken to University Hospital in Castlebar. Post mortems are expected to take place tomorrow. A significant operation was launched in the wake of the accident with gardai, the fire brigade and the coast guard all attending the scene. "The Garda Water Unit have arrived at the scene and it is envisaged to begin the search for recovery of bodies," a garda spokesman said earlier. Emergency services are still at the scene, but the search has been called off. More to follow... Alan Hawe murdered his wife Clodagh and three sons, Liam (13), Niall (11) and Ryan (6), before committing suicide at their home near Ballyjamesduff Alan Hawe exchanged hundreds of text messages with his wife, Clodagh, in the months before he slaughtered his family. The texts contained the humdrum stuff of daily family life, such as the kids' activities and household chores, according to those familiar with the case. Here was a man said to be on the verge of a severe psychotic episode that would compel him to wipe out his family and then take his own life. Yet his texts betrayed no hint of the savagery he would unleash on Clodagh and their three boys, Liam (13), Niall (11) and Ryan (6), at the family home in Oakdene Downs, near Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan, on the last day of their summer holidays from school, the children asleep in bed, Clodagh in her pyjamas and dressing gown on the sofa in the living room downstairs. He came at her with an axe that was usually kept in the shed outside, striking her three times on the head, and on her arm, when she raised it to defend herself. He stabbed her with a steak knife, and left both near her body. He had a second knife, a Kitchen Devil, when he moved upstairs to the children's rooms. Liam and Niall were under their duvets in their single beds, both pushed against the same wall. He stabbed Liam first in the throat, and then his brother, in the same spot, also rendering them speechless by severing their windpipes. Both boys had raised their arms, to try to defend themselves. Then to Ryan's bedroom. After he had finished, he left the bloodied Kitchen Devil knife on the little boy's pillow. Expand Close The family home near Ballyjamesduff / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The family home near Ballyjamesduff Garda witnesses later told the inquest how the children's bedclothes and the walls of their bedrooms were heavily bloodstained. Murders accomplished, he arranged his affairs. He stacked Clodagh's jewellery boxes neatly on the bed in the master bedroom. He wrote at least one note after the murders and left it on the kitchen table, along with a letter, written on both sides of A4 sheets, in a sealed envelope. He taped a third note to the window on the back door, warning off callers from entering. He gathered financial records and insurance documents and left them where they would be seen. Clodagh's mother, Mary Coll, has said that one of his last acts was to log on to a computer, access their bank accounts and transfer funds from their joint account to his. He took his own life in the hall. Verdicts of unlawful killing of Clodagh, Liam, Niall and Ryan were delivered by a trembling jury foreman last Tuesday, after two days of brutally graphic evidence at the inquest at Cavan Court House. Unlawful killing - the legal term - seemed inadequate for scale of the slaughter that had occurred at the Hawe family home on August 29 last year. Dr Michael Curtis, the deputy state pathologist, said he found it "very hard to believe" that the severing of the boys' windpipes, which "rendered all three of them unable to make a sound", was coincidental. His impression was that Hawe worked "on the basis that by dispatching Clodagh and the older boy fast, he would have rendered the possibility of a physical challenge less likely". Expand Close Clodagh Hawes mother Mary Coll (left) and sister Jacqueline Connolly arrive at Cavan Court House for the inquest / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Clodagh Hawes mother Mary Coll (left) and sister Jacqueline Connolly arrive at Cavan Court House for the inquest Inquests are not concerned with the why, but with the how, when and where. The "why" is the most difficult question to address. Professor Harry Kennedy, clinical director of the Central Mental Hospital, concluded from examination of Hawe's medical and counselling records and suicide notes, that he had long-term mental health issues that worsened into a severe depressive episode with psychotic symptoms. No one knew Clodagh Hawe better than her mother, Mary Coll, and sister, Jacqueline Connolly. They believe Hawe planned the murders of his family. A statement read out after the inquest said: "It is clear from the evidence presented that Clodagh and the boys were killed in a sequence that ensured that the eldest, and most likely to provide effective resistance, were killed first, and that they were executed in a manner which rendered them unable to cry out for help." He was concerned about his "position as 'a pillar of the community' and we are aware that he was concerned at his imminent fall from that position and the breakdown of his marriage". Hawe was vice-principal in Castlerahan primary school near their home and Clodagh was a teacher at Oristown primary school. They had been student sweethearts. In the aftermath of the murders, shocked local people spoke about him as a pillar of the community, who was always eager to please. Expand Close EXPERT: Prof Harry Kennedy at the Hawe family inquest / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp EXPERT: Prof Harry Kennedy at the Hawe family inquest A darker picture has emerged from the inquest, and since, from the Garda's investigation for the coroner. Hawe's difficulties emerged earlier last year when it came to light that he had been viewing pornography, according to those familiar with the case. It was an issue that threatened his marriage. Clodagh urged Hawe to go to counselling, and he attended his first appointment in March 2016. "His goal was for family life to get back to the way it was," David McConnell, his counsellor, later told the inquest. "Throughout our sessions it was clear that Alan had placed a very high value on family life, on being a good husband and being a good father," he said. He said Hawe had a "fear of shame" of being seen as less than perfect. At what was to be his final session on June 21, he "arrived stressed". He wept during the session, and said: "People think of me as being a pillar of the community - if only they knew." On the same day as his counselling session, Hawe went to his GP, Dr Paula McKevitt. His ailment was one that would later strike clinical psychiatrist Professor Harry Kennedy as "odd". He presented with an abnormality on his big toenail, which Dr McKevitt said she tended to by taking samples and prescribing a fungicide. She examined his feet, because he told her he washed them in Domestos. She urged him to apply Savlon instead. He told her he was run-down, hadn't been sleeping, had had a sore throat and mouth ulcers. He said he was "stressed" by "a conflict that had arisen with a colleague" and was feeling isolated. She prescribed sleeping tablets, and asked if he had discussed his concerns with Clodagh. He said he had. Dr McKevitt said he showed no signs of delusion or agitation, and he was looking forward to a family holiday in Italy. She did not know that he was seeing a counsellor. "He didn't disclose any of his deep thoughts to me," Dr McKevitt told the coroner. According to Professor Kennedy, however, Hawe was mentally ill. He reached this opinion after studying the medical records, counselling notes and suicide note, at the request of the Cavan County Coroner, Dr Mary Flanagan. Hawe's counselling notes showed he was "troubled", while his medical records revealed he held "unfounded" anxieties about his body. Over time, these appear to have developed into "severe preoccupations" that were "blown out of proportion" and were the symptoms of a "worsening depressive illness". Hawe did not see his counsellor or his GP again. The school holidays began and, according to Professor Kennedy's analysis, Hawe was on his apparently unnoticeable descent into psychosis. Clodagh's mother, Mary Coll, has said that had Clodagh felt she or the boys were in danger, she would have walked out. Garda investigators would later trawl through the mobile phones, computers and documents and interviewed more than 150 people, searching for possible motives. They examined his finances and investigated allegations that he had been in a relationship with a teenager. Neither stacked up. The pornography, that he expressed such fears about, was not hardcore criminal material. They uncovered no evidence that he had planned or researched the murders. They suspect he used a private browser. Hawe offered his own reasons in his suicide notes, displaying clearly the distorted thinking identified by Professor Kennedy. His words displayed shame, guilt, anger and blowing apparently insignificant events out of proportion. For instance, he mentioned incidents from his childhood - "horseplay" with a relative and an encounter with a girl - which he said affected him. Gardai interviewed both the relative and the woman he named, and discounted the incidents as normal childhood stuff. He agonised over school, how the pupils and teachers perceived him, how people didn't know "the real me". He wrote that he wanted to kill himself for a long time but "could not bear the thought of leaving my mess and the anger and rejection" that Clodagh and the boys would have to live with. With the blood of his wife and children on his hands, he portrayed himself as a loving husband and father: "I'm sorry for how I murdered them all but I had no other way. I had to do this.. I can't leave the boys orphans. I couldn't just up and leave them," he wrote. Clodagh's bereft family have, with inexplicable bravery and dignity, attempted to rescue some shred of goodness from the evil. They are establishing a women's shelter in memory of Clodagh and the boys. They have spoken out against the secret, controlling nature of domestic violence. Familicide remains almost beyond the comprehension of most of us. The phenomenon is rare and in Ireland research is scant. It would seem impossible to predict. In the US, Neil Websdale, professor of criminology at North Arizona University, has extracted common patterns and themes from his studies of hundreds of cases that tell us more about the perpetrators. They are overwhelmingly men. Most are what he calls "livid coercive" killers - or violent abusers. A smaller number are "civil reputable" offenders, who believe they are about to fall from grace, feel deep shame, and are "extraordinarily secretive and repressed". Even experts struggle to understand the "why". "Ultimately we are dealing with the haunting presence of the inexplicable," said Professor Websdale, echoing Mrs Coll's simple but profound observation about her son-in-law at the inquest: "I knew him, but I didn't know him." Women's Aid helpline can be contacted free on 1800 341 900. Samaritans can be contacted on 116123 for free, texting 087-2609090 or emailing jo@samaritans.org Mum and Dad Aoife and John Stewart and their daughter Laura (2) from Lucan Dublin with her newborn Christmas Day baby boy James who was born at The Coombe Hospital at 2.38am weighing 8Lbs 6oz. Pic Steve Humphreys Christmas congratulations are in order for parents across the country who welcomed new babies on Christmas Day. Among the earliest arrivals was a baby girl born at in Limerick University Maternity Hospital to first-time mum Nadine Keane (21) from Annacotty, Limerick. Expand Close Dad Kuna and Mum Ailgerim Utegenova from Spencer Dock in Dublin with their newborn Christmas Day baby girl (No name given yet) who was born in Holles Street National Maternity Hospital at 1.32am weighing 8Lbs 5oz. Pic Steve Humphreys / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dad Kuna and Mum Ailgerim Utegenova from Spencer Dock in Dublin with their newborn Christmas Day baby girl (No name given yet) who was born in Holles Street National Maternity Hospital at 1.32am weighing 8Lbs 5oz. Pic Steve Humphreys Lily Siobhan Duggan arrived at 12.27am weighing in at 6lbs 3oz. In the capital the National Maternity Hospital celebrated their first baby born on Christmas Day at 1.32am. Mum Augerim Utegnova, originally from Kazakhstan and loving in Dublin, is thrilled with her new arrival but has yet to decide on a name. Her husband, Kuna, has been living and working here for the past seven months. Expand Close Mum Magdalena Kozuch originally from Poland with her newborn Christmas Day baby Boy Christopher who was born at The Coombe Hospital at 3.57am weighing 7Lbs 14oz. Pic Steve Humphreys / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mum Magdalena Kozuch originally from Poland with her newborn Christmas Day baby Boy Christopher who was born at The Coombe Hospital at 3.57am weighing 7Lbs 14oz. Pic Steve Humphreys He said that she decided to move over to ensure they would both be together following the birth of their baby daughter. The couple who live in Spencer Dock were ecstatic with the news they had one of the first Christmas babies this year. The baby girl weighed in at 3.7kg. "She was overdue by 10 days, so just by accident we happened to be on Christmas Day," her dad said. "Thats amazing, its my first child and shes been born in Ireland and on Christmas Day. "I only got married to my wife about a year ago. So what a change this year," he added. The couple havent settled on a name yet but its in the works, he said. The delighted dad said when they have time to have a think they will pick a name. "Theres no name yet, but a there are a lot of options. "Its crazy, my wife has been sleepless for the past three or four nights, now shes been able to get some rest. "Were so happy, theres such a buzz around the baby," he said. "Were really low-profile people, so we wouldnt normally have the spotlight on us," he added. It is expected that close to 20 babies will be born in Holles Street alone on Christmas Day. Meanwhile, mum Sandra Money from Glanmire in Cork, was overjoyed to welcome a baby boy bright and early this morning - making it to the hospital just in time. Baby Kayden was born at 6.34 in Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) and weighed 3.2kg. In the Coombe hospital in Dublin a yet-to-be-named baby girl was born at 4.10am to proud parents Serena Devine and dad, Kevin Devine from Kildare. The baby weighed in at 3.28kgs. One Irish woman who lobbied the government to give funding for treatment to couples who are struggling with fertility has welcomed indications by government that this will now happen. Fiona Gibson, who is now due twin babies in December, and her husband Eoghan OToole have spent 47,000 on IVF and extra fertility treatments since 2013. The music teacher, who has been writing to Minister Simon Harris office to fight for financial assistance for couples going through fertility treatments, said couples do not need financial worries at a time when they are trying to conceive. Its one of the most emotional journeys in your life, and thats made worse by thinking about where youre going to get more money. You should be resting, doing less, giving the embryo time to settle in, but you cant, because youre thinking if this cycle fails then we need to find the money for another one. Its a vicious cycle. Its the most worrying thing youll ever do and you dont need the financial stress on top of what youre going through. On todays news, she said: I think its fantastic news. Ive been in contact with Simon Harris office over the last few years. To be fair I always heard back from someone, but it felt like a pipe dream, it felt like something that would never happen. One is six couples struggle with fertility issues in Ireland. It is expected that the Government will commit to funding IVF treatments for couples unable to conceive from 2019, under the new proposals. We had good news and we have twin girls on the way in December. After a horrific, long journey we finally got there in the end, Fiona, a music teacher from Kilcullen said. To this day I still cant believe its going to happen because there are so many knocks. IVF is constantly a let-down. Our first cycle was cancelled; our second cycle none of the embryos were fertilised; then it was a chemical pregnancy; then we transferred embryos and none of them took; and then we transferred embryos and two of them took and now were having twins. This is a medical condition the same as anything else, and it should be treated as a medical condition. Fiona has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but the couple discovered other reasons why they were having trouble conceiving when they began IVF. It means that I dont ovulate or anything so I cant get pregnant. When we got into the IVF, we learned that my eggs and Eoghans sperm arent compatible; they dont mix. Fiona and Eoghan didn't just have the expense of IVF, but lots of other add-ons as well. There are a lot of extras. I did three rounds of intralipids, a scratch, assisted hatching, and then when I got pregnant I was doing reflexology as well. She added: Numerous times we had to stay in hotels because with the egg collection its very time specific, so because we dont live in Dublin we felt we had to stay in a hotel to be there that morning. Its all the little extras. But youd pay anything to have a baby. But an overjoyed Fiona, who featured in a recent TV3 documentary Babymakers, can now look forward to the arrival of twins in December at Dublin's Coombe hospital. Were on top of the wold. Theres still that element of is everything going to be OK? because youve been knocked so many times. The Babymakers, a four-part documentary series that follows six couples over the course of a year during which they undertake various fertility treatments, is available on TV3 Player. UML courts Madhes parties to form govt The CPN-UML leadership has met Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav reportedly in its bid to form a government with the backing of the Madhes-based party. Eddie D'Alton retrained as a counsellor after Shane took his own life A father has spoken out about overcoming the pain of burying his 23-year-son on Christmas Eve after he died by suicide. Templeogue native Eddie D'Alton knew there was something bothering his son Shane, who had emigrated to Australia with friends in August of 2008. He seemed fine when he made the big move, but he didn't seem in good form while they chatted on Skype. Shane's friends grew worried and contacted his parents to express their concerns over his alcohol consumption. "We put it down immediately to homesickness, since he'd never been away that long ," Eddie told Independent.ie. Eventually, Shane decided to return home for a short period, where a doctor diagnose him with deprssion. Despite this, around two weeks after arriving home, Shane returned to Australia. Expand Close 20/05/2013. Pictured is Shane Dalton, son of Eddie Dalton. After losing his son Shane to suicide Eddie has taken to counselling to offer his help to those suffering. Photo: El Keegan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 20/05/2013. Pictured is Shane Dalton, son of Eddie Dalton. After losing his son Shane to suicide Eddie has taken to counselling to offer his help to those suffering. Photo: El Keegan Towards the end of the year, things took a turn for the worst. Shane had been mugged while out with some friends. "I got the dreaded phone call on a Saturday night, that Shane was taken to hospital under protective custody after he had drank too much." A policewoman told Eddie that there was something troubling Shane. A few days later, Eddie flew out to bring his son home to Ireland. "When I arrived and we met, he just broke down. It was not the Shane that I knew before he went away." Shane saw a doctor and was voluntarily admitted to hospital, where Eddie had hoped his son might make progress. A few days later, he was brought home for the weekend. "There was a Liverpool match on one afternoon. He was a fanatical Liverpool supporter at the time, but he just wasn't interested. "He lay on the couch inside and I tried to make conversation with him. He just wasn't engaging." During the weekend, Eddie and his wife Sue went out for dinner, while Shane spent the evening with his younger sister and his cousin. When they got home, they found Shane in his bed not breathing. He was surrounded by notes addressed to his friends and family. He was rushed to Tallaght Hospital, where he was worked on for around three hours, but the young man had not breathed by himself for around an hour. Shane passed away in the early hours of Sunday morning. "That was the start of the trauma for us. We were in shock for the next few days. "We buried Shane on Christmas Eve. Santa Claus was still coming to our home when Shane died, so Santa Claus had to come. Even though, Christmas Eve, were were up burying our son in the cemetery, Santa Claus had to come that night." From the period of Shane's death to his funeral, the D'Alton family were surrounded by friends and relations to ensure they felt supported, but in the weeks that followed, Eddie really began to feel his son's loss. "As time progresses and you're left on your own, the shock really starts to hit," Eddie said. We were very lucky to have good family and good friends. From that day to this day, almost nine years on, people still call over to offer support and have a chat. That got us through, even though the pain never goes away. "There's not a day goes by that we don't think of Shane and feel sad for Shane. If Shane could have had just a flavour of the love we have, it might have helped him not to do what he did." As the years went by, Eddie made a decision to change career and offer support to the people who went through the same heartache that he did. "I went back to college and I trained to be a counsellor and a psychotherapist. Three and a half years after that, I graduated," Eddie said. "A lot of hard work for a 50-odd person, to go back to school after 40 years, but I qualified as a therapist, psychotherapist and counsellor and then I started working towards helping people who have been bereaved by suicide." When dealing with clients, Shane says he can sometimes see the psychical tenseness leave once he tells them that he too has lost a loved one to suicide, as it shows them that he does know what they are going through. In the years since Eddie has taken up his new job, he notes that society has become a lot more open when discussing mental health and suicidality, but that there is still a way to go. Eddie maintains that one of the most important elements of his job is reminding people that sorrow and grief may dominate some days, there will be better ones on the horizon. "Some days there may be dark clouds, but you've got to remember that there will be brighter days ahead." Mr Dalton is now involved in suicide-prevention charity Turn the Tide on Suicide (3TS), which has recently published a handy pamphlet to recognising the signs of suicide and taking the three steps to prevent it. These wallet-sized cards are available either as a download directly from 3ts.ie or by contacting info@3ts.ie to order hard copies. They are intended to be a useful resource for teachers, sporting organisations, clubs, doctors, pharmacies and workplaces all over the country. If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article please contact the Samaritans on 116123 for support or visit the website on www.samaritans.org. I am standing on the rooftop of a shop. It's not just any old rooftop, though - it's one that's been transformed into a buzzing restaurant called Rooftop Restaurant. It's a Thursday and the place is packed to capacity. My companions and I sip delicious cocktails, or apero as they are known locally, and gaze out over the skyline, basking in the evening sunshine and waving at strangers on the street below. It's like something out of a Disney film, such is the mood of utter contentment. Where is this excellent location? Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich. I was surprised to discover that Zurich is a meagre two-hour flight from Dublin. As we boarded our flight with Swiss, I couldn't envision what was in store from a city that has been more traditionally known as a financial and industrial centre rather than what it has become in recent times, a city-break hotspot. Chuffed by the fact that the airline handed out their own brand of Swiss chocolate, I had a pretty good feeling about what might be in store. Expand Close Sampling chocolate in Laderach / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sampling chocolate in Laderach After a pleasant flight, I pick up my ZurichCard - a must if staying in the city. The ZurichCard allows unlimited travel by tram, bus and train for 24-72 hours. It also entitles you to other perks, such as free admission to most Zurich's museums, some boat trips and discounts on a variety of cultural and leisure activities. In a city that can be pricey, this is money well spent. Our lodgings, Marktgasse Hotel, is a newly-refurbished boutique hotel. Formerly an inn that dates back to 1426, it is nestled in the heart of the Old Town surrounded by quaint cobbled streets. Staying here means you're within walking distance of all key attractions with excellent restaurants and shops at every turn. Not to mention the fact the hotel's mattresses are from the same manufacturer that supplies Buckingham Palace. Trust me, you will sleep like a log. I couldn't resist the cloud-like appeal of the bed so had a quick, delicious snooze before setting out to explore the city. Once an industrial hub renowned for its shipping enterprises; Zurich has reinvented itself. It remains the financial capital of Switzerland, but has emerged as a hugely vibrant and exciting metropolis. With more than 50 museums and over 100 galleries, you will not have an idle moment. My interest in Zurich was heightened by the connection to one of our own literary geniuses. Zurich was a favourite with James Joyce, who honeymooned here, and found great inspiration for his writing - he wrote parts of his masterpiece Ulysses in this Swiss city. Members of the public can visit the cemetery where Joyce is laid to rest alongside his wife Nora and son Giorgio. Or while away an afternoon, by appointment, in the James Joyce Foundation library at Augustinerstrasse, tucked away in the Old Town. It is, possibly, a lesser known fact that Zurich is a city of food, and this is what I'm here to experience. Dinner is at the Food Zurich opening party in Jelmoli, a large shopping centre in Bahnhofstrasse, a short walk from the delightful aforementioned rooftop. In typical Swiss fashion, the location of this festival is quirky. My dinner companions and I wind our way past designer handbags and perfumes, wondering where on earth this food festival could be. We descend into the basement and the foodcourt to be met by blaring music and crowds milling about. Chefs are cooking their produce, dishing it up at lightning speed. Wines are flowing, there is every type of cheese you can think of; local produce; fresh baked bread. The place is brimming with tasty bites to eat. The atmosphere is contagious. We divide and conquer in an attempt to sample all of the delicious offerings. Food artisans abound, beckoning pools of enthusiastic eaters waiting their turn, and soon our appetites are sated. We wind our way home, negotiating the foolproof tram network with the ease of locals. Expand Close Enjoying the Zurich Street Food Festival in Hardturmstrasse / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Enjoying the Zurich Street Food Festival in Hardturmstrasse Next day, enjoying the vibe that comes as a result of excellent coffee and a sumptuous bowl of porridge, we set off to our next destination: an artisan sausage factory. Owned by Mika Lanz - a filmmaker, turned food scientist, turned butcher, with an immaculate dress sense - it epitomises the farm-to-fork mentality that is evident throughout food producers in Zurich. Mika likes to blast hip hop as he works in his sausage factory, which is located in the basement of a church that is still in use. I am again struck by how nothing the Swiss do is predictable. His in-demand fare is stocked in many of the local restaurants, so inquire if his produce - the label is Mikas - is on the menu if you visit. All the produce is simply delicious. Our next stop is restaurant Markthalle in Limmastrasse. Built into a viaduct, a thriving food market is not what you expect to find as trains trundle overhead. We gobble our tasty lunch before exploring all the stalls. One bakery in particular catches my eye - St Jakob Beck bakery and ice cream parlour in Viaduktstrasse. It churns out freshly baked goods every day and purposefully employs only those with disabilities. It is a unique concept and sums up the feel of this city in an instant. A city of gamechangers, movers and shakers. Our weekend passes in a happy food-induced haze. On the Zurich food tour, which is held once a day every Friday, we discover the culinary secrets of Zurich West. This comprises a walking tour of the restaurants in the area that are particularly popular with locals. Again there are surprises at every turn, as we learn about brewing in one location and chow down on freshly made hummus in the next, all washed down by some beautiful Swiss wine. A highlight for me, and a must-visit, is La Salle - a restaurant built into a former shipping yard with extraordinary architecture to feed the soul as you feast within a ginormous glass cube. You have to see it to believe it. Whether it's a fine-dining experience at one of Zurich's premier hotels, such as the Dolder Grand with it's panoramic views; wandering the weekly vegetable and flower markets at Gemusebrueke; nipping up Zurich's local mountain, Uetliberg, to work your holiday indulgence off; or luxuriating in Thermal Bad spa's incredible rooftop pool - no matter what you're seeking for your holiday, you'll find your place in this city at the heart of Europe. It's just spilling over with culture and things to do and see - and of course, most importantly, to eat. Getting there Places to stay: Marktgasse Hotel, marktgassehotel.ch Dolder Grand, doldergrandhotel.com/en Spa: Thermalbad & Spa, thermalbad-zuerich.ch/ Foodie hotspots: Sausage factory, mikas.ch; bakery, johnbaker.ch; vegetarian restaurant, hiltl.ch; chocolatier, laederach.com/en For Zurich Food Tour / Street Food Festival/ Zurich Tourism MySwitzerland.com or email info.uk@myswitzerland.com; for packages, trains and air tickets, email sales@stc.co.uk Swiss International Air Lines Swiss offers up to 119 weekly flights from Dublin to Zurich. All-inclusive fares, from 75 one-way, including all airport taxes, one piece hold luggage and hand luggage, plus meal and drink. Swiss is happy to transport your first set of ski or snowboard equipment and boots free of charge, in addition to your standard free baggage allowance. swiss.com 'It was Christmas eve babe..." So starts one of the most enduring Christmas songs of the last 30 years. It's up there with Joni Mitchell's River and Judy Garland's Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas as beautiful songs that bring out the poignancy of being broken when all around you are celebrating Christmas. And I'd suggest that they are so beautiful because all of us on some level can relate to that. All of us on some level know what it is to pretend to smile and be happy when inside our heart is aching and things are not all tinsel and fairy lights. Judy Garland's version of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas is particularly gorgeous as she's singing it to her daughter in the film Meet Me In St Louis and she's actually telling her even though everything - even hope - seems lost, they battle on and endure. And there is that added heartbreak of watching this woman trying to protect her children from the reality of their situation by singing a lullaby, as so many have done before and after her. There are people all over Ireland who are doing that same thing today - trying to protect their kids from their reality. People experiencing very real anguish in their lives for any number of reasons. People who know what it is to be emotionally out of step with the rest of the world and who know how isolating it feels to be the 'only person' who's not happy at the most wonderful time of the year. It isn't true either of course, Christmas doesn't make anyone's problems go away - in fact it can exaggerate them, so it isn't the case that you are the only person who's sad, alone, heartbroken or lost. It's just the time of the year when we put a gloss over all that and celebrate despite it. And maybe that's OK. Maybe we actually need occasionally to believe in the message of optimism and hope that comes from Christmas. That comes from celebrating life - even when life isn't all that great. Interestingly, my favourite days over Christmas aren't the big ones. They're the before and after. Christmas Eve and that one - a day or two after Stephen's Day where you stay in your pyjamas all day, eating leftover sandwiches and the coffee creams and Bounty bars from the bottom of the box, while you watch the Back To The Future trilogy and not a visitor crosses the door. The one where it's all over and you've survived it. Christmas Eve I love for the delicious sense of anticipation. Like most things, the build up can often be better than the actual event. From the moment you wake up, you know Santa is coming tonight! No more sleeps! It always feels like a long day - in a good way. And provided you're not madly unprepared, there can be a relaxed sense of gearing up for tomorrow. It has its own traditions too. And Christmas Eve in my house isn't too different to Christmas Eve in my parents' house when we were growing up. There's a potter around a few shops in the afternoon for the last few things - a forgotten present or some bit of the dinner you've overlooked. And then as the dusk falls that old excitement builds, as on the radio and TV they start to plot Santa's journey around the globe - and you know you better get to sleep so he'll come but you're not sure you can sleep because it's Christmas! I can still remember very clearly driving into Dun Laoghaire on Christmas Eve 30 years ago, in my parents' car when Fairytale Of New York had just been released - and it coming on the radio. Me and my sister were singing it in the back seat while my parents tried to work out if it was awful or not. Their teenage daughters singing about the drunk tank made them uneasy. (They came round eventually to thinking it was wonderful). I remember what I wore. I remember the boots my dad bought me as a Christmas present - they were blue with green tongues! It was the 1980s... We had sausage rolls and white, milky coffees in a half empty coffee shop just as it was closing. We sang Christmas songs all the way home in a car so cold you could see your breath. It was the one day of the year we did those kind of things. It was Christmas. Let's hope it's a good one... Merry Christmas everyone. @ciarakellydoc A BRITISH woman who appeared in court accused of smuggling drugs into Egypt became so upset that the judge adjourned the case against her, her sister said. Shop worker Laura Plummer, 33, from Hull, was arrested after she was found to be carrying 290 tramadol tablets in her suitcase, a painkiller which is legal in the UK but which is banned in Egypt. Ms Plummer's family, who have described her as "naive", said she was taking the tablets for her Egyptian partner Omar Caboo, who suffers from severe back pain. Her mother Roberta Sinclair travelled to Egypt for the Christmas Day hearing. Her sister Rachel Plummer said the judge adjourned the case for a day because of Laura's condition. She said: "She's sleep deprived, she's visibly nervous and upset. "She's answered some questions wrong because she's not understanding them, she obviously can't think straight. "You can imagine the pressure - this is her life." She said their mother and Mr Caboo were denied access to the hearing as their driver took them to court late. Meanwhile, the Hull East MP Karl Turner has praised the Government and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson's efforts for the Plummers. The Labour MP said Foreign Minister Alistair Burt had been to Egypt and spoken to his counterparts. He said: "I don't think we could have asked for any more. "Unfortunately ministers can only do so much, the judiciary in Egypt is independent and impartial and the judge will come to a view without any outside influence." Mr Turner said: "The evidence is pretty clear that she didn't know the drug was banned and she was taking it out there to help her boyfriend, who has come up with the evidence that he does suffer from a severe back problem. "The lawyer acting for them is very honest and has said the situation is very serious. "But there is an awful lot of good things to say on behalf of Laura, and hopefully the judge will use his or her discretion." The Plummer family has previously said she had no idea that what she doing was illegal and was just "daft". They said she did not try to hide the medicine, which she had been given by a friend, and she thought it was a joke when she was pulled over by officials after arriving for a holiday with her partner. Mrs Sinclair said her daughter was being held in terrible conditions in a communal cell with no beds, sharing with up to 25 other women. She said she looked "unrecognisable". Ms Plummer is being held in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, where she was arrested at the airport on October 9. Her family has been told that she could face up to 25 years in jail, with one lawyer even mentioning the death penalty Rescuers work at the scene of the crash in Moscow (Sergey Kiselev/Moscow News Agency via AP) Rescuers work at the scene of the crash (AP/Ivan Sekretarev) At least four people have been killed and 15 injured after a bus crashed into an underground passageway in Moscow. Moscow police said both passengers and passers-by were killed. The cause of the crash was not known. Photos taken at the scene show the bus on the steps leading underground. Police immediately ruled out the possibility of it being an attack, saying they suspected a mechanical fault or that the driver lost control of the vehicle. Police were questioning the driver. Russian news agencies quoted Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin as saying that he had ordered all city buses to be checked in the aftermath of the crash. AP Members of a Palestinian marching band parade during Christmas celebrations outside the Church of the Nativity, built atop the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born, on Christmas Eve, in the West Bank City of Bethlehem, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) It was a subdued Christmas Eve in the traditional birthplace of Jesus on Sunday, with spirits dampened by cold, rainy weather and recent violence sparked by US president Donald Trump's recognition of nearby Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Crowds were thinner than previous years as visitors, especially Arab Christians living in Israel and the West Bank, appeared to be deterred by clashes that have broken out in recent weeks between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces. Although there was no violence on Sunday, Palestinian officials scaled back the celebrations in protest. Claire Degout, a tourist from France, said she would not allow Mr Trump's pronouncement, which has infuriated the Palestinians and drawn widespread international opposition, affect her decision to celebrate Christmas in the Holy Land. "The decision of one man cannot affect all the Holy Land," she said. "Jerusalem belongs to everybody, you know, and it will be always like that, whatever Trump says." Mr Trump abandoned decades of American policy on December 6 by recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital and saying he would move the US Embassy to the holy city. He said the move merely recognises the fact that Jerusalem already serves as Israel's capital and that he was not prejudging negotiations on the city's final borders. But Palestinians, who seek Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as their capital, saw the declaration as unfairly siding with Israel. On Thursday, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to reject Mr Trump's decision. The Old City, in east Jerusalem, is home to sensitive Jewish, Muslim and Christian holy sites. The announcement triggered weeks of unrest in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including near-daily clashes in Bethlehem, which lies just south of Jerusalem. By mid-afternoon, hundreds of people had gathered in Manger Square near the city's main Christmas for celebrations, greeted by bagpipe-playing young Palestinian marching bands and scout troops. Accompanying the decorations was a large banner protesting Mr Trump's Jerusalem declaration. But after nightfall, the crowds had thinned as rain fell and temperatures dipped to about 9C (49F). Just a few dozen people milled about Manger Square, while others took shelter in the church and other nearby buildings. Bethlehem's mayor, Anton Salman, said celebrations were toned down because of anger over Mr Trump's decision. "We decided to limit the Christmas celebrations to the religious rituals as an expression of rejection and anger and sympathy with the victims who fell in the recent protests," he said. Next to the square was a poster that read "Manger Square appeal" and "#handsoffjerusalem". "We want to show the people that we are people who deserve life, deserve our freedom, deserve our independence, deserve Jerusalem as our capital," he said. Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the apostolic administrator of Jerusalem, the top Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, crossed through an Israeli military checkpoint to enter Bethlehem from Jerusalem. His black limousine was escorted by a group of men on motorcycles, some of them wearing red Santa hats. Archbishop Pizzaballa, who last week rejected the US decision, tried to steer clear of politics. He waved to the crowd, shook hands and hugged well-wishers. "Now it's time to enjoy," he said. "We as Christians we will enjoy, despite all the difficulties we have. Merry Christmas." But in his homily during midnight Mass, Archbishop Pizzaballa prayed for the peace of Jerusalem and appealed to politicians "to have courage" to make bold decisions that respect all peoples. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a Muslim, was among those in attendance. "There is no peace if someone is excluded. Jerusalem should include, not exclude," he said. "The mother, Jerusalem is our mother, loves all her children. If one is missing, the mother cannot be in peace." "We need vision," he added. "And despite the many disappointments of the past and of the present days, with determination, do not abandon having a vision, but on the contrary, even more than before, let yourself be provoked by the cry of the poor and the afflicted." James Thorburn, a visitor from London, said it was important to enjoy the holiday and show solidarity with Bethlehem's residents. "I know that a lot of people did cancel," he said. "I felt I should come to support the Palestinians." AP Kolkata, Dec 25 (IBNS): The oldest church in Eastern India, Bandel Church, has chosen to promote caring for mother earth as its Christmas theme this year. Also, a newly erected 20 feet mural of 'The Last Supper' would be an added attraction for the thousands of visitors who visit the 418-year-old Marian shrine on the banks of the river Hooghly, 40 kilometers from Kolkata, the state capital. A giant Christmas crib made of bio-degradable and environment-friendly materials, depicting the birth of Jesus, has also been erected. Another added attraction for the visitors this year would be a rare representation of Jesus as Good Shepherd juxtaposed with Mother Mary holding Jesus in one hand and a lamp in the other. The Marian shrine is one of the oldest churches in eastern India founded in 1599 by the Augustinian monks. The Bandel Church, declared a mini Basilica by Pope John Paul II, is dedicated to Nossa Senhora do Rosario - Our Lady of the Rosary. In his Christmas message to the masses, Prior of Bandel Church, Salesian Fr T L Francis, said, Giving and sharing with a view of building a new heaven and new earth where nature is taken care of and we live in peace. This year, the Bandel Church is expecting record number of visitors as the Xmas eve is on a Sunday, followed by Christmas on Monday. The steady flow of visitors to the Bandel Church usually continues till the New Year day. Each year over 100,000 visitors, cutting across religious beliefs, visit the Bandel Church during the Christmas season. along with larger-than-life sized statues of popular Christian saints like Mother Mary, Mother Teresa, Don Bosco, St Joseph, St Augustine, St Francis Xavier and others. There is also the life size Station of The Cross depicting 14 scenes from the final hours of Jesuss life with 54 statues and a Christmas crib depicting the birth of Jesus, said Fr T L Francis said. This year, the elements in going green is construction of the crib with natural materials like bamboo, jute, and moss. We wanted to convey the Christmas spirit through Mother Mary who nurtures and cares for Jesus. The Mother also takes care of the weak and helpless among the creation of her divine son Jesus. The 20-feet mural of 'The Last Supper' would be an added attraction, said Subrata Ganguly of Kolkata-based firm Church Art, which specialises in designing art work for churches, museums and schools in India and abroad. The Bandel Church had in recent years restored and put on display the historical mast which had fallen in the storm that struck on 9th May 2010. The Portuguese ships mast was a votive offering to the Church from the captain of the ship that was miraculously saved in a tempest in the Bay of Bengal in 1655. The Archaeological Survey of India had declared the mast a heritage item. New Delhi, Dec 25 (IBNS): Family of Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been allegedly illegally detained in Pakistan, has reached Islamabad from India on Monday, according to media reports. Kulbhushan Jadhav has been detained in Pakistan for 22 months now and on death row in Pakistan. After denying consular access to India to meet Jadhav, the Pakistan government finally agreed to allow Jadhav's wife to meet him, media reported. Indian government also wanted the wife to be accompanied by Jadhav's mother and sought a sought a sovereign guarantee for their safety and security while in Pakistan, according to media reports. After Pakistan met India's demand, travel arrangements for the two were started. On Dec 20, Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi issued the visas to the mother and wife of Jadhav to visit Islamabad to meet him. Jadhav's mother and wife left India on Monday accompanied by an official of the Union Ministry of External Affairs. Earlier, Dr Mohammad Faisal,spokesperson Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan, tweeted, "Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah." In another tweet on Dec 23, he had said, "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." According to News 18, Jadhav would be meeting his family at the foreign office in Islamabad. Guwahati, Dec 25 (IBNS) : Coinciding the Good Governance Day, which is celebrated every year on Dec 25, to mark the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Assam government has decided to grant remission to 201 life convicts lodged in different Jails in Assam. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal approved the remission subject to the fulfilment of conditions as enshrined in Article 161 of the Constitution of India, Sections 432, 433 and 433(A) of the Cr.P.C., provisions of Assam Jail Manual and as per directions of the Supreme Court of India in WP(C)No.48/2014 dated 23/7/2015. Noteworthy that already 3I life convicts had been released on remission of sentence under the present government. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Guwahati, Dec 25 (IBNS): An abducted youth, son of a businessman and BJP leader of Upper Assam, was released from the captivity of banned outfit ULFA (I) on Monday. 24-year old Arunabh Phukan, who was abducted by a militant group of Paresh Baruah led ULFA (I) on Dec 15 last, was released by the outfit group in a dense forest area along the Arunachal Pradesh-Myanmar border. According to the reports, Arunabh had first contacted to his mother through a cell phone after releasing and later he was brought to Jairampur police station. A family member of Arunabh said that, his physical condition is not well and now treated by doctor. Arunabh, son of a BJP leader and businessman Dilip Phukan, was abducted by an armed group from Old Khandu village under Jairampur police station on Dec 15. According to sources, the banned outfit group had demanded a ransom of Rs 2 crore from Dilip Phukan for releasing his son, but Dilip Phukan denied it. Meanwhile, ULFA (I) C-in-C Paresh Baruah said to a local news channel that, ULFA (I) had unconditionally freed Arunabh. The elusive leader of ULFA (I) stated that, Arunabh was taken hostage because they wanted to ask him some questions regarding some allegations against him. On Dec 11, ULFA (I) militants had shot dead a VDF president and his son at Simaluguri area near Bordumsa and Kakopathar in Upper Assams Tinsukia district. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Guwahati, Dec 25 (IBNS) : At least eight people died and 22 others injured in several road mishaps in different parts of Assam in past 24 hours. According to the reports, a person named Bijoy Das died after a head on collision between a speedy Innova and scooty at Panibharal area in northern Assams Biswanath district on Monday. In separate incident, a woman was killed and her 3-year-old girl child was injured while a speedy truck hit them at Aagshia area near Boko in Kamrup district. In another incident, an engineering student, identified as Kaushik Kalita, died at Bhangagarh flyover in Guwahati, when a speedy city bus hit a scooty driven by the student. Local people had blockaded the National Highway 37 after a person, identified as Raj Kumar Chetry, died when a truck hit the man at Sadiya in Upper Assams Tinsukia district. On the other hand, a person hailing from Bihars Motihari district was killed after the Ledo-Guwahati goods train hit him at Margherita in Tinsukia district. Three other persons were died and 4 others injured in four different accidents at Bokakhat, Lumding, Dhing and Kharupetia area in the state in past 24 hours. In separate road mishap, at least 16 people of a picnic party were injured while a vehicle carried them felt into a deep gorge along the Indo-Bhutan border. On the other hand, a driver of a passenger bus was injured when a wild jumbo attacked the bus at Rongajan area in Golaghat district. A top police official said that, a wild elephant had attacked the passenger bus came from Karbi Anglongs Diphu to Dolamara near Kaziranga and the driver of the bus was injured in the attack. Later, the bus driver had rushed to nearest hospital. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Dr Mohammad Faisal Twitter Handle Islamabad, Dec 25 (IBNS): As Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian sentenced to death in Pakistan, met his mother and wife in Islamabad on Monday, the Islamic country claimed that this is not the last meeting. Pakistan officials claimed that more such meetings will take place, reports said. Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday shared images where mother and wife of Kulbhushan Jadhav could be seen meeting the detained Indian prisoner. As per the picture, Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian sentenced to death in Pakistan, met his wife and mother across a glass screen. The meeting reportedly took place for around 30 minutes. Dr Mohammad Faisal, spokesperson Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan, tweeted images of the meeting and tweeted: Meeting between Commander Kulbushan Jhadev & his family in progress pic.twitter.com/THG925V1fO Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 Jadhav's family left India on Monday to meet Kulbhushan Jadhav has been detained in Pakistan for 22 months now and on death row in Pakistan. Tweeted Dr Faisal, The mother and wife of Commander Jadhav sitting comfortably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pakistan . We honour our commitments pic.twitter.com/hILiMyp7Zl Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 Indian government also wanted the wife to be accompanied by Jadhav's mother and sought a sought a sovereign guarantee for their safety and security while in Pakistan, according to media reports. After Pakistan met India's demand, travel arrangements for the two were started. On Dec 20, Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi issued the visas to the mother and wife of Jadhav to visit Islamabad to meet him. Jadhav's mother and wife left India on Monday accompanied by officials of the Union Ministry of External Affairs. Earlier, Dr Mohammad Faisal,spokesperson Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan, tweeted, Pakistan permits the meeting of wife and mother of Commander Jadhav with him, as a humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the Father of the nation, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 In another tweet on Dec 23, he had said, In many countries of the region, tensions remained high, Francois Lounceny Fall, Head of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) and the Secretary General's Special Representative to the region, told the Security Council, stressing that the UN is facilitating the search for a peaceful resolution of regional conflicts. Fall welcomed advancements in regional integration, particularly the free movement of people in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community zone. UNOCA also supports capacity building in mediation, early warning collaboration with civil society and gender mainstreaming for the secretariat of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Gabon face serious economic difficulties as well as political and social tensions, he said. Cameroon is affected by Boko Haram, the crisis in the Central African Republic or the Anglophone separatist movement, he continued. He said he has encouraged genuine and inclusive dialogue, but warned that prevention efforts must be increased to ensure that current tensions will not deteriorate in the context of the 2018 elections. In the Central African Republic, attacks and grave abuses committed by armed groups, including the recent murder of blue helmets of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission there (MINUSCA) and humanitarian workers, remain a great concern, he said. It is urgent that the peace process be advanced through the implementation of the road map adopted by the African Union, he said. As for Boko Haram, the insurgent group is still capable of perpetrating attacks and horrible abuse in Central Africa, he said, stressing that redoubled efforts by all partners are needed to address the threat. International support is also crucial to implement the conclusions of the recent regional conference organized by the African Union and the Lake Chad Basin Commission. Similarly, international support is needed for the African Union's Regional Cooperation Initiative for the Elimination of the Lord's Resistance Army, as that group continues abuses against local populations, following the withdrawal of Ugandan and United States forces from its zone of operation. It is important for the AU and troop contributors to quickly agree on the reconfiguration of the regional task force and on an increase of support for the training of the Central African Armed Forces in order to meet the threat. He said that UNOCA continues to focus on efforts to enhance the coherence and coordination of overall UN activities in Central Africa, including collaboration with resident coordinators and country teams to engage national authorities on sensitive political issues as well as on longer term efforts to formulate national and cross border peacebuilding plans, with the support of the Peacebuilding Fund. Credit: UN Photo/Rick Bajornas Source: www.justearthnews.com New York, Dec 25 (IBNS): In another crucial move following on the heels of its stance on Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the US on Sunday announced a major reduction in the U.N. biennial operating budget. Representative of the United States to the UN, Nikki Haley made the announcement on Sunday and said it 'is a big step in the right direction'. The US representative said the plan calls for a $285 million cut for the 2018-19 fiscal year. "The inefficiency and overspending of the United Nations are well known. We will no longer let the generosity of the American people be taken advantage of or remain unchecked," Haley said. "This historic reduction in spending in addition to many other moves toward a more efficient and accountable UN is a big step in the right direction. While we are pleased with the results of this years budget negotiations, you can be sure well continue to look at ways to increase the UNs efficiency while protecting our interests, Haley said. The move followed after defying the US warning, 128 nations supported the UN resolution that declared 'America's coronation of Jerusalem as Israel's capital' null and void, on Thursday. Triggering protests in several countries, the US recently announced its decision to recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. The US decision was met with several angry reactions from the Islamic world. Countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Jordan, Turkey and Indonesia protested the move. People in these places took to the streets in large numbers to chant anti-Trump slogans. Meanwhile, out of the 193 states in the UN General Assembly, nine voted against the resolution, while 35 nations, including Canada and Mexico, did not vote. The remaining 21 countries did not turn up for the non-binding resolution. US had warned of tax cuts and before the vote began, reiterated their status once more. Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the UN, earlier said, "America will put our embassy in Jerusalem. That is what the American people want us to do and it is the right thing to do. No vote in the United Nations will make any difference on that. But this vote will make a difference on how Americans look at the UN, and on how we look at countries who disrespect us in the UN. She also put up a list on Twitter, thanking countries who didn't defy the US decision. Those who condemned Trump's decision on Jerusalem, said in a text that they expresses deep regret at recent decision made by the US. "Any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council," the text read. The result of the vote also riled Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called the UN a 'house of lies'. Trump on Wednesday had blamed several nations of taking help from US and not returning the favour when needed. The US President told reporters at the White House, "All of these nations that take our money and then they vote against us at the Security Council or they vote against us, potentially, at the Assembly, they take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars and then they vote against us." "Well, were watching those votes, he added. Let them vote against us; well save a lot. We dont care. Today is Christmas eve and the world is decked up in its brightest attire to welcome Christmas day! From Paris to London, the streets are oozing festive spirit and people are out and about indulging the festivities. The vibrant scenes are enough to lift one's dreary winter mood especially around and on the last festival of the year. Also read: A Day Before Christmas, Here's A Hilarious Treat Of Minions Singing 'Jingle Bells' in Bhojpuri So, here's a look at 11 places around the globe that are ready for the big show tomorrow. 1. Montagne Avenue is decorated with Christmas illuminations during the holiday season in Paris. reuters 2. Christmas decorations light up the street on Carnaby Street in central London. reuters 3. A woman and a man take a selfie as they celebrate a Christmas festival in Beirut. reuters 4. People walk under festive decorations in central Moscow. reuters 5. People walk past a Christmas tree in front of a Parliament building in Tbilisi. reuters 6. A girl takes a selfie in front of a Christmas lights installation in Mandaluyong City, Manila. reuters 7. A woman takes a picture inside a Christmas tree at Comercio square in Lisbon. reuters 8. People are seen in a giant illuminated Christmas ball installed on Oktyabrskaya Square in Minsk. reuters 9. People walk under Christmas lights illuminating a street in Dublin. reuters 10. People visit a Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz square in Berlin. reuters 11. A Christmas tree is seen in Duomo Square in downtown Milan. reuters Also read: Generous Billionaire Boss Will Gift Rs 8.3 Crore In Christmas Bonus To His Employees Merry Christmas, everyone! Warning: You might begin to resent your job a little after you're done reading this. Christmas is one of the best holiday seasons of the year, especially abroad where people are off work to enjoy the festival with their near and dear ones. But then there are others who are even luckier - who get bonuses by generous billionaire employers because their luck is really awesome like that. gage skidmore/flickr Meet Bob Parsons of YAM Worldwide - the generous boss who is giving away a $1.3 million (Rs 8.3 crores) in bonus this year, to his 725 employees. Christmas has been made merrier, indeed. Also read: 11 Bosses Who Deserve A Standing Ovation For Being The Nicest Human Beings Ever He made the announcement in the wake of Donald Trump's newly approved - and controversial - tax bill. Parsons fully supports the bill. In a press release, he promised 594 employees, who have been working for more than six months, a whopping $2,000 bonus and others who have been working for six months or less a $1,000 bonus. getty images While speaking to Forbes, he said, "Ive always believed in sharing good news and have decided to celebrate the tax plan by giving back to my staff." Parsons is an open supporter of the American President, so much so that during his election campaign, he donated $1 million to his inaugural committee. His own net worth is $2.7 billion and the billionaire has given away more than $140 million in charity since 2011. Also read: LinkedIn CEO Surprises Employee With A Selfie At Her Desk While She Was Away. Here's Why Well, we can't comment on his choice of presidents but we can definitely congratulate him on his efforts to be charitable and thoughtful towards his employees. Also, how's your bonus looking now? A new book now claims that China had been preparing for war with India in 1962 and was not taken by surprise as is often portrayed. 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'. AFP 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. ALSO READ: China Ups Rhetoric, Asks What Can India Do If It Enters Kashmir And Kalapani In Uttarakhand thefamouspeople 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. AP ALSO READ: As The Standoff In Sikkim Continues China May Go For 'Small Scale Military Operations' Against India Lintner also rejected analyses, including by Neville Maxwell, author of 'India's 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. ALSO READ: Amid Border Doklam Standoff, China Violated Border In Uttarakhand Barahoti's On July 25 AFP 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. 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 View Results Death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav finally met his mother and wife in Pakistan today. Pakistan granted Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav a Christmas concession today, allowing him to meet his wife and mother, but only from behind a glass barrier. Jadhav is on death row in Pakistan, convicted by a military court there of "espionage", a charge India vehemently denies. Pakistan called the allowing of the meeting a "humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the father of the nation, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah". But the country's foreign minister acknowledged, although not in so many words, that it was a public relations gesture, given that Jadhav's case is currently being heard at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and Pakistan wants to make a good impression. ANI Pakistan allowed Jadhav to meet his family 21 months after his arrest and incarceration. The meeting took place at the Pakistan foreign office in Islamabad amid tight security, with police and paramilitary security forces, including sharpshooter deployed in the area. This, even as hordes of Pakistani media personnel camped outside for a photo-op. Accompanying Jadhav's wife Chetankul and his mother Avanti to the meeting was JP Singh, India's deputy high commissioner in Islamabad. WATCH: Pakistan Foreign Ministry briefs the media in Islamabad #KulbhushanJadhav https://t.co/PZuHScF4sj ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2017 Minutes into the meeting, Pakistan's foreign office released a photograph on Twitter, of Jadhav's mother and his wife seated on a sofa on their premises. They didn't however release a photograph of Jadhav. Pakistani news outlets tweeted a picture, purportedly of the meeting. They didn't say whether the picture is a recreation or whether it is of the actual meeting. The same picture was tweeted by ANI news agency. Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhavs mother, wife meet him at Foreign Office https://t.co/EL3oPGpdUa pic.twitter.com/Ot8vRXhTdW Geo English (@geonews_english) December 25, 2017 The family members first visited the Indian high commission in the city, after which they went to see Jadhav at the foreign office. Jadhav, meanwhile, was at the ministry before his family arrived there. The family members arrived in Pakistan's capital around noon on a commercial flight via Dubai, and are scheduled to return to India later today. Pakistan has refused to grant Jadhav consular access or allow his family to meet him for the longest time. It also left unacknowledged visa applications by his family members desirous of meeting him and only agreed to allow a meeting after months of international pressure. Jadhav, 47, was arrested last year in March from Balochistan. Pakistan accused him of being a spy and an operative of India's intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing. He was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April this year, following which India moved the ICJ in May. The ICJ halted his execution on India's appeal pending its final verdict. Abused by wives, jobless and homeless husbands now have a place to go and live among kindred spirits the Patni Pidit Ashram (PPA) in Aurangabad, where they can rest their weary heads and swap bossy-wife stories while planning out legal strategies to take on malevolent anti-husband forces. Battered hubbies are fighting to be counted as a special category of citizens. There is anger against the justice system and the government. The PPA is the first of its kind of residency in India. Recently, a deputy collector arrived at the ashram gates and broke down. He told a tale of abuse at the hands of his wife and vowed to avenge three years of humiliation. The deputy collectors story was not much different from that of the seven other residents of Patni Pidit Ashram (PPA) set up by the Patni Pidit Sangathana (PPS), which has 850 members from different walks of life. These men are bogged down by cases lodged against them by overbearing wives. Both PPS and PPA were set up by businessman Bharat Asaram Phulare. Phulare debunks the general view that wives are the harassed and abused ones. On the contrary, its the helpless husband who gets harassed, abused, thrashed and humiliated by his wife and her relatives. Harassed husbands say the laws are stacked against them. The manipulative wife gets the house, the children and the money. Its a womans world after all. Phulare says his own dream of a happy married life soured within months. His wife quarreled with him on petty issues. Then she brought in her father, mother and brother into the fights. One day, after a fight, she lodged a police complaint against me. I managed to get the charges quashed, says Bharat. But she kept filing complaints one after another till their number rose to 147. Phulare went into hiding and could emerge clean only after all 147 cases were thrown out of court. But the trauma, humiliation and the sense of injustice remained. Then, he found he was not alone. There were other men like him. Several of them were homeless because the poor abused wife threatened legal action and took possession of the house. Others had lost jobs because they turned into mental wrecks. They were afraid to talk. They avoided friends, relatives, even parents. They became lonely, beaten men, says Bharat. He decided to do something for abused husbands, extend them a helping hand. Result: On November 19, 2016, PPA was opened to harried husbands. It was World Mens Day! Unlimited stay PPA is located on a 1200 sqft plot land gifted by his old mother in Karodi Village, Waluj, on the Mumbai- Shirdi Highway, around 12 km from Aurangabad city. Its a shelter home as well as counseling centre. The PPA office occupies a room in the building where records of all 850 PPS members are kept. Certain conditions apply for PPA residency - Must have atleast 20 cases registered against resident by wife Must be in no position to pay maintenance after divorc Must have done time in jail or could be jailed Must have lost job as well as home Does not want to marry again Must have certain skills and is willing to take up a job Ashram rules Members wake up at 5 am. Yoga till 6 am. Breakfast from 8 to 9 am. Visitors till 11 am. After lunch break those who have jobs go to work; those who have court hearings head for court. Return to ashram by 7 pm sharp, no excuses. Dinner at 8:30 pm and bedtime at 9:30 pm. Ashram duties are fixed. Some prepare breakfast. Others lunch. Yet others dinner. Stay is free of cost. A resident can stay on till he gets a job, till he finds alternate home or has cases pending against him. Currently, there are eight residents in PPA. Crow the Sign The male crow is the presiding deity of PPA. A miniature thermocol male crow graces its front room. Every PPA event starts with crow-worship. A female crow lays eggs but its the male crow which guards the nest and takes care of the young ones. Similarly, the woman gives birth but its the man who takes care of the children, says Phulare. PPS/PPA does not get government funds. Members contributions help run both organisations. A regular legal guidance Darbar is held every Saturday and Sunday from 10 am-6 pm. Members from Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Karnataka participate. Three categories PPS members are categorized in three groups Category A is for husbands who come forward without fear and speak their mind. Category B is for husbands who are affected but feel its shameful to step up. Category C is husbands who are harassed but opt to keep mum. Currently, there are 46 A members, 152 B and 165 C members Phulare says he wants to take his movement to the global stage. He is seeking support from human rights organizations and wants an amendment in the Domestic Violence Act as well as a separate law to guarantee security for abused husbands. To spread the message, PPS holds motorcycle rallies and agitations. We want to attract the governments attention to this serious issue, says Phulare. What the law says? The 1961 Dowry Prohibition Act was enacted to prohibit harassment of wife by the husband and his relatives. Section 498A was introduced in the Indian Penal Code (IPC). But the Union government is aware of the misuse of section 498-A. According to a PTI report, Minister of State for Home affairs Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary, while replying to a written question in Rajya Sabha on May 13, 2015, said about 9 % of total cases filed under 498A were false or bad in law. The Domestic Violence Act should be amended as most of the cases filed under it are false. A separate Act is necessary for men, says Bharat Phulare. No one thinks that a man could also be abused by his wife. This is the reason why there is no separate act to deal with such offences, says Dasopant Dahiphale, legal advisor to PPA. Yes, in some cases there are false allegations made by wives. But this is very small figure, says Manjusha Malwatkar, counselor, Womens Studies, Aastha Janvikas Santha, Aurangabad. According to the National Crime Records Bureau Reports, cases Filed under 498A and disposed of by Courts are as follows, Between 2007 and 2013, the number of cases filed under section 498A of the IPC was on the rise with roughly a 10% rise in the number of pending cases each year. The number of cases pending trial was around 2.67 lakh at the beginning of 2007. This number increased to 4.66 lakh at the beginning of 2013, a rise of almost 75% in 7 years. Box - Case studies Shaikh Rahim, 26, got married in 2013. Soon after marriage he found his wife was in an extramarital affair with his childhood friend. Rahim tried talking her out of the relationship but she refused. He took police help and they caught his wife and her lover red-handed. But the police only took an undertaking from her not to repeat the offence. The undertaking was short-lived. She lodged complaints under Domestic Violence Act, IPC 498- 1 and CrPC 125. He took shelter in PPA six months ago after losing his job. Pravin Ghale, 36, is a mechanical engineer of Wardha. Six years ago he joined a giant automobile company in Aurangabad. Being new to the company, he worked long hours. His wife was not happy and kept complaining. One day she left him for her parents home. Ghale followed her to Wardha. There he was allegedly beaten up by his wifes relatives. His wife also lodged cases against under sections 485 and 125. He had to spend a night in police lockup. On return to Aurangabad he met with an accident that kept him hospitalized for two months. He lost his job and was forced to move into PPA 18 months ago. Bapu Tarwate, 55, was senior official in a renowned automobile company. After his first wifes death, he remarried. He had two children from first wife. His second wife also had 2 children from first husband. Two years after second marriage, he discovered her extramarital affair. He questioned her and her parents. They retaliated with cases under Domestic Violence Act, sections 498, 125 and HMPT Act. Court ruled against him and him to pay alimony. Tarwate moved to PPA five months ago. Whether you agree with me or not, but it was Shammi Kapoor who wrote the book on the Shikara on the Dal with the movie Kashmir Ki Kali! The Shikara in time even made it to the logo of the States Tourism Department. But in todays world, where people order everything online, one mans ambition to sail the Shikara into the Internet has run into choppy waters because of 'internet blackouts'. Adil Sathu, a 32-year-old entrepreneur of Anantnag district in South Kashmir, had a year ago to Shikara ride-hailing startup on the Dal lake for every one visiting the vale. I wanted tourists from across India and other parts of the world to have the option to book a Shikara ride before they landed in this beautiful vale of ours, Sathu said. His efforts, however, stand thwarted by frequent Internet shutdowns. Even after a year, Sathu's mobile application Tripshope has not gone beyond 150 downloads. Sathu is not the only startup entrepreneur hit by frequent Internet blackouts. Others ventured into www to do business and are now caught in a web not of their own making. Internet shutdowns Fledgling startups based in Kashmir put blame squarely on the government for all their digital woes. Ever since July 2016, when Hizbul commander and Internet-warrior Burhan Wani was gunned down, the government has resorted to Internet shutdowns to contain the violence and to prevent flow of information detrimental to national security. Just look at the figures: In the first seven months of 2017 alone, there have been 16 Internet shutdowns way more than the 10 in 2016. In fact, the number has been increasing year on year: three in 2012, five in 2013, five in 2014 and five in 2015 (www.internetshutdowns.in). The actual number of shutdowns could be higher. There have been shutdowns in specific areas, not the entire Valley. Moreover, atleast on one occasion, social media Twitter, Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram was banned. A senior police official posted in South Kashmir - the region most hit by militancy told 101reporters.com rumour-mongering and instigation to violence on social media were also reasons for Internet blackouts. Pictures and videos of the injured or the dead on social media lead to escalation of violence. People with vested interests circulate misinformation, the official said. Pictures and videos from Syria and Afghanistan often find their way to social media, linking them falsely to Kashmir. The social media ban has been ineffective in the wake of easily available Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), so Internet blockades have become necessary to stop the violence, the official said. The entrepreneurs plight Sathus Tripshope, apart from providing flight tickets and hotel reservations, gives tourists an option to book a Shikara ride online. The quirk of fate is that my mobile application has been ready for over a year and I have not been able to launch it, said Sathu. Every time I set out, the jinx hits an Internet blackout. Sathu had plans to launch the application in September 2016 but the unrest did not allow him to. This year every time I made necessary arrangements, an internet blackout followed me like a curse, lamented Adil. I had plans of a launch the week before Independence Day this year but half the Valley was under an Internet blackout. Sathus huge investment is not giving him returns but hes better off than those who had already hit the market and are bearing the brunt in the most crucial phases of their startups. Take 22-year-olds Furqan Qureshi and Amir Bashir and their web-based startup KartFood, for instance. The two started out in February this year with a module of food delivery from Valley-based restaurants. We have suffered heavily from Internet blackouts, Furqan said. Our application downloads have remained stagnant after the initial positive response. Their application had 15,000 downloads in the first couple of months. But less than 1000 downloads in the following 5 months. Internet services have been snapped for days at a stretch. We should have been at 50,000 downloads by now, said Furqan. During Internet blackouts we lose half our business because 60% of our orders come from the mobile application. For now, the companys expansion plans have been put on hold and five delivery boys have been sacked. KartFood, despite the odds, is surviving on the few orders that trickle past the Internet-gag. Startups that are entirely Internet or social media dependent are not that lucky. Like Omaira and Binish, co-founders of Crafts World Kashmir. They sell handmade accessories via Facebook and Instgram pages. For two days - August 13 and 14 they were busy jotting down client and order details in preparation for the scheduled Internet gag on August 15, Independence Day. Our entire operations depend on social media. This time at least we knew that a shutdown was coming and we would be prepared, said Binish. Sudden shutdowns had on occasion put their entire business in jeopardy. We left client details in our inbox to begin with. But unforeseen Internet gags leave us high and dry. Now we remain prepared. We maintain a diary of orders, she said. But fresh orders completely dry up in times of internet gags. Srinagar based Farah Tanki is another entrepreneur frustrated with Internet blackouts. Her business of baking cakes is well known and well established but her social media pages are important for her clients to select cake designs. Besides, I take advance payment mostly via Internet banking. I lose around 60% of business during such times, she said. Frequent Internet shutdowns are detrimental to conducting business in the Valley but nobody wanted to talk of it for fear of a backlash. Such things are faced by all of us. Lets not talk about them, was the refrain. The acknowledgement The police, who are the primary decision-makers in ordering and enforcing Internet gag orders, acknowledged that common people and startups suffer because of Internet blackouts. I understand common people, and as you are saying, the startups, face a lot of difficulties, said Director General of Police (DGP) S P Vaid. He said the police were in the process of finding an alternative to these necessary gags. We have not had a breakthrough up until now, but I am sure we will soon come up with an alternative so that people do not suffer, Vaid said. Until then startups will continue to suffer. And the date with an assured Shikara ride in advance will have to wait to find a spot on the online calendar. Pakistan has released a photo of death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav who met his family today. The picture of Jadhav that Pakistan released apparently shows torture marks behind his ears and at the back of his shaved head. Pakistan granted Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav a Christmas concession today, allowing him to meet his wife and mother, but only from behind a glass barrier. Jadhav is on death row in Pakistan, convicted by a military court there of "espionage", a charge India vehemently denies. ani In new video released by Pakistan, Jadhav says "I requested a meeting with my wife and mother and I am thankful to Govt of Pakistan for this grand gesture." Jadhav was not allowed to meet the family but was seated across a glass barrier. Meeting between Commander Kulbushan Jhadev & his family in progress pic.twitter.com/THG925V1fO Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 25, 2017 Pakistan called the allowing of the meeting a "humanitarian gesture, on the birthday of the father of the nation, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah". But the country's foreign minister acknowledged, although not in so many words, that it was a public relations gesture, given that Jadhav's case is currently being heard at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and Pakistan wants to make a good impression. Pakistan allowed Jadhav to meet his family 21 months after his arrest and incarceration. The meeting took place at the Pakistan foreign office in Islamabad amid tight security, with police and paramilitary security forces, including sharpshooter deployed in the area. This, even as hordes of Pakistani media personnel camped outside for a photo-op. Accompanying Jadhav's wife Chetankul and his mother Avanti to the meeting was JP Singh, India's deputy high commissioner in Islamabad. pti Minutes into the meeting, Pakistan's foreign office released a photograph on Twitter, of Jadhav's mother and his wife seated on a sofa on their premises. They didn't however release a photograph of Jadhav. Pakistani news outlets tweeted a picture, purportedly of the meeting. They didn't say whether the picture is a recreation or whether it is of the actual meeting. The same picture was tweeted by ANI news agency. Hushing often leads to trouble and for a man in Denmark, it has actually spoiled his Christmas . In his rush to get home, a man carrying cannabis in Danish capital Copenhagen boarded a police car mistaking it as a taxi. Reuters The bizarre mistake took place in Christiania, a district near the capital popular for drug trade. The man who had around 1000 joints with him when he stepped inside the car. And it was enough for the police to take him into custody. I gar nat ville en hashhandler fra Christiania hurtigt hjem og han satte sig i en taxa. Overraskelsen var stor, da han opdagede, at det var en politibil han var steget ind i. Betjentene var glade for at se ham, da han havde ca. 1.000 joints pa sig. Han slap med en bde #politidk Kbenhavns Politi (@KobenhavnPoliti) December 21, 2017 While the police on Thursday first tweeted that he was released with a fine, it later said in a statement saying he might face jail term. Rettelse: Besiddelse af 1.000 joints giver ikke en bdestraf, men en frihedsstraf #politidk https://t.co/a28MqGaPLK Kbenhavns Politi (@KobenhavnPoliti) December 21, 2017 Last night a cannabis dealer from Christiania who wanted to get home quickly got into a taxi. He received a big surprise when he realised it was actually a police car he was sitting in. The police officers were happy to see him since he was carrying around 1,000 joints, BBC translated their initial tweet. However, later sent out a correction as possession of cannabis is illegal in the country. Explaining Albert Einstein's Nobel-winning Theory of Relativity isn't always easy -- there are very few who can understand it, let alone explain it in a way that most common people could understand. That's why this 18-year-old girl's achievement is worthy of our applause. Youtube screenshot Meet Hillary Diane Andales, a highschool student from the Philippines who just won the $250,000 Breakthrough Junior Challenge by summarizing Einstein's Theory of Relativity in the most simplistic way possible. She recorded a Youtube video of her effort, entering it into the annual Breakthrough Junior Challenge earlier this October. The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is a worldwide competition designed to encourage students to take an interest in advanced sciences, and the winner of the contest takes home a cool quarter million US dollars. The Breakthrough Prize was initiated by Google's co-founder Sergey Brin, YouTube head Anne Wojcicki, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, his wife Priscilla Chan, Alibaba founder Jack Ma, and others to inspire kids like Philippines' Hillary to further scientific understanding and learning. In the video, you can see 18-year-old Hillary use simple language and every-day examples to break down concepts that are fundamental to understanding complex physics -- which is what Einstein's Theory of Relativity is all about. Needless to say, this 18-year-old genius made us just a little bit smarter, isn't it? Very rarely do asteroids come in perfect, rounded shapes. Most of them are just floating pieces of ice and rock, with no appealing landscape. Unless the asteroid in question is the one pictured below. NASA / Hey there, snowman! In the spirit of Merry Christmas and the Holiday Season, NASA released a picture of an asteroid with impact craters that resemble a giant snowman. Yeah, that's what you're looking at above. What a freak coincidence, right? Just like a real-world snowman, where the snow mounds go from smallest to largest from top to bottom, so is the case with NASA's asteroid impact crater snowman. Granted, they aren't all circular, but they're still a work of art on a cosmic scale, don't you think? REUTERS / Snowman in New York City The original snowman crater image was captured by NASA's Dawn spacecraft back in 2011 in the asteroid belt situated between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter in our solar system. What a great way to greet Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays by NASA. Way to go! As a satirical songwriter, I really appreciate a well-written and nicely-performed song. As Jerry Brown keeps promoting his pro-Big Oil and pro-Big Gas environmental policies after receiving over $9.8 million from oil and gas companies and utilities, Consumer Watchdog released an animation featuring Governor Jerry Brown and an updated "Twelve Days of Christmas" song highlighting his support for fossil fuels and dirty energy policies. If you didn't think Jerry Brown could dance, watch him joyously dance to the whims of fossil fuel companies! Below is the press release from Consumer Watchdog about the release of the "Twelve Days of Jerry" Christmas Song and Animation:New "The Twelve Days of Jerry" Christmas Song and Animation Show Jerry Browns Big Polluting Gifts To Dirty Energy IndustrySanta Monica, CAAs Sempras Aliso Canyon natural gas reserve sprang another leak this week, reigniting nosebleeds and headaches among nearby LA County residents, Consumer Watchdog released an animation featuring Governor Jerry Brown and an updated "Twelve Days of Christmas" song highlighting his support for fossil fuels and dirty energy policies.The remake of the classy Christmas song highlights that while Brown has circled the world as an advocate against climate change, he has stood behind the fossil fuel boom in California. Consumer Watchdog says that Browns last year in office should be focused on correcting past mistakes and his new years resolution should be to shut down fossil fuel infrastructure to truly address the cause of global warming.Listen to the song and watch the animation here.YouTube: https://youtu.be/S9COeUBiNkE SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/consumerwatchdog/the-twelve-days-of-jerry Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/248356689 (Lyrics & animation by Consumer Watchdog, music & vocals by Linda Good)Lyrics to "The Twelve Days of Jerry"On the first day of Christmas, Jerry gave to thee: a stacked board of the PUC.On the second day of Christmas, Jerry gave to thee: power line fires and a stacked board of the PUC.On the third day of Christmas, Jerry gave to thee: a three-billion-dollar nuke plant, power line fires and a stacked board of the PUC.On the fourth day of Christmas, Jerry gave to thee: a fossil fuel boom, three-billion-dollar nuke plant, power line fires and a stacked board of the PUC.On the fifth day of Christmas, Jerry gave to thee: needless refineries, a fossil fuel boom, three-billion-dollar nuke plant, power line fires and a stacked board of the PUC.On the sixth day of Christmas, Jerry gave to thee: a cush job for his sister, needless refineries, a fossil fuel boom, three-billion-dollar nuke plant, power line fires and a stacked board of the PUC.On the seventh day of Christmas, Jerry gave to thee: stopped regulating fracking, a cush job for his sister, needless refineries, a fossil fuel boom, three-billion-dollar nuke plant, power line fires and a stacked board of the PUC.On the eighth day of Christmas, Jerry gave to thee: expanded offshore drilling, stopped regulating fracking, a cush job for his sister, needless refineries, a fossil fuel boom, three-billion-dollar nuke plant, power line fires and a stacked board of the PUC.On the ninth day of Christmas, Jerry gave to thee: the biggest methane well blowout, expanded offshore drilling, stopped regulating fracking, a cush job for his sister, needless refineries, a fossil fuel boom, three-billion-dollar nuke plant, power line fires and a stacked board of the PUC.On the tenth day of Christmas, Jerry gave to thee: fired safety inspectors, the biggest methane well blowout, expanded offshore drilling, stopped regulating fracking, a cush job for his sister, needless refineries, a fossil fuel boom, three-billion-dollar nuke plant, power line fires and a stacked board of the PUC.On the 11th day of Christmas, Jerry gave to thee: more carbon emissions, fired safety inspectors, the biggest methane well blowout, expanded offshore drilling, stopped regulating fracking, a cush job for his sister, needless refineries, a fossil fuel boom, three-billion-dollar nuke plant, power line fires and a stacked board of the PUC.On the 12th day of Christmas, Jerry gave to thee: cap-and-trade for kickbacks, more carbon emissions, fired safety inspectors, the biggest methane well blowout, expanded offshore drilling, stopped regulating fracking, a cush job for his sister, needless refineries, a fossil fuel boom, three-billion-dollar nuke plant, power line fires and a stacked board of the PUC.Each stanzas background:1. Stacked Board of the PUC: Every single commissioner who sits on the pro-utility Public Utilities Commission is a former top aide or appointee of the Governors with a history of pro-industry policies. The Brown Public Utilities Commission has granted unjustified rate hikes to major investor-owned utilities, supported the fossil fuel natural gas building boom and avoided public investigations into responsibility for utility disasters. See: http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article167881277.html 2. Power Line Fires: Brown vetoed a bill last year that would have forced the PUC to prioritize utility mapping of power lines in hazardous areas to determine the clearing of brush near utility lines that sparked wild fires. PG&E is now under investigation for how power lines touched off wine country fires that killed 44 people and left thousands homeless. See: http://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/article/Failure-to-adequately-regulate-utilities-helped-12292511.php 3. $3-Billion-Dollar Nuke Plant: Brown met with the CEO of Southern California Edison for two hours in February 2013, just a month vefore an illegal deal was struck between former PUC President Michael Peevey, now under criminal investigation, and an Edison executive assigning 70 percent of the $4.7 billion tab to ratepayers to close its leaky San Onofre nuclear power plant. Brown and his PUC backed the bailout deal despite the unethical and potential criminal conduct that led to it. Litigation over the settlement terms and the release of emails between Browns office and the PUC is ongoing.4. Fossil Fuel Boom: Oil drilling in California has risen 23 percent between 2009, the year before Brown was elected Governor, and the present. On Browns watch, ratepayers have been saddled with billions of dollars in unneeded fossil fuel-powered electric generating capacity, according to a Los Angeles Times investigation.5. Needless Refineries: Browns signature legislation, SB 350, upped the states renewable energy requirements, but sacrificed a provision to slash the use of petroleum in cars in half by 2030. Slashing the use of petroleum in cars would lessen demand for gasoline and thus the need for refineries in the state.6. Cush Job For His Sister: Sempra Energy, parent of Southern California Gas and Aliso Canyon gas reserve owner, has paid Jerry Browns sister Kathleen Brown more than $1 million in cash, stock and other benefits to serve on its board. Sempra has benefited from favorable treatment by regulators such as re-opening the Aliso Canyon natural gas reserve without knowing what caused the biggest methane blowout in US history.7. Stopped Regulating Fracking: Unlike New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Brown has refused to ban fracking. SB 4, Californias first law on fracking provided for minimal disclosure and passed only after a moratorium on fracking until it could be proven safe was dropped. It allowed the rubberstamping of fracking permits and mandated a study on the dangers of fracking whose results Brown has largely ignored. See: http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/report/how-green-jerry-brown 8. Expanded Offshore Drilling: Though Brown criticized the Trump Administration for allowing expansion of oil drilling in federal waters off of the California Coast, hundreds of permits have been issued for offshore oil drilling in existing leases in state waters under Brown.9. Biggest Methane Well Blowout: Brown has protected Sempra and its subsidiary Southern California Gas from public scrutiny via an emergency declaration on the Aliso Canyon well blowout. The carefully worded declaration assured the public that a PUC investigation was underway. The public would get only the results. The public is still waiting.10. Fired Safety Inspectors: In 2011, Brown fired two top oil well safety regulators at the request of Occidental Petroleum and its attorney Gray Davis. The regulators were trying to enforce rules on the books that required oil companies to prove their wells wouldnt leak prior to obtaining permits, enraging them. Thousands of protected aquifers were poisoned as a result.11. More Carbon Emissions: Carbon emissions from the transportation and refining sectors rose in California last year despite a cut in carbon emissions of nearly 5 percent in 2016. A surge in hydropower in the wake of drought and more renewable energy coming on line was responsible for the cut, but not regulation of carbon emissions. See: https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/12/03/opinion-gov-brown-should-stop-protecting-the-oil-industry/ 12. Cap-And-Trade For Kickbacks: This year, when California extended its cap-and-trade program limiting carbon emissions via setting of limits and trading of pollution permits, Governor Brown allowed the oil and gas industry to write the rules maintaining so many loopholes and exemptions that the program is guaranteed not to work.For more on Jerry Browns record on fossil fuels, see: Investing in any asset has risks that can be minimized by using financial tools to determine expected returns. The capital asset pricing model (CAPM) is one of these tools. This model calculates the required rate of return for an asset using the expected return on both the market and a risk-free asset, and the asset's correlation or sensitivity to the market. Some of the problems inherent in the model are its assumptions, which include: no transaction costs, no taxes, investors who can borrow and lend at the risk-free rate and investors who are rational and risk averse. Obviously these assumptions are not fully applicable to real-world investing. Despite this, CAPM is useful as one of several tools in estimating the return expected on an investment. The unrealistic assumptions of CAPM have led to the creation of several expanded models that include additional factors and the relaxing of several assumptions used in CAPM. International CAPM (ICAPM) uses the same inputs as the CAPM but also takes into account other variables that influence the return on assets on a global basis. As a result, ICAPM is far more useful than CAPM in practice. However, despite relaxing some assumptions, ICAPM does have limitations that impact its practicality. Understanding ICAPM Calculations Since ICAPM introduces additional variables or factors to the CAPM model, investors first need to understand CAPM's calculations. CAPM simply states investors want to be compensated for: The time value of money, which they expect to be more than the risk-free rate and Taking market risk so they require a premium over the return of the market, less the risk-free rate, times the correlation with the market. ICAPM expands on CAPM by further saying that in addition to getting compensated for the time value of money and the premium for taking market risk, investors need to be paid for direct and indirect exposure to foreign currency. ICAPM allows investors to add currency effects to CAPM to account for the sensitivity to changes in foreign currency when investors hold an asset. This sensitivity accounts for changes in a currency that directly and indirectly affects profitability and, thus, returns. For example, if a company domiciled in the United States buys parts from China and the U.S. dollar strengthens relative the yuan, then the costs of those imports goes down. This indirect currency exposure impacts the profitability of a company and the returns generated by the investment. To determine these effects, investors need to calculate the difference between the expected future spot exchange rate and the forward rate and divide that difference by today's spot rate, the result of which is the foreign currency risk premium (FCRP). Then, multiply that by the sensitivity of the domestic currency returns to changes in foreign currencies. ICAPM provides investors with a way of calculating expected returns in local currency terms by accounting for variables as stated below: Expected Return = RFR + ( R m R f ) + ( FCRP ) where: RFR = Domestic risk-free rate = Beta R m = Expected return of market R f = Risk-free rate R m R f = Premium for global market risk measured in local currency FCRP = Foreign currency risk premium \begin{aligned} &\text{Expected Return} = \text{RFR} + \beta ( \text{R}_m -\text{R}_f ) + \beta ( \text{FCRP} ) \\ &\textbf{where:}\\ &\text{RFR} = \text{Domestic risk-free rate} \\ &\beta = \text{Beta} \\ &\text{R}_m = \text{Expected return of market} \\ &\text{R}_f = \text{Risk-free rate} \\ &\text{R}_m - \text{R}_f = \text{Premium for global market risk measured} \\ &\text{in local currency} \\ &\text{FCRP} = \text{Foreign currency risk premium} \\ \end{aligned} Expected Return=RFR+(RmRf)+(FCRP)where:RFR=Domestic risk-free rate=BetaRm=Expected return of marketRf=Risk-free rateRmRf=Premium for global market risk measuredin local currencyFCRP=Foreign currency risk premium Assumptions While ICAPM improves upon the unrealistic assumptions of CAPM, several assumptions are still required for the theoretical model to be valid. The most important assumption is that international capital markets are integrated. If this assumption fails and international markets are segmented, then there will be pricing discrepancies among assets with similar risk profiles but in different currencies. As a result, segmented markets will cause investors to make higher allocations to specific assets in specific countries, resulting in inefficient asset pricing. ICAPM also assumes unlimited lending and borrowing at the risk-free rate. Practical Uses ICAPM's usefulness in stock selection and portfolio management is only as good as understanding the assumptions as stated above. Despite these limitations, portfolio selection can be influenced by the model. Understanding the impact of currency movements on a particular company's operations and profits will help investors choose among two assets with similar characteristics in different countries. For example, if an investor in the U.S. wants to calculate the expected return from holding asset A and compare that to the expected return from holding asset B, he needs to determine the inputs for the last two components of the model, which are to determine the direct currency impact and the indirect currency impact. The first two variables in the equation will be the same for both assets. Therefore, the practical usefulness of the ICAPM is in understanding how one currency affects a company in the foreign country and how translating it to the investor's local currency will impact the return on the asset. For example: An investor is deciding to invest in one of the following assets: Company A: Japanese company that derives all of its profits and input costs in yen Company B: Japanese company that derives all its profits in U.S. dollars but has input costs in yen Both assets have similar betas, or sensitivity to changes in world market portfolio. In a macroeconomic environment where the U.S. dollar is weakening relative to the yen, an investor will determine that the profits for company B would decline, as it would cost more U.S. dollars to buy the products. As such, the required return would increase for company B, relative to company A, to offset the additional currency risk. The Bottom Line ICAPM is one of several models used to determine the required return on an asset. Used in conjunction with other financial tools, it can assist investors in selecting assets that will meet their required rate of return. ICAPM, like CAPM, makes several assumptions, including that global markets are integrated and efficient. If this assumption fails, then stock selection is critical; allocating more resources toward investments in countries that have a currency advantage should result in alpha. Currency advantages tend to disappear quickly as exploited market inefficiencies close, but the fact that these inefficiencies occur argues that active portfolio management is key to providing superior returns over the market portfolio. 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." The head of American security firm Immunity, Dave Aitel, appears to be backtracking on his claims, made in August, that British security researcher Marcus Hutchins had "something to do" with the WannaCry ransomware which hit Windows computers globally in May. Hutchins was hailed as a hero by many after he accidentally stopped the spread of WannaCry by registering a domain that was present in the malware's code. He was later arrested in Las Vegas over alleged charges of having created a banking trojan named Kronos, along with an unnamed co-conspirator. Aitel made the claim about Hutchins' alleged connection to WannaCry on his blog. But on 23 December, he took a step backwards, writing, "In fact, I had bet @riotnymia some INFILTRATE tickets that this would go the other way. Looks like she should book a trip! :)" @riotnymia is the Twitter handle for Emma McCall, a cyber security analyst at Riot Games. INFILTRATE is a security conference which Aitel's company organises annually. Aitel did not explain exactly how the rest of the world should know about his private wagers and rank them above his public pronouncements. His comments came a few days after US homeland official Tom Bossert publicly laid the blame for WannaCry on North Korea. iTWire ran a story that pointed out this, in effect, left egg on Aitel's face given his earlier public claim about Hutchins. I contacted Aitel on Twitter, asking, "I asked you for your take on the WannaCry announcement. You chose not to reply. You publicly claimed Marcus Hutchins was behind WannaCry. Are you now denying that?" Unsurprisingly, he has not replied. In his 23 December post, Aitel praised Bossert, but criticised journalists at his (Bossert's) media conference for asking about the NSA link to WannaCry one NSA exploit, ETERNALBLUE, which was leaked on the Web by the Shadow Brokers last year was used by the attackers and also hitting out at those who asked about the US Government's Vulnerability Exposure Policy. "There was the usual blame-the-NSA VEP nonsense which he (Bossert) pushed back on strongly and (imho) correctly," Aitel wrote. The VEP appears to be a sensitive topic with Aitel; his company follows a policy of buying exploit information from others and then using it to protect his own customers against those exploits. The companies whose products are vulnerable are never told about the flaws. The NSA has been criticised for crafting exploits for flaws that it has never disclosed to companies. Aitel, it must be mentioned here, is a former NSA employee. Aitel also implicitly criticised iTWire for saying he had egg on his face, pointing out, "A more balanced approach was taken by TechBeacon taking into account Brian Kreb's article." This is the same Krebs who quietly pulled an article in which he had claimed a Russian link to the Shadow Brokers leak, publishing a note about it at the end of another article and disabling comments on that piece. Well-known blogger Marcy Wheeler has questioned whether Krebs had some kind of agenda in writing this article. When Krebs was asked about it in the comments on his next article, personal slurs suddenly started appearing under fake names. The comment below appeared after Krebs had been contacted by email his contact email is not on the home page of his site, but buried in a long, laudatory spiel about himself and provided the correct address for my personal blog. To call it childish and puerile would be dignifying it. Aitel also took up cudgels for Kaspersky Lab, a Russian security firm whose products have been banned from use in the US public service. "We resolutely torture people and companies accused of hacking based on essentially tea-leaf reading from law enforcement (on one hand) or our intelligence organisations (in the case of nation state attribution). Kaspersky, of course, is one of those," he wrote. But a few months back, Aitel was on a different track (listen from 34:00 onwards): "Kaspersky is an intelligence asset of the Russian Government and I'm amazed that we haven't seen action yet from the Australians, and the Germans and the Brits to do exactly what the US did which is basically ban it. I mean, at the point when Best Buy pulls your product off the shelves, I mean someone at Best Buy got a message and a briefing from an US Government official that said, 'this has to go'. "Listening to Kaspersky, he understands clearly what the Americans are saying about his product and he's pretending that he doesn't. On the other hand, he has 300 million reasons a year not to deal with the behaviour that they are accusing him of. He probably thought he'd never get caught. "It's hard to believe what he is saying on Twitter and his interviews... I don't see any possibility that Kaspersky A-V is not a signals intelligence tool." Ironically, these comments were made on a marketing podcast put out by Patrick Gray, an Australian who once used the methods of Fox News "some people are saying" to accuse Aitel of unethical practices. Gray's podcast lists the week's security stories (all compiled from other sources), rubs businesses the right way and when people criticise him, he blocks them from his Twitter feed. If anything, this whole merry-go-round illustrates one thing: in infosec, as in life, all is not as it seems. Almost two years of preparation involving over 200 meetings, 30 subcommittees, and so on. Thats just a quick look at Joyce Rabins work as Chair of Together in Israel: Our Pride, Our Purpose. Hadassahs 100th National Convention. (Hadassah, which was founded in 1912, held its first conventi Read moreS'ville resident helps organize 100th national of Hadassah, The Womens Zionist Organization of America Reddit Email 133 Shares Middle East Monitor | Palestinian Christian religious leaders have decried US recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital as an insult to Muslims and Christians around the world. We, Palestinians, Christians and Muslims reject the US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Jerusalems Greek Orthodox Archbishop Atallah Hanna said at a press conference in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Saturday. This declaration is an insult to our people and to our just cause, he said. He said the US decision was an insult to Christians and Muslims around the world, who consider Jerusalem as an incubator of their most sacred, spiritual and national heritage. Hanna warned that the US decision was dangerous to the Palestinian cause. The US gave the occupation what it does not deserve, he said, Jerusalem is the city which we consider as our capital and an incubator of our holy sites. On 6 December, US President Donald Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israels capital despite worldwide opposition. The decision sparked angry demonstrations across the Muslim world. Following a UN Security Council resolution that would have passed unanimously but for a US veto, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution spurning the US move by 128-9 votes. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other top Turkish officials have been at the international forefront opposing the US move, through sponsoring the UNGN resolution and calling an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), among other measures. Jerusalem remains at the heart of the Middle East conflict with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem occupied by Israel might eventually serve as the capital of an independent state of Palestine. Colonial Project Hanna said Israeli violations targeted all Palestinians, whether Muslims or Christians and their holy sites in Jerusalem. As we all stood up to defend the Aqsa Mosque, we will stand to defend the Christian endowments, he said. Together we will stop the new colonial Trump project which aims to end the Palestinian cause, he stressed. Munib A. Younan, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land, for his part, said Jerusalem is the capital of the three religions Islam, Christianity and Judaism and the capital of two peoples. He stressed that the Evangelical Lutheran Church refuses any change of Jerusalems historical status. Whoever tries to change it [status quo] wants to turn this just cause into a religious war, he said. Father Ibrahim Filtis, a Franciscan priest, said the US decision on Jerusalem has brought the Palestinian cause back to the forefront of world attention. This is a victory for the Palestinian cause, which is a central issue and the mother of all conflicts, he said. Bethlehems Governor, Gebrin Bakri, for his part, reiterated the rejection of the 14 churches in Palestinian territories of the US declaration on Jerusalem. The US states has decided to support Israel instead of supporting the status of the holy city, he said. Because of this decision, we will not accept the US as a mediator in the peace process, he said. This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Related video added by Juan Cole: Al Jazeera English: Jerusalem: Competing claims over a contested city 68 Shares Share Many physicians in different fields have voiced criticisms against direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug ads. First, a 2013 survey found that 74 percent of physicians believe DTC drug ads overemphasize the benefits of the drugs and misinform patients. Steven Nissen, a Cleveland Clinic cardiologist, interviewed by Rebecca Ruiz on DTC prescription drug ads states, Its almost impossible for the public to actually parse the ads and come to their own independent conclusions. This implies that DTC prescription drug ads may be worded or presented in such a manner as to convince viewers of the drugs usefulness and negate personal conclusions about the drug. Second, Harvard Medical School internist, Jerome Avorn, states that drug manufacturers have excessively pushed the envelope with appealing messages and fewer descriptions of the risks. An infamous example is Vioxx, a Merck and Co manufactured and FDA-approved drug that was withdrawn in 2004 for elevating the risk of heart attack and stroke. It was widely accepted by physicians for treating acute or chronic pain and heavily commercialized. In 2008, Merck reached a $58 million settlement with 30 state attorney generals over the ads for Vioxx. And third, physicians at the Interim Meeting of the American Medical Association on November 17, 2015, called for a ban on DTC prescription drugs ads. This ban was motivated by various reasons for which two are aforementioned. Despite this call to a ban two years ago, Kaiser Health News reported in March 2017 that spending on DTC prescription drug ads has increased by 62 percent since 2012. Additionally, the cost of prescription drugs is rising relative to spending on DTC prescription drug ads. In 2016, $5.2 billion was spent on DTC prescription drug ads by the drug industry. These criticisms are worth addressing because, in essence, every prescription drug ad is a tool. When the tool is utilized for wrongful purposes for profit, it has immeasurable financial and health costs to patients. However, when DTC prescription drug ads are utilized in a rightful manner, it becomes an effective tool for meeting patient needs and generating revenue for future drug research. A systemic solution to addressing criticisms against DTC prescription drug ads DTC prescription drugs ads are, for the most part, a freely utilized tool available for drug manufacturers. The FDA regulates prescription drugs ads; however, it does not review and approve all drug ads before their release. Federal law does not require that drug companies submit these ads for approval, only that the drugs are approved by the FDA. Federal law also doesnt allow the ban on ads of drugs with serious adverse risks nor the use of hard-to-understand medical language in ads. Furthermore, DTC prescription drug ads are not required to tell you the cost of the drug, whether a generic version is available that has fewer risks, the biological mechanism or even if a change in behavior can result in a better quality of life equivalent to what the drug can afford a patient. Lastly, the FDA is also not involved in the creation of any drug ads and, therefore, cannot see if any violations such as subjective coercions are intentionally made for the generation of profit for drug manufacturers at the expense of the patient. Therefore, a sound solution is to promote the FDAs role as a governing body with oversight and approval rights over DTC prescription drug ads. Three advantages of allowing the FDA a governing role over DTC prescription drug ads First, if federal law allows the FDA to approve prescription drug ads based on whether the data supports the ads content, it creates an additional safety net to prevent unwanted and costly health circumstances for patients. The FDA can also regulate the appropriate content on the ad that is feasible for consumers to fully understand whether or not the drug is suitable for their needs. This aids in eliminating overuse of drugs and confusion by consumers about the drugs they see in the ads. Second, a central governing role by the FDA that involves physicians in the decision-making process allows for physicians to have a role over the drug ads their patients see on a daily basis. If the FDA and physicians work in tandem with drug companies and their ad firms, it allows for a wholesome process to make and approve ads that satisfy physician concerns, patient safety, and manufacturers demands. Third, when the FDA is allowed some oversight into the approval of drug ads, it eliminates the potential for social media-driven advertising as well. This is inspired by Kim Kardashians promotion of Diclegis on July 20, 2015. Diclegis is a drug manufactured by Duchesnay for alleviating nausea and vomiting in pregnant women. The original Instagram post by Kim Kardashian didnt provide details of risks such as urinary retention and somnolence that are associated with Diclegis. The FDA had to intervene in this circumstance by notifying Duchesnay of the violation and prompting Kim Kardashian to alter the post to add the missing details. Hence, allowing the FDA oversight and approval rights will aid in eliminating future incorrect endorsements as well as ensuring patient safety. These are systemic changes that allow the FDA oversight in governing DTC prescription drug ads. Ultimately, it also aids drug manufacturers to avoid legal violations and for physicians and their patients to effectively utilize the drug without the drawbacks of overuse or misconceptions. Zachariah Tman is a public health student. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 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 An open letter to alien life forms on Earth Dear aliens, You may have been amused by a recent news story (you do read the Tribune and its competitors, right?) about the latest chapter in America's long, futile, semi-secret, widely mocked efforts to unmask you, to prove that your spaceships have been hovering, darting and befuddling fighter pilots with impossible aerobatics for decades. The latest episode, revealed in the New York Times: The Pentagon spent millions over several years on a top-secret Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program to investigate UFOs. The Pentagon says the program was shut down in 2012. Ha ha! Who believes that? You know humans won't quit pursuing you. We are too curious and persistent. Seriously, we know you are here. How else to explain all those alleged sightings, including the video from a 2004 encounter between a Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet and a UFO. "There's a whole fleet of them ... they're all going against the wind," an awestruck pilot radios to a comrade. "The wind's 120 knots to the west. Look at that thing, dude." Gives us chills just listening to that exchange and watching that video of a darting space-crafty blip on the radar screen. One Navy pilot who encountered that craft recently told the Washington Post: "It was a real object; it exists and I saw it." What was it? "Something not from the Earth," he said. Off-world friends, please show yourselves. If you are as technologically advanced as we suspect, what's the harm? And, truthfully, aren't you getting tired of flitting around the planet, playing hide-and-seek? Bonus incentive: How about we throw in a free iPhone X for your crew members? We guarantee the planet's inhabitants will celebrate your arrival. (Never mind "The Day The Earth Stood Still" and its ilk.) You'll be instant celebrities. Bigger than Trump. Even He of the Globe-sized Ego will have to admit that. If you come down to Earth now, you will save humans decades of constructing conspiracy theories about Area 51, yearning to know if we are truly alone and spending a lot more government money to ferret out the truth. In October, a group called Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence, or METI International, beamed a message at a star a dozen light-years away with a possibly inhabitable planet. METI's ice-breaking message, sent via radio telescope, included the universal languages of music and math. Yes, we know that famed theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking has warned against sending such messages, lest space invaders find us to be easily vanquishable. Those space marauders may be so powerful that they "and may not see us as any more valuable than we see bacteria," Hawking cautions. Hawking also predicts that humans have about 1,000 years to master space travel and populate a new planet if the species is to survive. He believes that climate change, asteroid strikes, epidemics and population growth make a long-term future on Earth problematic at best. Is that your strategy, aliens? Wait us out for the next 10 centuries, then claim this splendid blue orb? We hope not. That would be a terrible anticlimax for those of us eager for first contact sooner than, say, 3018. Come on, extraterrestrials, let's cut out the chase. We're here. You're here. Let's meet. The above editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Its lovely, isnt it? Gathering around the table at Christmas time and enjoying the company of our loved ones. But family dining shouldnt be limited to the festive season; a new study suggests that eating with family on a regular basis could benefit childrens health and well-being. Share on Pinterest Regular family mealtimes may benefit childrens physical and mental health. Researchers have found that children who often ate meals with their family at the age of 6 years old had better social skills and general fitness by the age of 10, compared with those who rarely spent mealtimes with their family. Study co-author Linda Pagani, of the Universite de Montreal in Canada, and colleagues recently reported their new findings in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics. This is not the first study to suggest that frequent family meals offer health benefits. One study published in 2011, for example, found that children who ate at least three meals with their family per week were less likely to be overweight than those who had fewer than three family meals weekly. But according to Pagani, such studies have some shortfalls. In the past, she says, researchers were unclear on whether families that ate together were simply healthier to begin with. And, she adds, measuring how often families eat together and how children are doing at that very moment may not capture the complexity of the environmental experience. With these limitations in mind, Pagani and her colleagues set out to conduct a longitudinal analysis of how regular family meals affect childrens mental and physical health. A person can use any drug that alters someones consciousness in a way that makes self-defense or sound decision-making difficult in order to perpetrate a sexual assault. Knowing the most common date rape drugs and their side effects can help prevent or stop sexual violence. Share on Pinterest Ron Sanford/Getty Images At least 1 in 6 American women and 1 in 33 men are survivors of completed or attempted sexual assault during their lifetime. On college campuses alone, 21% of people who identify as transgender, genderqueer, and nonconforming (TGQN) have experienced sexual assault. Research also shows that about 11 million women are survivors of rape while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. There is no conclusive data on the purposeful use of drugs for sexual assault on survivors of any sex, but law enforcement is reporting that the number is rising. Researchers suggest that the perpetrator is often someone the survivor knows. Recognizing when an individual has been drugged and is at risk of harm can help prevent or stop a sexual assault. Date rape drug types and their side effects Drugs can make sexual assault easier by : making a person more compliant and less able to say no weakening someone so they are unable to resist or fight back making an individual fully or partially unconscious weakening a persons inhibitions so they consent to sexual activity they may otherwise decline While some drugs are more known for use during a sexual assault, any substance that changes a persons state of mind, including some prescription drugs, street drugs, such as heroin, and popular drugs, such as cannabis, can have uses for this purpose. Below are the most common substances individuals use to facilitate a sexual assault: Alcohol Alcohol is the most popular and most readily available drug. According to one study, nearly 31% of drug-facilitated sexual assault cases involved alcohol. On college campuses, a common setting for sexual assault, alcohol-related incidents are especially common. Alcohol lowers a persons inhibitions, making them less aware of their surroundings. Additionally, people readily consume the substance. It can also spur aggressive behavior by those willing to commit sexual violence, increasing their willingness to harm others. Benzodiazepines Benzodiazepines are a class of anti-anxiety drugs that can also cause people to feel sleepy. Individuals can use several of these drugs, including Xanax (alprazolam) and Klonopin (clonazepam), to incapacitate someone for the purpose of sexual assault. One of the most common and well-known benzodiazepine drugs individuals use in this way is Rohypnol (flunitrazepam). Rohypnol causes a person to feel very relaxed, weakens their muscles, and may cause loss of muscle control. Some people may also lose consciousness or feel dizzy and confused. After Rohypnol wears off, some individuals do not remember what happened. Rohypnol comes in pill form, but a perpetrator can dissolve it in liquid, such as an alcoholic drink. Ketamine Ketamine is an anesthetic that acts quickly to cause feelings of relaxation. People may lose consciousness or become confused and compliant. They might not remember what happened while under the influence of the drug. Ketamine acts almost immediately, so a person may not have time to realize that someone has drugged them. At high doses, the drug can cause breathing problems that may be fatal. Ketamine is a white powder that may change the taste of someones drink. Consequently, perpetrators sometimes use it in strong-tasting alcoholic beverages that may disguise the drugs presence. Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) GHB is a drug form of a neurotransmitter that naturally occurs in the body. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that help nerves send and receive signals. GHB slows activity in the central nervous system, making users feel groggy, sleepy, and potentially confused. At low doses, GHB can cause nausea and vomiting. Higher doses can cause loss of consciousness, seizures, difficulty seeing, and the inability to recall what happened when a person is drugged. It is easy to overdose on GHB. People will commonly manufacture it in home labs. Consequently, a person may become extremely sick after being drugged with GHB, and it can be fatal. GHB is a colorless, odorless liquid, so individuals may not realize that someone has drugged them. Other date rape drugs Someone can use any drug that changes a persons consciousness to facilitate sexual assault. In some cases, the individual might even ingest the drug willingly. A person who uses heroin, for example, may be so incapacitated that they do not realize a perpetrator is attempting to sexually assault them. Recognizing the signs of being drugged Often, the perpetrator will dissolve a drug in the persons drink. If someone experiences the following signs, they may have been drugged and are in danger. If an individual sees someone else experience any of these symptoms, they should interfere or call for help immediately. Some signs to watch for include : feeling or acting drunk despite a person not having drunk any alcohol feeling confused or disoriented losing consciousness not remembering how someone got somewhere being unable to remember anything after drinking waking up feeling confused, hungover, or unable to recall the night before experiencing genital or urinary pain and difficulty remembering what happened discovering torn clothes Date rape drug or severe intoxication? It can be hard to distinguish the effects of a drug from those of alcohol, particularly after consuming large quantities of liquor. People who are accustomed to the effects of alcohol should consider how they typically feel after drinking or when intoxicated. An unexplained change in a persons reactions to alcohol could involve another drug. Someone who feels significantly more intoxicated than usual should consider the possibility that an individual has drugged them. The only way to know for sure is to seek medical testing. What to do if you think you have been drugged It is possible to lose consciousness quickly, so a person should not waste time trying to find the perpetrator or researching whether their symptoms match those of any drug. Instead, they should immediately tell a trusted friend they suspect someone may have drugged them. They or a friend should call for emergency help by dialing 911, then get themselves to a safe place. They may want to ask a friend for a ride home or go to a public location and tell someone about the drugging. Next, they should seek emergency medical care. Drugs that people use for sexual assault usually leave the body within 12-72 hours , leaving no trace. After going to the emergency room or calling 911, individuals should tell the doctor, nurse, or dispatcher that they may have been drugged and request immediate testing. A person who wakes up to signs that someone may have drugged them must also seek emergency medical care. A hospital can use a rape kit to test for signs of sexual assault. If the police catch a perpetrator, they can use this kit to prove their guilt. To preserve evidence, a person should avoid showering or bathing until after the exam is complete. Someone who thinks they may have experienced sexual assault may want to consider contacting their local sexual assault crisis center. The center could send a support advocate to the hospital or offer phone counseling. To find a crisis center, click here. How to identify date rape drugs Many drugs are hard to identify, as they are often colorless, odorless, and tasteless. However, Rohypnol will turn liquid blue in a light-colored drink, making it easier to recognize if someone has tampered with a beverage. Some other types of drugs might also taste slightly bitter or salty. Protecting yourself Some simple strategies that can help protect against being drugged include : not drinking anything that tastes or smells strange not drinking large quantities of alcohol around strangers adopting the buddy system always go out with a friend and look out for one another. never leaving a drink unattended never accepting a drink from a stranger or acquaintance pouring your own drink where possible never leaving with anyone after drinking Takeaway Sexual assault is never the survivors fault, yet many people feel guilty or ashamed. That guilt can prevent them from seeking medical care or reaching out for support to help them recover. Those who commit sexual assault are the only people responsible. By acting quickly when a person thinks they might have been drugged or sexually assaulted, they can protect themselves, help catch the perpetrator, and potentially mitigate the dangerous effects of any drugs. We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Heres our process. The condition is rarely painful or a sign of more serious complications, but knowing the cause of scalloped tongue can help prevent or treat any underlying conditions. People with scalloped tongue have tongues with indented, rippled, or scalloped edges. Scalloping is the most noticeable on the outermost sides of the tongue. Share on Pinterest Those with scalloped tongue have indented, rippled, or scalloped edges along the sides of their tongue. A scalloped tongue can be the result of macroglossia, which is an inflammation or abnormal enlargement of the tongue. It can be a symptom of other conditions that do not enlarge the tongue. If these conditions lead to compression of the tongue against the teeth, tongue scalloping will result. Scalloping can be caused by a variety of things, including: Parafunctional activities Better known as bad habits, parafunctional activities are considered the leading cause of scalloped tongue. Bad habits include teeth grinding, cheek sucking, and picking at the teeth. Many things can lead to a person performing parafunctional activities, such as stress, sleep disorders, systemic disease, poor tooth alignment or tooth loss, and trauma. Infection, injury, or allergic reaction The immune system causes inflammation in response to infection, injury, and allergens. Certain reactions will lead to swelling of the tongue. As the tongue swells and enlarges, it presses up against the teeth, often causing indentation or pitting. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies Scalloped tongue can occur when the body does not get enough of certain vitamins and minerals, especially B vitamins, which can lead to tongue enlargement. Common nutritional deficiencies that cause scalloped tongue include: vitamin B-12 riboflavin niacin iron Dehydration Dehydration can cause swelling, which may cause the tongue to become compressed in the mouth and indented by the teeth. Smoking Smoking causes an immune response and irritates the mucosal tissues, increasing the risk of swelling and inflammation. Smoking also increases the risk of dehydration, a factor known to influence the likelihood of developing scalloped tongue. Temporomandibular joint conditions Injuries or chronic conditions involving the temporomandibular joint that connects the jaw to the skull may cause scalloped tongue. People with temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) may develop indents in their tongues because of dehydration, teeth grinding, or because the tongue is pushing against the lower teeth to accommodate for the misaligned joint. Scalloped tongue is most commonly associated with TMD cases in women and those involving frequent headaches. Sleep apnea Scalloped tongue may be a sign of sleep apnea. Some studies suggest this may occur because the body retains more water when it lacks oxygen, which in turn leads to fluid swelling in the head, neck, and tongue. A 2017 study examining over 1,000 Japanese adults found a higher prevalence of moderate to severe nocturnal intermittent hypoxia (NIH), the primary sign of sleep apnea, in people with scalloped tongues. Inflammatory or infiltrative conditions Conditions that cause chronic or long-term inflammation increase the risk of developing scalloped tongue. Several infiltrative conditions (conditions that cause an abnormal buildup of cells or tissues) are also known to cause scalloped tongue. Many of the medical conditions considered risk factors for scalloped tongue are hereditary or passed on through genes. Many congenital disabilities are also thought to cause scalloped tongue either directly or indirectly. Inflammatory and infiltrative conditions associated with scalloped tongue include: When it comes to decorating for Christmas downrange, Marines get the job done. At a dining facility at Al Taqqadum, Iraq, a model gingerbread mansion and surrounding village towered over nearby tables. At Camp Shorab in Helmand province, Afghanistan, a Christmas tree made from green sandbags and strung with lights and decorations turned heads, and durable desert-hued stockings styled after military MOLLE packs adorned an austere office space. The military goes out of its way to bring the holiday home to troops, packaging up a hot meal to send to a sparsely equipped outpost in Afghanistan and hosting a star-studded USO show at Bagram Airfield. But even so, there's no camouflaging the fact that Christmas away from the comforts of family and home is tough. Missions outside the wire continued through Christmas day, and flightlines still hummed and screamed as rotary-wing aircraft landed and fighters launched. In Italy, a sumptuous dinner feast of lobster, beef, and a vast array of baked goods interrupted what was otherwise a normal work day for many. Related content: But when Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller stopped by bases in the Middle East and Europe this week on his annual Christmas tour to visit deployed Marines, he spared little time for self-pity. "For some of you, it may be your first Christmas away from home," he told a group of several hundred Marines near Trondheim, Norway, at the start of his tour. "For some of you, it may be your first Christmas away from home. If you stay in this organization, it won't be your last Christmas away from home. That's just the way it is." Spending holidays deployed doesn't get any easier, Neller continued. But, he said, troops should rely on each other -- their Marine Corps family -- for support. "So figure out how to get through this with each other," he said. The speeches Neller gave at various forward installations were full of admonitions and somber advice. He warned Marines to quit drinking to excess and cautioned them to protect their rank and reputation by avoiding crime and misbehavior. At bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, he scowled as he charged Marines, at all costs, to avoid becoming a casualty of carelessness. "Don't get blown up," he challenged them. But he and his senior enlisted adviser, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Ronald Green, also dispensed help and solutions whenever they could. A Marine who pointed out errors in a professional military education course for corporals had his contact information taken down by Green, with promises to fix the problem, even before Neller could finish answering his question. When Neller found out Marines in Norway didn't have access to a virtual library resource, he told Marines he'd take care of it. A late-night question-and-answer session at a Middle Eastern base ended up including a reenlistment ceremony for two Marines. For Staff Sgt. Kenneth Rick, Green and Neller's presence did make a difference. Rick, who is stationed at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, as the staff noncommissioned officer in charge of the personal security detail at the base, said being reminded by Neller of the Marines' role in the larger fight against ISIS was rewarding. "The Marines here and all the supporting units, they can see somewhat of the big picture of what's been done during our time here. And the commandant himself will come out here, the holidays included, to let us know, 'hey, this is the big picture,'" he said. "I think it helps bring it home." Cpl. Thomas Rajesh, who was one of a small group of Marines selected to have lunch with Neller at Al Taqaddum Air Base, Iraq, said loving his work made it easier to be away from home during the deployment. "I've loved my service, I've had a great career, and the Marine Corps has given me a lot of opportunities I don't think I'll ever get for the rest of my life," said Rajesh, who works as a joint fires observer for the Marines' crisis response task force in the Middle East. "We're in the fight to be a part of history here in Iraq." Sgt. Joseph O'Brien, who serves as the tactical lead for the personal security detail of Brig. Gen. Roger Turner, head of Task Force Southwest in Helmand province, said small homey touches make it easier to enjoy the Christmas season downrange. O'Brien said he has enjoyed care packages from his girlfriend and gifts from the community of Grand Rapids, Michigan, where his Reserve unit, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines, is stationed. He said he and fellow unit members have hung stockings, and his roommate decorated a small Christmas tree to add ambience. But O'Brien said he knows he will miss more Christmases in his Marine Corps career, and he doesn't mind. "It's not a huge sacrifice," he said. "I'm proud to do it; I'm glad to do it. I know there are people who have missed a lot more." -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. Officials say the device was known as an "unexploded ordnance," or an explosive weapon that did not explode and still posed a... 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 Shanghai (Gasgoo)- NIO first mass-produced model ES8 has attracted great attention since its launching on December 16th. The model provides two versions with selling prices for basic version and Founder version reaching RMB 448,000 and 548,000 before subsidies respectively. NIO also launches electricity service system NIO Power with more than 300 patents in its power swapping system, which can enable the vehicle to swap batteries in three minutes. The launch of NIO power updates services into a new dimension for market competition. NIO claims that it will construct 1,100 battery swapping stations in ten cities by the year 2020. But NIO power change mode faces great market suspicion. In fact, an Israeli company named Better Place adopted power swapping mode several years ago but received little profits. It also conducted in-depth cooperation with Renault-Nissan alliance but met failure. Tesla also displayed 90 seconds battery swapping function four years ago but kept silent ever since. Wang Chuanfu, Board Chairman of BYD made public suspicion on power swapping mode and put forward three technological conflicts of convenience, safety and cleanness. NIOs production also meets suspicion. Its learned that some ES8 models displayed on the press conference were produced in NIO Nanjing trial factory while vehicles in mass-production would be completed in JAC Hefei new factory. NIO cooperates with JAC to obtain mass-production certificates and the models produced will bear NIO LOGO but still show JAC mark in the tails. Its also revealed that mass production will begin in January next year when all lines are equipped. Wang Dongsheng, deputy party secretary of JAC Auto, emphasized that the cooperation is not only simple OEM production but also in-depth coordination in whole industrial chains including R&D, manufacturing and parts services. In this way, NIO would spare more funds and efforts in R&D. No Yes, a light case Yes, two or more light cases One serious case Two or more serious bouts Vote View Results 24.12.2017 LISTEN Ecom-Ghana, a cocoa buying company, would from January introduce the 'farm management service programme' for old cocoa farms in Cocoa growing areas in the country. Cocoa farms which are between ten to twenty five years are expected to benefit from the new programme. Mr Gideon Atilego, a technical officer of Ecom-Ghana, said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Nyame Nnae in the Amenfi West District. He said per the arrangement from January to September when farming of cocoa begins, the company would weed, apply fertilizer and chemicals, prune and also pollinate flowers of old cocoa farms that would be selected. Mr Atilego said at every harvest, the company would divide the harvest into three, with the farmer and Ecom-Ghana receiving one third each, whilst the remaining one third would be used as part payment of the investment cost incurred by Ecom-Ghana. He said the company would continue with this arrangement until they recoup all the money spent on the farm. Mr Atilego said after this, between three to four years the farmer at every harvest period would then be entitled to two thirds while one third goes to Ecom-Ghana. The technical officer said if any farmer decides to opt out after the years indicated, the company was prepared to hand over his farm. Mr Atilego said in every fifteen communities a supervisor would be appointed to be in charge of fifteen acres of cocoa farms. He said communities that would not be able to meet the requirement would still have the opportunity to be enrolled onto the programme. He assured cocoa farmers that Ecom-Ghana was interested in enhancing the life of the rural cocoa farmers and would do everything to ensure the success of the programme. The music prince of the North, Fancy Gadam has put what can be described as one of his best performances tonight at Citi FM's Decemba 2 Rememba concert. The concert held at the Accra International Conference Centre was heavily attended by a cross section of music lovers from young people to old. Fancy Gadam wowed the audience with his energetic performance. He exuded great artistry in his delivery. Before his performance were Adomaa and B4Bonah who also did not disappoint in bringing smiles on the faces of patrons. Magnom was also phenomenal with his performance. The show is hosted by Osei Kwame and AJ Sarpong of Citi 97.3 FM. Decemba 2 Rememba is an annual musical concert organized by Citi 97.3 FM. Over the years, it has generated much excitement among music fans and the general public. In attendance this year, is a crossover of audience, ranging from the young to the old. By: Kwame Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana The post Fancy Gadam, Magnom others rock #D2R2017 appeared first on Ghana News . 25.12.2017 LISTEN Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, has called on the public to avoid environmental pollution, particularly noise and air pollution during the Christmas festivities. ''We must use fire crackers carefully and responsibly. Let us turn the volume of our sound system to reasonable levels so that we do not disturb our neighbours. ''We must not compromise the environment in any way this festive season as we welcome the New Year. We look forward to working together with you all to promote sound and sustainable environment,'' he said. He urged churches, mosques, compact disc sellers and street preachers to manage their sounds levels to reasonable limit so that they do not disturb the peace of others. Prof Frimpong-Boateng gave this caution at a media briefing in Accra, on Friday, ahead of the Christmas festivities. He entreated Ghanaians to avoid excessive generation of waste and urged those who would use the beaches for various activities to avoid disposing plastic waste into the ocean to safeguard the marine life. He said: ''Beach-goers should not swim under the influence of alcohol. Let us endeavour to keep the beaches clean as we invade the territory of fishes and other aquatic creatures. They need clean unpolluted water to survive''. Prof Frimpong-Boateng, who is also the Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce against Illegal Mining, commended the media and the Media Coalition against Illegal Mining for the crucial roles they played this year in combating the menace of illegal small-scale mining, also known as ''galamsey''. He said the fight against illegal mining this year had been very successful in view of the stringent measures outlined by Government. He mentioned the moratorium on all operations of small-scale mining and deployment of Operation Vanguard to enforce the ban in the Western, Eastern and Ashanti regions, as well as the arrest and ongoing prosecution of some illegal miners as some of the successes chalked so far. Prof Frimpong-Boateng said government would enter the next phase of the fight against illegal mining by regularising the activities of artisanal small-scale miners, examine the mining communities affected by mercury pollution and take further steps to remedy the environmental pollution and degradation of the vegetation. He said government would undertake baseline studies on mining communities affected by illegal mining, which would inform government's decisions. Prof Frimpong-Boateng said government was not against mining but wanted mining to be conducted in a sustainable manner so that they did not pollute water bodies, air and degrade the forest cover. ''We don't want to degrade the land when you mine, you supposed to reclaim the land, so illegal activities must stop because you cannot dredge mines in water bodies, you can't divert the affluence into the river, you can't use heavy metals and dangerous chemicals such as mercury and cyanide in the extraction of gold,'' he said. He said government would make sure that miners reclaim the mined areas and ensure sustainable mining that would benefit all Ghanaians. GNA By Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA 25.12.2017 LISTEN Accra, Dec. 22, GNA - Strategic partnership between Government and Community leaders, especially those who lead the various religious groups, has been identified as a key step towards national development, and also the realisation of major successes of health programmers. Religious leaders have for instance played significant roles in promoting health programmes such as national immunization programmes in their communities, and because of their integrity and the reverence they command from their societies, they are able to convince people to participate in such events for successful outcomes. There is however a wide gap still existing in the health needs of young people in deprived communities, while risks ranging from harmful traditional practices, such as child marriages and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), to maternal mortality continue to rain devastation and death on young women and girls. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Ghana recorded one of the highest child marriage prevalence rates in the world. 'Marrying girls as children exists and persists as a challenge in Ghana with a 21 per cent national prevalence rate of girls married before 18'. This implies that one out of five girls will be married before their 18th birthday. For girls to fully enjoy their childhood free from the risk of early marriages, they must experience healthier, safer and more empowered life transitions while in control of their own destinies. These include making choices and decisions about their education, sexuality, relationship formation or marriage and also childbearing. In order to halt and reverse this negative trend, there is the need to strengthen partnerships with partners who are constantly in close relationship with these vulnerable groups so that they can provide the needed counselling and support to enable them make informed decisions. Religious leaders have over the years ensured that programmes areas such as sexual and reproductive health, family planning, HIV and AIDS, gender equality and empowerment of women, have been successfully implemented and achieving meaningful gains. In this direction the UNFPA has underscored the importance of harnessing the powers of these religious and traditional leaders in communities, to achieve national development and successes in critical health interventions and programmes. Mr Niyi Ojuolape, the UNFPA's Country Representative, at a recent breakfast meeting with a section of Muslim and Christian religious leaders in Accra, said his outfit has a very vibrant and stout network of Faith-Based Organisations (FBO) as allies, in support of its reproductive health agenda in the 'Post 2015 Development Processes'. Yet the engagement with FBOs at the country level, with regards to the Government of Ghana (GoG) and UNFPA Country Programme Six (CP6), which is just ending this year, was very limited. Mr Ojuolape said moving into the GoG and UNFPA's Seventh Country Programme (CP7) which will commence in 2018, 'there is the need to interact with identified men and women of God, to build a strong faith-based movement in support of the demographic dividend, sexual and reproductive health, family planning, HIV and AIDS, gender equality and empowerment of women within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals' (SDGs). 'These would help strengthen faith-based advocacy, learning, build their capacities and ensure strategic interventions for successes in rolled-out programmes in especially the hard-to-reach communities of the country,' he said. In the CP7 to be rolled out in 2018, issues that are key such as maternal health, addressing the comprehensive sexuality needs of young people, gender equality and improving national data population systems to ensure the availability of credible records, will feature prominently. This is why the need for strong partnerships is crucial to be able to achieve these outputs targeting the SDGs. 'The UNFPA is planning to hold a bigger consultation with FBOs 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 FGM and also a Zero tolerance of Adolescent unmet needs for Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH),' says its Country Representative. Some of these identifiable FBOs include the Muslim community, Coalition of Muslim Organisations of Ghana (COMOG) and the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG). It has however been documented that the endorsement of influential religious leaders to new ideas on demographic dividend, family planning, HIV and AIDS, gender equality and empowerment of women have helped communities to 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. Some churches have also accepted these new approaches and integrated them into youth and pre-marriage counselling respectively, primary and secondary education, as well as in other religious events, which is worth replicating in Ghana. 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 have over the years supported various programmes by operating from the periphery. He admitted that the issues are enormous and 'we want to deepen our partnership so as to enhance accountability'. He has also 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). Sheikh Amin Bamba, the Director of Bamba Islamic Institute, Ghana, and Principal Imam of the Qudwah Mosque in Tamale, said with the government's decision of going beyond aid, FBOs would need technical assistance to be able to enhance their existing programmes. Lt. Col. Umar Sanda Ahmed (Rtd) also an Imam, and Hajia Hajara Muhammed, a Member of the National Commission for Education, representing the Muslim community, admitted that the dynamics were changing and it was important that parents got closer to their children especially their girls, in order to help them through their difficult moments. They all welcomed the renewed partnership with the UNFPA and pledged their support to work towards improving education, communication and closing the health need gaps of the hard to reach communities. It is worth noting that the challenges facing young people today are many, especially with the advent of internet and mobile phones, because they can be easily influenced by wrong information. It is therefore important that some ancient barrier to communicating SRH issues be broken in order to protect the future and health of the younger generation. It also requires a change in the way things have been done in the past. There is the need to repackage for instance controversial messages on family planning and other sensitive issues that borders on sexuality, in order to make their presentation to the youth much easier for religious leaders. GNA The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region, Hon. Frank Okpenyen popularly known as Hon Franko has wished Ghanaians especially the people of the area, a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. In his Christmas message, he said, "Christmas is a period of goodwill and a time to thank the Lord for the blessing on our lives and the Municipality". He added that, Christmas is also a moment of deserved relaxation with our loved ones especially, the children. "It is a time to share with the aged and the less privileged in our society...let us show compassion and be each others keeper during this Yuletide and beyond", he advised. Hon. Opkenyen revealed that the Municipality witnessed some successes and these could not been achieved without the help and tremendous support of the Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. Catherine Abelema Afeku and also the Traditional Authorities. "I thank the security services for helping to clamp down crime and hope they will continue throughout this festive period Let me also show appreciation to all Heads of various departments for their hard work and I pray that the good Lord will continue to bless them...I thank hardworking staff of the Assembly for working so tirelessly to make the Assembly what it is today I thank you, the wonderful people of Evalue Ajomoro Gwira Constituency, and the Clergy for the maximum support throughout the year", he showed appreciations. He prayed that as the New Year beckons, they will resolve to do away with the negative things that set them back and embark on the path that will rekindle their fortunes as one people and set them onto the path of development and prisoners. He urged Ghanaians particularly his people to continue to support President Akufo-Addo and pray always for the President to deliver on his promises to the benefit of all. He also appealed to his people to also continue to support the MP who is also the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Catherine Afeku to develop the Constituency. "I wish you a Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year", he wished. Source: Daniel Kaku Maverick Brong Ahafo Regional Youth Organiser of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe was popularly known as Abronye DC has sent a notice of reminder to President Akufo-Addo and the NPP government to as a matter of urgency sack the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr. Kwaku Asomah Cheremeh for involving himself in corrupt dealings. People would recall, Abronye DC petitioned President Akufo-Addo on November 14, 2017, to sack Mr. Kwaku Asomah Cheremeh for allegedly involved in several corrupt activities which have brought a bad name to the Region and have made the NPP government in the area unpopular. He alleged the Regional Minister has been collecting monies from members of the Dormaa Timber Market and Techiman timber market to the tune of millions. He also alleged that "The Regional Minister has induced and has successfully manipulated his way out to succeed in purchasing the property that is story building facility of DKM which was supposed to be sold and used as a means to persons who were affected by the financial scam. Court processes were forged and backdated to the detriment of the official liquidator". Speaking to GhanaWeb, Abronye DC expressed his dissatisfaction on how the investigation process has been delayed and stated that the NPP government promised Ghanaians to fight against any corrupt activity hence doesn't see how his own government is delaying on the petition. According to him, he said he doesn't condone corrupt activities in his government and outside so President Akufo-Addo must fast-track the investigation process and brought Mr. Kwaku Cheremeh to book as a deterrent to others. "I don't see the reason why Mr. Kwaku Cheremeh is still at the post after these corrupt activities have involved himself into, is Mr. Cheremeh above the law, I can't think far, Mr. Cheremeh must be asked to step aside immediately and the Region redeems its lost image", he lamented. He is, therefore, appealing to President Akufo-Addo to set up a credible investigation team and investigate the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister and as the investigation is ongoing ask him to step aside as a Minister to avoid any compromise. According to him, "Mr. President no irreparable damage would be caused on the part of the Regional Minister if he is asked to step aside for investigation to take place...I therefore humbly suggest that the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana must be involved in the investigation process on the subject matter in question, simply because some court processes were manipulated and forged at the Sunyani High Court as far the reserved price for the DKM Building is concerned". Below is the notice of reminder PETITION FOR THE REMOVAL OR STEPPING ASIDE FROM OFFICE OF KWAKU ASOMAH CHEREMEH AS THE REGIONAL MINISTER FOR THE BRONG AHAFO REGION TO ENHANCE CREDIBLE INVESTIGATION Mr. Kwaku Asomah Cheremeh the Minister for the BA Region has for recent time engaged in many corrupt activities ultra vires such as, allegedly collecting monies from members of the Dormaa Timber Market and Techiman timber market which is tarnishing the reputation of the office of the Regional Minister which is a branch of the executive arm of government of which you, Mr. President, is the head by virtue of 58[1] of our constitution. Recently, there were gunshots at Techiman Kintampo road by some members of the Techiman timber market because they were aggrieved by the actions of the Minister. The Minister absconded and was nowhere to be found when they started the shootings. On a more recent occasion, the timber market operators of BA Region came out boldly to mention that, the Minister has collected millions of Ghana cedis from them as by way of a bribe on the radio. State cars such as excavators and bulldozers, which said cars, myself with the aid of the police retrieved or collected from the NDC REGIONAL ORGANIZER BA, who was using the cars illegally. The said cars which were the properties of the ministry of local government. Upon investigations by the Regional Crime Officer NANA KWAKU DUAH who later confirmed on Moonlite Radio that, it has been revealed that the NDC Regional Organizer forged some receipts in the name of the Regional Coordinating Council to cover the hiring of the vehicles under reference but the Regional Minister has compromised with the Regional Crime Officer to silent the story which has caused more anger and pain in the hearts and minds of the people in BA. The said Regional Organizer recently told NDC communicators in the region not to criticize the minister in view of the fact that, the minister safe him from going to jail on the state vehicles issue. The Regional Minister has induced and has successfully manipulated his way out to succeed in purchasing the property ie story building facility of DKM which was supposed to be sold and used as a means to persons who were affected by the financial scam. Court processes were forged and backdated to the detriment of the official liquidator. The building was on a liquidated demand. The minister knowingly of the consequence of his act bought the property in the name of one of his personal bodyguards by name FASAL ALHASSAN. The said FAISAL ALHASSAN was recently enlisted in the National Security service and therefore can never purchase the said building at a cost of 7.8 million Ghana cedis. For the avoidance of doubt, see the attached documentary evidence. On the naming of MMDCES by you, Mr. President, the Regional Minister-designate as he then was, masterminded the collection of monies from some aspirants by his special aid Maxwell Mahama and intends promising them to be appointed to the office of the District Chief Executive but he was not able to fulfil his promise. Kwaku Asomah Cheremeh has induced and directed some District Assemblies cases to his law firm [ Henewaa Chambers], Sunyani and has illegally declined the activities of other lawyers who were handling those cases at their various chambers and this is a clear indication of a conflict of interest by the regional minister. For the avoidance of doubt see the attached documents and cases filed by one of the MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY in BA by his law firm against the paramount chief of Techiman. Flowing from the above, I, therefore, call on you Mr. listening and incorruptible President of the Republic of Ghana to as a matter of urgency ask Kwaku Asomah Cheremeh to step aside as the Regional Minister to pave way for the credible investigation to take place. Mr. Listening and incorruptible President, the Regional Minister continues to stay in office would undermine your fight against corruption and also obstruct the investigations which would be conducted in respect of my petition. Mr President no irreparable damage would caused on the part of the regional minister if he is asked to step aside for investigation to take place In conclusion, I therefore humbly suggest that the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana must be involved in the yet to be commissioned investigative body on the subject matter in question, simply because some court processes were manipulated and forged at the Sunyani High Court as far as the reserved price for the DKM Building is concerned. Source: Daniel Kaku The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Lawyer Barbara Oteng-Gyasi has extended her best wishes and goodwill to Ghanaians on Christmas. In a her statement, Lawyer Oteng-Gyasi who is also the Member of Parliament for Prestea-Huni Valley Constituency of the Western Region indicated that, "Undoubtedly the year 2017 has been very eventful as we did our very best to lay a very solid foundation for a smooth take off in 2018". According to her, "May this season of goodwill of usher us triumphantly into the year 2018 which from all indications promises to be a fulfilling year". Below is the full statement 25th December, 2017 Press Release *Hon. Lawyer (Mrs) Barbara Oteng-Gyasi greets all on Christmas* I wish to take this opportunity to greet all Ghanaians especially my constituents in Prestea Huni Valley Constituency a very merry Christmas and a blissful New Year. Undoubtedly the year 2017 has been very eventful as we did our very best to lay a very solid foundation for a smooth take off in 2018. We are grateful to the Almighty God for giving us the opportunity to witness yet another yuletide. Christmas is all about peace, love and joy and it is my fervent prayer that as our Savior Jesus Christ is born today we would all radiate these attributes in all of our endeavors and engagements with our fellow man. May this season of goodwill usher us triumphantly into the year 2018 which from all indications promises to be a fulfilling year. Once again I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. ...Signed...... *Hon. Lawyer (Mrs.) Barbara Oteng-Gyasi (MP)* Deputy Minister (Lands and Natural Resources) Source: Daniel Kaku 25.12.2017 LISTEN This follows an alleged assault on three journalists from various media houses by security personnel of the NPP at the partys headquarters in Accra on Thursday, December 21. The journalists went to cover a demonstration by NPP supporters from the Ellembelle Constituency in the Western region. The demonstrators, who are polling station executives, were protesting against what they said was inaccessibility to registers to organise constituency elections in Ellembelle. They wanted their polling station registers for updates but claim their Constituency Chairman, Mr Samuel Kainyah, is refusing to distribute the registers. Some of the executives claim Mr Kainyah is acting on the orders of the Acting National Chairman Freddie Blay, thus their demonstration at the headquarters. The GJA statement indicated that the attack left the journalists traumatised with one of the victims having blurred vision. Under no circumstances in our current democratic dispensation must a body, whether individual or corporate, shrug off the rule of law and employ brute to seek redress to a problem the release added and stated further that: 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 noted. The GJA leadership is therefore expecting a probe by the party and punishment to the culprits to prevent the occurrence of such dastardly act. Several says after some journalists were assaulted by security guards of the governing New Patirotic Party [NPP], at the partys headquarters in Accra, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), is calling on the leadership of the NPP to ensure that the culprits are brought to book. The GJA, in a statement, vehemently condemned the attack and called for immediate action. Three journalists, including Citi FM's Marie-Franz Fordjoe and two others from TV3 and Ghanaweb, were last week assaulted by security guards at the NPP's headquarters when they were covering a demonstration by some angry party members. The party is however yet to condemn or take action on the attack several days after the incident. The GJA thus believes the seeming silence defeats the tenets of democracy on which the NDD was founded. We call on the leadership of the NPP to bring the culprits to book to demonstrate abhorrence of such dastardly act. The GJA expects that the NPP, as the ruling party and political tradition founded on the tenets of democracy, will whip its supporters into towing that philosophical line. MFWA also condemns attacks Meanwhile, the Media Foundation for West Africa, has also strongly condemned the attack on the journalists. The Foundation's Executive Director, Sulemana Braimah, told Citi News that the party's continuous silence on the matter will only encourage the hooligans. This is a matter that does not require a party having a meeting before it condemns the action. I think if this goes as it is now without any statement, apology, without any actions taken against the security people who did that, it will only further the culture of impunity, the culture of thuggery that we are witnessing in this country, and it will be extremely unfortunate. The people who abused these journalists are private security people at the party's headquarters. And our expectation is that, at least the party will make a statement and perhaps take an action that will demonstrate to everyone including party security people that people including journalists who seek to engage with the party or make information happening within the premises know. The right thing to do is not to beat them, the right thing to do is not to attack them, so all that we are calling for is for the party to come up with something that will clearly state its position that it does not tolerate some of these actions. But if goes quiet, it means it is justifying whatever these party people did. How it happened Following up on hints of an ongoing protest at the party's national headquarters in Accra, the reporters headed there last Thursday to follow up on latest developments. Upon their arrival, scores of the party's members, numbering about 200 from the Ellembelle Constituency in the Western Region, had besieged the headquarters demanding a clean register ahead of the party's internal elections in January 2018. Whilst filming the happenings, they were attacked by about six well-built men who are security guards at the party's head office. GhanaWeb's cameraman was slapped, thrown on the ground and kicked mercilessly by the 'macho' men. The well-built men slapped and hit GhanaWeb's cameraman to the floor. When the issue was reported to the NPP Deputy General Secretary, Sam Payne upon his arrival at the scene, he retorted that, no one asked him [the reporter] to come and film and walked away. Efforts by onlookers and the protesters were simply insufficient to calm the anger and energy with which the security guards were manhandling the cameraman. TV3's reporter earned slaps, after which his phones and other equipment were seized. Citi FM's reporter was also attacked by a female party loyalist and the 'macho' men. Her spectacles were broken, whereas her phones and bag were seized. She later was given back her items. The Ellembelle protesters, who tried protecting the journalists, were also attacked. By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana The post Arrest NPP security men for attacking journalists GJA appeared first on Ghana News . If there is anyone behind any plot to remove Prof. Avoke from office as the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), it is Prof. Avoke himself. Every office holder in any civilised community must adhere to relevant laws, regulations and laid down procedures in the execution of the functions of his office. If a public official believes that he has overriding authority over National laws, and thereby executes official functions his own way other than what the law provides for, then no one should be blamed when such an official is legally removed from office. Patrick Adu-Bortsie is of the contention that "prior to the appointment of Prof. Avoke as VC of University of Education, Winneba in 2015, a constant objection raised by some individuals against him was that he was a Voltarian". Whether the above rumour is true or not, is beside the point. The question is, is there any law in Ghana that provides a quota or restricts the appointment of persons due to their ethnic origin as Vice Chancellors of public universities? The answer is no. This is why even in the face of those unsubstantiated allegations raised by the 'vulture' Patrick Adu-Bortsie, Prof. Avoke, though a Voltarian, was appointed VC of UEW in 2015. Therefore, the opening paragraphs of Patrick are nothing, but junk! The issues at stake are going to be decided in the law courts with incontrovertible evidence, and not hearsay. Patrick's narrative that a call was made on the Central Regional House of Chiefs to support a bid to remove Prof. Avoke from office and get their preferred candidate to the VC position, can only spring from brainwashed individuals like him. One will have to understand Patrick's position as being ignorant of the law, hence the above childish stuff. Nowhere in Act 672 is it stated that the Central Regional House of Chiefs has a role to play in the making or unmaking of a VC of UEW. Patrick and Ablakwa should go and tell their concocted stories to 'the mount', since nowadays, even class one chaps, would expose the lacuna in their lamentations. Patrick appears to be on the right path, when he stated that, "on May 23, 2017, an indigene of Winneba, Supi Kwayera (an obvious pawn in the bigots' game), dragged UEW to the Winneba High Court". Patrick is now according the "bigots" their due respect. Why should the "bigots" use undemocratic methods, such as visiting Regional Houses of Chiefs to get a VC out of office? What is the use of the law courts? The bigots have just achieved that! Kudos to the bigots!! If Supi Kwayera is a pawn in the bigots' game, so also is Patrick Adu-Bortsie a vulture in the hyenas' dirty campaign. A fresh case is to be filed by Supi Kwayera at the Winneba High Court, via a writ of summons as advised by the Supreme Court, so no need to waste precious time on Patrick's ignorance regarding the reasons why the VC and FO were convicted by the Winneba High Court. Just to enlighten those who might hold Patrick's viewpoint regarding the conviction of the VC and FO by the Winneba High Court. The said 2 officials are the signatories to the contentious contracts and dubious payments, hence the position of the law is that they must be held accountable for their omissions or commissions. Patrick needs to be educated that if one engages the services of a lawyer, it behoves on the lawyer to argue out your case, and they had a lawyer who did exactly that. There is ample evidence of this. The whole world knows that the Supreme Court quashed the decision of the Winneba High Court, on the Supi v. UEW & Others, not for want of jurisdiction by the High Court, Winneba, or a lack of locus standi by the 1st Interested Party (Supi Kwayera), but purely on a filing error. If Patrick Adu-Bortsie has evidence that Article 17 (2) of the Constitution 1992, or any other law has been violated in the processes adopted by the "bigots" to rid UEW of maladministration, daylight robbery, nepotism, favouritism, wanton dissipation of public funds, and outright circumvention of the laws of Ghana, spearheaded by the VC and FO, who Patrick is struggling to defend, what stops Patrick Adu-Bortsie and other like-minded individuals from going to court to assert their rights? Ask the embattled VC and FO, whether they transferred non Voltarians wholesale, from the Finance Secretariat of UEW to 'Siberia' to enable them carry out their gargantuan loot at Winneba or not. Ask Prof Mawutor Avoke to tell Ghanaians how Ms Shine Agbevivi became a lecturer at UEW. Did she ever attend any interview at the Department or Faculty level? The VC you are vainly defending should explain, whether Shine Agbevivi had been confirmed when she was appointed Coordinator at the IEDE. I don't want to talk about dating issues here, because that's their private affair. Ask the FO you are lamely defending, whether he singularly set up a Printing Press on UEW premises with UEW funds, and run it as his private company? A separate bank account, out of the sight of UEW was opened by the interdicted FO for the Printing Press. The head of the Printing Press, is Ackorlie's brother-in-law, that is, the brother of his second wife based in Kumasi. Can anyone tell us how this in-law was employed? What role did Prof Mawutor Avoke play in this? Last year, the staff of the Printing Press shared a bonus amongst themselves. Ask the interdicted officers you are struggling to defend, who approved the bonus and who devised the formula for the sharing of that loot, in which a cleaner at the Printing Press, took home a cool Ghc 2,000 bonus. How much bonus was paid to lecturers last year? Is there any bonus for lecturers of UEW? Ask the nation looters you are blindly following, whether they promoted a certain lady with just SHS certificate and a suspicious accounting qualification to a rank far above holders of Masters Degrees at Payroll or not?Dating is irrelevant at this point. The interdicted FO can build hundreds of houses for his concubines in Cape Coast and elsewhere; acquire thousands of acres of land around Winneba and its environs to venture into real estate; set up car garages around the country; go into fuel retailing; purchase shares in insurance companies and employ a former UTAG UEW Secretary's wife as an insurance sales agent and buy cars for them; develop estates and let them out; beat his wives, etc., these are all none of my business, so far as his official duties are not compromised. It is submitted without any reservations that the law courts will prove whether the embattled VC and FO of UEW, are being pushed out of office by seen and unseen hands, or the perfectly interdicted officials are agents of their own downfall as a result of a circumvention of the Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663), as amended, coupled with a wilful violation of financial and other relevant laws of Ghana. Alhassan Salifu Bawah (son of a peasant farmer) 25.12.2017 LISTEN Some truthful predictions may at times take long to come to pass but they do come to pass in the end. Many years back, I published an article in which I warned Kumawuhemaa using a parable to tell her she will surely go broke before she puts up her hands in surrender to defeat in the ongoing Kumawu chieftaincy dispute. In that publication, I used the following story to warn her against her devilish collusive pursuits to continue to usurp the birth-right of the Kumawu Ananangya royal family, thus, conniving with Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and some accomplices to deny the Ananangyas of ascension to the Kumawu Kodua Stool. I said there lived a certain rich woman who became very ill. In spite of medical doctors diagnosing her illness as terminal, she still thought she could defy the odds to live. She visited various doctors, fetish priests and many false and genuine prophets but the answer was always the same; no matter what you do, you will die. She would not accept their predictions and diagnoses for an answer. She started depleting her bank savings and selling her properties, lands and mansions to spend on attempts to secure a cure for her illness. The prediction was say; you have only two years to live. She sold everything she had, spent the money on vain attempts to procure a healing. After all her money was gone, she died as predicted. When she died, there was not even a penny left to purchase a coffin for her burial let alone, having enough money to perform her traditional funeral rites. As it was predicted in the story to happen to Kumawuhemaa Nana Abenaa Serwaah Amponsah if care was not taken, so are events about to turn into reality in her life. She was married to one Canada-based rich Ghanaian physiotherapist called Dr Adomako. This man had a life insurance policy of 2 million Canadian dollars. He had purchased the building in which he practised as a fully qualified physiotherapist with a lot of registered patients visiting his surgery. Surgery as in Britain is a place where a doctor, dentist, etc., can be consulted. The man had bought, and lived in, a big mansion in Toronto (Canada). When the man died, Kumawuhemaa collected his 2 million Canadian dollars life insurance entitlement. She sold his big mansion in which they both lived as a couple with their children. She used the money realised from the sale of the house to pay for a comparatively smaller house for herself. Again, she sold the mans practice surgery. She took all the money to Ghana and in less than no time, she had squandered the money. She has wasted most of the money on juju men and Mallams in the hope of finalising the dodgy usurpation of the Kumawu paramount stool from the Ananangyas; the true royals and owners of the stool. She had used some of the money to bribe some chiefs who assisted her to impose one puppet called Dr Yaw Sarfo on Kumawuman as their paramount chief going by the name Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua. I am putting out this publication to inform the worldwide Kumawuman citizens that my prediction about Kumawuhemaa years ago is about to come to pass. As I write, I have had a call from Canada telling me that she has put up a sign of FOR SALE on her small house in Toronto and has moved into the house of her daughter. I hope she will not continue to be that stupid to go back to Ghana to spend the money she will realise from the sale of the house on juju, something she is passionate about in her resolute determination to deprive the Ananangyas of their throne. No matter what she does, there is more than abundant credible evidence against Dr Yaw Sarfo and his accomplices including Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in their quest to deny the Ananangyas their birth-right and to exploit Kumawuman of their wealth. What God has purposed for whom He has designated from the Ananangya royal family to become Kumawuhene will come to pass but not what Asantehene and her jaundiced juju-loving Kumawuhemaa do. Man proposes, and God disposes. Is Kumawuhemaa not drawing closer to the fulfilment of my prediction? If she does not take care, she will die a pauper. After selling her Toronto house, it will be that of Accra and then Kumawu. Once she does that, then woyiwa, my prophesy has been fulfilled. The juju men will milk her dry but the Ananangyas will get their throne back regardless of whatever Asantehene does and whoever he consults for help. Dr Yaw Sarfo the fraudster will soon be gone. What a Kumawuhene indeed! I am advising Kumawuhemaa to cease visiting her numerous fetish priests, juju men etc. as God has already designated Barima Tweneneboa V to be the Omanhene of Kumawu. Therefore, all her resorts to jujuism are much ado about nothing. She is in Canada waiting for the house to be sold. Anyway, Merry Christmas to Kumawuhemaa Nana Abenaa Serwaah Amponsah and an advice to her to refrain from chasing the wind by her despicable evil actions which will backfire on her according to prediction. Rockson Adofo Kwame Nkrumah 25.12.2017 LISTEN INTRODUCTION The existence of a gross mismatch between the ideological orientation of the running reign of the Eurocentric leadership of Africa, contemporaneous with the golden age of African-centered leadership, and the grand formulaic nation-building architectonics spearheaded by Nkrumah, and following his painful absence from the political scene, and the visionary, selfless, intelligent, and pragmatic political philosophy which the likes of Kwame Nkrumah and Patrice Lumumba championed, is not one that is open to debate, yet the debate continues into the present political dispensation. This is in large part because they understood the painful challenges posed by the complex dynamics of nation-building, and also how to forcefully channel their social visions and the inherent capabilities of their fellow Africans into that enterprise of nation-building, from the pile of deadly, simmering ashes of slavery and colonization. As writer Peterson notes in Criticism and Ideology: Kwame Nkrumah was the single most important theoretician and spokesperson of this decadeHutchinson, a South African nationalist, captured Ghanas centrality to the era when he called his book, itself an account of his life and his escape from South Africa, simply, Road to Africa. All the continents nationalist roads of the fifties led to Kwame Nkrumahs Ghana. Everywhere on the continent, the former colonial slave was breaking his chains, and singing songs of hope for a more egalitarian society in its economic, political and cultural life and Nkrumahs Ghana seemed to hold the torch to that life. The world-famous Afrocentric scholar and prolific writer, Molefi Kete Asante, on the other hand calls Nkrumah a prophet of reality (Asante, 2009). This is neither to romanticize the past nor to excuse the string of glaring failures chalked by the continents Eurocentric leadership in the past six decades or so. But the past is still with us with its far-reaching craned-neck peering over the present, seemingly inseparable from the clutching umbilical-cord of contemporary realities, not forgetting that Jews have learned to memorialize their string of inhuman experiences even while the African is consistently reminded to forget his because he is a different species of animal with no historical memory. Rather, it is to state the bare, cold facts as the records say. The truth is that Nkrumahs noble person and his innovative ideas are beyond the sciography of any form of self-serving apotheosis on the part of his die-hard, critical admirers. Even the shanty asylum of his clueless ideological enemies and inveterate detractors is aware of this ironclad fact of human history, and that is to say the pragmatic compass of Africas true future revolves around the metempsychosis of Nkruamism. Meanwhile, enemies from within and from without have seen to it that the supposed planned marriage of convenience between slavery and colonization eventually resolves into the parturition of neocolonialism, presently an albatross around Africas neck. Europe, for instance, saw a pressing need to come together as a powerful politico-economic block called the European Union, while overtly and covertly it has been relentlessly working against Pan-Africanism and the continents strategic interests. France and its Western allies have been working tirelessly to ensure that they ingratiate themselves into the good books of their grand invention, their creationthe largely elitist Eurocentric ruling automatons of Africa. This is from the horses mouth, the French (Kwarteng, 2015): France views Pan-Africanism as a threat to Western interests in Africa in general and French interests in Africa in particular. How can African ideas such as Pan-Africanism pose a threat to French and Western interests in Africa? Who owns Africa anyway, the West or Africans? How have French interests in Africa benefited Africa, and how have these so-called interests measurably fared for the African masses in both the short-term and the long-term? Do Africa and its people have their own interests at all? How competitive and productive and economical are these African strategic interests? And, for the sake of argument, whose interests should rather enjoy competitive primacy in the advancement of Africa and its people? If Africa had any strategic interests worthy of strategic attention and of advancing the continent and its people, then those ungrateful, obsequious fifth columnists within the highest echelon of the Ghanaian body politic would not have overthrown Nkrumah with the active collaboration of the CIA, nor would Senegals ex-President Abdoulaye Wade have given his support to NATO to overthrow and assassinate Muamar Gadhafi, reportedly the latter being one of his important sponsors and friends (Asante, 2015). One can therefore make the case that the Eurocentric leadership of Africa has no interests unless they are products of Western imperialist design. This is because this dangerous leadership which is imbued with the prostrating bias of Eurocentric infectivity, has no potent locus of agency and moral compass to speak on behalf of the continent in the first place except, of course, the benefits to derive from these imperialistic interests exclusively sit well with the elitist temperament of its newly acquired individualistic designation and cannibalistic, rapacious appetite. This leadership is even abjectly blind to the scheming machinations of Western imperial designs. Here is Prof. Dompere again (p. 333): Generally and historically, the Western imperialist intentionality of information collection and knowledge production about Africa is to find justification to support their anti-African ideology in order to demonize, oppress and destroy the African philosophical and ideological basis of collectivism and humanism. It was this Western imperialist intentionality of information collection and knowledge production about Africa that, if we may add, has given Africa its enviable album of vindictive, murderous Eurocentric autocrats taxidermized in black skinex-CIA darling errand boy Liberias Charles Taylor, Togos Gnassingbe Eyadema, Congos Mobuto Sese Seko, Central African Republics Jean-Bedel Bokassa, Ivory Coasts Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Gabons Omar BongoUgandas Idi Amin (Rice, 2010), all of whom fought one way or the other on the neocolonial turf of borrowed political ideologies in order to justify their place as the ideological scions of Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Francisco Franco. RESISTING COLONIAL EDUCATION How effectively has Africa responded to Western scheming intelligence-gathering capabilities against Africas interests? Or what should Africa do to resist Western attempts to control or re-orient its frozen destiny to fit the latters scheming ideological agenda to make Africa subservient to its hegemonizing propagandistic instrumentation, as it were through its carefully orchestrated underhanded imperialist intentionality of information collection? Prof. Dompere foresees the impending obituary of the latter formula entombed in the living organism of Black Studies. The following critical remarks provide some profound insights his prescriptive riposte to the lingering dilemma (p. 332): This oppressive intellectual program can only be challenged and negated by an alternative intellectual program which must constitute a revolution in thought and action. This alternative intellectual program is philosophical consciencismthat stands on firm and solid Africentric grounds to engage in the battle and war games of ideas to decolonize the African mind, liberate the African conscience and set free the African forces that have been frozen in the ice-chambers of racism and oppression. When he also writes that Western ideology is constructed with an imperialist philosophy of oppression, intellectual forgery and violence against Africa and her people (Dompere, p. 332), he is merely partly reiterating or reinforcing Prof. Asantes central contention set forth in the article Knowledge as Property: Who Owns What and Why?: In some cases Africanshave granted Europeans knowledge about their societies. A host of African guideshave led Europeans to natural wonders and to historical locations only to have Europeans claim that they are the discoverers of those places (Asante, 2009). There is, however, a striking resemblance between what Prof. Asante is saying and the living script for the African historical film Invasion 1897, directed by Lancelot O. Imasuen. This movie makes the case for the return of those artworks which the British stole from the Benin Kingdom in the 19th century. Stolen African artefacts grace Western museums, with Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka at one time acting on a tip that traced one such masterful art work all the way to Brazil only to find out it was fake (Soyinka, 2007). Likewise, those unliberated African leaders who ransack their countries coffers and secrete away their booties in the darkest secrets of European banks are merely following in the footsteps of those of their adorable European forbears who ransacked the cultural libraries of African art and hid them in plain sight in European museums and private homes. Also the 20th-century art form we have come to know as cubism, and which is linked to the artistic geniuses of Pablo Picasso and others, borrowed heavily from African art (Kwarteng, 2013). Finally, French President Emmanuel Macron has promised to return stolen African artefacts housed in French museums (Opoku, 2017). These will help reconstruct the intellectual, cultural and organic continuity between the African past and the present, as well as African identity, including decolonizing the African mind, all of which Nkrumah initiated and championed in Africa and on the stage. Here, we should quickly add that Chinweizus Decolonizing the African Mind and Ngugi wa Thiongos Decolonizing the Mind advance a resounding postcolonial theory of centering African psychology much in the theoretical likeness of Profs. Asantes and Domperes African-centered methodology and its underlying formidable philosophical approach to the study of critical theory. Of course it is a humanistic, rigorous methodological approach that makes a beeline for agency and location in a strict Diopian sense, and which, in another sense also, seems to have succeeded in making a powerful case for the humanity of Africa in the deepest innards of Western psychology. Thus the impact of Afrocentric theory in the American academy, and on the public psychology of American race relations, especially in and through the social sciences and the humanities, cannot be overemphasized. In this light we should not ignore but rather recall Nkrumahs theoretical contributions to African-centered or Afrocentric education (Poe, 2017). University of Wisconsins Prof. Winston Van Horne and Prof. Asante call this discipline Africology (Asante, 2015). In the grand scheme of things though, and as far as the humanistic underpinnings of Black Studies are concerned, Prof. Dompere fundamentally views what he calls revolution in thought and action as being objectively integral to a critical modality of thinking and knowing in which the latter two processes also merge into his idea of transformative power. He argues that this transformative power be defined by the existential parameters of the human condition, freedom, social justice, and resistance to internal or external oppression and subjugation (Dompere, 334). We should however point out that in managing the operational dynamics of the actual-potential social polarity as it relates to bringing about the needed categorial revolution in thought and action, and the simultaneous transformation of Africa for the betterment of the people, Nkrumah chose ideology over the material conditions of the African people as the driving force of his political philosophy (Dompere, p. 336). After all, the material conditions of a people are a product of the decision-choice system(s) they put in place as a policy function of national priorities and the general health of domestic and global economies. The material conditions are not self-caused; they are derived social categories, he writes (Dompere, p. 336). None of these takes away the fact that the central feature of his concept of liberating the self through education goes beyond the physical however, to include freeing the mind from the oppressive constraints of ignorance. And this should be the fundamental purpose of any form of education. In other words enlightenment, not endarkenment, should be the primary objective of any modality of progressive education. Frantz Fanon (2008) and Albert Memmi (1991) may have conceptualized the liberation of the colonizer and the colonized in this vein. That is, the colonizer too and his descendants can benefit from Afrocentric education. For the most part this is not what colonial education was designed forunfortunately. Education in this case, we strongly believe, should be empowering rather than oppressive. It is our firm position that colonial education was actually designed to make the colonial subject easily amenable to the imperialist machinations orchestrated from within the hold of the metropoles, to serve others interests. It therefore matters that African-centered education and colonial education exist in some form of binary opposition. This is how Prof. Dompere views this opposition between colonial education and African-centered education (Dompere, p. 344): It is directed toward an intellectual revolution against colonial education which was intended to produce educated Africans who have an affinity and service commitment to the social structure of imperialists and neocolonialists. To create these kinds of Africans, it was necessary and important that colonial education, and by extension neocolonial education, create mindsets that allowed educated Africans to be divorced from their cultural roots and their people of whom their education has instructed them to despise with venom as uncivilized under the Western anti-African ideology Bob Marley resisted this form of education when, on the track Babylon System, he sang: We refuse to be what you wanted us to be We are what we are Thats the way its going to be You cant educate I No wonder we can also link the moral and philosophical underpinnings of this song to those of his other classic song, Crazy Baldhead, on which he sang in part: Brainwash education to make us the fools Thus, in the special case of the African person Black Studies (or African Studies) and Africology are a timely antidote to his cultural, historical, moral, cosmological, and intellectual negation brought about by his voracious digestion of colonial education. Nkrumah quickly realized how insalubrious colonial education was to the character of the African Personality and began putting institutions in place to address the problem. On this score, Prof. Dompere has this to say (Dompere, 334): These conditions of intellectual support were clearly understood by Nkrumah, and it was through this understanding that Nkrumah actively promoted the subject area of African studies and the manner in which the knowledge of African studies can form inspiration and motivation as well as integrate into other areas of knowledge to act as the convertibility conditions of the socio-political polarity and the socio-economic polarity. Well said! SOME CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES But what do all these mean in terms of the general contours of Nkrumahs philosophical consciencism and categorial conversion, and of the mediating convertibility conditions thereof? Prof. Dompere argues that we arrive at a transformative intellectual polarity only if we bring the overriding focus of African studies in line with the imperative of African emancipation, rather than in contradistinction to the designs of Western imperialist oppression (Dompere, p. 334). This argument is a tough one to crack, even a difficult one to grasp at face value, merely on the basis of the fact that it is only in acknowledging African liberation as a counterpoint to Western imperialist oppression that, we believe, the unravelling possibility of a transformative intellectual polarity could find full expressive power in the operational scheme of the convertibility conditions. Elsewhere, though, he correctly juxtaposes Eurocentric philosophical consciencism and African-centered philosophical consciencism, oppressive intentionality and liberation intentionality, anti-African ideology and Africentric ideology, and so on. We are however given to understand that, in a nutshell, the formation of this transformative intellectual polarity operationalizes the laws of categorial conversion in the informative-knowledge space (Dompere, 334). If this is the case then the content of general education, Prof. Dompere argues, becomes subject to the oversight of the kind of philosophical consciencism which defines a nation. The content is used as a set in this epistemic structure, he further writes (Dompere, 334). It appears then that within this epistemic structure the convertibility conditions are ready to transform colonial education in such a way that the resulting content of education is able to engender the kind of social intellectual capital capable of supplying a set of solutions for social and national problems. The backdrop to the operational success of the convertibility conditions, if we can in fact put it that way, is when the kind of philosophical consciencism that defines a nation is strongly underpinned by African-centeredness. If this core idea is clearly understood by a liberated or awakened intelligentsia within the larger African community, that has completely shunned the doctrine of imperialist anti-African ideology, then the operational instrumentation of the convertibility conditions, African-centered philosophical consciencism, and categorial conversion assumes a state of rational viability and far-reaching possibilities in nation-building. Prof. Dompere quotes Nkrumah on this (Dompere, p. 335): The history of human achievement illustrates that when an awakened intelligentsia emerges from a subject people it becomes the vanguard of struggles against alien rule. This awakened intelligentsia must operate within an African-centered framework where the love for Africa and knowledge of Africa come together in the spirit of oneness to operationalize the total emancipation of the continent. Setting the records straight on Africas intellectual history and its impact on global intellectual history is just as important to this noble reconstruction enterprise and efforts (Dompere, p. 333). He expatiates further the importance of the awakened intelligentsia and its noble role in negotiating Africa out of its current quagmire (Dompere, p.335): The system of education in Africa must not only train members of the intelligentsia but an awakened intelligentsia. The members of the awakened intelligentsia are those who are intellectually trained and have liberated consciences derived from the crisis of the African conscience within the African experiential information structure. They are deeply involved in the understanding and expectation of the African experiential structure. On the basis of this, Prof. Dompere believes current curriculums used in various universities around the world, particularly across Africa, are immaterial to the realization of African-centered philosophical consciencism. This level of spastic hiccup in the operational development of philosophical consciencism has dire consequences for activating the categorial conversion of the socio-political and socio-economic needs of the continent in terms of domestic socio-economic transformations and global political arrangements (Dompere, p. 335). What is the solution then? We quote Prof. Dompere at length on this (Dompere, p. 335): To develop an awakened intelligentsia, the whole education system composed of organization, administration, curriculums, teaching, research and learning must undergo radical restructuring for complete Africanization. In fact, the current African must undergo a revolution in values and culture, where such revolution must be anchored in African tradition as defined and supported by the foundations of Maat in order to overcome the mimicry of oppressive foreign values of colonialism, neocolonialism and imperialism which have come to destroy the African cultural and spiritual unity. This is where we shall leave the discussion for our researchers, intellectuals, academics, professors, scholars, research institutions and think tanks, universities, teacher training colleges, and policy makers to contemplate. We shall however return at a later date with more expositions on Prof. Domperes ideas. References We have a great deal to be thankful for as we reflect on what by every measure, has been a momentous year for our Party, the NPP, and for our beloved country Ghana! As we join Christians all over the world to mark this Christmas, let us take a moment to remember those less fortunate, the many who will go hungry, the many without shelter, and the many who continue to suffer the scourge and ravages of war and conflict, who at this time, need that message of "love, joy, peace and goodwill to all men". It is my abiding hope that this message of Christmas will spur us on to do what is right, to lend that helping hand, and encourage us to work together to build a nation with enduring values, a nation where we will dwell in love and brotherliness, and at peace with one another, a nation we can all be proud of! At home in Ghana, we have seen great strides being made by the Government of His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, to deliver on our manifesto promises to Ghanaians. Hope has been renewed. A sense of national pride has been reignited. Ghana is working again! Ours is indeed a blessed nation. Under the visionary leadership of President Akufo Addo and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, we have seen a raft of social policies that will transform our nation. I am confident that the rich talents of our people, and our nations full potential will be realised. A great deal remains to be done as we look forward to 2018. We must be vigilant. We must abhor any attiudes, actions or behaviours, from within or without, that will cause us to stumble, and derail our bold endeavour to build a nation that can rid itself of corruption, a truly just and equal society, founded on our shared values that guarantee individual liberties and equality of opportunity. Here in the UK, there is a great deal we can be proud of. Our branch has remained vibrant. Our contribution to our Party's success has been duly recognised, and many of our number, have once again been called upon to help with the task of nation building. We have collaborated with other external branches in providing leadership that has ensured that our call for us, and indeed Ghanaians in the diaspora, to continue to play key roles at all levels of leadership in our Party, and in the democratic process in Ghana, is heard. We can look forward to 2018, inspired by our collective resolve that has, over the past year, set our Party on a path of success. We have together, laid strong foundations. We must seek to deliver in all areas as we have promised. The task ahead will be hard, but that in part is why we will forge ahead with our bold agenda, minded, and humbled by the responsibilities of government, to ensure we deliver the equal opportunities, security and prosperity, that our people deserve. As we celebrate Christmas, with our families and loved ones, I would like to, on behalf of the executives of NPP UK, and on my own behalf, wish you all, a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year! May God richly bless you all. Michael Ansah Chairman, NPP UK 24 December, 2017 25.12.2017 LISTEN The last time I was diagnosed of high blood pressure was when the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, William Agyapong Quaitoo described those of us from the gateway of the sun as difficult liars. But honestly, I think some of these southerners have every right to insult us some of the times ... Last Saturday the Dagba traditional council (DTC) met to throw a precise baby away with the bath water. What resonated with me in that meeting, and has since kept me thinking for the past three days or so, is the inclusion of some personalities I so respected, and strongly convinced that they know better than I do, so long as the agendum for the meeting was concerned. I would not keep you thinking for so long, so I am talking about the Minority leader, the immediate past MCE and the current NDC chairman for Yendi constituency. Dont even ask me why these political animals were only drawn from only one political party? For now, lets keep ourselves convinced that they are the agents of fighting against development of our mother lands!!! While the minority leaders presence at the meeting can be so disappointing, I have no problem with his taking part in a traditional councils meeting. I am rather sincerely concerned with the presence of the former MCE and the NDC chairman, who are well versed with the distinct dichotomy between a traditional boundary and an administrative boundary. We all know the latter is created for convenience in administration and development. The former, as far as I am concerned, should be the absolute responsibility of the traditional authority to manage intermarrying the two as though, they were twins is what I am worried about. Here is the case where our chiefs are saying they won't cede any part of their land to the Creation of a new region, and so by extension Dagba will be divided into two regional house of chiefs which will limit the powers of YAA NAA over the other council. But how powerful is the House of chiefs? Whose laws are quasi-judicial, and so should be set aside by any court of competent jurisdiction? But in any case, can't the YAA NAA Play a supervisory role by getting the Gukpnaa to represent him in the northern region whiles the Balou Naa at the eastern corridor region. So, until am convinced that the proceeds of the lands that are not even used to rehabilitate our palaces surpass, or if you like more important than a regional capital that comes with gargantuan opportunities I will continue to rant. THE WRITER F.I. JUNE IS A MATHEMATICS TEACHER AT CENTRE FOR ISLAMIC EDUCATION (C.I.E) YENDI The Chairman of the People's National Convention (PNC), Bernard Mornah, has called for the immediate expulsion of the Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Ami Mehl, over his statement on Ghana's vote against a decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. According to him, the Israeli Ambassador has shown gross disrespect to the integrity of the President Akufo-Addo and the people of Ghana. In a statement to Ghana, the Israeli Embassy expressed his countrys disappointment over the vote. The statement said it was hopeful that Ghana will not repeat such mistake in subsequent motions before the General Assembly. But in an interview with Citi News, Mr. Mornah described the Ambassadors posturing as insulting. The Israeli Ambassadors statement is the greatest insult that an individual can level on a sovereign nation like Ghana. I think that it undermines our collective intelligence, it undermines our Presidents capacity to take decisions on behalf of the people of Ghana, and it insults our position on any other matter in international fora he said. In view of this, he said there was no reason for Ghana to still harbor such a person. I am totally appalled that our president is still trying to harbor such a person who has shown gross disrespect and disregard for our sovereignty Without hesitation, we would have recalled our Ambassador from Israel and immediate and immediately expel the Ambassador of Israel to Ghana. This kind of disrespect should not be allowed to fester in our nation, Mr. Mornah said. Threats from US Ahead of the vote, the US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, warned that the US will remember countries that disrespected it by voting against it. The US government had also threatened to cut funding to countries that did not back its position. Despite the threat, countries such as Nigeria, Congo, Ivory Coast, Namibia, Mali, and Zimbabwe all voted against the US' position. By: Naa Kwarmah Siaw Marfo/citifmonline.com/Ghana The post Expel Israeli Ambassador for disrespecting Ghana Mornah appeared first on Ghana News . Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has appealed to families of people suffering from leprosy not abandon them. He said lepers especially those who are cured should not be abandoned or stigmatized but they should be shown love. Dr Bawumia was speaking at the Weija Leprosarium in Accra on Christmas Day after he made a donation. It is at moments like these that we think about the purpose and the true meaning of what these celebrations are. It is about reflecting on those who are less fortunate than us. Those who feel very excluded he said. He added that it is important to care for the less privileged and marginalised in the society during this festive season. "We are here to wish you Merry Christmas," he said donating 200 cartons of soft drinks, 100 bags of rice, a bull as well as GH1000 cash to help with their Christmas celebrations. With him were the Information Minister, Mustapha Hamid; CEO of Free Zones Board, Michael Kofi Baafi; Board Chairman of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Lawyer Frank Davis. Also in attendance was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ledzokuku, Dr Oko Boye and Police Commander for Teshie, Supt. Peter Yabila. The Weija Leprosarium was one of the three places Dr Bawumia made a donation on Christmas Day. Earlier in the day, he made a donation at the Osu Childrens Home where he promised helping the orphanage to pay their mounting electricity bills. Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com | Abubakar Ibrahim 25.12.2017 LISTEN President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commended operation vanguard taskforce for the hard work done in the fight against illegal mining (galamsey) in the Country. The Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces said, the activity of the taskforce had begun to have a great impact in the country and therefore had no doubt that galamsey would stop. He made these comments when he interacted with personnel of the taskforce during an inspection of a proposed facility for a teachers' training college at Afosu, in the New Abirem district of the Eastern region on Thursday, December 21. President Akuffo-Addo was thankful to the troops for supporting him to undertake such an exercise in the quest to curb the galamsey menace. 'Today, I came here to thank you people, who are willing and capable to help me with this exercise, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.' He asked the personnel not to be discouraged by the comments some people were making 'Please, do not let any of that to demoralise you, don't let any of that get to you,' the most important thing is our country and future, just remember that what you are doing is about Ghana, not about yourself and it's not about me but about Ghana and the future. He however, urged the troops to continue to exhibit professionalism and tenacity of purpose in the discharge of their duties. President Akuffo-Addo revealed that Ghana was the first country in the continent to take up such an initiative to curb illegal mining and promised the personnel that he would do whatever he could to support the operation with logistics to enable the taskforce achieve its set obligations and goals. The facility, which also houses the operation vanguard personnel in the Eastern Region was built by Newmont Mining Company for the Abirem North district. Present at the gathering, were some Ministers of State, Members of Parliament from the Eastern region, District Chief Executives, Chiefs and people of the New Abirem District. GNA By Gifty Amofa, GNA The Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra has defended President Akufo-Addos recent controversial response in an Aljazeera Interview about legalizing homosexuality in the country. Charles Palmer-Buckle said the President gave the right response and only emphasised Ghanas cultural reality as it relates to homosexuality. The President was criticized for stating that homosexuality is still illegal in Ghana because there has not been enough advocacy for it to be legalised and that it is something that is bound to happen. He also noted that presently the practice of homosexuals is at variance with the countrys norms, culture and values. His comments triggered a new wave of controversy, one that was prevalent during the administrations of the late Professor John Evans Mills and ex-president John Mahama. He said the Catholic Church believes that homosexuals are also children of God just like the murderer and heterosexual and therefore their rights have to be defended. "I don't think people listened very carefully to the President before they jumped to a conclusion," he said. Listen to the audio: 25.12.2017 LISTEN Marcel Mauss, the French sociologist, pioneered the study of gifts in different cultures. He theorised the three facets of gift: the obligation to give a gift; the obligation to receive a gift, and the obligation to reciprocate a gift. In all societies, the logic of gift has a way of consolidating social ties. Over the years, many scholars have identified gift as one of the entry point of corruption and bribery in a world that is spiraling out of its moral compass. Notwithstanding the casting of gifts in a negative context, gifts have been part of the logic of society since the creation of Man. It brings enemies together as friends and solidifies friendship and kinship ties. To state it bluntly, it converts strangers to comrades, and bloody foes to allies. In most societies, refusing to accept a gift is a mark of hostility, and an invitation to war. Gifts were so important that in Ashanti history, people who sought to establish connection to the palace gave their daughters as gifts to the Asantehene; no wonder at a time in history, one of the Asantehene is reported by Dupuis to have had 3333 wives! In contemporary geopolitics, international relations are established and strengthened through gifts. In 2003, just when I had become a Christian, a received free theological books, worth many dollars, from Dr. Robert Morey, a reformed Christian apologist in the United. These books deepened and strengthened my love for Jesus Christ, and also redefined my theological outlook and marked a watershed in my quest for Christian apologetics. My life after that signal gift has never been the same. It is obvious that in our respective lives, there was one time a gift from a friend or relative changed the course of our lives. We all feel good when a gift is given to us. God also feels good when He gives a gift to humanity. His greatest and ultimate gift to humankind is His Son Jesus Christ. And the gift of His Son corresponds to the all time need of mankind sin. In my case, when I received those books from Dr. Robert Morey, it changed the course of my life, as it came at the time I was transitioning from the predilection of Freethinking to a Christian. It was, indeed, a timely gift. We all hope that we would receive a gift that would incredibly meet our dire needs. If you need to cover a distance, possibly you will need a car or any automobile machine as a gift. If you need to get healed from a disease, you will need the gift of medicine. If you wanted to break away from some form of addiction, you will need the gift of the service of a clinical psychologist. If you were ignorant about something, you will need the gift of a teacher. The gift we receive and cherish most, most often than not, reflects our immediate need. God diagnosed the ultimate need of humankind, and provided the ultimate gift. The ultimate need of man is redemption from sin, which has created a chasm and a wedge between him and God. This need has created a deep sense of hopelessness and restlessness in man, and it was well captured by St. Augustine of Hippo that, You [God] have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless, until they find rest in you. The ultimate need of every man is to fill in the vacuum and restlessness in the heart. Throughout history, many creative thinkers and speculators have devised many ways of filling in that need. This gave rise to religion with all its embellished recursive rituals and ceremonies. For religions like Islam, the need of man will basically be satisfied if man confesses the oneness of Allah and the Prophethood of Mohammed (simply, submission to Allah's will). In Hinduism, this vacuum could be overcome through meditation (yoga practices) to free man from ignorance, which traps him in the cycle of karma and samsara. For the Buddhist, following the Eight Fold Path will free man from selfish craving that keeps him in pain. The New Agers prescribe transcendental meditation to reach the higher self, as a way of freeing oneself from the drudges of life. In African Traditional Religion(s), pragmatic utilitarianism is the means of joining the ancestors. While all these prescriptions and rituals have the trappings of giving us satisfaction, we never in the end get out of our desire for God, and for bridging the gap between God and us. God looked down from heaven, to use an anthropomorphic expression, and planned for the ultimate redemption of man. He diagnosed the situation and decided that His Son is the ultimate solution. The problem of man is not ignorance or polytheism, or even endless craving. The problem of man is sin. And to save us from sin, no human being, from Abraham through Mohammed to Zachariah, could redeem man, because all human beings have sinned. The devil will be happy to point that out to anyone who claims to redeem sinners. And following the logic of: No slave can save a fellow slave or in a more religious parlance, No sinner can save a fellow sinner, the solution had to come from God. Angels could not help either, because they ontologically cannot be incarnated! God decided to offer His sinless Son, Jesus Christ. At the right time in history, He gave us Jesus Christ, who took upon the human nature; became like one of us, and paved the way for our redemption. That gift has remained the deciding and momentous factor in history. In the accounts of the Gospels, Jesus Christ declared His mission as one of a saviour and redeemer. In His manifesto, recorded in Luke 4:18, He clearly set out His redemption imperatives. He came to save the lost sinners. Since His incarnation, no one who has encountered Him has remained the same. He transforms life; He does what all religions put together, through their repetitive rituals, cannot do: making saints out of sinners. This gift is timely and it is what every man needs. But, as you receive the gift, you have to reciprocate, and the reciprocation is to love Him, and tell others about Him. The world gives gifts in Christmas season, but none comes close to the ultimate gift our God offers us. Jesus Christ remains Gods only gift to man. Refusing to accept the gift of God is to perpetuate your hostility to God, and the cost of that is eternal damnation. As we reenact the birth of Jesus Christ, let us accept Gods free gift, for He will soon come again, not as a gift to the world, but the ultimate judge in all power and glory to judge sinners. Accept Him now while you have breath, for eternity is just a breath away! Merry Christmas Satyagraha Charles Prempeh African University College of Communications, Accra, Ghana I stuck to what the coaches ... President Donald Trump View Photos President Trump was Mondays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Last week he signed two Bills into law. Here are his words: Good morning, everybody. Thank you very much for being here, and Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. Have great holidays. We are going to sign some very important things today. One is a continuing resolution that very importantly gives us the right, and we are ordering $4 billion worth of missile defense equipment and missiles themselves. Very important. Top of the line. Best in the world. We make the best military product in the world, and nobody is even close. And so were ordering $4 billion worth of missile defense, and that will be done by signing right here and also by notifying the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate, designating the missile defense as emergency defense fund. So its $4 billion for that and $700 million for various other military forms of equipment. And Im very honored to be doing that. Our military has been doing a fantastic job in so many ways, with ISIS. And everything theyre touching lately has been working out. So were signing that. This is the letter to Mitch McConnell and, separately, to Paul Ryan, authorizing that having to do with missile defense. Very important. So thats being done today, and thats going to be sent out. And then, when I watched the news as you know, we had the largest tax cuts in our history just approved. And I was going to wait for a formal signing sometime in early January, but then I watched the news this morning and they were all saying, Will he keep his promise? Will he sign it by Christmas? You were one. But will he sign it by Christmas? And I called downstairs, I said, I get it ready; we have to sign it now. We were going to wait until January 7th or 8th and do a big, formal ceremony, but every one of the networks was saying, Will he keep his promise? Will he sign it before Christmas? And so I immediately called, I said, lets get it ready. As you know, $3.2 trillion in tax cuts for American families, including the doubling of the standard deduction and the doubling of the Child Tax Credit. The typical family of four earning $75,000 will see an income tax cut of more than $2,000 many much higher than that slashing their tax bill in half. And theyre going to start to see that. Because were signing today, theyre going to start to see that in February. The numbers will speak. One of the big things that happened you have some companies. I want to thank AT&T, who actually was the first out of the box, and Boeing, and Sinclair, and Wells Fargo, and Comcast even though they own NBC, which is not so nice to the presidency or the President. But Comcast also. They all have made tremendous contributions to their employees and tremendous contributions to spending money on this country because of the tax bill. And they all said its because of the tax bill. So theyre making tremendous investments. That means jobs; it means a lot of things. And were very happy. So thats AT&T, Boeing, Sinclair, Wells Fargo, Comcast, and now many other companies who you see. In fact, just this morning, I see three more companies came on. A friend of mine, Bob Kraft, called me last night, and he said this tax bill is incredible. He owns the New England Patriots, but hes in the paper business too. And he said, based on this tax bill, he just wanted to let me know that hes going to buy a big plant in the great state of North Carolina, and hes going to build a tremendous paper mill there, or paper products plant. And Ive had many calls such as that, where people that are entrepreneurs, people in businesses, theyre going out and theyre going to buy, frankly, factories that are closed, abandoned, and now theyre not going to be abandoned any longer. This is having an even bigger impact, faster than I thought. The corporate tax rate, as you know, will be lowered from 35 to 21 percent. That means that more products will be made in the USA. A lot of things are going to be happening in the USA. Were going to bring back our companies. Theyve already started coming back. I think they had certain confidence in me and they figured we were going to get this done. But they have already started. Something very important to me the family farmers and small-business owners who lost their business because of the estate tax. Most of them wont have any estate tax to pay. It will be a great thing for their families. You can leave your farm to your family. You could leave your business, your small business to your family not even so small, because the numbers are pretty big here. So theyll be exempt from having to pay an estate tax, which will be tremendous. Theyll keep their farms and their businesses in the family. Businesses will be able to deduct 100 percent of the cost of their capital investments in the year the investment is made. Thats called expensing. And to do one-year expensing, I think, is going to be one of the biggest things in the bill, frankly. I think people are going to go out and absolutely go wild over expensing. Bob Kraft mentioned that last night in his telephone call. The fact that they can expense do one-year expensing is a fantastic asset. Historic small-business tax cuts and pass-throughs now are made really, really good for the business owner. Theyre hiring people. I see it on television. Im reading about it all over where people are hiring a lot of people right now to go to work. The small-business tax cut and the pass-throughs are now really incentivizing people. Were going to bring back probably $4 trillion from overseas. Nobody knows the exact number, but its massive. It will be over $3 trillion; it could be $5 trillion. But its a tremendous amount of money that was caught overseas that the bureaucracy plus the tax laws didnt allow it to reasonably be brought back into our country. So we think at least $4 trillion is going to be brought back. And if you look at that, its going to be brought back right under the code. This is something that Republicans wanted for years and Democrats wanted for years, and yet it never got done. Who would object to trillions of dollars being brought back into our country? Nobody. But it never got done. Now its being done. And the bottom line is, this is the biggest tax cuts and reform in the history of our country. This is bigger than, actually, President Reagans many years ago. Im very honored by it. In addition, we have ANWR were opening up ANWR for drilling. Theyve tried to get that for 40 years. Theyve tried to get that even during the Reagan administration. They could never get it. That alone would be a big bill if that ever happened, but thats even part of this. And we have, of course, the individual mandate, which is a very unfair and very unpopular provision, as you know, in Obamacare. Essentially, I think it ultimately leads to the end of Obamacare. Essentially, I think Obamacare is over because of that, and were going to come up with something thats really going to be very good. But the individual mandate was very unfair because youre basically saying, pay for something in order not to have to get healthcare. So youre paying youre paying not to have to have healthcare. It was very unfair. Many people thought it should have been overturned in the Supreme Court. It didnt quite make it. Almost but didnt quite make it. But now were overturning the individual mandate, the most unpopular thing in Obamacare. Very, very unfair. So this is the bill right here, and were very proud of it. Its going to be a tremendous thing for the American people. Its going to be fantastic for the economy. Its going to keep companies from leaving our shores and opening up in other countries. They are very dis-incentivized to do that. Theres not a lot of not a sense to do that. You do that, and I dont think youre going to be running your company very well. So whats happening is were going to sign this. This is a little picture of it. It fits nicely in the box. I said, take it out of the box because people have to see. And all of this everything in here is really tremendous things for businesses, for people, for the middle class, for workers. And I consider this very much a bill for the middle class and a bill for jobs. And jobs are produced through companies and corporations, and you see that happening. Corporations are literally going wild over this, I think even beyond my expectations, so far beyond my expectations. So Ill sign this today rather than having a very big formal ceremony in two weeks when we were going to do it, because I didnt want you folks to say that I wasnt keeping my promise. I am keeping my promise. Im signing it before Christmas. I said that the bill would be on my desk before Christmas, and you are holding me literally to that, so we did a rush job today. Its not fancy, but its the Oval Office. Its the great Oval Office. And just to conclude: Our country is doing very well. Weve tremendously cut regulations. Legislative approvals, for which Im given no credit in the mainstream media we have, I believe, its 88, which is number one in the history of our country. Second now is Harry Truman. Harry Truman had more legislative approvals than any other President and a record long held. And we beat him on legislative approvals, for which I get no credit. A lot of people say he needed this because he has had no legislative approvals. Well, if you look at VA Accountability Act and so many other bills having to do with the VA; having to do with the military; having to do with many things we have more legislative victories than any other President, not including this. But this is the capper because this is, again, the biggest tax cut, the biggest reform of all time. So its an honor to have you with us, and we will sign this right now. This is something Im very proud of. Great for our country, great for the American people. Thank you all. (The bill is signed.) THE PRESIDENT: So we wont do the whole thing, but this is basically what it is. Thats your bill. And I want to thank some people in particular that arent here, because, again, we expected a formal ceremony in two weeks. But Mitch McConnell has been fantastic, worked so hard. He would speak at 3:00 in the morning and 2:00 in the morning. And we would speak whenever we had to speak. But he worked so hard. And the exact same thing can be said for Paul Ryan. They are very proud of this, and were already seeing the results. And as I said long before long ahead of schedule. Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, thank you very much. Orrin Hatch, the Chairman, made a beautiful speech the other day in front of the White House, an absolutely brilliant, beautiful speech. And we appreciated it, and I appreciated it. Hardworking. Kevin Brady, I dont think he slept for months. Its almost like thats all he did was this. Mike Enzi, Senator Enzi. Diane Black. Rob Portman the group of Rob Portman. Rob worked so hard; so knowledgeable on the subject. Pat Toomey, likewise. Tim Scott, likewise. John Thune, likewise. These people worked so hard. And I dont know if theyre given the proper credit. And the whole Senate when I say the Senate, unfortunately the Republicans in the Senate. Democrats dont like tax cuts. They want to raise your taxes; they dont want to lower your taxes. They want to raise your taxes, and they want to spend money foolishly on things that we dont need, in many cases. So were cutting taxes, were taking care of our military, and were taking care of people. And were really doing a job on jobs. So these folks have been so fantastic that I had to call them up and plenty of others, believe me. Republicans in the House and Republicans in the Senate have been incredible. So this is what we get. We had it, it was set to go. As soon as I get back from Christmas, where well be working in Florida Ill be working very hard during that Christmas because we have many things were talking about, including North Korea, including a lot of things happening in the Middle East, as you know. Weve made tremendous strides obviously in Syria, with ISIS. Weve taken back virtually all of the caliphate, all of the land. Same thing in Iraq. And were making tremendous strides its sort of the unwritten story right now. But since my speech on Afghanistan, were making tremendous progress, tremendous strides. Weve opened it up and its a whole different world in Afghanistan, I can tell you that. So Ill be working very hard over the holidays. Again, I want to wish you a very merry Christmas. I have some beautiful pens over here. And because all of these folks are either continuing to work down the road or getting ready to leave and Im sure theyll be working very hard also I think Im probably going to hand some of them to the press. The media would any of the media like any of oh, look at these camera guys. But I think well do that. So we have them. Many of you have worked very hard. Many of you have worked very, very fairly, and we really appreciate that. So here you go folks. You want the box with it, or not? Huh? Q Mr. President, can you talk a little bit about how much youll travel to sell this tax bill? THE PRESIDENT: I dont think Im going to have to travel too much to sell it. I think its selling itself. Its becoming very popular, but I think it will really youll see something on February 1st, when they open up the paycheck. Thats when youre going to start to see it. Because by signing it now, it kicks in for this year. Remember, if we didnt make a certain date, it wouldnt kick in until next year; meaning, the following year 19. And I wasnt happy with that. So we worked very, very hard to make sure it was this year. Even language originally said the corporate would kick in 19, but we didnt do that. We have it kicking in now, but we had to sign. So I dont think were going to have to do much selling. I think the corporations that are giving billions and billions of dollars away to their workers and many more are coming I think thats really whats selling this maybe better than anybody could, including myself. But I think come February, when they open their checks and they see, Wow, what happened? I have a lot more money in here I think thats really going to be something very special. So have a great holiday, folks. Some of you folks take I, in particular, like the boom holders. They were so nice to me the other day, right? (Laughter.) And the cameramen and the cameramen. Q Mr. President, as you mentioned, no Democrats have supported this tax cut legislation. Will they regret it? THE PRESIDENT: I think the Democrats will really regret the Democrats already regret it. You know, they have their typical thing Its for the rich. They know thats not true. And theyve been called out on it by the media, actually. But the Democrats very much regret it. They wanted to be a part of it; it just doesnt work out. But I really do believe and I said on social media today I really do believe were going to have a lot of bipartisan work done, and maybe we start with infrastructure, because I really believe infrastructure can be bipartisan. Weve spent $7 trillion in the Middle East, not to mention all of the lives and all of the heartache, and its so sad. Seven trillion dollars. Its time for us to rebuild our country. Thank you very much, everybody. Q Do you wish you wouldve started with infrastructure at the beginning of this year? Would that have sort of set the tone differently for people working together? THE PRESIDENT: Infrastructure is the easiest of all. Were very well on our way. Weve essentially repealed Obamacare. You know, the individual mandate is a very big factor in this bill, frankly. A lot of people dont talk about it because the tax code is so important. But infrastructure is by far the easiest. People want it Republicans and Democrats. Were going to have tremendous Democrat support on infrastructure, as you know. I could have started with infrastructure. I actually wanted to save the easy one for the one down the road. So well be having that done pretty quickly. Thank you all very much. Q Did you learn anything in this process that you think will help you in 2018? THE PRESIDENT: You know, one thing I really learned is, I learned, and got to know and became very friendly with, the people in the House, the people in the Senate both Republicans and Democrats. When I came, I didnt know too many. I was very politically active but I didnt know too many. I think the fact that Ive become with friends with so many of the names that I just read off, and so many of the senators, so many of the congressmen and women, I think thats a huge factor. I can call anybody now. I know every one of them very well. And I understand the legislation very well. So, you know, its been a process. Its been a great process. Really beautiful. But I do believe that the fact that I have gotten to know so many of these people and many of these people, I have to say not saying all, but Im saying many of these people are great people that truly love this country. So I think that helps. And I think youll see that in this legislation. Q Any regrets? THE PRESIDENT: No. Thank you very much. Thank you all. The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML. Ventura County, CA The Thomas Fire burning in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties has reached 281,620 acres and is 86 percent contained this morning. Over the weekend it secured the title of Largest Fire in state recorded history jumping the 2003 Cedar Fire in San Diego by 154 acres, which killed 15 people. The Thomas Fire began December 4th and no cause has yet been determined. The flames have destroyed more than a 1,000 structures with over 775 being homes, according to CAL Fire. The number of personnel battling the blaze has dropped from 2,512 to 1,586 including 116 fire engines, 61 fire crews, 26 water tenders, 19 dozers and 26 helicopters. The fire has claimed two lives. A memorial service was held on Saturday for firefighter, 32-year-old Cory Iverson, who was killed fighting the flames. Gov. Jerry Brown joined family, friends and colleagues gathered at a San Diego church to honor Iverson, who was stationed out of that city. As reported here, he has local ties to the Mother Lode, as back in 2015 he was based at the Columbia Air Attack and drove a Heli-tender truck. A woman was also killed in the blaze as she was fleeing the flames. Click here for the Top 20 Fire List. The government has been sending mixed signals over the acquisition of new planes from Malaysia that the state media once claimed were meant for the revival of Air Zimbabwe. However, it has since emerged that the planes are owned by a private company, Zimbabwe Airways, which is set to take to the skies soon. Zimbabwe Airways ownership is shrouded in secrecy amid claims that former president Robert Mugabes family owns the airline. Our senior reporter Xolisani Ncube (XN) last week spoke to Transport minister Jorum Gumbo in an exclusive interview, in an attempt to clear the air on the venture. Gumbo revealed that Zimbabwe Airways was an offshoot of a government initiative to acquire planes from Malaysia, but was owned by Zimbabweans based in the United Kingdom and Dubai. He also revealed why President Emmerson Mnangagwa chose to use Fly Africa instead of Air Zimbabwe during his maiden foreign trip to South Africa last Friday. XN: Minister, what is the government doing to rescue Air Zimbabwe? JG: The aviation industry is not performing well globally. It becomes worse with countries like Zimbabwe where we run our own Air Zimbabwe, which has not been performing well for years. I am glad to say despite all the challenges, Air Zimbabwe is now flying, but it has its problems. When I was appointed Transport minister, I discovered that its books were not really in good shape and even up to now, they are not in good shape. I then requested Cabinet to allow me to look for partners for Air Zimbabwe. In its own wisdom, Cabinet allowed me to look for partners for Air Zimbabwe. I listed down 12 companies, which included three airlines from Africa. These were Ethiopian Airways, Kenyan Airways and Air Egypt. I also looked beyond Africa, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Qatar, China Air, Singapore, Air Malaysia, Qantas and Lufthansa. Having done that, my negotiations started with the African airlines. the first snag then came in when they looked at the worthiness of Air Zimbabwe. They were not happy. I visited Ethiopia. I visited Kenya because I wanted an African arrangement, then I looked beyond Africa. The first port of call outside Africa was Malaysian Airways. When I visited Malaysian Airways, I discovered that they were not doing very well but they had already engaged PWC (Price Waterhouse Coopers) and were the ones who were running their affairs. So I decided to engage them to partner Air Zimbabwe. They declined because they found out that our financial position was not that attractive. They also raised their own problems; they had one plane, which was shot down and another one had disappeared and both these planes are 777-200 ER. Since there were quite a number of these planes, they decided to ground them. And they said if Zimbabwe was interested, they would sell us the 777-200 ER. And the arrangement was that we would pay them as we traded. I got interested, I then started negotiations and then reported back to government that I could clinch a deal here, but we had no money. I told Cabinet that this deal needed money; the Malaysian people wanted us to pay something. Air Zimbabwe could not afford to pay anything. XN: Were these efforts only about reviving Air Zimbabwe or there were other parallel processes? JG: I was disappointed after having gone this far with negotiations trying to capacitate Air Zimbabwe so that it could come back on its feet. I was doing all this with a team from Air Zimbabwe, and a team from the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe because my knowledge in this field is limited. We looked at the planes, we inspected them, our engineers and so forth and so on, we were pleased because some of these planes were five years old and the other two were 12 years old fairly new. We had managed to negotiate for a good price $70 million for four so I couldnt just let this go down just like that. The fortunate part is government had a proposal to engage our people in the diaspora. I was approached by former Air Zimbabwe pilots who are based in London and some are based in Dubai. They approached me and said they were interested in coming up with alternative planes to make sure that Zimbabwes colours remained in the air. I allowed them to do so. So I told the first group that approached me of this opportunity that had presented itself. I explained to them how far I had gone with negotiations and I wanted them to take it up from where I had left in negotiating for government. I wanted them to continue and I pledged to help them and play a facilitators role. That is what I did. They formed their own company called Zimbabwe Aviation Leasing Company and that is the group of people that I am assisting. Its a consortium of Zimbabweans, some of who are in Zimbabwe and are represented by a law firm called Philips Law. So this is the group of Zimbabweans to who I have surrendered all the work that I had done for the planes procurement in the hope that we would get money to capacitate Air Zimbabwe. XN: Zimbabwe Airways is what you are talking about? JG: Indeed, this is the company called Zimbabwe Airways or Zim Airways in short. XN: There have been reports that this company is owned by former president Robert Mugabe. Can you please explain his role there? JG: I categorically refuse and tell you that there is no connection whatsoever with the former president in this deal. I can tell you that on my first trip, with my team of eight people coming from Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe and Air Zimbabwe, we boarded the same plane with His Excellence when he was going to Singapore. He dropped us in Malaysia and we carried on with our journey and if that is the reason people are saying he owns the company, it is unfortunate. The former president of Zimbabwe has nothing to do with this (Zim Airways). XN: So what is your role now that Zimbabwe Airways is a private entity? JG: As minister of Transport and as someone who facilitated this deal, I am being briefed on developments here and there. As government, we are there to help the private sector and I am doing that. XN: When can we expect Zimbabwe Airways to take to the skies? JG: The deal is already finalised. What is happening at the moment is that the Zimbabwe Aviation Leasing Company has already managed to get two planes, which are now waiting to come to Zimbabwe. What they are now waiting for is the licence to fly. That is what they are working on at the moment. If that is done, they will come to Zimbabwe. They are also in the process of looking for smaller planes, which will do regional rounds. Locally they will fly to Victoria Falls, Bulawayo, Buffalo Range and so on and so forth and also in the region they will fly to the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia etc., which is excellent work if they do it. Right now as I speak to you, the four planes, which we had initially targeted for Air Zimbabwe, and then surrendered to this leasing company, are in the process of being moved to Zimbabwe. But two of the planes are already branded in Zimbabwean colours and the other two are under inspection by Zimbabwe Airways engineers. We are assisting them for the benefit of Zimbabwe, not individuals or for the benefit of the former president. For your information, I went into a flight test with these guys from the Zimbabwe Leasing Company, which we did and I am not leaving these people on their own because it is beneficial to Zimbabwe. I must facilitate for them. They are Zimbabweans who want to see Zimbabwe back on the international map. XN: Does the government have any tangible plans to revive Air Zimbabwe? JG: 100% my brother, we are still looking at modalities to capacitate it and ensure it flies again but we are hamstrung because of finances. We are going into the route of trying to lease; we want to lease some aircraft. I have advised the board to look at the possibility of leasing some aircraft and I think they are talking to some countries. XN: Last Friday President Emmerson Mnangagwa used Fly Africa for his trip to South Africa. Does this not contradict your position that the government is committed to reviving Air Zimbabwe, and what about reports that the presidents family is linked to Fly Africa? JG: Look, generally the bookings for the head of state and government, be it the current one or the former, are done by the Office of the President and Cabinet. We are not involved and they pay. However, in this case, Air Zimbabwe is operating with one plane and this is the peak season. Their flights are fully booked at the moment. Should you disturb their schedule just to accommodate the president or you look for an alternative? We have a desire to see Air Zimbabwe being viable and we opted to hire a plane, which was lying idle. Those guys at Fly Africa are not very active and we said, it is better to use their plane and pay something like $200 000 than to disturb Air Zimbabwe, which is trying to grow its market share and be a reliable airline in Africa. On the issue of Fly Africa being owned by people linked to the president or not, I have no information to that effect. All I know is that the airline is owned by white people but is registered in Zimbabwe. XN: So you can confirm the decision to use Fly Africa had nothing to do with alleged connections to the president? JG: As far as I know, it was the only airline, which was idle and affordable for the trip. We could not disturb our Air Zimbabwe and prejudice it in terms of long-term business benefits. Look, the single aircraft that flies to South Africa also goes to Bulawayo then to Victoria Falls and back to South Africa and then to Harare. This is a very crucial time, we have tourists coming into the country and we earn something as a country. We cant risk all that just to fly the president and get $200 000 or so from OPC. If you look at your economics there, you will realise that we did the right thing. The issue that as a country we should focus on is to have more planes that fly and are permitted to land outside the country. Our planes need retooling. They are old. We have the other plane, which is stuck in Egypt because we could not pay for the service, its a big challenge. XN: What is required to revive Air Zimbabwe? JG: We need something like $330 million to deal with the debt and I have moved that government assumes this debt so that we could give a new lease of life to the airline. Also, we have to deal with the staff and work culture at Air Zimbabwe, just like at all other parastatals. If you look at the debt itself, the big part is for workers who mismanaged the airline. It is very bad and draining government to be paying people who are doing nothing. We have to change that culture. XN: There is a picture circulating on social media of a mansion housing the Zimbabwe Airways offices and is said to be owned by your daughter Mavis Gumbo. What is the relationship between Mavis and Zimbabwe Airways? JG: It is unfortunate that as Zimbabweans, we have reduced ourselves to such levels. yes, it is true that Mavis is my daughter, she is the daughter of my brother and I am proud of her. Yes, it is true that she is a hardworking person who has a few properties and one of them is housing Zimbabwe Airways. However, I was not involved and I am not involved in the day to day operations of this private firm. By the way, this is a private company of Zimbabweans based outside the country, so my role is to facilitate trade for them. I understand that when they were looking for an office, they went to an estate agent who led them to Mavis property. They liked the place and entered into private arrangements with the estate agent. I have never set foot at those offices because it is not even a state company, but a private thing, which I am just helping, like I would do for you if you were to start your own airline. XN: Do you think Zimbabwe Airways will survive the negative publicity around its ownership? JG: What I think the Zimbabwe Aviation Leasing Company have to do, is to market themselves, which I know they are doing. They have already given me their business plan. I know that they are working with Boeing and also PwC and are being advised on what to do. I dont think they will fail. I know that they are also putting up offices at Robert Mugabe International Airport for ticketing and so on and so forth. So the moment they are ready with their things, they must then move and market themselves as Zim Airways, which is different from Air Zimbabwe just like FastJet. XN: What does the coming in of the new airline mean for Air Zimbabwe? JG: Air Zimbabwe is our baby and it will continue to operate as a national airline and we are doing everything to capacitate it. The unfortunate thing about Air Zimbabwe right now is that it has very aged planes and as you might know, they are even banned from flying some of their planes in some countries. Even to countries like South Africa, only one aircraft is allowed to fly to South Africa. More so, we cannot fly to Europe because of the age of our planes and other debt issues. The truth of the matter, which we need to solve very fast, is that Air Zimbabwes aircraft is now too old. XN: Does the government take any responsibility for the demise of Air Zimbabwe? Mugabe used to commandeer planes and this played a role in crippling the airline. JG: For your own information, the former president is one of the people who kept Air Zimbabwe alive, each time he flew, he would pay. At no time did the Office of the President and Cabinet fail to pay. In fact, OPC pays in advance and this has been the norm over the years. They charter the plane and the OPC pays for it. Its not like Air Zimbabwe does it for free. To say government crippled Air Zimbabwe would be unfortunate. The issue is poor management and poor work ethic, which has caused most parastatals to collapse. Also, in the case of Air Zimbabwe, old equipment and debts, I am talking about international debts, which have resulted in us not going to London. We need to settle all those things and I hope this new government will deal with that. The Standard Breaking News via Email 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 Breaking News via Email 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 TWENTYYEAR-OLD model Tapuwanashe Manyange was on Saturday crowned Miss Legacy Zimbabwe queen, shrugging off stiff competition from 14 other contestants at a poorly attended event at 7 Arts Theatre in Harare. The Hwange-based model, who is signed with Size 4 Modelling Agency, is set to receive $1 000, while first and second princess Anita Kubie (30) and Eustas Gomba (24) will pocket $700 and $500 respectively. In an interview with NewsDay, soon after her crowning, an excited and overwhelmed Manyange said she will spend part of her prize on food and clothes as Christmas presents for children in the village under her Save Children Foundation. I feel honoured winning at such a competitive pageant that was full of tall and beautiful models. I am motivated to take my modelling career seriously by participating at international pageants, she said. Manyange, the reigning Miss Summer Victoria Falls queen, saluted her mother, whom she described as her pillar of strength because of her resilience. Pageant founder, Pauline Rumbidzai Mapuvire of Giagine Modelling Agency, said through Miss Legacy Zimbabwe, she was devoted to uplift and empower the girl child by giving them a chance to pursue their dreams. Unlike other pageants, with Miss Legacy Zimbabwe we accommodate everyone, as long they are in modelling shape as we seek to empower and give a chance to the girl child and make positive change in their lives, she said. Apart from our commitment to empower the girl child, we also want to resurrect the legacy of the country in terms of culture, norms and values, food, dressing and language which may be left to extinction if something is not done to restore it. Mapuvire said she was not bothered much about the poor turn out, as the pageant was still in its infancy, adding there was room for improvement. This is the first edition of the pageant and I have learnt a lot in terms of organising. We are set to go big, next year and if everything goes according to the script will host Miss Legacy Africa as we have received several calls from other countries keen to partner us for the continental pageant, she said. Mapuvire said as a way of making a difference in society through modelling, they would channel part of the proceeds from the pageant towards cancer initiatives in the country. Apart from the modelling extravaganza held under the theme Embracing Our Culture, guests were entertained by artistes including Ba Shupi, Mzimba, Terry Africa and Gwenyambira. Newsday Breaking News via Email PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday disclosed that he resolved to renew his Christian life, having spent the better part of his life in the political wilderness after being initiated into nationalist party politics during his teens. Addressing congregants at the Mabelreign Methodist Assembly in Harare, Mnangagwa disclosed that he was born and raised in a Christian family and would now want to reconnect with his Creator. We came to church today (yesterday) because this is where I was born. Since the 1940s, I have always been a member of the Methodist Church. We migrated to the then Northern Rhodesia now Zambia and went to Kafue Mission, which is also a Methodist institution. I left church to concentrate on the war (liberation struggle). When we came back from the war, I briefly attended church here when I stayed in Tynwald, he said. Known for intermittent quoting of Biblical stories and verses that he relates to political situations, Mnangagwa said he has constant arguments with First Lady Auxillia, who was also in attendance, over Christianity. We are always arguing at home with the First Lady over church attendance. I am convinced that one can pray to God from anywhere and He will hear them, but she is of a different opinion. She wants us to join others in church. I will try to continue attending. I was persuaded maybe three times to attend church in Kwekwe. I am very happy to be here and hope we will continue to come here, the President said. Auxillia, according to Mnangagwa, was an attested member of the Methodist Church Womens Guild. The First Lady, in brief remarks, pleaded with congregants to work with us. I do not have many words, I am one of you and have moved from Kwekwe. Please let us work together, she said. Mnangagwa (75), who joined the liberation struggle as a teenager in the early 1960s, was arrested for sabotage by the Rhodesian regime and jailed for over 10 years after being spared the death penalty due to his age. After his release, Mnangagwa was deported to Zambia before he joined the liberation struggle in Mozambique. Since independence in 1980, he has served in various government portfolios under former President Robert Mugabe, including as Vice-President from 2014 to November 6 this year when he was summarily dismissed before taking over from his mentor on November 24, following a military intervention that forced Zimbabwes 37-year ruler to step down. NewsDay Breaking News via Email By Lambert Strether of Corrente. I have happy childhood memories of Christmas, but todays watered-down Saturnalia leaves me unenthused; I think I turned off when (loathesome, secular, treacly) Christmas carols started playing in the stores right after Halloween. So I guess Im a bit of a Grinch. Not that theres anything wrong with that: santa: -owns slaves -stalks children, watches them at all times -needs 9 reindeer to haul his fat ass the grinch: -works only with his trusty dog -ostracized from society, but forgives them from their sins anyway -asexual icon -dismantled a corrupt capitalist institution memes? (@memeproviderz) December 25, 2017 Be that as it may, todays post is a collection of stocking stuffers, mostly gathered from the Twitter (the stockings being the usual categories). Im also leaving comments on, just because it seems a shame to turn them off entirely, but I must ask or rather tell you: Behave excellently to each other. Our comment moderation crew is lighter than usual, and nobody wants to return from the joys of the holiday to some sort of blazing inferno. Thank you! * * * Politics The War on Christmas Data: A giant database tracked American English usage for decades and youll be totally like whatever about what it shows pic.twitter.com/O4QAA0VJjN Philip N Cohen (@familyunequal) December 25, 2017 Anecdote: We said Merry Christmas to each other at church tonight and against dinner. You know, the word hero gets thrown around a lot, but sometimes it just fits. FaintGlimmerofHopehat (@Popehat) December 25, 2017 Without spellcheck, we made stupid mistakes. With spellcheck, we make mistakes that are stupid only after a second look. A History of the War on Christmas [Snopes]. Realignment and Legitimacy After Going from Church to Church Seeking Help, A Mexican Family Finds Sanctuary in Philadelphia [The Intercept]. Room at the inn. Stats Watch Retail: Word of the day: Jolabokaflo lit. Yule book-flood; Icelandic tradition whereby people give books to each other in the months running up to Christmas & especially on Christmas Eve, when books received as gifts are read late into the night. pic.twitter.com/LfB8y1sj9O Robert Macfarlane (@RobGMacfarlane) December 24, 2017 Imperial Collapse Watch The incredible true story of when WWI stopped for enemy armies to celebrate Christmas together [Business Insider]. Huddled in their trenches on Christmas Eve, soldiers on both sides across the entire Western frontline celebrated the holiday as best as they could. Soon, all along the frontline combatants began to leave their trenches without their weapons, and meet enemy soldiers in no mans land. What followed was an amazing episode for humanity; enemies who were just hours ago slaughtering each other at a level unseen in human history, were talking, singing, dancing, and eating together as if they were friends. The better angels of our nature Dear Old Blighty Shot: I never truly feel the Christmas spirit until I see the "Tony Blair being held back from attacking you in the pub" card pic.twitter.com/gyke6ssb0K Dean Van Nguyen (@deanvannguyen) December 18, 2017 Chaser: This Christmas, whenever you can, show people love and show them you care. pic.twitter.com/8sLSx5PlfH Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) December 24, 2017 Black Injustice Tipping Point You can follow the Erica Garner account for updates on her condition: The Garner/Snipes family wants to thank you all for your prayers and support. At this moment there are no updates on Ericas condition. They ask that you take this holiday to enjoy your loved ones and for self care. More updates will come as they are available. officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) December 25, 2017 Last word is that she had a heart attack, and is in a coma. Im a believer in Matthew 6:5-6, so Im not a Pray for ____ enthusiast on social media. But if you are a believer, do consider sending your private thoughts and prayers Ericas way. Christmas and Resistance to Slavery in the Americas [Black Perspectives]. Yet, [Frederick] Douglass rightfully criticized the double-edged purpose of this seeming autonomy, arguing that the holidays were among the most effective means in the hands of the slaveholder in keeping down the spirit of insurrectionThese holidays serve as conductors, or safety-valves, to carry off the rebellious spirit of enslaved humanityThe holidays are part and parcel of the gross fraud, wrong, and inhumanity of slavery. Class Warfare Capitalism is losing support. It is time for a new deal [Zac Tate, World Economic Forum]. News of the Wired Pantry Clearout of Silly Jokes (1): When hymns take their own advice: pic.twitter.com/8AaRqx8XRg Lutheran Satire (@LutheranSatire) December 21, 2017 Pantry Clearout of Silly Jokes (2): Woke up to two feet of snow. pic.twitter.com/FCaIt9z3dI You Had One Job (@YouHadOneJ0B) December 22, 2017 Pantry Clearout of Silly Jokes (3), for the techies: He's making a database He's sorting it twice SELECT * from contacts WHERE behavior = 'nice' SQL Clause is coming to town Circuit Static (@circuitstatic) December 24, 2017 * * * RIP James Brown, May 3, 1933 December 25, 2006: * * * Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, pleas s e place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here . Todays plant ( via ): Im declaring Portland, Maines lobster trap tree an honorary plant. (Rockland has one, too.) * * * Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the NC fundraiser. So do feel free to use the dropdown and click the hat to make a contribution today or any day. Here is why: Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of small donations helps me with expenses, and I factor that trickle in when setting fundraising goals. So if you see something you especially appreciate, do feel free to click the hat! (Natural News) The head of an Orange County, California-based private equity group is convinced that Bitcoin is in the throes of a major crash. Eric Schiffer, the CEO of Patriarch Equity, says that Bitcoins incredibly high prices as of late are a clear sign that things are about to hit the fan for the popular cryptocurrency, resulting in many investors losing big time. Rising in price from under $1,000 back in January, to nearly $20,000 today, Bitcoins bullish run has been nothing short of tremendous as far as investment instruments are concerned. But its days are numbered, believes Schiffer, who is taking to the media to warn people that things could get ugly and fast. I dont want people to walk through what is going to be the bloodiest financial danger of the 21st century, Schiffer is quoted as saying. Despite Bitcoin critics warning all year long that Bitcoin was going to crash, the digital currency has only continued to become more popular and more valuable. Just a few weeks ago, the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) opened the gates to a Bitcoin futures market, which has driven more investors into the pool. But all of this success somehow points to impending failure, in Schiffers view. He warns that people should avoid Bitcoin like the plague, as getting anywhere near it could mean putting ones savings account and even family at risk of financial fallout. I think bitcoin is a tower of death,' Schiffer says. It is going to result in the imminent death of your investment a thermonuclear death. Right now we are looking at a financial bubble that is bigger than the tulip craze and I believe that we are headed for a bitcoin crash that will supersede any financial worries of the 21st century, he added. People are going to be shocked when they try to liquify their bitcoins. Anti-Bitcoin critic calls cryptocurrency Vegas-style gamble, money monster In defending the technology platform upon which Bitcoin was built, Schiffer says he believes that cryptocurrency is the wave of the future. But he isnt convinced that Bitcoin is the way to go, nor does he believe that it will remain as the crypto leader moving into the future. Bitcoin is going to go through an extinction level event, he insists, referring to Bitcoin in terms of being a Vegas-style gamble and a money monster. What will happen is that a new competitor will emerge to one day take over. When this thing crashes, it will be the pilots jumping the Hindenburg and when it does, it will be a financial nuke going off. Jamie Dimon, the head of JPMorgan Chase, completely agrees with Schiffer. The head of this infamous financial dynasty is perhaps one of Bitcoins biggest critics even more so than Schiffer having recently stated that people who purchase Bitcoin are stupid. When asked by the media to explain himself, Dimon refused, stating that he was not going to talk about bitcoin anymore because its a fraud. Others like Jordan Hiscott from Ayondo Markets hold a very different view. Hiscott sees immense and growing demand for Bitcoin that he believes will only continue to drive its price increasingly higher. Hiscott does not see a financial crash for Bitcoin looming on the horizon, and he says that its biggest problem may simply be defining its purpose in the world. The demand for the asset remains highly elevated and the fact that you can now trade it on an exchange means its open to a wider audience, he says. Im pretty sure Bitcoin will be $20,000 by the end of the year, but for it to be truly successful, it will need to decide whether its a genuine means of exchange or just a digital store of value. Sources for this article include: Express.co.uk BitRaped.com CNBC.com (Natural News) A math teacher in the U.K. is out of a job because he told two students well done girls, which he described as a slip of the tongue. Using the language in question, he was praising them for their hard work. The teacher, Joshua Sutcliffe, apologized to one of the teens, a transgender student who reportedly identifies as male, but wound up being suspended by the school while it conducted an investigation. Shortly thereafter, the Oxfordshire-based school determined Sutcliffe, 27, had misgendered the student and engaged in discrimination, resulting in his dismissal. In response, Sutcliffe described the schools equality policies as totalitarian in a letter to the headmaster in which he also said he was going to sue, Metro of the U.K. reported. The teacher also explained that hes not on board with the transgenderism ideology that encourages gender self-selection because it is not in the best interests of children. Sutcliffe also works as a pastor as a local Christian church and in that context, he maintains that his classroom activities were appropriate, the Daily Mail reported. I had always tried to respect the pupil and keep a professional attitude as well as my integrity, but it seemed to me that the school was trying to force me to adhere to its liberal, [Leftist] agenda While the suggestion that gender is fluid conflicts sharply with my Christian beliefs, I recognize my responsibility as a teacher and Christian to treat each of my pupils with respect. I have balanced these factors by using the pupils chosen name, and although I did not intentionally refer to the pupil as a girl, I do not believe it is unreasonable to call someone a girl if they were born a girl. The school also reportedly shut down a bible club that Sutcliffe ran for 100-plus students. The incident suggests that political correctness may be more rampant in the United Kingdom than it is in the U.S., if thats even possible. On both sides to the Atlantic, the progressive movement for whatever reason has elevated transgender rights to the top or near the top of its political/cultural agenda, and gender identity/fluidity curriculum has even made its way into the public schools. (Related: Read more about gender issues at Rational.News.) In April, NaturalNews founding editor Mike Adams wrote, You cant believe in biological transgenderism and science at the same time. He argued that if you believe in science, then you must agree with the genetic reality that gender expression in humans is binary. Sutcliffe has the backing of the Christian Legal Centre in the U.K., which insists that he never received any formal training about how to refer to that particular pupil. In the clip below from ITV, watch Joshua Sutcliffe describe what happened in the November 2 incident and its aftermath and outline his personal convictions under somewhat hostile/condescending questioning and draw your own conclusions. Sources include: DailyCaller.com Metro.co.uk DailyMail.co.uk ChristianConcern.com (Natural News) People who need to wait for results deal with their worry in different ways. They either distract themselves or try to stay positive; some even brace for the worst and for good reason: According to research, the wait for potentially bad news is often as hard as actually receiving it. Kate Sweeny, University of California Riversides (UCR) worry and waiting expert, looked into the effectiveness of these techniques in her research. The results of the study had determined that they are not as effective and that they can even backfire and make it worse. However, Sweenys research has unearthed something that can help. These ineffective strategies can be supplemented with mindfulness meditation, or focusing on the present using meditation. (Related: Mindfulness meditation improves decision-making skills.) Research funded by the National Science Foundation confirms that mindfulness can address the curse of waiting. This curse starts when we get so fixated on the past or future, and we keep asking questions like Why did I say that? and What if things dont go my way? Sweeny said, We try to predict our fate and regain a sense of certainty and control over our life. She continued, We know from lots of research that rumination (repetitive thoughts about the past) and worry (repetitive thoughts about the future) are quite unpleasant and even harmful to our health and well-being, so its important to seek solutions to this painful form of mental time-travel. She then advised worrywarts to concentrate on the present and acknowledge your thoughts and feelings as they arise instead of trying to avoid them. This can help you deal with your emotions differently and more effectively. The study involved 150 California law students who were waiting for the results of the bar exam, which was scheduled to be posted online after four months. The students were asked to accomplish a series of questionnaires during the four-month waiting period. During their wait, the students were also invited to participate in a 15-minute audio-guided meditation session at least once a week. Sweeny determined that mindfulness meditation helped postpone the phenomenon of bracing, which is defined as the act of preparing for the worst. In earlier studies, other researchers, including Sweeny, had proven that bracing was an effective technique to manage expectations. However, there are no benefits to bracing when it occurs too early in the waiting process. She adds that while optimism can feel good, its not enough to prepare us for when we have to listen to bad news. This is the right time to practice bracing. While the benefits of mindfulness meditation have already been proven before, Sweeny shared that this is the first of its kind to show its effectiveness in situations when an individual has to wait. She continued that while meditation is one way to reduce stress on a daily basis, their study is a pioneer when it comes to determining if it also makes it easier to wait for personally significant news. The study was also the first that isolated a strategy that helps people wait better. It also reveals that brief and infrequent meditation can be helpful. Sweeny added that the mindfulness tactic doesnt require training and money and that it only needs minimal time and effort. Sweeny shared, Meditation isnt for everyone, but our study shows that you dont have to be a master meditator or go to a silent meditation retreat to benefit from mindfulness. She concluded, Even 15 minutes once a week, which was the average amount of meditation practiced by our participants, was enough to ease the stress of waiting. A beginners guide to mindfulness and meditation If youre curious about mindfulness and meditation, heres a simple guide to get you started: Find a quiet space and set aside some time to meditate. Observe the present moment without judgment. While meditating, simply let your judgments pass. Keep returning to the present moment. Be patient and simply let your mind wander, then bring it back on track gently. You can learn more about meditation and mental health at Mind.news. Sources include: UCRToday.UCR.edu Mindfulness.org (Natural News) Studies have shown that air pollution can negatively impact our respiratory health, and researchers from the University of Washington (UW) have recently discovered another adverse side effect of air pollution. Toxic air seems to affect mental health, especially if there is a high level of particulates in the air. Anjum Hajat, an assistant professor of epidemiology in the UW School of Public Health, said, This is really setting out a new trajectory around the health effects of air pollution. Hajat continued, The effects of air pollution on cardiovascular health and lung diseases like asthma are well established, but this area of brain health is a newer area of research. An individuals residence is a significant factor when it comes to health and quality of life. Scientists have determined so-called social determinants of physical and mental well-being, like access to healthy foods from local grocers, proximity to nature, or neighborhood security. Air pollution is also linked to behavior changes, such as spending less time outdoors or a more inactive lifestyle, which can be connected to psychological distress or social isolation. The UW study searched for a direct link between toxic air and mental health by examining data from 6,000 respondents from a larger, national, longitudinal study called the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. The scientists then combined an air pollution database with records from the neighborhoods of all the survey participants. The team looked into measurements of fine particulate matter, which is a substance that comes from car engines, fireplaces and wood stoves, and power plants fueled by coal or natural gas. Since fine particulate matter is less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, it is easily inhaled. This means it can be absorbed into the bloodstream, making it an even bigger risk than larger particles. The current safety standard for fine particulates is 12 micrograms per cubic meter, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The researchers from UW studied the time frame between 1999 and 2011, and survey respondents resided in neighborhoods that contained fine particulates which measured 2.16 to 24.23 micrograms per cubic meter. The average level of fine particulates was 11.34. Survey questions related to the UW study measured the participants feelings of sadness, nervousness, hopelessness and the like, and these were scored using a scale that determined psychological distress. (Related: Air pollution linked to anxiety symptoms covered up by mind-damaging psych drugs.) Based on the results, the risk of psychological distress was higher whenever the amount of fine particulate matter in the air increased. Researchers controlled for other physical, behavioral and socioeconomic factors that might alter an individuals mental health like chronic health conditions, unemployment and excessive drinking. Primary author Victoria Sass, a graduate student in the Department of Sociology, stressed that some patterns which surfaced, such as race and gender, require further study. This emphasized the need to look into the reason why air pollution affects mental health in specific populations, especially since it was beyond the confines of their research. Sass commented, Our society is segregated and stratified, which places an unnecessary burden on some groups. She added, Even moderate levels can be detrimental to health. Tips to prevent air pollution Now that the link between air pollution and mental health has been established, here are some tips to lower air pollution: Reduce the air pollution of your vehicle If youre going out for a drive, dont leave your car idle. When possible, combine trips, telecommute or carpool. You can also ride a bicycle, walk or commute. If youre going out for a drive, dont leave your car idle. When possible, combine trips, telecommute or carpool. You can also ride a bicycle, walk or commute. Save energy Always unplug appliances when theyre not in use. Always unplug appliances when theyre not in use. Use eco-friendly products at home Purchase household products that are free from harmful chemicals. Purchase household products that are free from harmful chemicals. Plant more trees Trees near your home and in your neighborhood can help minimize reduce air pollutants. Trees near your home and in your neighborhood can help minimize reduce air pollutants. Purchase sustainable products Buy products from companies that follow sustainable manufacturing practices and help reduce air pollution. Read more articles on how to minimize air pollution at GreenLivingNews.com. Sources include: Washington.edu GreenTumble.com Despite the efforts of a group of boat-savvy Philadelphia students, Mother Nature kept "George Washington" and his "troops" on land this Christmas. The annual Christmas Day trip across the Delaware River from Pennsylvania to New Jersey didn't happen due to strong winds. The rest of the reenactment went on as planned in front of hundreds of bundled up people. Costumes ready to go at Washington Crossing re-enactment, but winds preventing crossing today pic.twitter.com/AHC0YRlRtO Lauren Mayk (@Laurenjmayk) December 25, 2017 "We were advised by the (marine patrol) out in the boats that they didn't think it was safe to cross," Friends of Washington Crossing Park spokesman Andy Smith said. The National Weather Service said winds had been gusting to 45 or 50 mph or even a bit more in southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The winds could have been even stronger on the water with a lack of trees and a channeling effect, meteorologist Chad Shafer said. "Reenactors are always disappointed when they can't cross, but safety is always the most important thing," Smith said by phone as a fife and drum played in the background. "We don't want to put anyone in danger out on the water." Washington Crossing Christmas Day 2017 Organizers had feared shallow water, rather than wind, would prevent Monday's crossing. The low water levels in the river between Pennsylvania and New Jersey would have made it impossible for reenactors to navigate their wooden Durham boats. Philadelphia Waterborne, a nonprofit that teaches boat-building skills to middle- and high-school students, let the organizers borrow six handmade, 12-foot rowboats for the crossing. The boats only draw about 6 inches of water, meaning they could get across the river under current conditions. Philadelphia students stepped in to save a Christmas tradition this year after a river posed a problem. NBC10s George Spencer explains the effort. The crossing is usually the highlight of the annual, free event. Boats ferried 2,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 18 cannons across the river from what is now Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, to Titusville, New Jersey, during the original crossing in 1776. Washington's troops marched about eight miles downriver before battling Hessian mercenaries in the streets of Trenton, considered a turning point in the Revolutionary War. 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. Police in Easton, Massachusetts are investigating the shooting of a 50-year-old man inside of his home early Christmas morning. Police Chief Gary Sullivan reported that police and fire responded to a private residence on Massapoag Avenue just before 3 a.m. on Monday for reports of a person shot. Upon arrival they were directed to a pool house in the rear of the Home. The victim had been shot twice by an assailant who allegedly fired into the pool house from the outside. The victim had been struck once in the shoulder and once in the side of his torso. He was transported to an area hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries. The identify of the victim is not known at this time. Police believe that this was a targeted incident and not an act of random violence. No word has been released on a possible suspect at this time. "We do not believe that there is an active threat or danger to the community," said Sullivan, "but we are always asking residents to be vigilant. If you see something, say something." Anyone with information relevant to the investigation can contact police at 508-230-3322. 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. A Texas man has been sentenced to five years in prison after a jury found him guilty of sending threatening Facebook messages to a judge. The Sulphur Springs News-Telegram reported that Robert Alan Hawkins was found guilty and sentenced by a visiting judge this week. Hawkins was charged after sending several threatening Facebook messages to District Judge Eddie Northcutt in December 2016 and January 2017 including a picture of ISIS soldiers about to execute hostages and a comment that this was the "next step." Hawkins had previously sent letters to Northcutt saying the judge and Hopkins County, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) northeast of Dallas, were corrupt. Hawkins said he sent the messages to force the county to arrest him so he could expose the corruption during his trial. A California Highway Patrol officer was killed in the line of duty on southbound Interstate 880 in Hayward on Christmas Eve after being rear-ended by a suspected drunk driver, officials say. The slain officer, identified as Andrew Camilleri, 33, of Tracy, leaves behind his parents, siblings, a wife, a 12-year-old daughter, and two sons, ages 6 and 2. His partner, Jonathan Velasquez, survived the wreck with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Asst. Chief Ernest Sanchez. "This is not the way we wanted to celebrate Christmas Day," Sanchez said. "It's definitely not the way we wanted the community to think of the 2017 Christmas holiday, but today's not a holiday for the highway patrol. Today is the tragic loss of one of our own." The collision was first reported around 11:30 p.m. Sunday near State Route 92 and the Winton Avenue on-ramp. A red Cadillac, which was being driven by a 22-year-old man at "a very high rate of speed," veered into the shoulder of the road, ramming into the right side of the CHP patrol vehicle, Sanchez said. "The impact was so severe that it turned a utility vehicle into a very small compact vehicle," Sanchez said. Camilleri and Velasquez, who was seated in the driver's seat, were participating in the department's Maximum Enforcement Patrol to ensure the safety of motorists during the holiday season. The driver, a Hayward resident, was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, most likely marijuana. Sanchez said he believes that the suspect was "coming home from a party and had obviously had too much to drink and maybe too much to smoke." The man, who "chose to be irresponsible" and is hospitalized in serious condition, will face a slew of felony charges upon his release from the hospital, Sanchez said. "This needs to stop," he said. "Too many tragedies have happened and today, Im not only disappointed, but also angered" about having to deliver such heartbreaking news to an unsuspecting family. Camilleri's children "were expecting (their) father to come home and help open Christmas presents," Sanchez said. Instead, he was pronounced dead at St. Rose Hospital. Capt. Tim Pearson, commander of the CHP office in Hayward, fondly recalled Camilleri, who joined the department in Aug. 2016. "Being a CHP officer is a calling," Pearson said. "Andrew was drawn to this profession due to his courage, integrity and his desire to serve. Andrew was a great man who loved his job and loved his family." Footage from the scene shows debris littering the roadway, while both cars are severely mangled. Rep. Eric Swalwell, Cal Fire, and other local law enforcement agencies took to social media to express their condolences. Gov. Jerry Brown released a statement, which said in part: "Anne and I are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic loss of Officer Camilleri, who died yesterday while working to keep our communities safe," Brown said."We join his family, friends and the entire California Highway Patrol in mourning his death and in honoring his sacrifice." A car mechanic, who on Dec. 4 credited his dog with saving his life during a dispute about an Oakland parking space, was shot dead Friday. Jimmy Martinez, 54, had relocated his RV in which he lived with his pup, Chata to 600 block of 8th Avenue, according to the East Bay Times. That's where he was killed around 9:30 p.m. when he emerged from the vehicle to fill some water jugs, the newspaper reported. Chata had been left inside the RV. Martinez got into an altercation with someone, police told the East Bay Times. He was pronounced dead at the scene, but the alleged killer got away before officers arrived. Investigators are looking at the Dec. 4 shooting, the newspaper said, to determine if there are any connections between the two crimes. So far, no suspects have been named in either case. A mechanic who was shot Monday over a dispute about an East Oakland parking space says his dog saved his life. Scott Budman reports. Martinez and Chata, a 4-year-old pit bull mix, first made headlines earlier this month after being attacked by someone who ordered Martinez to move his RV, according to a statement by the nonprofit People, Animals, Love and Support East Bay (PALS). An argument occurred on the 4700 block of E. 12th Street around 12 p.m., police said. The man pistol whipped Martinez in the head and then opened fire, striking Martinez in the hand, police said. Hearing the commotion, Chata bolted out of the RV, only to be shot twice in the face, PALS East Bay said. The man then fled. Martinez was taken to a hospital and was in stable condition. PALS East Bay said two bullets entered the dogs mouth and exited her body through her jaw and neck respectively. Although Chata was stable after having undergone emergency surgery, bullet fragments had been left behind. They needed to be taken out so Chatas wounds could be treated, the nonprofit pet assistance group said. A GoFundMe fundraiser helped collect $8,500 for Chata's medical treatment after the Dec. 4 shooting. On Friday, Chata was given to Martinez's relatives. The East Bay Times reported that she seemed calm. PALS East Bay hopes someone will offer to adopt Chata and people interested in doing so can send an email to palseastbay@gmail.com. Martinez's death marks Oakland's 74th homicide. At this time last year, the police department had investigated 82 homicides, the East Bay Times said. What to Know One person was found dead in their high rise apartment unit after a Christmas morning fire One firefighter was also taken to hospital after the Manhattan apartment fire Firefighters faced multiple challenges, including high winds and slow elevators A 76-year-old man is dead after a fire broke out on one of the top floors of a Manhattan high rise apartment Christmas morning. Fire officials say 170 firefighters responded after smoke was seen pouring from the windows of the 36-floor apartment at 211 West 56th Street about 7:30 a.m. JOhn Doktor was found dead when they arrived -- the owner of the apartment on the 35th floor where the fire started. The cause of the fire was deemed accidental from smoking, according to the FDNY. Two firefighters were also injured in the blaze, one of whom was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Firefighters faced several challenges in fighting the flames, officials said. High winds made containing the fire difficult, while slow elevators meant after getting to level 25, firefighters had to walk the last 10 flights with all their gear. "It was a heavy, wind-driven fire," Assistant Chief Joe Woznica said of the two-alarm blaze that sent smoke billowing toward a blue sky. He added that the conditions made it "pretty hot and dangerous" for the 25 fire department units that responded to the scene. Multiple fire trucks were seen on the street below, and witness video showed flames coming out one of the windows. By 9 a.m. the fire was still not under control, fire officials said. The Carnegie Mews Apartments are just blocks away from Carnegie Hall and Central Park. Comedian Jackie Mason's daughter, Sheba, told the New York Post that she lives on building's sixth floor and was woken abruptly and told to rush out. "I'm wearing my pajamas," she said as sirens blared around her. Despite the efforts of a group of boat-savvy Philadelphia students, Mother Nature kept "George Washington" and his "troops" on land this Christmas. The annual Christmas Day trip across the Delaware River from Pennsylvania to New Jersey didn't happen due to strong winds. The rest of the reenactment went on as planned in front of hundreds of bundled up people. Costumes ready to go at Washington Crossing re-enactment, but winds preventing crossing today pic.twitter.com/AHC0YRlRtO Lauren Mayk (@Laurenjmayk) December 25, 2017 "We were advised by the (marine patrol) out in the boats that they didn't think it was safe to cross," Friends of Washington Crossing Park spokesman Andy Smith said. The National Weather Service said winds had been gusting to 45 or 50 mph or even a bit more in southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The winds could have been even stronger on the water with a lack of trees and a channeling effect, meteorologist Chad Shafer said. Boats that saved the day with low water levels staying on land today for annual Washington Crossing due to winds pic.twitter.com/zXulesn5PT Lauren Mayk (@Laurenjmayk) December 25, 2017 "Reenactors are always disappointed when they can't cross, but safety is always the most important thing," Smith said by phone as a fife and drum played in the background. "We don't want to put anyone in danger out on the water." Washington Crossing Christmas Day 2017 Organizers had feared shallow water, rather than wind, would prevent Monday's crossing. The low water levels in the river between Pennsylvania and New Jersey would have made it impossible for reenactors to navigate their wooden Durham boats. Philadelphia Waterborne, a nonprofit that teaches boat-building skills to middle- and high-school students, let the organizers borrow six handmade, 12-foot rowboats for the crossing. The boats only draw about 6 inches of water, meaning they could get across the river under current conditions. Philadelphia students stepped in to save a Christmas tradition this year after a river posed a problem. NBC10s George Spencer explains the effort. The crossing is usually the highlight of the annual, free event. Boats ferried 2,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 18 cannons across the river from what is now Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, to Titusville, New Jersey, during the original crossing in 1776. Washington's troops marched about eight miles downriver before battling Hessian mercenaries in the streets of Trenton, considered a turning point in the Revolutionary War. California's legal pot market opens for business on Jan. 1. The day will be a milestone, but what exactly will happen then and, especially, in the weeks and months to come is unclear. Lori Ajax is the state's top pot regulator and has been at the center of the effort to establish rules for a legal pot economy valued at $7 billion. Here's her thoughts on what to expect: ___ Q. It's a question many people are asking: Can I buy legal pot on Jan. 1? A. Well, maybe. "You will, in certain areas of the state," Ajax says. Businesses are required to have a local permit and a state license to open their doors for recreational sales, and that process has moved slowly. So far, there is not a consistent pattern in the geography of legal pot. Kern County, for example, has banned all commercial cannabis activity. But Oakland, Santa Cruz, Shasta Lake and San Diego are among the cities that have embraced it and have licensed operators that will open Jan. 1. San Francisco is running late getting licenses out, so legal sales there are not expected to start until later that week. It's still up in the air whether Los Angeles, the biggest market in California, will have any retail outlets open on the first day of legalization. Q. If you can get legal pot on Jan. 1, where can you smoke it? A. First rule, not in public, Ajax says. Another general guideline: Don't smoke anywhere where tobacco is prohibited. State law has specific guidelines for where not to light up, and they include being within 1,000 feet (300 meters) of a school or a daycare center when kids are around, or smoking while driving. However, the state has left it up to local governments to determine if they want to permit onsite consumption at retailers. So it will be city-by-city whether you can buy and light up on the spot. Q. This is going to be a big transition, transforming the lightly regulated medical industry and the vast illegal market into a legal pot economy. How will it roll out? A. With ups and downs. "That transition period is going to be an adjustment for a lot of folks," Ajax says. The industry -- medical and illegal -- has existed for years with little or no regulation. Now, growers and sellers are facing a range of new state and local rules, including hefty new taxes. Consumers who want to make a purchase will have to check their local rules, which can vary. The state expects to be visiting businesses, perhaps repeatedly, to help them meet the regulations. "We have to really work with them," Ajax says. Q. Her biggest worry? A. The pace and extent of licensing, because lots of players are needed to make the supply chain work across the state. Cultivators. Distributors. Manufacturers. Testing companies. Retailers. State licensing only started in December. Ajax worries if California has "licensed enough people throughout the supply chain, and geographically across the state, so people can continue to do business," which includes medical and recreational pot. "That's something I think about all the time." Take distributors that transport cannabis. "If you don't have enough distributors, if they are the only ones that can transport the cannabis, that would be an issue ... on Day One," Ajax says. Q. How tough is enforcement going to be, if you intend to entice businesses into the market? A. For now, more carrot than stick. "We can't just hit them over the head," Ajax says. "You work toward educating them and, I think, you go from there." "If we have somebody that is causing a public nuisance or a public safety problem, then I do think strong enforcement is necessary. But if you just got somebody trying to comply, and they are completely overwhelmed because they just don't know what to do, then I think that's our job to then break it down for people." She acknowledges the dense regulations can be intimidating. "A lot of them have never dealt with the state before," she says. "We want to encourage people that this is the best way for California, to come out of the shadows and be licensed." Q. Experts say the new legal economy will struggle if the black market continues to thrive. How does the state intend to persuade illegal operators to come out of the shadows? A. In a word, education. Ajax says businesses need to know how to get licensed -- an online application site opened this month -- and the state should encourage them to do so. The state also needs to be flexible at first with compliance, she said, as businesses become accustomed to the new system. "We, as a state, have to show them that this is where you need to be," she says. Jeff Kowunna used his drone to record this year's celebration of another successful bowhead whaling harvest for one of the oldest Alaska Native settlements. The video from the three-day event in remote Point Hope, at the edge of the Arctic Ocean, showed whaling captains sharing the flippers with residents, traditional drumming and dancing, and the ever-popular blanket toss, where villagers use seal skins to heave each other into the air. But Kowunna's plan to share this unique slice of Inupiat culture online was thwarted by the area's notoriously slow satellite connection. This month, the 34-year-old whale hunter is ready to try again. His community of 700 and several other isolated Alaska towns are getting a commodity much of the U.S. has long taken for granted: high-speed internet. "I've been counting the days," Kowunna said of the broadband he hopes will help him connect more immediately with the world with posts from gatherings like the June whaling feast, or Qagruk, while updating folks who have moved away. "I think it's going to be a lot smoother sailing as far as streaming to the web." The new service is part of a planned international fiber-optic system from Anchorage-based wholesaler Quintillion that eventually will connect London and Tokyo via the Arctic. It's the result of several factors, representative say, including technical advances, private investors willing to bet on the system, and a warming Arctic environment that opened up a limited construction season, allowing crews to bury hundreds of miles of subsea cable off Alaska's upper coast. "Clearly, 20 years ago, even 10 years ago, the situation with the ice in that part of the world would have made the progress much more difficult to accomplish," Quintillion spokesman Tim Woolston said. The effect on far-northern Alaska -- where many rely on a subsistence lifestyle for food -- could be dramatic: No more classroom computers crashing during lessons, software taking an entire day to download, movies buffering for hours, and sophisticated medical equipment sitting partially unused. "A project like this is critical," said Mike Romano with NTCA-the Rural Broadband Association, which represents 850 small telecom and broadband service providers in the U.S. and Canada. Connecting rural communities remains a significant broadband challenge because of the higher cost of delivering service far from metropolitan hubs. Alaska's 1,400-mile (2,250-kilometer) portion of the international project includes a land trunk line between Fairbanks and the Prudhoe Bay oil fields that went live in the spring. Quintillion has not released plans or a timetable for the larger project and will not say how much has been spent so far in the private venture. New York private equity firm Cooper Investment Partners is anchoring the financing. Ship crews finished installing the last Alaska segment of subsea cable in October, and the network became available to telecom providers Dec. 1. The improved service won't be cheap, said Jens Laipenieks, CEO of Artic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative, which serves three of the affected communities. Laipenieks expects the cost to drop when the final two phases are built and more wholesale tenants join the system. Still, commodities always cost more in the Arctic, where a gallon of milk can carry a $10 price tag because everything has to be flown or shipped up. Fiber-optic is no exception, but the expense has not dampened enthusiasm, according to utility officials. "That's just the reality of being in an ultra-rural market," Laipenieks said. "But the technology will never be the limiting factor again." Not everyone is sold on the new link. In Utqiagvik, America's northernmost town, Inupiat whaling captain Gordon Brower balks at exposing his culture to unnecessary criticism -- from anti-whaling activists, for example. "It's unnecessary because we're only just trying to provide food," Brower said. "We don't have Walmart in the backyard over here." In Point Hope, Inupiat artist and traditional skin-boat maker Henry Koonook worries people will be more distracted by the online world than they already are. Koonook himself has nothing to do with computers, even to connect with prospective buyers. "That little box -- what they call a laptop and iPhones -- is ruining our people," he said. "It's helping them with their education and stuff like that, but they're drifting away from the culture and traditions, and it's going fast." Others have big plans for tapping into the faster and more reliable service. The Arctic Slope Regional Corp., an Alaska Native corporation and minority investor in the Quintillion project, is developing an online store featuring artwork by its shareholders, a tourism platform for its eight villages and a repository of stories and videos featuring Inupiat elders. "It's just limitless what we can do now," said Cheryl Stine, its chief administrative officer. The North Slope Borough, where Point Hope and Utqiagvik are located, is developing a cultural website through its history, language and culture office. The site will be called Puiguitkaat, Inupiaq for "things that should never be forgotten," according to Kathy Ahgeak, who heads the office. "We have a wealth of traditional knowledge, ancient knowledge," Ahgeak said. "We want our children to know just how far back our heritage goes." 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 the destruction and dispersal of populations they wrought. 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 a democratic wave, 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. Egypt, which gripped the world's attention when street demonstrations and the military toppled Hosni Mubarak seven years ago, exemplifies the scaled-down ambition. After several years of mayhem it seems more stable now, the economy growing 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, and barring a surprise, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi can expect to win re-election in a few months. Here's a look at some possible inflection points for 2018: ___ 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 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. ___ 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 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. If the Shiite-dominated government fails to rebuild the Sunni areas, they will likely become restive again. ___ PROMISE AND PERIL IN SAUDI ARABIA Change seems imminent in Saudi Arabia, especially if 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman takes over the throne from his father officially in 2018. MBS, as he is known, 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. 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. 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's also true 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. ___ A PENULTIMATE DEAL? Trump speaks repeatedly of brokering 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. 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. 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 more likely to entice. Associated Press writer Zeina Karam in Beirut contributed to this report. A Virginia man has been charged with attempted murder after police said he shot two sheriff's deputies on Christmas Eve. The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said Douglas V. Johnson Jr., 39, was arrested on Sunday night after a domestic incident in Sterling, Virginia, about 30 miles northwest of Washington. The deputies, a woman and a man, worked for an hour to try to de-escalate an argument between and Johnson and his 19-year-old daughter at a house on Hollow Mountain Place, Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman said. About 5 p.m., Johnson went upstairs, and three deputies followed him into his bedroom to arrest him, when he reached for a gun, Chapman said. Chapman said deputies almost immediately used a stun gun on Johnson, but he managed to fire several shots. A female deputy was shot in the leg, and a male deputy was hit in both legs and an arm. "Clearly, there was two or three booms. It sounded louder than a gunshot, but maybe, potentially, because it was inside the house, and maybe that was the reason, but clearly, it was a boom," neighbor Anantha Bangalore said. The third deputy involved in the struggle subdued Johnson and took him into custody, Chapman said. "Four or five cops pulled him out. I think he was trying to resist. They pinned him on the ground here," Bangalore said. The deputies are in good condition and will most likely not need surgery, Chapman said. Johnson is being held without bond. A GoFundMe page was set up to provide financial assistance to the families of the injured deputies. The National Weather Service says up to eight inches of snow is forecast to fall in parts of New England overnight and Christmas morning. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency said Sunday that snow is predicted to spread over most of Massachusetts late Sunday and last into midday Monday, although there is uncertainty about the storm's track. There may be a mixture of rain, sleet and snow along the Interstate 95 corridor. Northern sections of Massachusetts could receive up to 8 inches of snow, with similar totals expected in parts of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. MEMA and MassDOT warned driving may be hazardous in the Bay State. Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver advised motorists to minimize or delay travel. "The weather forecast is calling for snow to begin on Sunday evening, meaning that people who are planning on driving during the overnight or morning hours should monitor conditions and make smart decisions before heading out onto the roadways," he said. A winter storm warning will remain in effect through Monday afternoon across northern New England, upstate New York and parts of north-central Massachusetts. Heavy winds are also forecast for much of New England, including further south, in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Gulliver urged travelers to reduce speed and give plenty of room to other motorists and snow and ice equipment. MassDOT crews were preparing in advance for the storm, including pretreating roads with brine. A dramatic Christmas Day rescue unfolded after a Vermont woman slipped down a steep embankment and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Nicole Stowell of Colchester was very cold, but safe, after rescue personnel lifted her out of a ravine. First responders said Stowell, who is in her late 20s, reported she slipped, then slid and rolled down a steep embankment, estimated to have been a 150 or 200 foot-long tumble. She ended up near the edge of the frigid Winooski River, with left leg injuries, including an ankle injury, said Dave Auriemma of Colchester Technical Rescue. Stowell was transported to the hospital but is expected to make a full recovery. Its been the worst Christmas Ive probably ever had, said Travis Carl, Stowells husband. Carl said before his wife fell, she had been out searching for their English Mastiff, Thor, whos been missing since Saturday night, when he ran away from a car that hit him on Route 15 near St. Michaels College. I miss my dog, but as long as my wifes okay, thats all I really care about, Carl said. To get Stowell out of that precarious spot, Colchester Technical Rescue, St. Mikes Rescue, and the Colchester Center Fire Department set up ropes and a pulley system. The team gradually hoisted the patient, who had been placed in a large basket, closer and closer to the top of that severe hillside. There was no way she was going to walk out of there, Auriemma said, describing both Stowells injury and the icy and snow-covered embankment. The delicate work of rescues from dangerous conditions is the specialty of Colchester Technical Rescue. Whether it be Christmas, Easter, or just a typical Monday, the jobs still got to get doneand thats what were here for, said Auriemma, a technical rescue squad member who is also a firefighter EMT with the Williston Fire Department. Scene commanders said the unsung heroes in cases like this are the family members who were willing to say goodbye to police, fire, and rescue personnel on Christmas morning, knowing how important it is that they serve their communities every day of the year. One person was killed in a 2-alarm Christmas Eve fire at a senior housing complex in Abington, Massachusetts. Crews from Abington, Whitman, Weymouth and Brockton responded after the fire broke out at the facility of Chestnut Street. The office of Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey confirms one victim, an adult, was killed. Firefighters found heavy fire in that person's apartment. Fire officials say other elderly residents were transported as a precaution. Ostroskey's office, Abington police and fire officials and the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office are investigating the cause of the fire. The victim's identity will not be released until a formal identification is made by the Massachusetts Medical Examiner's Office and family is notified. Norwich man responds when disaster strikes When disasters such as the Grenfell Tower fire or terrorist attacks have struck the UK in recent months, a Norwich Christian has been among the first to respond, as part of a team of Christian chaplains, offering comfort and help to those affected. Keith Morris reports. Eldred Willey is part of the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team which, this year alone, has supported the grieving community around Grenfell Tower, and offered emotional and spiritual care in the wake of the deadly attacks at Westminster Bridge and London Bridge. In late May, they also ministered alongside local churches after the deadly bombing in Manchester. Eldred has taken part in three of the last four deployments. After a disaster, many people are traumatised and bleeding emotionally. Our role is to provide emotional first aid. We believe that by intervening early on, we can help to prevent the development of psychological disorders. As chaplains, we want to encourage others to intervene positively and to pass on the skills needed to do so. It is so important to reach out to people who are suffering, rather than leave them isolated, he said. At the darkest times, people ask the deepest questions. Its important to have people who will take time to listen. As chaplains we cant answer the question why. We cant say why disasters happen. But we can often answer the question who? Who can help me in this time of tragedy? We can point people to human sources of help, and if people want it, we can also help them find comfort in Christ. Our Chaplains have found that three-quarters of people they meet in tragic situations are already going through some kind of personal trauma, said Eldred. In early December, Eldred and others from the Rapid Response team ran a free seminar at the Eastgate Trust in Thrigby, East Norfolk, to teach people from local churches some of the skills they have learned as they respond to tragedy. The course aimed to equip people to effectively minister to individuals who are facing bereavement, sickness, grief, relationship loss or other personal traumas, said Eldred. Its good to talk A couple of days after the terrorist bombing outside the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in May, a minutes silence was observed by huge crowds gathered in the citys St Annes Square. Eldred was there and started talking to a young man he called Adam, aged 22, the same age as the terrorist bomber. He takes up the story Adam had been sitting for hours in the square, taking it all in. He was heavily tattooed, with pierced cheeks, nose and tongue, and wearing over-sized earphones. One cheek was twitching as he struggled with lonely thoughts. But when I sat next to him, he began to talk. I can understand how they drew him in, said Adam. We see it in the gangs here in Manchester. They always pick on the weakest, most bullied boys. Then they give them somewhere to belong, and they can twist them any way they like. I used to have faith as a child, said Adam. But I lost it. Too many bad things happened to me. I remember 9/11: I was only seven at the time. I started asking: how could a God who is in control allow this? How could he allow this to happen to Manchester? Just look at those kids they were so innocent. Adam had grown up in a Christian school, surrounded by Bible stories and crucifixes. What about Jesus? I asked him. What if God came and suffered with us, with those kids in the bomb attack? Wouldnt He be a God worth believing in? Could I challenge you to say a prayer? I asked Adam. Would you pray that if God and Jesus are real, they would reveal themselves to you? Adam was silent for a moment, and then in the middle of the square, with strangers sitting all around him, he prayed aloud: God, if you are real, reveal yourself to me. Jesus, if you are real, reveal yourself to me. Amen. Pictured top is Eldred Willey, centre, talking with people at the scene of the Westminster terrorist attack and, above, flowers in St Annes Square, Manchester. Between the pandemic and the subsequent economic upheaval, these are challenging times for everyone. But the networking industry has some elements in its favor. Technologies such as Wi-Fi, VPNs, SD-WAN, videoconferencing and collaboration are playing an essential role in maintaining business operations and will play an even greater role in the reopening and recovery phase. At the same time, it has become obvious that as enterprises continue to migrate applications to the cloud, data-center networking will cease to be a high-growth industry. So what are the most powerful networking companies doing? They're diversifying, expanding into new product areas, and moving up the stack beyond nuts-and-bolts connectivity and into areas such as hybrid-cloud management and the automation of networking processes. SEE ALSO: Smart network upgrades to consider before the next pandemic This year's list of the 10 most powerful companies in enterprise networking includes traditional networking powerhouses, with an emphasis on the extent to which they've embraced these new approaches, along with pure-play market leaders in areas such as wireless networking and hyperconverged infrastructure. (Editor's note: Power is a subjective quality, and this list is not a ranking based on simple, quantifiable metrics. Our list is ordered, with input from industry watchers, to reflect the companies that are making the biggest power moves and the broadest impact on the network industry.) 1. Cisco looks to extend hardware dominance to network monitoring, automation, security Why they're here: Cisco continues to maintain its leadership position in just about every networking hardware category. Cisco sports a 51% market share in Ethernet switch revenue, and it's the leader in combined service provider and enterprise router revenue at 37%. It dominates the WLAN market, with 44.6% market share (Aruba-HPE is a distant second at 13.9%, according to IDC.) Cisco also ranks at the top in SD-WAN equipment with a 16% market share. When the pandemic hit and workers shifted to their home networks, Cisco was sitting pretty. Not only does it have the dominant VPN, it's the only networking player that had its own videoconferencing/collaboration platform WebEx just waiting in the wings. Power moves: Bought ThousandEyes, a leader in intelligent network and application performance monitoring for hybrid cloud environments. ThousandEyes is expected to complement AppDynamics, also an app performance management company, which Cisco acquired in 2017. By the numbers: $1 billion. That's the estimated amount Cisco paid for ThousandEyes. (That comes out to $1 million per eye.) Outlook: Cisco faces a double whammy. The Ethernet switching and routing market is not a high-growth area anymore. According to IDC, for the full year 2019, the switch market grew only 2.3% and the router market was flat compared to 2018. And Cisco's market share continues to erode as competitors like Arista and Huawei chip away. In response, Cisco has begun a transition to a revenue stream that includes software, subscriptions and security. Cisco needs to continue executing on that strategy. 2. Arista diversifies with Big Switch acquisition Why they're here: With its laser focus on delivering the highest performing switches for enterprise data centers and hyperscale cloud providers, Arista has continued to gain market share against Cisco. But Arista also knows that diversification is vital. The company now offers network monitoring, automation and analytics across hybrid-cloud environments. Arista is also a supporter of open networking. Its own network operating system (EOS) is based on a Linux kernel. And Arista recently announced that its switches will run Microsoft's SONiC (Software for Open Networking in the Cloud) OS. Power moves: Acquired Big Switch, a leader in network monitoring and SDN. By the numbers: 18.8%, which is Arista's share of the high-speed data-center switching market during the first half of 2019, according to Crehan Research. (Cisco was at 46.6%.) Outlook: Arista isn't known for making acquisitions, so it will be interesting to see how well it integrates Big Switch's Big Cloud Fabric (BCF) software, which also runs on hardware from vendors that compete with Arista, such as Dell and HPE. Arista doesn't have a security or SD-WAN play, and that could become a weakness over time, especially if the enterprise data-center market stagnates and if hyperscale cloud vendors turn to white-box switches. However, Arista does have opportunities to grow revenue in areas where it has not been strong in the past, such as campus switching and WLAN. 3. Juniper embeds AI across cloud, Wi-Fi, SD-WAN environments Why they're here: Juniper has made numerous acquisitions over the years and few, if any, have provided the spark needed to give the company much in the way of forward momentum. This time may be different. Juniper bought wireless innovator Mist Systems in 2019 for $405 million and is starting to roll out products that leverage Mist's artificial intelligence capabilities. Mist is unique in that it features an AI-driven virtual assistant named Marvis, who uses natural-language processing to provide insight into the Wi-Fi user experience and to offer prescriptive guidance for fast troubleshooting. Power moves: Juniper's goal is to deploy Mist-based AI across cloud, data center, Wi-Fi and SD-WAN environments By the numbers: 97%. The Gap reported a 97% improvement in point-of-sales system errors across its 1,500 stores through the use of Marvis. Outlook: Juniper shows up as a leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for data-center networking and as a leader in the latest Forrester Wave for data-center hardware platforms for software-defined networking (SDN). But Juniper has struggled to translate that technical leadership into sustained revenue growth. As the post-pandemic pendulum swings toward WLANs, remote access, SD-WANs, network automation, and COVID-19 related in-building tracking and tracing, the Mist acquisition puts Juniper in a strong position. (See also: Juniper's big push is AI in all areas of enterprise networking) 4. VMware continues deal-striking with Carbon Black, Pivotal Why they're here: VMware is on a tear. In late 2019, the company closed on two significant acquisitions: endpoint protection company Carbon Black and Pivotal Software, a cloud application platform that enables developers to containerize and manage applications across multiple clouds. It's true that VMware doesn't sell routers or switches, but those commodities are becoming less important as the physical hardware layer is being decoupled from the control plane through SDN or NFV. VMware is positioning itself as a company that helps enterprises move to hybrid cloud through its server virtualization, hybrid-cloud management and platform-as-a-service offerings. It is also a leader in SD-WAN. (See also: VMware's ongoing reinvention) Power moves: VMware's flurry of acquisition activity shows no sign of slowing down. In January, VMware announced plans to acquire Nyansa, a fast-growing innovator of AI-based network analytics. It bought cloud-native security platform Octarine in May. And this month, VMware acquired Lastline, which offers cloud-native threat detection services. By the numbers: $4.8 billion, which is the combined amount that VMware shelled out for Pivotal ($2.7 billion) and Carbon Black (2.1 billion). Outlook: Despite the grim economic environment, VMware announced solid first quarter earnings of $386 million, with revenues of $2.73 billion, up about 12% from a year ago. VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger attributed the upbeat quarter to the shift to work-from-home sparked by the coronavirus pandemic. Not long ago, VMware looked like a company that was stuck in a data-center virtualization rut and was in danger of being left behind as enterprises migrating to cloud platforms. Today, VMware seems to have its mojo back and is continuing to innovate, both internally and through acquisition. In March, VMware launched VMware Tanzu, a suite of products and services aimed at automating the modern Kubernetes-based app lifecycle, and it also delivered a sweeping upgrade to its vSphere virtualization portfolio. 5. Extreme tackles Wi-Fi 6, cloud management, AI and network automation Why they're here: Extreme Networks has embarked on an ambitious extreme makeover that has its roots in the company's realization that just treading water was not going to cut it in the new world of cloud, automation, SD-WAN, and IoT. In 2016, Extreme bought Zebra Techologies' wireless LAN business. In 2017, Extreme snapped up Avaya's networking business and also bought Brocade's switching, routing and analytics business. Today, Extreme has revenues approaching $1 billion and is prepared to compete with the big boys in emerging areas like Wi-Fi 6, cloud-based network management, AI and network automation. (See our test and review of 4 Wi-Fi 6 routers: Who's the fastest?) Power moves: Last August, Extreme bought Aerohive Networks, a leader in cloud-managed wireless LAN services, AI and machine learning. By the numbers: $272 million, which is the amount Extreme paid for Aerohive. Outlook: Gartner places Extreme among the leaders, along with Cisco and Aruba, in the category of wired and wireless LAN access infrastructure, so that's a good foundation. But Extreme needs to integrate its acquisitions into a seamless platform and it must execute on its strategy to "cloudify our portfolio and continue to roll out new products," as CEO Ed Meyercord said during the company's most recent earnings report. 6. NVIDIA looks beyond gaming to full-stack enterprise data-center networking Why they're here: It's always fascinating to watch a disruptor come along and try to shake up an industry, particularly one that has had the same handful of companies at the top of the heap for decades. NVIDIA has the proven technical chops and the financial wherewithal to just maybe disrupt the networking industry by ushering in a new era based on open source. If you think of NVIDIA as just a GPU maker for gaming devices, keep in mind that the company racked up a cool $1 billion in enterprise and hyperscale cloud revenue last year providing the GPUs for data-center networking gear. NVIDIA bought InfiniBand and Ethernet-switch maker Mellanox last year and just announced plans to buy Cumulus Networks, which sells a data-center switch pre-loaded with the Cumulus Linux open networking OS. Add it all up, and NVIDIA can deliver a full-stack enterprise data-center networking offering for high-performance workloads and AI. (See also: NVIDIA's aggressive purchases could signal the era of open networking) Power moves: In April, NVIDIA closed on its acquisition of Mellanox. In early May, it announced plans to acquire Cumulus. By the numbers: $6.9 billion, which is the amount NVIDIA paid for Mellanox. Outlook: In the early days of Linux, the real traction began when companies like SuSe and Red Hat came along to provide enterprise-grade support and services. That's what Cumulus, listed as a visionary in Gartner's latest Magic Quadrant for data center networking, provides for open networking. Cumulus also sells its own network management tools. The challenges for NVIDIA are two-fold: First, having the components for a full networking stack isn't the same as delivering a fully integrated stack. And second, when companies were experimenting with open source servers, they could take a server, isolate it and use it for application development or some other non-critical function. Introducing open source switches into a production network is still a leap for many companies. 7. Aruba (HPE) delivers AI-powered edge networking platform Why they're here: Five years ago, when HP was in the midst of the turmoil of being split into two companies, it gobbled up WLAN leader Aruba for $3 billion. The question on everyone's lips at the time was, "How's that going to work?" Turns out, it worked out pretty well. And for one key reason. As Aruba president Keerti Melkote explains, "When they (HPE) acquired Aruba, they reverse-integrated the HP networking team into Aruba, so rather than integrating Aruba into an organization that is already there, it said it needed a different way to think about the market and about innovation. They wanted to infuse the big company with the small company." The results speak for themselves as Aruba has consolidated its position as the main competitor to Cisco in the WLAN market. By the numbers: 65,000. That's the number of unique customers using Aruba Central, the company's platform that unifies network management for wired, wireless and WAN networks, and soon 5G and edge computing. Power moves: Aruba just announced Aruba Edge Services Platform (ESP), a new cloud-based platform that uses AI to reduce the burden of mundane tasks on IT departments across virtually all areas of networking, including identity and access management for remote workers and automated onboarding of 'headless' Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Outlook: The pandemic has certainly upended the normal course of business, but Aruba is in good shape to capitalize on the increased reliance on remote workers and on other trends such as edge computing and IoT, which require moving data across both WLAN and LAN infrastructures. 8. Dell advances data-center automation Why they're here: With a deep bench that includes PCs, servers, storage and networking, Dell's power play is to offer enterprises a single-vendor solution to all of their IT infrastructure challenges. Whether an enterprise is looking to modernize its data center, embark on a hybrid-cloud journey, delve into advanced data analytics or deploy VDI, Dell has an answer. It has successfully leveraged the storage assets from its EMC acquisition four years ago and the hybrid-cloud management and NFV capabilities from VMware (in which Dell owns an 86.6% share of stock) into a business that racked up $92 billion in revenues last year. Power moves: How about addition by subtraction? Dell's most recent power move was shedding the legacy security vendor RSA, which it acquired as part of the EMC deal. Dell said the move was aimed at simplifying its product portfolio. By the numbers: $2.075 billion. That's that amount of money that a consortium of investors paid for RSA. The deal includes the RSA product lines as well as the RSA Conference. Outlook: Dell can rightfully lay claim to a market-leading position in a number of storage, server, cloud management, virtualization, SD-WAN and hyperconverged infrastructure markets. The challenge for Dell is to help customers connect all of those dots. To that end, Dell recently announced PowerOne, which takes best-of-breed components in compute, storage and networking, ties them together through its PowerOne Fabric, and manages them through an automation engine named the PowerOne Controller. 9. Nutanix extends hyperconvergence tech with cloud services Why they're here: The fast-growing market for hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) has turned into a two-team race between Dell (34% market share) and Nutanix (13%). According to Q1 numbers from IDC, the hyperconverged-systems market was up a solid 8.3% year over year. But longer term, the handwriting seems to be on the wall in terms of data-center hardware growth. Enterprises were already shifting resources to the cloud, and the pandemic seems to be accelerating that migration. The good news for Nutanix is that the company is well along on a strategic shift from hardware to software and from on-prem to the cloud. (See also: 8 reasons to consider hyperconverged infrastructure for your data center) Power moves: Added new capabilities to its desktop-as-a-service offering, which has been going gangbusters during the pandemic. By the numbers: 15,000, which is the number of Nutanix customers worldwide Outlook: Nutanix's growth plan is centered on broadening its product portfolio beyond HCI appliances, as well as moving to cloud-style subscription billing. Gartner puts it this way: "Over the last two years, Nutanix has evolved from a vendor of HCI system appliances and data services, to a provider of a broad portfolio of software solutions and cloud services." These include database-as-a-service, application self-service and application life-cycle management, object storage, file storage services and a disaster recovery service. Going forward, the Nutanix strategy is to help companies manage remote workers, simplify and modernize their data centers, and manage their apps across cloud and on-prem platforms. 10. Huawei keeps fighting against sanctions, political pressure Why they're here: China-based networking vendor Huawei finds itself in the middle of a power struggle of epic proportions between the U.S. and Chinese governments. How epic? So epic that the Wall Street Journal's editorial board wrote a column on June 9 warning about "the magnitude of what is happening," as Commerce Dept. regulations threaten to "forcibly decouple computing technology supply chains from China, a move that will accelerate the fracture of at least part of the world economy into two spheres of influence." Bloomberg recently ran a story with this headline: "A Quiet Panic is Growing in U.S. Boardrooms Over Huawei Ban." Without getting into the complexities, U.S. policy set to take effect in August would prohibit American companies that do business with the government from having Huawei technology in any part of their global supply chain. That could be interpreted to mean, for example, that a U.S. company couldn't do business with a supply chain partner in India, if that Indian company has a telecom supplier with some Huawei gear buried deep in its network. Power moves: Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei told the leadership of the company in February, "The company has entered a state of war." By the numbers: 10 and 30 (roughly). According to IDC, Ethernet switch revenue was up 7.8% in 2019, giving Huawei 9.6% market share for the full year. Huawei's enterprise and service provider router revenue rose 4.1% for the full year, giving the company 29.8% market share. Outlook: On May 15, in a move separate from the supply chain ban, the Commerce Dept. banned all sales of advanced semiconductor technology from American suppliers to Huawei. New Street Research described Huawei's current situation this way: "As things stand, Huawei has 12 months left to live. Without leading-edge chips, Huawei cannot sell competitive networking equipment, and there is no alternative to fabricators powered by U.S. technology to manufacture such chips." We regularly find ourselves in situations in which we talk to others. We talk to friends in a different way than we do to strangers. One important skill for this is not just understanding what the other person is saying but also recognizing who is talking. Therefore, the voice of our conversation partner helps us. Until now, scientists could not agree on exactly which regions in the brain allow us to recognize voices. "Very valid statements about which brain areas are responsible for which functions are derived from investigations in patients with lesions. If a certain part of the brain is injured and therefore a certain function fails, both components can be related to each other", says Claudia Roswandowitz, scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (MPI CBS) in Leipzig, and first author of a study which has revealed key findings about voice recognition. Roswandowitz, along with other researchers from the Research Group Neural Mechanisms of Human Communication, tested 58 patients with brain injuries and their capability to learn and recognize voices, especially those who had suffered a stroke. Additionally, the scientists looked at brain scans of the participants--high resolution images of their brain structures and injuries. The neuroscientists found that especially persons with lesions in certain areas of the right posterior temporal lobe experienced difficulties recognizing voices. They assume that the posterior superior temporal gyrus, the STG, is crucial for voice recognition. These findings were supported by a previous study at MPI CBS, whereby, a phenomenon commonly known as "voice blindness", phonagnosia, the inability to recognize voices, was investigated. The two involved study participants--the only ones known in Germany to be affected by phonagnosia--were not able to identify people by voice, even their own mum or child. Roswandowitz and her colleagues also detected that changes in and to the right temporal lobe led to the corresponding deficits. In comparison to the other patients with lesions, the causes did not lie in the failed brain structures but rather in their different brain activity. "These findings improve our understanding of how the brain identifies voices and provide the basis in the search for effective therapies for those affected by phonagnosia, a fairly common deficit which is sometimes present from birth but especially after a stroke. In our studies nine per cent of the participants reported suffering from difficulties in recognizing voices, a problem that is almost unheard of in the medical sector. Thus, we have to raise awareness of this matter", says Roswandowitz. As markets approached the Christmas holiday, it was particularly fitting that futures on evergreens were exploding. Rather than representing last-minute Christmas tree demand, the rallying market was actually lumber futures, which were responding to stronger than expected housing outlooks. Last Tuesday, housing starts and building permits numbers exceed expectations, showing strong construction demand. This was coupled with strong figures for existing home sales and rising prices on Wednesday. Most important of all to builders, a report Friday showed that new home sales reached a ten-year high, signaling strong demand for their handiwork. Regrettably, lumber supplies have been threatened during the last year by wildfires in the Pacific Northwest as well as trade disputes with Canada, the largest supplier of lumber to the United States. These realizations shot lumber futures to a one-month high at $450 per thousand board feet on Friday. Higher prices, of course, are no present for those looking to buy a new home in the coming year. The futures contract for lumber is made up of 2-by-4s manufactured from fir, spruce and pine trees, albeit larger versions than the Christmas tree in your house! Livestock herds expanding Two reports on Friday from the USDA showed that cattle and hog herds continue to expand in the United States, likely signaling record beef and pork production in 2018. For livestock producers, this expansion has been the result of profitable prices, but rising inventories could exceed demand and eventually knock prices lower. Falling prices could be a boon for grocery shoppers but ultimately hurt producers. Meanwhile, corn and soybean farmers should appreciate rising herd sizes as an early gift, as corn- and soy-fed beef and pork will increase demand for their crops. The hardest hit market after these reports was feeder cattle futures, which represent young cattle that are old enough to be moved into a feedlot. Demand for these animals may fall as existing herds are already quite large, a factor which knocked prices for March feeders to a three-month low near $1.38 per pound. Trump dossier creator Christopher Steele BACKING OFF claims prez is linked to RUSSIA as he faces libel lawsuit Former British spy Christopher Steele, the man behind the drafting of the now-infamous Trump dossier, once confidently proclaimed that our president was so inextricably linked to Russian government figures that Vladimir Putin himself could drop a dime on Donald J. Trump anytime he wanted. Steele also claimed that Trump aides were part of some vast conspiracy with Moscow to steal the election from Hillary Clinton, someone who Putin reportedly despised so much hed do anything to see her lose. But now, as Steele is forced to defend himself against charges of slander and libel for things he wrote in the dossier that was subsequently published by Buzzfeed he doesnt appear to be quite so confident in his earlier claims. As in, he doesnt sound like a man who continues to believe what he wrote a year ago. As reported by The Washington Times, once upon a time Steele matter-of-factly stated in the dossier that there was collusion between Team Trump and Team Moscow. But some months later in court, he now claims that such collusion was only possible. This all takes on added importance now as Republicans close in on discovering whether the bogus dossier for which nothing contained within has been verified was used by anti-Trump elements within the FBI and Justice Department to obtain a FISA court warrant to spy on the Republican presidential nominees campaign last year. (Related: REVEALED: The FBI plot to overthrow the presidency and commit organized TREASON in America.) Steeles unsubstantiated garbage was further spread by the Democrat-aligned opposition research firm that hired Steele Fusion GPS. Also, the Times noted, Steele once boasted to Mother Jones magazine he was the one who started Robert Muellers special counsel investigation by convincing the FBI last summer that his dossier was real. And of course, we now also know that the dossier was bought and paid for by Trumps opponent, Hillary Clinton. Nothing odd or weird about that, right? In any event, now that Steele has to defend his allegations in court, his confidence level has shifted down several notches, the Times noted. As The National Sentinel reported in April, Steele was upset when Buzzfeed published the dossier in January, probably because he knew then it was all BS. Though the so-called mainstream media ignored it, Steele also seemed at the time to repudiate the dossier when he acknowledged in court filings that at least some of the allegations contained in the document were unverified. In his dossier, Steele claimed without a hint of reservation that an extensive conspiracy between Trumps campaign team and the Kremlin existed. He wrote that as a hotel builder and entrepreneur, Trump was involved in an eight-year partnership with Russian intelligence that dated back long before his presidential campaign, the Times noted. During that alleged relationship, both sides traded information. One of Steeles memos even claimed that the Kremlin had compiled so much financial and personal information about Trump and his businesses that the Kremlin could blackmail him at any time (a claim that actually makes more sense when applied to Hillary Clinton). The Times noted further: He wrote that Paul Manafort, Mr. Trumps former campaign manager, and a campaign volunteer, Carter Page, in tandem orchestrated the campaign with Moscow to meddle in the race. He also maintained that Michael Cohen, Mr. Trumps attorney, traveled to Prague in August 2016 to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putins personal staff and orchestrate a cover-up of the campaigns hacking conspiracy. All of those charges have been denied, and none has been confirmed publicly by a press leak or congressional inquiry. Now that hes in court, Steele is changing his tune a lot. In one response, Steele described the intelligence he gathered as limited. Regarding the charge of collusion between Team Trump and Russia, he now claims that there is only a possible connection. This dossier bought and paid for by Clinton and a Clinton-aligned firm was never real, and were now seeing that proven as Steele attempts to defend the indefensible. Read more of J.D. Heyes work at The National Sentinel. Sources include: WashingtonTimes.com TheNationalSentinel.com NationalSecurity.news Submit a correction >> There are various economic projections related to the tax cut bill and other policies. The projections are created by the US government agencies, Universities, and independent groups. The differences tend to be whether * the US federal deficits go up by $1.5 to 2.5 trillion over ten years. * the GDP increases by 0% or 1% or 1.5% each year * Federal tax revenue decreases by $1.7 trillion or $1 trillion over ten years So this has to be measured against fluctuating baseline projections of GDP, tax deficits and tax revenue. Fluctuations and other causes will be used to spin the results but the actual results will combine policy and randomness. Converting the ten years differences to annual numbers is * the GDP increases by 0% or 1% or 1.5% each year * the US federal deficits go up by $150 to 250 billion each year on average for ten years. * Federal tax revenue decreases by $170 billion to 100 billion each year on average over ten years GDP growth and unemployment will matter more for determining win or loss for the next 7 years GDP over 2.9% a year is a clear victory for the Republicans. The US Treasury used that number to justify being able to pay for the tax cuts and has been mocked by their opponents. 2.1% or less GDP growth is a loss. 2.2-2.7% GDP growth is a draw. Many other factors can cause GDP growth to fluctuate but political winning or losing involves taking credit or taking the blame for the policy and randomness. Overall factors playing out over the next 7 years are that the US has not had a recession for a long time. The recovery from the devastating 2007-2009 financial crisis has been unusually lengthy. The latest growth stretch has already lasted 100 months, and if the poll predictions come true it would mark the longest economic expansion in more than 150 years. Economists are forecasting another 2 years in the current expansion before a recession hits. If the strength of the US economy was the sole determination of political success or failure then having average GDP growth for 2018-2020 of 2.8% or higher and no economic recession before 2020 would translate into continued Republican majorities and a second term for Trump. Conversely having a recession and having GDP growth less than 2.1% would translate into losses. Note: The US and the world could be experiencing an AI and blockchain economic boom for the next several years. This would be lucky for the Republicans if it occurred. Higher Deficits will harm the long-term growth of the US economy The US deficits were projected to decrease to $440 billion in 2018 and $530 billion in 2019 and $490 billion in 2020 before the tax cuts. 2018 US federal deficit of $590 billion or less is a win for the Republican tax plan over $690 billion is a loss and in between is a draw. 2019 US federal deficit of $680 billion or less is a win for the Republican tax plan over $780 billion is a loss and in between is a draw. 2020 US federal deficit of $640 billion or less is a win for the Republican tax plan over $740 billion is a loss and in between is a draw. The US federal tax revenues have been projected to be $3.65 billion in 2018 and $3.8 billion in 2019. 2018 US federal tax revenue of $3.55 billion or more is a win for the Republican tax plan over $3.39 billion is a less is a loss and in between is a draw. 2019 US federation deficit of $3.7 billion or more is a win for the Republican tax plan over $3.63 billion is a less is a loss and in between is a draw. US Treasury projections The Treasury Department issued a one-page memo outlining its views on the economic growth prospects of the Senate-passed version of the bill.